Fitness Flooring: One Size Does Not Fit All

CARSON, CA, USA, May 21, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- When it comes to flooring for a fitness area, not all are created equal. Flooring is the one item in a fitness area that is used more than any other equipment in the room. Having the right fitness flooring has a huge impact on a user’s exercise experience. Every workout that involves standing, jumping, running, squatting, lifting, and even stretching in a purposely heated room (hot yoga) are done on this specialized flooring. There are many pieces to take into consideration when deciding on the right studio or gym flooring. The most important of these is quality.

Quality for fitness flooring is based on thickness, durability, odor, and performance. Fitness flooring takes a good amount of beating from both the members and equipment. Flooring in these applications shouldn’t just meet the minimum requirements for the space; it should exceed the demands of the activities in the room and surpass the ability to support heavy machinery and equipment. Fitness flooring needs to contribute to preventing injuries to body areas, such as joints, muscles, and tendons, by providing impact and shock absorption.

It should also provide a good grip for the athlete, but still allow some degree of slide so the body can move. Why the grip? From a yoga ball to a bench press machine, all fitness rooms have some type of equipment. Ensuring a sufficient grip will prevent unnecessary injuries since unintentional movements of the machinery will be suppressed.

What about thickness? Most visitors are unaware of the thickness of the floor… and maybe they don’t even care. For a studio owner, it is the number one component they look for in flooring. Depending on the type of workout in the room, thicker is not always better. Thicker also doesn’t mean it’s stronger and tougher. To judge strength, you’ll have to look at the overall performance quality of the company’s flooring product line regardless of density. For instance, a spinning room would benefit in using Lonseal’s Lonplate I or Lonplate II where a hot yoga space will do better with Lonwood Performa or Lonwood with Foam. The baseline durability of both types of Lonseal flooring is above-average of what is normally found in other commercial sheet vinyl flooring. Adding Lonsafe or choosing one with an already equipped padding product like Lonwood Performa (2 new colors recently added: W556 Summer Breeze and W557 Morning Fog) take the brutal beating in its chosen application area. Keep in mind that any type of equipment on cushioned-layered sheet vinyl flooring or foam underlayment could leave a long-lasting or permanent indentation. No vinyl floor is immune to indentations that come from high point loading of equipment. Make sure the product you choose is suitable for the use of space and the company provides a product specification chart. A chart that shows results for static load recovery and short-term indentation is important, such in the case of Lonwood Performa’ s product specification sheet.

Of course, we cannot forget the importance of hygiene. Here we are, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of antimicrobial features on the flooring will re-surface. For a short time, there was a slight movement in healthcare spaces wanting to move away from antimicrobial flooring due to its contribution to creating “superbugs”. In cases like COVID-19, buildings that chose elements that have antimicrobial features in them are appreciating their decision more. There is no shelter from body fluids for fitness flooring. Not only does flooring in these vulnerable spaces need to be easy to clean, it also needs to be protected from germ absorption so that bacteria and viruses do not permeate past the top layer of the floor. Most of Lonseal’s flooring products have GreenMedic^®, which is an increased infection control through an antimicrobial formulation. GreenMedic^® is exclusive only to Lonseal. Antimicrobial properties in any flooring do not mean it will kill the invading microbe. Many products out there are misinterpreting this word in their product line, giving the consumer a false sense of security. Maintenance and disinfection is the only weapon to kill a microbe. Lonseal’s GreenMedic^® has the ability to impede the growth of bacteria and helps limit it spread.

There is also the visual impact. Not everyone enjoys exercising, and having a nice welcoming environment helps unmotivated people feel comfortable and empowered. We all know that flooring can create a strong first impression, especially in yoga type settings where there are no obstacles in viewing the entire floor space. The colors and patterns should contribute to a “let’s do this” mindset. Lonseal adopted a Biophilic way of designing for health and wellbeing. Why Biophilic? This method of designing enhances cognitive, psychological, and physiological factors. Studies have proven positive results and Lonseal focuses on being part of the solution.

We can’t forget about the noise factor. Another benefit of using Lonseal sheet vinyl flooring is the absorption of noise. This is particularly important especially when a studio is located around residential or quiet business properties. Noise-reducing flooring should consider because energetic workout routines and dropping of heavy weights are not soft-spoken and can produce noises in surrounding rooms.

Lastly, is fire protection necessary? All building codes, including gyms and fitness studios, do require fire protection in materials used to build the space. For rooms that are used frequently, flooring should have a fire protection certificate. Lonseal flooring does meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Class 1 requirements for floor finishes. The protection against fire spread reduces the cost of damages in the event of a fire.

Remember, just because it’s labeled “fitness flooring” doesn’t mean it fits the need of any fitness facility. Some fitness flooring options are inexpensive, but not durable enough to fit the needs of a specific use of space. Contact your Lonseal representative or go to our website at Lonseal.com to request samples of our fitness flooring products.

Lace Greene-Cordts, Marketing Manager
Lonseal, Inc.
+1 310-830-7111
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