? for those that have puzzle mats

pedmom · 04-21-05, 06:10 PM

I posted this at yaya but hope someone here can advise me!

I finally got mine ordered and have to say I am GREATLY impressed. I got them from great mats dot com and they were delivered within 24 hours! For real!

So I put them together and tried 10 minutes of stepping on them. My only problem with them is that they make the bottoms of my shoes really slippery. I really felt like I was going to slide forward off the step.

Is this something that goes away over time? Is it my shoes? (please don't say it's my beloved Rykas!). If nobody else experienced this I guess I will call them tomorrow and ask if there is a wash or something I can put on the mats to prevent this.

FYI-I have The Step Company's full size step with the grooves-I am not trying to do this on the Firm incline box or some other slippery surface.

TIA for any advice.

Lisa :o) · 04-21-05, 06:37 PM

I don't have an answer for you. Sorry! Actually I'm surprised to hear that it makes your shoes so slippery. Anyway, I have a question for you......how much of your workout area did you cover with the puzzle mats? Just around your step or a larger area? My workout room is in our basement. Though the floor is carpetted I am starting to get concerned that under it is just the cement slab. I got new aerobic shoes in hopes of that helping but today I did CTX kickbox and it still doesn't feel right to more poor shins and feet. I am wondering if mats would be the answer.

Thanks!
Lisa

paidhi · 04-21-05, 06:46 PM

They are initially somewhat slippery but that reduces over time. Also what side is facing up? There is a smooth side and a rough side. I find it's better stepping on the rough surface.

Lisa, the mats solved my shin splint problems - my workout area is ceramic tile. I have a 10x8 ft area covered.

Lisa

suzi211 · 04-21-05, 06:47 PM

I have Great Mats too, but never had any problem with them making my shoes slippery. I use my incline box on it and it doesn't slide around at all. Actually, it's kind of hard to do pivots because of the traction. You do have the textured side up, right? I never put a wash on them, I just use a regular spray cleaner to clean them and even that doesn't make them slippery.

Hope you can solve this. I agree, they are a great company to deal with. Very fast delivery. Mine have held up great for the past couple years, with the exception of my cat chewing on the corners!

pedmom · 04-21-05, 06:52 PM

Lisa-you stated the exact reason I got them. I finished part of my basement as well and have been doing all my workouts down there. My joints were really starting to ache and I figured it's probably the floor. I live in the midwest and we can't put padding under carpet in the basement because it's too humid here. I also got new shoes-two pair as a matter of fact-and it didn't help. I was very skeptical about this stuff-I was afraid my shoes would stick to it and I'd sprain an ankle or something, but lateral movement is just fine. I got mine from great mats dot com-you can get a couple of samples free if you want. I got the ones that are listed as exercise mats, NOT aerobic tiles.

I just hope there is something i can clean them with, or if they will naturally be less slippery as time goes on. It's NOT the mat that is slippery-its like friction on my shoes.

Suzi & paidhi-I do have the textured side up, yes. It's weird, almost like the friction is making it slippers. I always notice cat hair stuck to my step, like it just attracts it, maybe because of the static electricity. (I did clean the step before I used it lol).

Hopefully it will get better as time goes on. Before I fall!

pedmom · 04-21-05, 06:58 PM

Lisa

)---I forgot to say I covered a 10x12 area. That way I will stay on the mats doing any step routines. Like when Cathe has you go back for kicks, etc...

(I got a bonus from work so I could afford them lol. They were $283 with shipping)

Lisa :o) · 04-21-05, 07:05 PM

OK, now I'm nosy......what color did you get???

The mats look great!!! Can my children destroy them?

Lisa

fitnancy · 04-21-05, 07:08 PM

I've got the cheap puzzle mats from Costco (I think they're at Home Depot too) and I like them. I have the textured side up, so I don't slide around, but the mat itself slides across my floor, especially with cardio. I've got them on top of carpet in the basement (concrete below) and it really helps. I had to tape the backs of them together, because, they kept coming apart. Now the whole unit moves as one. I think each piece is 2'x2', and I have 16 of them, so I guess my workout space is about 8'x8'. Are the ones you got online that much better?

pedmom · 04-21-05, 07:09 PM

Lisa, I got the medium gray ones. I have two cats and I know there will be cat hair on them and figure that will hide it best. I don't think your kids would destroy them, but if you have cats with claws they will. Mine were already trying but they have no claws!

pedmom · 04-21-05, 07:12 PM

Nancy, trust me I wish I didn't have to order online! I don't know if they are any better. I live in the Milwaukee area-I went to about 7 places to try to find them and nobody has them here! It killed me to pay that much when I've read here that ppl got them so cheap. But I think if it helps me keep working out into my old (older lol) years without pain it will be worth it.

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04-21-05, 06:10 PM
pedmom Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin	? for those that have puzzle mats I posted this at yaya but hope someone here can advise me! I finally got mine ordered and have to say I am GREATLY impressed. I got them from great mats dot com and they were delivered within 24 hours! For real! So I put them together and tried 10 minutes of stepping on them. My only problem with them is that they make the bottoms of my shoes really slippery. I really felt like I was going to slide forward off the step. Is this something that goes away over time? Is it my shoes? (please don't say it's my beloved Rykas!). If nobody else experienced this I guess I will call them tomorrow and ask if there is a wash or something I can put on the mats to prevent this. FYI-I have The Step Company's full size step with the grooves-I am not trying to do this on the Firm incline box or some other slippery surface. TIA for any advice.

04-21-05, 06:37 PM
Lisa :o) VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Gopher State	I don't have an answer for you. Sorry! Actually I'm surprised to hear that it makes your shoes so slippery. Anyway, I have a question for you......how much of your workout area did you cover with the puzzle mats? Just around your step or a larger area? My workout room is in our basement. Though the floor is carpetted I am starting to get concerned that under it is just the cement slab. I got new aerobic shoes in hopes of that helping but today I did CTX kickbox and it still doesn't feel right to more poor shins and feet. I am wondering if mats would be the answer. Thanks! Lisa __________________ just be.... Note: I have a professional relationship with a fitness instructor; see profile for details.

04-21-05, 06:46 PM
paidhi VF Supporter Join Date: May 2002 Location: Trinidad	They are initially somewhat slippery but that reduces over time. Also what side is facing up? There is a smooth side and a rough side. I find it's better stepping on the rough surface. Lisa, the mats solved my shin splint problems - my workout area is ceramic tile. I have a 10x8 ft area covered. Lisa

04-21-05, 06:47 PM
suzi211 VF Supporter Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Western New York	I have Great Mats too, but never had any problem with them making my shoes slippery. I use my incline box on it and it doesn't slide around at all. Actually, it's kind of hard to do pivots because of the traction. You do have the textured side up, right? I never put a wash on them, I just use a regular spray cleaner to clean them and even that doesn't make them slippery. Hope you can solve this. I agree, they are a great company to deal with. Very fast delivery. Mine have held up great for the past couple years, with the exception of my cat chewing on the corners! __________________ Susan

04-21-05, 06:52 PM
pedmom Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin	Lisa-you stated the exact reason I got them. I finished part of my basement as well and have been doing all my workouts down there. My joints were really starting to ache and I figured it's probably the floor. I live in the midwest and we can't put padding under carpet in the basement because it's too humid here. I also got new shoes-two pair as a matter of fact-and it didn't help. I was very skeptical about this stuff-I was afraid my shoes would stick to it and I'd sprain an ankle or something, but lateral movement is just fine. I got mine from great mats dot com-you can get a couple of samples free if you want. I got the ones that are listed as exercise mats, NOT aerobic tiles. I just hope there is something i can clean them with, or if they will naturally be less slippery as time goes on. It's NOT the mat that is slippery-its like friction on my shoes. Suzi & paidhi-I do have the textured side up, yes. It's weird, almost like the friction is making it slippers. I always notice cat hair stuck to my step, like it just attracts it, maybe because of the static electricity. (I did clean the step before I used it lol). Hopefully it will get better as time goes on. Before I fall!

04-21-05, 06:58 PM
pedmom Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin	Lisa )---I forgot to say I covered a 10x12 area. That way I will stay on the mats doing any step routines. Like when Cathe has you go back for kicks, etc... (I got a bonus from work so I could afford them lol. They were $283 with shipping)

04-21-05, 07:05 PM
Lisa :o) VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Gopher State	Colors???? Children???? OK, now I'm nosy......what color did you get??? The mats look great!!! Can my children destroy them? Lisa __________________ just be.... Note: I have a professional relationship with a fitness instructor; see profile for details.

04-21-05, 07:08 PM
fitnancy Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Lawrence, Kansas	I've got the cheap puzzle mats from Costco (I think they're at Home Depot too) and I like them. I have the textured side up, so I don't slide around, but the mat itself slides across my floor, especially with cardio. I've got them on top of carpet in the basement (concrete below) and it really helps. I had to tape the backs of them together, because, they kept coming apart. Now the whole unit moves as one. I think each piece is 2'x2', and I have 16 of them, so I guess my workout space is about 8'x8'. Are the ones you got online that much better?

04-21-05, 07:09 PM
pedmom Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin	Lisa, I got the medium gray ones. I have two cats and I know there will be cat hair on them and figure that will hide it best. I don't think your kids would destroy them, but if you have cats with claws they will. Mine were already trying but they have no claws!

04-21-05, 07:12 PM
pedmom Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin	Nancy, trust me I wish I didn't have to order online! I don't know if they are any better. I live in the Milwaukee area-I went to about 7 places to try to find them and nobody has them here! It killed me to pay that much when I've read here that ppl got them so cheap. But I think if it helps me keep working out into my old (older lol) years without pain it will be worth it.