Mat design for dojang

[skribs]

If you were selecting the flooring (and possibly sub-flooring) for a new dojang, how would you build the mats?

There are simple designs that simply use 1.5" or 2" tatami mats on the bare concrete. There are more complicated designs with subflooring involved.

Assuming this school will incorporate all aspects of martial arts - including striking, grappling, forms, sparring, and tricking - how would you design the dojang floor?

 

[drop bear]

One colour. Because it is easier to pull apart and clean.

 

[Dirty Dog]

If budget were no option, I'd want a subfloor with a bit of spring to it.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Are we talking about just the mats, or what's underneath them? If I was setting up a space, I'd want 1 inch thick tatami puzzle mats, and foam to put around and load-bearing pillars in the area. If money wasn't a concern, I'd want to set up 3 mats on top of themselves, along with a little sand pit (3x3 probably) for people to train there as well

 

[Earl Weiss]

Trained at a high school a few times where they let us use the Gymnastics floor exercise mats. That was the best recently trained at a place that's primarily BJJ ad it has 1.5" Zebra mats on some sort of sprung floor. That was second best and lastly at a place that put Plywood over it's Puzzle mats and then the Zebra mats and that is 3rd Best.

 

[Earl Weiss]

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[skribs]

Trained at a high school a few times where they let us use the Gymnastics floor exercise mats. That was the best recently trained at a place that's primarily BJJ ad it has 1.5" Zebra mats on some sort of sprung floor. That was second best and lastly at a place that put Plywood over it's Puzzle mats and then the Zebra mats and that is 3rd Best.

How was it better? Did it take any getting used to for forms/patterns?

 

[skribs]

Do those springy subfloors affect breaking at all, especially power breaking?

 

[HighKick]

I took queues from tile flooring. Both our schools have concrete floors. We but a heated rubber mat down first and then the 1.5 thick 3'x3' in interlocking mats laid out to make rings. We have zero mildew issue and now only take the mats up once a year just to check on things.
It cost a smidge more than a traditional mop but we use the Swiffer mop and their antibacterial cleaner. Quick, easy and does not flood water the wat a traditional mop can.
Check out Great Mats for ideas. I forget where we purchased the underlayment, but it should be easy to find.

 

[Earl Weiss]

How was it better? Did it take any getting used to for forms/patterns?

It was better because it was firm enough with little to no give (Less than Zebra or wrestling mats so your feet did not sink in) when just walking around but phenomenal shock absorption for falls and throws. So, no getting used to. Wrestling mats give a little too much and feet stick when pivoting. These did not.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Do those springy subfloors affect breaking at all, especially power breaking?

Yes, downward breaks will be affected. Had a Basketball floor at one gym and tried a downward break with a wooden frame holder we had . Boards did not break and one instructor told me the building shook when I hit it. Video showed the Holder jumping up after the impact so you could see daylight between bottom of holder and floor. After that we moved those breaks to the hallway / lobby.

 

[SirKicksAlot]

Concrete floor, no mats, prepare students for reality. Seriously though, I would opt for a subfloor, especially if you are doing multiple throws. If it gets too springy, just have a section of the dojo in which the floor is harder for breaks and such.

 

[HighKick]

Yes, downward breaks will be affected. Had a Basketball floor at one gym and tried a downward break with a wooden frame holder we had . Boards did not break and one instructor told me the building shook when I hit it. Video showed the Holder jumping up after the impact so you could see daylight between bottom of holder and floor. After that we moved those breaks to the hallway / lobby.

It was around 20-years ago so they may have gotten much better but I tried a floating floor over concrete and it just did not work for our type of training. Felt like a spring that never stopped moving. It was an Expensive mistake.

 

[HighKick]

It was better because it was firm enough with little to no give (Less than Zebra or wrestling mats so your feet did not sink in) when just walking around but phenomenal shock absorption for falls and throws. So, no getting used to. Wrestling mats give a little too much and feet stick when pivoting. These did not.

Competition wrestling mats are 2" thick and a softer durometer so Yes, they compress just standing on them. Plus they just have a different purpose because fighters/trainers will have wrestling shoes on. Traction is a premium in wrestling.

 

[skribs]

In the TKD school I trained at for many years and the BJJ gym I'm at now, we have had thick Tatami-style tile mats with no subfloor. It's been fine in general, although it is a bit of a hard landing on some throws.

I think for what I'm looking to do, that's the plan for the first gym. It's easier to get up and down, less risk of little kids falling off of it, works better for breaking. Eventually if I open up a larger gym I might go for a more expensive subfloor (but have another area designed for power breaking), but I think that's a Future-Skribs problem.

 

[HighKick]

If you are in a scenario where you have to 'clean up' the room after training, Tatami mats should work fine and have a good amount of flexibility for layout. I suggest researching the durometer ratings on the mats to make sure the one you get is neither too hard or soft. I think you can get samples to test with at Great Mats.
If you know your space footprint is always going to be the same, I might consider the rollup mats to minimize joints/gaps. If you have a couple extra people they roll up very fast.
Did you check out Great Mats?

 

[drop bear]

In the TKD school I trained at for many years and the BJJ gym I'm at now, we have had thick Tatami-style tile mats with no subfloor. It's been fine in general, although it is a bit of a hard landing on some throws.

I think for what I'm looking to do, that's the plan for the first gym. It's easier to get up and down, less risk of little kids falling off of it, works better for breaking. Eventually if I open up a larger gym I might go for a more expensive subfloor (but have another area designed for power breaking), but I think that's a Future-Skribs problem.

Pull the opposite arm up and people fall more lightly.