Best Gymnastics Mats for Home Use

Whether a gymnast has just started tumbling or is an experienced tumbler at home, they will benefit from having gymnastics mats at home. The truth of the matter is a gymnast is never still and soon most of the furniture in your home will be used as an apparatus!

Best Gymnastics Mats for Home Quick Summary

For a quick reference, below are our top 5 pick for best gymnastics mats for home practice.

1. Tumbl Trak: Gymnastics Folding Tumbling Mat

Our most favourite folding mat. Not only good for tumbling, it’s just a great all around gymnastics mat for home. High quality and very durable too. They last years even with heavy use. Get it online DGS.

2. We Sell Mats: 4′ x 8′ Folding Tumbling Mat

Well established brand. The mat comes with velcro fasteners to attach multiple mats for longer runs. Check it out on Amazon.

3. Tumbl Trak or Z-Athletic: Cartwheel Mat

Tumbl Trak mats are best for beginners. The other side of the mat has a beam line to practice beam skills.

4. New Mixed 4′ x 8′, 2″ thick – A more affordable Folding Mat

Similar to We Sell Mats Folding Tumbling Mat, but cheaper. Get one here.

5. We Sell Mats: Gymnastics Folding and Non-Folding Incline Cheese Wedge Skill Shape Tumbling Mat

Perfect for young gymnasts to practice rolls backwards or forwards. Get them here.

Keep reading for more detail, we recommend you to do so before getting a mat for your gymnast’s home practices.

Why Get Gymnastics Mats for Home

Many people wonder how a gymnast will use a mat at home. The truth is these mats are multi-purpose and can be used for much more than just basic tumbling practice. For instance, your gymnast will love their mat to practice basic skills like rolls, walkovers, handstands, or even cartwheels.

Mats will be used by advanced gymnasts to practice standing back tucks and front tucks too. A home gymnastics mat is also perfect for slumber parties, and general horseplay. Mom can even use it for yoga practice.

1. Gymnastics Mats are Investments that Make Your Home Safer

Unfortunately, unlike the gym, a home’s floors aren’t cushioned or very forgiving. If you have a gymnastics mat available to cushion falls, you will be able to encourage your gymnast to practice without getting bruises or potentially getting hurt.

A good gymnastics mat is going to cost a small investment but the benefits will quickly outweigh the costs. Even with hard daily wear, a good quality mat can be expected to last a very long time. 

2. Gymnastics Mats are Easy to Care for

One of the best things about this type of mat is that it is easy to care for as well. To clean a mat, you simply need to use a wet cloth and water, then allow it to dry. If you want to sanitize the mat, you can use a soft cloth and your favorite sanitizer to keep the mat germ free.

3. Encourage Gymnastics Practice in Your Home with a Quality Mat

One of the best ways to encourage your gymnast to practice at home is to gift him or her with a quality mat. Take the time to get exactly what you need and you’ll never be disappointed with your purchase.

What to Consider When Buying a Gymnastics Mat for Home Use

If you are considering buying a gymnastics mat for use at home, you need to make several considerations before making a purchase. We have listed the most important features of home mats to consider to help you get the mat you need and want.

1. Mat Thickness

A mat that is too thin won’t provide cushioning and protection you want if your gymnast falls while tumbling on it. On the other hand, if the mat is too thick, your gymnast may not be able to practice stunts because their hands or feet will sink into the mat when they aren’t supposed to.  Standard mat thickness is about 1 3/8” thick.

2. Mat Dimensions

Before buying a mat, you need to think about where your gymnast will use it. You also want to make sure it is big enough for a gymnast to practice stunts on. Since mats are offered in a variety of different sizes, it shouldn’t be hard to find a happy medium that fulfils both needs.

3. Skill Level

One important thing to consider when buying a mat for home practice is your gymnast’s skill level. Some mats are designed for doing beginner skills on, and therefore are not suitable (potentially dangerous) for advance gymnasts

Some gymnastics mats that are more suitable for practicing advance skills while others can be used for more general purposes, whether beginner or advanced.

4. Storage

Gymnastics mats that are especially marketed for home use offer different storing options. Some can be folded, some can be rolled, etc. There are also inflatable mats that can be deflated for storing.

5. Price

Gymnastics mats for home practice have a quite wide range of price, depending on factors mentioned above. But, in general they are cheaper than mats that are designed and marketed for gym and competition use.

Gymnastics Mats for Home Practice: Different Types You Can Get

There are many different types of mats to choose from when it comes to home use. The most popular mat types are described in detail below.

Folding Mats or Panel Mats

One of the most popular gymnastics mats used in the gym and homes are folding mats. folding mats are offered in many different colors and sizes. They fold-up for easy storage. The most popular size is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long. This type of mat usually has Velcro attached on the ends, so more mats can be added to create a longer mat.

Paneled mats are also often referred to as panel mats or simply folding mats. Whether the mat you are considering is a folding mat or tumbling mat, it offers the same benefits and is usually offered in the same lengths and thicknesses.

The Tumbl Trak Tumbling Mats are our most favorite folding/panel mats. These mats have just enough padding for tumbling, no slip, easily folds up and connects together if you have multiple units.

To allow your gymnast to perform a series of elements together, extra length or connectable mats might be a better option. Make sure you have a proper room for the size. Check out this 10 feet long mat with velcro strap at the end to connect additional mats: Polar Aurora Folding Gymnastics Mat. Also check out either this 8 feet long folding mat with hook-and-loop connections from Resilite (Made in USA) or from We Sell Mats (One of our most favorite brands).

Cartwheel Mats

A cartwheel beam mat is a great home mat option for a beginner or young gymnast. The mat is created with proper hand and feet placement that guides gymnasts in the proper way to do a cartwheel. Even after the gymnast has perfected the cartwheel, the mat can be used to practice handstands and handstand rolls.

Most cartwheel beam mats have a beam option as well. To use the beam option simply flip the mat over and you will find a practice beam. With this matted practice beam, a gymnast can practice beam balance skills and other skills that are normally performed on the beam.

The Tumbl Trak Chartwheel Beam Mat are best for beginner gymnasts. These mats have two sides guides for practice, hands and feet on one side and beam-line on the other side.It has a variety of colors to choose from.

If you or your gymnasts don’t think they will need the hands and feet guide, then you might also want to consider Tumbl Trak Hopscotsh Mat. The best thing about this mat is that it doesn’t just come with a beam-line for practicing beam skills, it has hopscotch line on the other side for a for a fun hopscotch game.

Flexi-Roll Mats

A carpeted or flexi-roll mat is made to look and feel like a competition floor. Of course, it doesn’t offer exactly the same feel because it isn’t created with springs, but it is the best option for those that want to get comfortable with the feel of a competition floor at home. The best thing about a carpeted mat is that it can be rolled up and stored with ease.

Unfortunately this mats seems to have been discontinued. It’s been out of stock on Amazon for a while. Alternatively, we recommend this affordable folding tumbling mat.

Incline Mats

An incline mat is perfect for young gymnasts that are learning how to do rolls backwards or forwards. This type of mat can also be used for log rolls too. The great thing about an incline mat is it helps a gymnast create body awareness and lessens stress on the body while learning.

It’s not recommended for advanced gymnasts to use an incline mat for harder skills because of the risk of injury. If a gymnast is looking for a gymnastics mat for home use designed for more difficult skills, it’s better to purchase a larger incline mat.

In terms of incline mats for beginner gymnasts and tumblers, our top choice is this incline mats by We Sell Mats. They come in choices of color and sizes, so it would be easy to find a perfect match for what your gymnast wants and needs.

Other Uses of Gymnastics Mats

Contrary to the name, gymnastics mats are not just for gymnasts. In fact, this type of mat can come in handy for many sports and activities. For instance, wrestlers, dancers, and cheerleaders can make use of a gymnastic mat in their home.

The most popular type of mat for a wrestler, dancer, cheerleader, and gymnast to use in the same home would be the folding or paneled mat. Since paneled and folded gymnastics mats can be fastened together to make a larger surface, they are perfect for use for many different activities

We hope you find this guide helpful!