Best floor for aerobics

[Lea2191]

I previously used hardwood floor and I like it quite a bit.
I'm not having any problems now on a second story carpet, except I don't like the drag on it during certain moves.
I was thinking about changing to hardwood, but my family wants me to use Laminate for cost savings.
I am pretty sensitive to the softness of the floor and I can't work out on a mat over concrete like a lot of gyms have. I end up with shin splints and being uncomfortable during the workout.
I looked at greatmats but they don't recommend it over carpet.

Is there a lot of difference between laminate and hardwood as far as give during aerobics?
What is the best floor for doing aerobics for softness and ease of movement.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Lea! You will most likely need to talk to the sales rep in the flooring department about the different types of laminates and their shock absorbancy. They all vary a bit. Also, make sure that the laminate surface is not too tacky so that you don't run into the same "dragging" experience you had with the carpet. They should have square samples for you to step on and test this out. Also, make sure you have proper fitting shoes and shoes that are not too old. All of these factors will contribute to providing an optimal experience as well.
Most any new floor surface will have an initial adaptation phase that can lend itself to a brief episode of shin splints if you dive in to your typical workouts without any breaking in period. So you need to be aware of that too. Geese, why does it always have to be so complicated, right? Take Care!