Cheer mats, also known as cheerleading mats, are portable and durable to provide a safe place for practicing routines or for cheering on the local sports teams.
These mats come in a variety of sizes, colors and styles, but all have been designed to offer a safe place for elaborate and often dangerous tricks to be practiced and performed.
The cheerleading mats are also designed to roll up easily and become mobile so they can be taken to different events quickly and easily.
Top 5 Cheerleading Mats (summary)
[icon name=”star” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Z-Athletic Gymnastics & Cheer Mats (Check out on Amazon) – Our Pick
[icon name=”star” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] IncStores Home Cheer Mats & Roll Out Practice Pad (Check out on Amazon)
[icon name=”star” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] We Sell Mats Gymnastics Tumbling Folding Mats (Check out on Amazon)
[icon name=”star” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Greatmats Cheer Mats in Carpet Top Blue (Check out on Amazon)
[icon name=”star” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] IncStores Deluxe Cheerleading Mats & Practice Pads (Check out on Amazon)
What are Cheer Tumbling Mats
The cheerleading mats are used for members of the cheer squad to hone their skills or to put on the performance of their lives.
These mats can be used at home, at school or at sporting events, providing a safe platform where team members are going to be jumping, flipping and going airborne while in the middle of routines.
They’re designed to not only absorb the impact while a member is practicing alone, they also provide a safe environment while team members are trying to learn new complicated routines that require tossing another team member high into the air.
A cheerleading mat is the base of home gymnastics equipment for kids. It does not matter if your little gymnasts are beginners or expert tumblers, these mats are necessary for their practice.
Benefits of Using Cheerleading Mats
While safety is always the top concern when it comes to the cheer paddings, there are many other benefits to using these padded flooring pieces. Not only are they ideal for cheer squads to practice at home or at road events, they can be used for martial arts, gymnastics, exercise and wrestling.
These are some of the ways that the cheer pads are being utilized today at home or on the road:
Practicing at Home
For the cheerleader, wrestler or gymnast who wants to hone their skills at home, these cheerleading tumbling mats are ideal for use in the home or backyard. They provide a safe area to practice tumbles, jumps, flips or complicated gymnastic moves.
Completely Mobile
The size and weight of the cheap cheer paddings allow them to be easily transported to a sporting event. When the squad has to root on the team on the road or the gymnastic team is putting on a charity event at the park, these tumbling mats take the show anywhere.
Safety First
Not only are the cheerleading pads versatile, but they are also designed to give a safe place to practice and put on the show of your life. These can be used as excellent tumbling mats, gymnastic mats and even are the best wrestling mats.
The thickness of the mats are designed to absorb the impact of a fall so that injuries are held to a minimum. Cheerleading mats are usually soft and padded, hence, they provide support and protection for at-home practice of high-impact moves of gymnastics and cheerleading.
Encouraging Kids to Soar
Nothing will discourage a child from reaching their potential like getting hurt and practicing in pain. Cheer paddings help to reduce the chance of injuries and allow the child to gain confidence as they push themselves to new heights they didn’t even realize they could reach.
Versatility
Besides being efficient for home practice of gymnastics moves like handstands, walkovers, rolls and dance, cheer pads are useful for those who want to do simple workouts, stretches on a soft surface and even yoga.
How Do Cheerleading Mats Work
Cheerleading mats are essential equipment that helps athletes to stretch, learn skills and stunts and to build strength and confidence. They also offer protection by preventing injury and are adaptable to the personal needs of each athlete.
Types of Cheerleading Mats
⅜” Soft Mats
These types of mats are ideal for home practice and stretching, workouts and even yoga. They are particularly excellent for beginners’ tumbling because of their soft texture. ⅜” soft mats are versatile, comfortable, durable and waterproof, which makes them easy to clean and maintain.
Home Cheer Mats
These paddings are useful for almost any kind of practice be it tosses, cheer, martial arts, etc. They can also serve as mats for wrestling.
Their versatility and durability make them a perfect fit for almost anyone and every purpose. These mats come in different sizes and thickness, hence, it is easy to pick a suitable one.
They also feature Velcro for connecting multiple mats to extend reach. Home cheer mats can be easily rolled up and stored conveniently.
FlexFit Elite Mats
The FlexFit Elite Mats are ideal for high impact movements. These mats are especially useful for the advanced gymnast who want extra space for practice.
They also serve as the perfect mats for martial artists or anyone practicing hardcore bodyweight workouts. FlexFit mats come in various wide sizes and can be easily rolled up for easy transportation and storage.
Paneled Mats
Panel mats otherwise referred to as folded mats are the most versatile of cheer paddings as they can conveniently be used for other purposes other than gymnastics. They can be used for stretching, dance practice by ballerinas, using the best ballet barre, plus, they are also useful for kids’ sleepovers.
These mats come in various sizes and colors and most of them feature Velcro for fastening multiple mats to extend the reach. They’re easy to store as they can be folded up neatly and stored in a closet.
Cartwheel Mats
As their name implies, these mats are used for practicing on cartwheels. Most of them are designed to have a beamline on the reverse side to help kids practice their cartwheels. More so, some of the world’s best balance beams are useful for practicing cartwheels.
Cartwheel mats usually come in one piece and a variety of colors. Some styles of these mats can be folded up and compactly stored.
Flexi Roll Mats
The Flexi Roll Mats provide a high-quality practice foam surface, which makes them ideal for the at-home practice of high impact sports, particularly among kids. These mats don’t require folding up for storage, they roll up instead.
Incline Mats
These types of mats are also known as cheese wedge mats. They play an essential part in the development of tumbling skill for both cheerleaders and gymnasts. Incline mats are typically designed as mats for tumbling and they come in various sizes and different wedge lengths to suit various ages and heights.
Puzzle Mats
These types look akin to interlocking carpet tiles. They are not an option for gymnasts as they are usually thin, but they’re useful for creating soft surfaces, especially in playrooms. Puzzle mats are ideal mats that serve as playground for babies and toddlers. However, they also work well in outdoor spaces for low impact exercises.
Pros and Cons of Cheerleading Mats
Pros
- They come in various sizes to fit different users.
- The majority are portable.
- Most sizes are lightweight, hence, they are easy to store and transport.
- Those with a waterproof covering or outer layer are easy to clean.
Cons
- The larger mats may not be portable, hence, they’re bulky to transport.
- They offer limited protection, especially if you are performing extreme stunts.
What Makes a Great Cheerleading Mat
Thickness
Most cheerleading paddings come in around 2” thick. However, you can go for a thinner option, depending on your needs. For instance, a mat that is not too thick or too thin like a yoga mat can serve as a dance floor you can move around easily.
Dimensions
Cheerleading padds come in various sizes, shapes and thickness, and again, your needs will determine your choice. For instance, panel mats mostly come in 5×10″ dimension, while for incline mats, the size of the intended user will guide you in picking the right size.
Safety
Gymnastics and cheerleading are risky high-impact sports, and this makes it crucial that you choose the right mat. Ensure that your choice is suitable and safe for specific activities. If you need a mat for practicing advanced tumbling, be sure that the item you buy is explicitly designed for that purpose.
Portability
Foldable mats with carry-on handles or rollout mats with fastening straps make carrying or moving around easy and convenient.
Lightweight
If you need to move around always, then you should consider the weight. More so, lightweight mats can easily be folded or rolled up and stored by kids after their practice.
Width
If you are looking to cover an ample space, you can opt for mats within 3 to 6 feet wide and 10 to 40 feet length. The more extensive mats are useful for the advanced gymnasts and martial artists who are looking for some extra practice.
Easy Transport and Storage
A foldable mat or one that rolls up fast makes for easy transport and storage. Most rollout mats also feature a strap to hold the roll together for compact storage.
Easy Maintenance
Nothing beats a cheer mat that requires easy and low maintenance. Look out for a padding that is easy to clean, such that except when you need to sanitize the mat, all you need to do is wipe it down with a damp cloth.
Great for All Levels
The best cheerleading mat works well on any kind of level whether indoor or outdoor, it doesn’t matter if it is wooden, tiled or carpeted floor.
Durable and Built to Last
Cheerleading mats that are well-padded with the high-quality foam and covered with heavy-duty vinyl or PU leather are often durable as they last for quite some time with proper handling and maintenance.
Price
The price of cheerleading mats tends to vary depending on the type. For instance, the wedge mats are going to be selling for different prices thanthe folded mats. A proper evaluation of your needs and budget will guide you to choose the best gymnastics mat.
5 Best Cheer Mats with Pros & Cons
These excellent tumbling mats come in a variety of colors, sizes, styles, shapes and prices too. The following list of five cheap mats offers solutions that are affordable but do not compromise safety for cost.
If the show has to be taken on the road, the mats can be rolled or folded for simple transport.
1. Z-Athletic
These mats come in a variety of fun colors and offer superior cushioning.
They have looped connections on each side so they can be secured and attached to other tumbling mats.
Large size and durable materials are perfect for wrestling, gymnastics, cheerleading and even exercise.
- Easily absorbs heavy impact
- High-density polyethylene foam
- Hook and loop connections
- 49″x25″x13″ folded opens to 4’x12’x2″ unfolded
- Large folded and unfolded
- Heavy when folded
2. IncStores
These are the perfect cheer or gymnastic mats for getting in some quality practice at home.
Mats can easily be attached to one another, they’re simple to transport and breeze to unroll and they’re also convenient to store away.
- Easily transported and stored
- Durable carpet over polyethylene foam
- Comes in 5 fun colors
- 4’x6’x1″ unfolded
- Still large when folded
- Carpet not vinyl top
3. We Sell Mats
These mats come in a large number of colors and can be used for anything from exercise, gymnastics, cheerleading, martial arts, yoga and tumbling.
They utilize the highest quality materials and outer coating is puncture resistant.
Velcro sides allow for multiple mats to be joined to create large workout area or long tumbling runs.
- Easily absorbs heavy impact
- High quality polyethylene foam
- Velcro on all four sides
- Panel measures 4′ x 2′
- Large when folded
- Difficult to transport in small vehicle
4. Greatmats
These paddings are perfect for practicing cheer routines at home and then rolling up and taking them on the road.
Durable material is ideal for gymnastics, cheerleading and martial arts practice. They’re also perfect to take on those cheer and gymnastics events.
- High performance durable carpet top
- High-density polyethylene foam
- Ideal for indoor or outdoor use
- 5′ x 10′ x 1 3/8″ unfolded
- Only comes in color blue
- May be considered heavy when rolled
5. IncStores Deluxe
This is the deluxe version of the cheap mats, but provides superior protection whether practicing complicated cheer drills, wrestling moves or exercise routines.
Two mats attached can create on a long strip for tumbling routines or a large square practice area.
- Velcro strip allows for easy joining
- Lightweight and highly durable
- Perfect for cheerleading, wrestling, gymnastics or tumbling
- 5′ x 10′ unfolded
- Difficult to transport in a small vehicle
- Heavy when rolled
How to Install Cheer Mats in Your Home
Whether using the mat for home practice or taking the gymnastic mats to an event, they are a breeze to install.
Depending on the size and quantity, the basic premise here is that you should unroll and secure them to the ground or each other with loops on the edges of the material.
This is especially important when you are talking about cheer squads that are taking part in complicated routines that involve running and jumping all over the place. Once secure, the mats provide a safer environment and can quickly be rolled up and transported to the next location.
Does More Spending Mean More Quality
As it is with every commodity, the higher the quality, the greater the price. Although cheerleading mats often represent a substantial cash investment, their prices vary according to type, yet within each category, the prices also vary in line with the quality.
However, your needs and budget will largely determine the best cheerleading mat you will choose out of the large pool of mats.
How to Clean and Maintain a Cheerleading Mat
Step 1 – Prepare the mixture
Pour in one tablespoonful of color-safe bleach to a small spray bottle. Fill up the remaining part of the bottle with clean and lukewarm water.
Step 2 – Spray the mat
Shake the bottle to mix the contents. Spray the mat with the solution and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
Step 3 – Clean stubborn stains
Scrub the mat with a soft-bristled brush concentrating more on the stubborn stains until they lift off.
Step 4 – Remove the bleach
Use a dry-vacuum to remove the bleach solution.
Step 5 – Use a carpet cleaner
Sprinkle a little powdered carpet cleaner on the mat and allow it to sit for another 10 minutes.
Step 6 – Vacuum the mat
Vacuum the carpet cleaner from the mat.
Do’s and Don’ts to Do With a Cheerleading Mat
Do’s
- Steam clean mat routinely for deeper cleaning.
- Stretch on the mat before, during and after each practice session.
Don’ts
- Use soap when steam cleaning your mat.
- Use the wrong mat for a specific activity to avoid the risk of injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cheerleading mats cost?
The price of cheer mats typically ranges anywhere from $50 to $600, depending on the type you are looking to buy.
How to disinfect cheer mats?
These mats can be disinfected by spraying color-safe bleach and water mixture, allowing to sit for 10 minutes, then scrubbing with a soft brush and lifting off the solution with a dry vacuum.
How long do cheer mats last?
Though, majority of cheer pads are constructed to last for some time, the frequency of use, care and maintenance measures will determine how long each mat will last.
What are cheer mats made of?
These paddings are generally constructed to have a foam base that is covered in a variety of surface materials like vinyl, PU leather or needle punch carpeting.
Conclusion
Cheerleading mats come in various sizes and colors and most of them are designed to fit a variety of needs as well as budgets. So, whether you want tumbling, cheerleading, wrestling or gymnastics mats, you can always find the best.
Photos from: londondeposit / depositphotos.com,
Articles you may like:
- Wood, Grid and Laminate Plastic Flooring – Top Brands Reviewed
- World of Floor Mats – All Types Explained with All Uses and Benefits
- 5 Best Dog Kennel Floorings Reviewed To Make Sure Your Pet Is Safe And Comfortable
- Top 5 Bamboo Chair Mats Reviewed – Effective Way to Protect Your Floors
- 5 Top Rated Balance Beams for Home and Gym Use (Reviews)