Floor mats (for carpeted surfaces)

[fitnessfay]

What are your suggestions for floor mats (for carpeted surfaces).
My feet hurt when I do the high impact moves in the step aerobic workout (such as Interval Max).

Do you have any suggestions about where I can purchase one?

Thanks,
Fay

 

[starlight6]

I know some of you ladies have covered (no pun intended) this topic before, but I can't find the right thread. I would appreciate any help on this, too. My husband just put down a new carpet & I would like to avoid wearing it out like I did the old one! Also, it's hard to do some of the step stuff now, as Fay mentioned. Help!
Ruth

 

[wendyloo]

Hi guys,
I think you can search under "flooring" or "great mats" and get some good information...good luck!
Wendy

 

[Bobbi]

I was at Ross and I saw (in the toy department--I have a 4 year old) an interlocking alphabet puzzle mat. It cost $16 and it works great! There was recently a thread which linked to a site where the same type of mat for a child's room started at about $130.

I did Maximum Intensity Cardio on the mat yesterday and I was amazed at how well it worked.

I have an agreement with Sam that he put the letters back in if he removes them.

If you don't fancy a brightly colored ABC mat laid out on your floor, you can also check with exercise equipment places for the types of mats they put beneath equipment.

 

[Bobbi]

Try http://www.greatmats.com

 

[Stacy]

I just bought a few mats that are used underneath recumbent bikes. The box says that they also can be used under aerobic steps and are "slip proof". Well, I'm sure they might be slip proof when placed on top of a non-carpeted surface, but not so with carpeting. They still move all over the place during my step tapes even though they seemed pretty stable. So, moral of the story....dont waste your money on these!!

Stacy

 

[starlight6]

Thanks for all the good advice...will check it out right now. It is killing me that suddenly I can't do parts of RS that I REALLY enjoy!
This can't go on!
;-)

 

[lorrayne]

The thread was for non carpeted surfaces. For this, greatmats.com was referenced. Greatmats.com is NOT for carpeted surfaces. I contacted them myself asking this question as I desperately need some padding to put on top of my carpeting. Greatmats.com responded and told me directly that they do not recommend their product to be placed on top of carpeting.

I, too, would greatly appreciate a response to this query.

Lorrayne

 

[Colia]

Stagestep makes a 4 x 6 ft piece of aerobic flooring that sells for about $120 I think. It is a thick piece of vinyl-like stuff, about 1/2 inch thick or so, and can be rolled up. It claims to be resilient and absorptive for high impact activities, but I would caution you guys working out on carpet that if there is concrete under the carpet, there is going to be a lot of impact transmitted to your knees. I exercised on my carpetted basement for five years and it really killed my knees. Anyway, these pieces will slide over carpet - I bought the rubber mats that go under carpet over carpet and it held them fairly well, although they still slid somewhat.

I purchased the foam blocks and a piece of Quietstep from Stagestep, and my husband and I constructed our own little aerobic floor 8 x 8, and it makes all the difference in the world for my knees. We have laid it right over the carpet and can take it apart should we ever move - they also sell this semipermanent tape. I am back stepping with Cathe - last year at this time I had to bow out of the Cathe trip because my knees were so bad. I think the link to Stagestep is www.stagestep.com - it is also somewhere on this website. This option cost probably around $300 all total, but for me, very worth it.

Cheers!
Colia

 

[jgoycoolea]

Carpet! You have carpet! I'd be in heaven if I had carpet. My husband kicked me out of the wooden-floor living room 3 years ago, and since then I have been doing aerobics directly on the basement cement! I have never had knee problems, but the balls of my feet hurt from time to time. I replace my tennis shoes regularly. The mats I have tried have been too small, or slip. I don't have any extra money for mats that cost in the hundreds these days.

What I do is try and avoid high impact moves. If I can make a high impact movement low I do. To balance this out, I always keep my step height on the highest level (I think with Step Reebok it is 10 inches.)

What else is a girl to do? I am not about to give up my cardio.

Jeanne

 

[Stargazer]

My sympathies on the concrete. I have a concrete block house and I went to the local lumber yard. The gentleman there built me a platform made of 3/4" plywood on top of a frame of 2 x 4's. My first platform was 4 x 6 (the size of the plywood) 4" off the floor (okay, a little less) Then when I started doing Cathe step, I went back and got a second 4 x 6 platform. side by side they are 6 x 8 which is j-u-s-t enough room to do most of the cathe moves. I paid $45 each (they only charged me for materials) If you get the "good" plywood, you will have a wood floor. I'm not handy so I don't have the two connected and they do separate some. If I had the space I would get two more and have 8 x 12 OH HEAVEN!!

It is just another suggestion, especially on the concrete. I would have quit (aerobic) exercising if it hadn't been for my platforms.
-joy

 

[Bobbi]

Jeanne,

I was at Ross Dress For Less and saw an alphabet puzzle for $16 dollars. It has 10" by 10" interlocking pieces like the ones at greatmats.com (ok greatmats has 2 feet by 2 feet interlocking blocks for $100.+). I did Maximum Intensity Cardio and Interval Max on it and it works like a charm! Even on carpet before we went to tile, I used to experience some discomfort. While the alphabet blocks may not be for you( I have a four year old. I can pretend they are for him), I do highly recommend getting something like it. It makes a huge difference with the high impact!
http://www.greatmats.com

B http://www.plaudersmilies.de/natur/petals.gif bbi

 

[fitnessfay]

RE: Greatmat.com - Floor mats (for carpeted surfaces)

This quote is from the FAQ section of their website:

Can the mats be placed over carpeting?
If no movement is going to place on the mats, carpeting under the mats is ok. For example in an exercise equipment room. HOWEVER it is not recommend to put the mats over carpeting if used for martial arts or combat training, the carpeting acts like a layer of air and the mats will move around, even large areas.

There's another website I looked into (www.fitness1st.com) and they recommended the 'Gymnastic & Stretching folding mat, 1 3/8" thick.' What do you think about their suggestion? Would this be a better choice instead?

Fay
:-hmmm

 

[Bobbi]

RE: Greatmat.com - Floor mats (for carpeted surfaces)

How about yoga type sticky mats?

 

[SusanR]

I was in Home Depot last night and they have those puzzle mats at a pretty good price. They have sets of different colors (I think it was red, blue & yellow) and they also had plain gray ones.

 

[Bobbi]

We put tile down over concrete and I had a rather intricate array of rubber backed rugs and a heavy cushioned rug. It worked ok but the interconnecting mat is terrific! I really got into Interval Max, did every interval-even the plyo-lunges and it really absorbed the impact!

 

[lynnesq2]

A few months ago I purchased one of those cheap clear vinyl "runners" with the bumps underneath (to keep it in place on carpeting) at Wal-Mart (for about $9.00).
It is probably 2 and 1/2 feet by 7 feet, so it doesn't cover the entire stepping area, but i just put the edge of my step on it, rather than the entire step. you just have to be careful around the edges, if they curl up, I've almost tripped.
Hope this helps! Seems to have worked for me, so far!
Lynne