Looking for the best exercise mats? Find details on types of exercise mats, cost of mats, and benefits of using a fitness mat. We have info on the best exercise mats - foam exercise mats and rubber exercise mats.

Exercise mats are a rarely thought about, but important, item of exercise equipment.  A good exercise mat can reduce fatigue and prevent injury while working out.  A mat will cushion your movements and prevent slipping while doing activities such as karate, yoga, weight lifting, and dancing.  You should also consider getting mats to place under any fitness equipment in your home gym, particularly if you have tile or hardwood floors.

The most commonly found exercise mats are porous and coated with a layer of vinyl.  Where they vary is in size, thickness, and traction.  You want a much thinner mat for a less intense exercise like yoga, for example, than you would for wrestling.  Also, for yoga, you only need a personal sized mat, where if you wanted a mat for wrestling, you should consider the amount of ground you need to cover in order to properly protect yourself from injury and allow for freedom of movement.  In addition to providing shock absorption and traction, exercise mats also reduce noise.

Foam mats

The great majority of exercise mats are made out of foam.  Many manufacturers sell mats that are interlocking, so you can cover the amount of space you need with the appropriate amount of center, border, and corner pieces.  For an intense activity like karate, you should look for a mat with a thickness of at least 7/8 of an inch.  Comparatively, most medium duty mats are around 5/8 of an inch thick.  A good mat will stick to the floor beneath and provide decent traction, while still allowing for a full and natural range of motion.  Foam mats are also usually water- and odor-proof and come in a variety of colors.  There are even interlocking foam mats that are printed with wood grain pattern, so there is no need to lose the wood flooring look in your home gym!  Folding foam mats can range in price from $20 - $250 depending on size, thickness, and materials.  Interlocking mats usually start at about $8-10 per tile.  Yoga and other rolling foam mats run $15 - $40 depending on size, thickness, and materials.

Rubber, PVC, or EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) mats

Exercise equipment mats are usually at least 1/2 inch thick and are made of rigid rubber, PVC or EVA.  Though often expensive, these mats can often be a valuable investment as they protect floors from scratches and dings, not to mention how they can prevent injury and reduce fatigue.   Like some of the heavier duty foam mats, rubber mats often come in interlocking pieces allowing you to customize the size depending of your needs.  Interlocking mats are an economical choice, are often sold in packs of 10 or so tiles, and are easy to clean.  Interlocking exercise equipment mats start around $15 per tile and go up to around $25 per tile.  Another option is rolled rubber flooring, which is not usually as thick as interlocking tiles, and ranges in price from $80 - $100 depending on size.

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