In light of a budding public interest in promotions like Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride, many people are beginning to try their hand in mixed martial arts. Full contact combat disciplines like Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling are sparking a passion in individuals of all ages. Those interested in MMA are lured by the spirit of competition, feats of unimaginable strength and masterful technical prowess; those not interested in MMA are probably repulsed by the prospect of broken limbs and glazed eyes. For participants in MMA and for worried mothers, consider using a thick rubber mat to combat the inevitable physical risks of this full contact sport.
Whether you practice at school, a gym or at home, it’s important to safeguard your body from potentially harmful impacts. Here are two reasons why your sparring area should be outfitted with large rubber floor mats:
Impact-absorbency: In mixed martial arts, the floor may as well be another opponent for a fighter. There are many technical martial arts maneuvers that utilize the floor for leverage or for an outright hard surface to throw someone against. It goes without saying that impact on harder floor surfaces would hurt.
Practicing and sparring on a thick rubber mat can prevent serious injuries resulting from hard impacts. The composition of rubber gives it a shock absorbing quality; a rubber mat acts as a forgiving cushion for hard slams.
Grip: Many MMA moves require a great amount of technical ability and finesse. For any given situation, a certain amount of factors must align in order to pull off a slick submission or strike. One of the factors is a fighter’s footing, which generally should be grounded and balanced. A martial artist can lose her footing on slippery floors like laminate wood or grass.
Large rubber floor mats, laid over the entirety of the practice floor, serves as an excellent slip-resistant surface. This eliminates the chance of an individual losing his footing and possibly spraining an ankle or wrist.
You can’t expect to participate in MMA without collecting some cuts and bruises. With a thick rubber mat, you can at least reduce the chances of breaking a bone or spraining your ankle. Because of rubber’s shock-absorbing and slip-resistant qualities, it wouldn’t hurt to lay down some of large rubber floor mats in your practice or sparring area. The rubber mat’s easy DIY installation and resilience to physical abuse are qualities that you would want in your corner of the ring.