As with all sports facilities, it is important that sports floors promote health and safety. Since many sports require significant activity and movement, the flooring must protect the user from injury. Without a hard floor, wear makes any protective function ineffective.
Rubber is the standard material for sports facilities around the world. Rubber is extremely durable and provides shock absorption. It can reduce the severity of the accident and protect it from injury. Rubber floors are extremely versatile and can be used for multi-purpose floors. However, different rubber thicknesses and styles work for different sports. Let’s take a look at which types of sports use rubber flooring the most and which types of rubber flooring work best.
Sports using rubber flooring are listed below:
Strength training
Rubber is an ideal floor solution for gyms. However, it is best to use a variety of rubber floors based on the various areas of bodybuilding. Heavy equipment requires a sufficiently dense and robust rubber floor to carry tons of weight without bending or breaking. Free-dumbbell zones require a thicker rubber that provides rebound and cushioning when weights are dropped. In the case of Olympic lifts, it is important that the rubber floor is strong enough to maximize performance while protecting the ground underneath.
Running
Athletics also uses rubber floors, especially indoor routes. Of course, the rubber used for runways must be durable enough to withstand heavy foot traffic. In addition, the material must be sufficiently dense and resistant so that it is not perforated or torn by spikes. The rubber bottom of the rail must also be flexible enough to adhere to the curves of a rail.
Aerobics and plyometric
Plyometric exercises consist of fast, powerful and explosive movements that cause a harder impact on the landing. Many aerobic exercises can also cause jerky movements such as jumping, running and running. For this reason, rubber flooring should be more porous for plyometric and aerobics for better shock absorption and cushioning. This floor also provides excellent grip for directional changes.
Ice rinks
In public areas around the ice protection areas are required, on which people can safely run ice skates. Rubber is the most commonly used material for ice rinks in areas around the ice, including the bench. The rubber floor of the rink is guaranteed against all these ice skates. It is therefore important to choose a durable and strong rubber that is not torn by skate traffic.
Multifunctional rubber floors
Although some sports do not necessarily use rubber as a floor covering, you can use rubber surfaces as a general sports floor. On rubber floors, for example, basketball, football and volleyball can be played. For this reason, rubber floor is a good overall solution for rooms for many sports purposes. For general use, choose a rubber that falls in the middle of the density. In this way, the rubber remains absorbent while the balls can bounce off.
Benefits of rubber floor
Versatility and durability
Rubber floors are also very versatile. This interface can be adapted to any configuration and is available in a variety of colors and styles. It’s very easy to include the colors of the gym or the team logo. There are also a variety of options such as rubber tiles or laminate floors. Owners of gyms and fitness centers are limited only by their imagination and budget.
Noise reduction
Rubber floors also reduce noise. Gymnasiums are usually cavernous places where the sound is extravagantly reflected on the walls. Rubber floors absorb some of this noise and reduce ambient noise in the room.
Increase safety by preventing injuries
Rubber floors are non-slip and reduce slipping and falling accidents. It is easy to clean and maintain and requires little attention if properly installed.
Some sports and physical activities required rubber floors to provide a degree of protection and safety. Yoga is an example of physical activity that requires the use of rubber floors which helps provides stability and gripping power to maintain intricate poses.
When not to use rubber flooring
Rubber is a handy material and generates too much friction for some sports. Dance, for example, requires surfaces so that the feet can shine without stopping. Rubber is also not recommended for martial arts. Again, the surface is too sticky and too hard for rotations or learning throws and falls.
However, rubber is popular as an underbody or underlay for sports that require shock absorption and a lower grip surface.
Types of rubber floors
The different types of rubber floors are known as: mats, tiles and rolls.
Rubber mats are known to be simple and effective way to demonstrate the benefits of rubber flooring. Carpets can give upholstery or extra thickness to small areas they need.
Rubber sheets and rubber rollers are also extremely easy to install. Nested rubber tiles are one of the toughest and densest options. Tiles can be laid simply by laying and connecting the parts with your own hand.
Rubber rollers are just as easy to dispose of, as long as you have enough support to transport heavy rollers and can stick them to the floor with double-sided adhesive tape or floor adhesive. Of the three rubber rollers are often the most economical choice and leave the fewest joints.
Rubber floor care
Regardless of the type of rubber you are looking for, it is important to maintain the sports floor. Sports facilities are prone to the growth of bacteria and fungi. Therefore, it is important to clean the floors regularly.
After all, it is important that you know your surroundings before laying a rubber sports floor. Not all activities have the same needs: Strength training requires a different rubber thickness than a covered distance. In addition, you must consider the use in the equation. The same sports area for a small community center may not work in a very busy training center, even if the activity is the same. Large carpets help you to find all available options. Customer service representatives can help you choose the right thickness and style for your sports flooring needs.