I started doing P90X in my basement. My basement is unfinished and the floor is
just painted concrete. Originally I had some leftover carpet that I used as a workout
surface. While better than concrete this
was still not great for some exercises as the carpeting did not provide much
padding and was prone to slip.
A few years ago I found some tiles at Costco that were made
out of some type of foam. I bought a
couple of packages to use as a workout surface. Using some double sided carpet tape to keep the tiles in place, I laid down a floor
that seemed to be a big improvement over the pieces of carpet that I was
using. In fact it was a big
improvement. However over time I found
it to be a bit too cushy for some exercises and I also found I had to be
careful where I was stepping when I was doing things like lunges as I started to create
some tears along the edges of the pieces. Over time I also started to be a little concerned how well the tiles cleaned up.
Last year I found a product called Regupol Aktiv. While not something you would probably find
in most fitness stores I did find this at Fitness Depot in Toronto where I buy
a lot of my fitness equipment. This
product can be bought as tiles that are shaped like the ones I found at Costco. They are however far
more durable and designed to be exercised on. As the rolls
came out to cost less per square foot, I went with a roll that was 25’x4’ by ¼ inch thick. The tiles come a little thicker though at 3/8
of an inch. My roll I cut in half and laid them side by side to
cover an area 12.5’ by 8’. The material
is not really “cushy” but is really good for doing cardio/plyo exercises
on. It provides enough cushion but not
too much. It is also very easy to clean;
I typically just use a rag and some warm water with a drop of dish soap. I have a few pieces of carpet tape underneath
to secure to the concrete but I am not sure that it is even necessary. The product is quite heavy and movement is
practically non-existent. Over time I do
start to notice a tiny gap between the two pieces. Every few weeks I will push them back
together.
If I were to buy it again I would give a little more consideration
to getting the tile version as it is a little bit thicker or just buying a
thicker roll although I am still not convinced I would want to pay the price difference. Having said that I am very
happy with this product as a flooring solution in my home gym.
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