Preferred Mats

[member 603]

In your gyms, in tournaments.... What are your favorite grappling mats? Brands, styles, etc.... What do you like?

 

[SC MMA MD]

I like the zebra mats that the IBJJF uses at their tournaments, they have been the best blend of softness and grip for me. I don't know if Inwould want them in my gym though as I worry the cracks between the mats would be impossible to keep clean.

 

[member 603]

Yeah I agree with you there.... Those checkerboard styled ones with the interlocking edges always made me cringe, but they did feel great to train on.

I liked those rollout EZ Flex mats too, only if the surface area it was on was balance and flat though.

 

[Leigh]

I made my own, with foam and canvas. Very soft and thick. Lovely to roll on but a little slow for stand up

 

[SC MMA MD]

Looks like the school I train at is going to build a new academy. They have some preliminary drawings from the architect, and asked me about mat preferences today. We (the BJJ guys) are pulling for Zebra mats, and I am pulling for a sprung floor (as an old man should). Somewhere I saw a video or series of pictures of someone building a sprung floor with foam blocks- but of course now I can't find that. Does anyone remember seeing a thread about building a sprung floor and remember where it was?

 

[member 603]

Looks like the school I train at is going to build a new academy. They have some preliminary drawings from the architect, and asked me about mat preferences today. We (the BJJ guys) are pulling for Zebra mats, and I am pulling for a sprung floor (as an old man should). Somewhere I saw a video or series of pictures of someone building a sprung floor with foam blocks- but of course now I can't find that. Does anyone remember seeing a thread about building a sprung floor and remember where it was?

I've been looking but couldn't find this thread you're talking about.... If you found it, let me know

 

[Leigh]

Looks like the school I train at is going to build a new academy. They have some preliminary drawings from the architect, and asked me about mat preferences today. We (the BJJ guys) are pulling for Zebra mats, and I am pulling for a sprung floor (as an old man should). Somewhere I saw a video or series of pictures of someone building a sprung floor with foam blocks- but of course now I can't find that. Does anyone remember seeing a thread about building a sprung floor and remember where it was?

I've seen this posted before but not here. Also seen a sprung floor using old tyres. I was going to build a sprung floor for my gym but it was a big cost on top of the mats.

 

[Mix6APlix]

Mats? LOL. More like bitch surface. If you're not sparring on concrete or at least solid hard wood, you will never get better. How are you suppose to learn proper breakfalls when you have the mats to save your lazy ass? This is how it's done.

 

[SC MMA MD]

^ I of course prefer to train on concrete strewn with barbed wire, broken glass and discarded needles to replicate a real life street encounter, but many new students don't yet have my level of dedication.

 

[SC MMA MD]

This is what I found:
The Quest for the Perfect Judo Floor


View: http://youtu.be/yzLnsk_HIQY


Apparently this is the best place to get the appropriate foam (needs to have a high cushion rate and slow rebound rate), but you need to call and talk to someone there in order to make sure you are getting the correct product.

Mat Foam | Matting Foam Solutions - Wisconsin Foam Products

We are in the "wish list" phase right now, so we are asking for Zebra mats on a sprung floor. Once the estimate for the building and mats comes in, we will see what we end up being able to afford. My past experiences with construction projects is that everyone submits their ideal "want list", the initial estimate is 10x the budget, and then cuts and concessions start.