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Josh Reyer
8th May 2006, 22:38
Hello, folks.

Some of my dojo-mates and I are trying to organize a weekly Monday practice session. The problem? Monday is the day all public community centers close, including the Toyota City Gymnasium, where our dojo usually meets. It looks like we may be able to get use of an elementary school gym. But we'll have to put down gymnastics mats on the hard wood floor. Does anyone know a good method to keep mats from sliding around in that situation? At the moment we're thinking of setting the mats up in a corner and trying to hold them in place with rubber door stoppers. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Yoroshiku,

Prince Loeffler
8th May 2006, 22:48
One way I know Josh:

Put rubber mat used in Bathroom tubs underneath, it worked for me when we do demos at community centers with hardwood floors. Depends on the size I would normally have it at the center as opposed to the corners. Make sure that the floor is free of dust.

Here's a sample:

http://www.vitafutura.com/mats/details.asp?fam=00063


Hope this helps

Josh Reyer
8th May 2006, 23:03
That's a boss idea. Thanks, O.G.!

MikeWilliams
9th May 2006, 00:17
You could try duct-taping the entire length of the mat edge to the floor. Messy, but it might help.

Also, if your mats are longer than they are wide (like judo tatami), then arrange them so that the long edge is next to the short edges of two adjacent mats (don't know if I explained that terribly well).

Josh Reyer
9th May 2006, 00:41
You could try duct-taping the entire length of the mat edge to the floor. Messy, but it might help.

Also, if your mats are longer than they are wide (like judo tatami), then arrange them so that the long edge is next to the short edges of two adjacent mats (don't know if I explained that terribly well).

You explained it perfect, and sounds like a good idea however we make them stick.

mews
9th May 2006, 02:19
there are also sheets of open-work rubbery stuff sold to keep the futon on a futon couch/bed from sliding all over when it is set in the couch position, or to keep rugs and runners in place.

a store that sells the furniture might have them, or a Bed,bath & beyond type place.

mew

Jose Garrido
9th May 2006, 16:25
How about just getting the rubber underlayment tha swain mats offers. i may cost a bit more, but it will last longer.
Jose'

Bunny
9th May 2006, 21:15
Two words:

Nail gun. :)

Moon Cat
10th May 2006, 07:41
We dont have maths :D!!! Hurts like bell whith all the blisters but its acctualy not so bad! ;) works better (we dont have wooden floors we got something a bit more.....rubbery but its not exactly thick)

glad2bhere
16th May 2006, 15:30
Dear Josh:

I have a situation which is not so very different from yours. We likewise must put down mats and take them up at the end of each class where I teach at a community college. We use 1 & 3/8" folding Tiffin Mats which have male and female velcro along the edges. What I have found is that by arranging them in various geometric shapes such as boxes and crosses we can get maximum floor-coverage while engaging at least two walls. This allows for a couple of things.

One thing is that if you are going to put mats down I assume that you have people who cannot take full breakfalls on an unpadded floor. If this is true, their landing on a mat needs to allow for some lateral movement of the mat. Making a pattern of the mats allows for this.

Another thing is that you do not, nor do you need to have a full edge of the mat area bounded by a wall. This wastes mat area within 6 feet of the wall. Rather it is enough to have the mat touch the wall in a couple of places so as to simply act as a "buffer" and that will keep the larger mat area from sliping around.

For me and the Hapkido that we work in with the students I have at the Community College, I have found making a single large square with 50% overlap of the velcro'd edges to be suffice. Depending on what you are doing and how, of course, your mileage may vary. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

Josh Reyer
16th May 2006, 18:22
Bruce,

Thanks for the detailed response.

I'm not exactly sure what kind of mats we'll be dealing with. I believe they'll be whatever the school has on hand, which rules out tape and nail guns, I think. If they have the velcro edges, I think we'll be in good shape, and we'll do what you suggest. If not, I think the bathtub mats should do the trick: cheap, portable, and low impact.