Can anyone tell me if the great mats are comfortable for exercising when they are placed directly over a concrete floor. We are finishing our basement and I will have an exercise room. I am contemplating whether to put thick padding and carpet or going with wall to wall great mats. I read that some people had a concern about them sliding and slipping. If I get them, I plan to get them wall to wall in my 11 x 17 room. Please let me know your opinion on the great mats. Do they make that much difference? For the last years, I have been in an area of the unfinished basement with thick padding and carpet.
great mats
- Thread starter Affirm
- Start date
Tamster
Cathlete
Hi Affirm!
I have the great mats in my basement workout space on top of concrete. I did buy one of those rug grippers and I put that under the mats. I have no problems with sliding or slipping.
My joints find the mats perfectly cushiony!
When I first got them, they were a bit slippery as they had some type of powdery coating on them. I just washed them a few times with 409, and haven't had a problem since. I vacuum them about once a week.
HTH,
Tammy
I have the great mats in my basement workout space on top of concrete. I did buy one of those rug grippers and I put that under the mats. I have no problems with sliding or slipping.
My joints find the mats perfectly cushiony!
When I first got them, they were a bit slippery as they had some type of powdery coating on them. I just washed them a few times with 409, and haven't had a problem since. I vacuum them about once a week.
HTH,
Tammy
Before you order, check out wondermats.com. They sell one inch thick mats that are superior to the 5/8 inch thick mats I had tried.
The thicker mats are so much more absorbant. They were a little slippery at first. After 2 weeks of use that improved.
I don't think you would need anything underneath with any mats if you did wall to wall
https://www.wondermat.com/cart/index.html
Lisa
The thicker mats are so much more absorbant. They were a little slippery at first. After 2 weeks of use that improved.
I don't think you would need anything underneath with any mats if you did wall to wall
https://www.wondermat.com/cart/index.html
Lisa
Hi. I have mine over a concrete basement floor, and they feel fine. I like my great mats, but I'd much prefer real flooring.
As for the wall to wall, I don't know if you'll really be able to do that, since I think they are 2 feet by 2 feet squares. You'll have a 10x16 mat when you put it together, with a 6 inch space around the perimeter. I think that will be fine--mine hardly shift around at all on my concrete floor, with noting underneath them. I do put a 20lb dumbell on one corner, but that's just habit, as I used to do it to keep them from shifting when I used them on carpet.
Wendy
As for the wall to wall, I don't know if you'll really be able to do that, since I think they are 2 feet by 2 feet squares. You'll have a 10x16 mat when you put it together, with a 6 inch space around the perimeter. I think that will be fine--mine hardly shift around at all on my concrete floor, with noting underneath them. I do put a 20lb dumbell on one corner, but that's just habit, as I used to do it to keep them from shifting when I used them on carpet.
Wendy
JAFitMama
Cathlete
Wendy
How did they work on carpet?
Do you recommend laying them over carpet? We have berber and padding over cement in our WO area. I don't like the idea of ripping up perfectly good carpet. And, because the area doubles as an extra media room, the carpet will stay.
Judy
AKA "Likes2bfit"
How did they work on carpet?
Do you recommend laying them over carpet? We have berber and padding over cement in our WO area. I don't like the idea of ripping up perfectly good carpet. And, because the area doubles as an extra media room, the carpet will stay.
Judy
AKA "Likes2bfit"
I used to have a combo of the mats from costco and some from wondermat.com. They were both 5/8" thick.
I decided to try the one inch thick mats from wondermat.com a few months ago. They are fabulous. They stay together better than the 5/8 (especially when you just need a few tiles)
Much more cushion with the 1"
Lisa
I decided to try the one inch thick mats from wondermat.com a few months ago. They are fabulous. They stay together better than the 5/8 (especially when you just need a few tiles)
Much more cushion with the 1"
Lisa
Hi Judy,
I used mine over carpet in my old house, and they worked fine--but they did take a little getting used to. They felt squishy (too squishy) at first, and they did slip around. That's why I used dumbells on the corners, which helped to keep them still. The slipping didn't happen during weight workouts, but did during cardio.
Keep in mind that I do more Christi cardio than Cathe cardio, and Christi's has more movement and choreography. The slipping may not happen as much with Cathe cardio. Also, I convert most step workouts to the floor because of knee issues, so the weight of the step may help keep the mats still, too.
Hope that helps!
Wendy
PS My carpet wasn't extremely shaggy, but it wasn't berber, either. Berber is so flat, I think it probably will work pretty well with the mats
I used mine over carpet in my old house, and they worked fine--but they did take a little getting used to. They felt squishy (too squishy) at first, and they did slip around. That's why I used dumbells on the corners, which helped to keep them still. The slipping didn't happen during weight workouts, but did during cardio.
Keep in mind that I do more Christi cardio than Cathe cardio, and Christi's has more movement and choreography. The slipping may not happen as much with Cathe cardio. Also, I convert most step workouts to the floor because of knee issues, so the weight of the step may help keep the mats still, too.
Hope that helps!
Wendy
PS My carpet wasn't extremely shaggy, but it wasn't berber, either. Berber is so flat, I think it probably will work pretty well with the mats