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Best Exercise Mat for Home Gym: How to choose and how to use

May 03, 2022

Are you outfitting your home gym and wondering if you need an exercise mat? And are they actually any different than a typical yoga mat that most of us already have at home somewhere? Let’s see!

 

The most common form of exercise mat IS a yoga mat which is a thin rubber/plastic or plant-based carpet that softens the ground for exercises you may do on the floor or while standing. BUT, there are also thicker and longer fitness mats that can help with grip for exercises such as deadlifts. 

What is the best exercise mat to buy

To pick out the best exercise mat for your home gym, consider what you will use it for: if yoga and flexibility training, opt for a thinner version. If you will be getting into strength training and working out with weights, definitely go for a more robust, thicker mat that will soften the impact not just on your ankles, knees, and feet, but also on the floor if you accidentally drop a weight! Of course, budget is a consideration too so think about how often you will use this mat.

How to use an exercise mat

You can use an exercise mat for many different types of workouts, for example:

 

  • Yoga - typical yoga mats are perfect for asanas, yoga workouts where you are doing planks and squats, and of course for Shavasana meditation at the end

  • Cardiovascular exercise - exercise mats are perfect for this! You can do many stepping exercises at home, use a jump rope, or even do kickboxing or running in place.

  • Strength training - stepping up an ante, you can use an exercise mat for higher impact workouts like push-ups, burpees, squats with weights, and even hamstring curls.

  • Core and conditioning - an exercise mat is perfect if you are doing crunches on the floor, using a balance ball, throwing a medicine ball to a partner, or doing any kind of ab work on the ground.

  • Stretching - an integral part of any workout, both before and after, stretching is much more pleasant when done on a more cushioned surface like an exercise mat than just the floor.

 

All in all, we definitely recommend getting an exercise mat for your home gym! They are really versatile, even if you want to sit on the floor and do some work on your laptop - this does wonders for your hips!

 
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