What kind of surface do you train on?

[baronbvp]

I have trained previously on commercial carpet or mats for the most part, but now I am doing Muay Thai at a beautiful new local rec center in bare feet on a laminate floor. The kickboxing classes are only one part of a martial art my instructor put together he calls "Jung Su," a combination of Tang Soo Do, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, karate, and weapons. I plan to take classes in that at some point. See http://www.jungsumartialarts.com/page2.html

My question is, taking a fight to the ground on laminate doesn't look too fun. I believe we'll bring out the mats for the ground stuff, but the footwork changes a bit from laminate to mats. For instance, rotating on the ball of a foot during a kick or shuffling the feet around is way different. So, I'm not sure if we'll start by standing on laminate while we do the striking and then move to the mats, or more likely do it all on mats. Either way, neither surface is perfect for both things.

What floor surfaces are out there that people like and dislike and why?

[blackxpress]

We did have an interlocking pad but it didn't work out. Sometimes you would plant your foot really hard and the floor would come loose (very dangerous). Sensei finally got fed up with it and we ripped the thing up. Now we're training on a bare concrete floor. We have a foldout mat for ground fighting. Sensei plans to have carpet installed but I'm wondering how that's going to work. Seems like you would get carpet burns on the bottom of your feet. The concrete was really tough at firts but I've gotten used to it now.

[lordtariel]

I usually try and train on as many different surfaces as possible. The dojo I train in now has mats, but my favorite surface to train on is hardwood.

[baronbvp]

I have a interlocking mat in my home gym, but I agree that it could come undone and be dangerous. I have gotten carpet burns on my feet before, and on my extremities when grappling. I have also trained on aircraft carrier non-skid on steel which I don't recommend!

I would think the nicest surface would be something like a lightly padded chamois material. I also know people who train on concrete or asphalt to better simulate street fighting. They wear shoes. I'm not opposed to wearing light martial arts shoes on carpet. Seems like some dojos are moving that way for hygienic purposes.

[bushido_man96]

I have trained on several different surfaces. I have trained on a hardwood floor, concrete floor, thin carpet, and even outside, all barefoot.

My current school has a very nice gymnastic type of padded mat, with a carpet covering. I like it a lot, and is great for both sparring and ground fighting/throwing.

[username8517]

Like bushido_man, I too have trained on numerous types of floors (mostly barefoot) including carpet, hardwood floors, very hard hardwood floors (a hardwood floor used by someone who made carpets by hand--had a 2x4 every foot to keep the floor from having any give), concreate, asphalt, grass, laminate tile, foam mats, and interlocking mats.

Personally, I perfer the grass as I quite enjoy an outdoor workout when the weather permits. After that, I would have to go with a normal hardwood floor as that's what I'm used to. However, in a grapple situation, I would definately want some kind of mat.

[bushido_man96]

I have worked out on the interlocking mats as well. Our black belt testings at HQ are on interlocking mats. I have not had any bad luck with them yet, but they tend to get dirty and slick.

[Akaratechick]

we have VCT tile in our gym, over cement. very unforgiving. The class i attend on Wednesdays has a really weird floor, feels almost like cork. Glad I only go there once a week or I would need knee surgery on both knees pretty quick as it is almost impossible to pivot fast without torking you knees. I too prefer hardwood flooring to other surfaces

[Muki]

Our school has hardwood floor, no mats or anything. Sometimes we bring out pads just to practice a new throw or something like that, but soon remove them and then continue without.

During summer karate school a couple of years ago I trained on concrete floor (with shoes on) and needless to say the throws were a painfull experience. Now it's covered with artificial grass and flintstone sand - the kind of floor used for indoor tennis fields. It was okay when it was new, but it's like sandpaper now and after a few days of training we're all getting burned feet.

I prefer hardwood floor to other surfaces, especially if it's the type used for basketball - more elastic and shock absorbant which is nice to have when your're hitting the ground. I don't like mats or carpets, probably cause I'm not used to them, but also cause of the carpet burns and the extra friction when turning/rotating the feet.

[baronbvp]

So far the consensus seems to be hardwood, except for grappling.

My son takes a indoor soccer class at a school where the gym's basketball floor is some new kind of commercial carpet. You can play basketball on it but the lines and everything are silk screened right into the surface. It felt as though it might work, but it probably burns like any other carpet even though it's smoother.