Benefits of a Plyometric Mat
A plyometric mat is made to take care of your feet, hips, knees, and ankles while you exercise by reducing the shock to those joints.
Due to high ground reaction forces, the execution of plyometric exercises sometimes needs a forgiving surface. This is why when performing plyometrics activities a special mat called plyometric mats is needed. These mats are made especially for plyometric activities, and just any old and ordinary exercise mat wouldn’t work.
If you want to do plyos, you need a good plyometric mat that can protect your joints. Plyometric exercises are usually high impact exercises, so it is recommended to have something that will absorb shock. There are many things that you must consider before you buy a mat for plyos.
The one major factor that you must consider is that it should be slip resistant. Also, the mat must be adequately cushioned and should be big enough to support your body or the type of exercise you will be doing.
Not all mats available in the market are slip proof, and we especially have to be careful of the more inexpensive ones. You might wonder how can anyone slip during exercise, but you can slip due to sweating on the mat, or when you rehydrate during exercise by spilling water from your water bottle and making the mat wet. Though a mat might look slip resistant, you might find that it’s not once the workout begins.
There are already any number of ways you can pick up injuries during physical training, so having a plyometric mat that is not slip resistant is one risk too many in my opinion.
Do Not Use Yoga Mats
You might already have a mat for other types of exercise sessions like yoga, gymnastics, or exercise videos, but these mats shouldn’t be used for plyometric training. Plyo mats are more cushioned and are more shock resistant than other types of mats. If you use your yoga mat for plyometric training, you might end up injuring your joints. Make sure you buy a plyometric mat even if you have other types of mats with you.
Cushioning is good for your joints, but the mat shouldn’t be too cushioned either. One of the features of a good plyometric activity is shorter ground contact times, if the mat is too soft it increases the time spent on the ground and renders the activity less effective. This is why it is best to compare plyo mats before purchasing one. You should get a mat that is cushioned just right.
And the last thing that you must keep in mind while looking for a plyo mat is its size. If your workout room is small and you have to perform a limited number of exercises, then you can settle for a small mat, but if you want a lot of room to move around during your plyometric sessions, it is best to get a bigger mat.
Normally, storing the mat shouldn’t be a headache as these mats roll up easily and can be adjusted to fit anywhere. Even if you do not have a workout room, you can use the mat in your living room and then roll it up when you are done.
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