1. They prevent injuries

It might seem obvious, but too many wannabe warriors will set up home gyms and train without mats. Mats will cushion your falls, preventing bruises and injuries from throws or takedowns. They also make grappling a comfortable experience (well, as comfortable as it can get).

2. No mats are the same

Mats come in a range of shapes and sizes. Mats are designed for various martial arts from judo to jiu-jitsu. Decide which martial arts you want to be training before rushing out then finding you’re now going to have to practice your Muay Thai footwork on a crash mat.

3. Like it thick?

Once you’ve decided which martial art you will be honing on the mat, consider the thickness. Some mats are very thick and spongy while some are hard and thin. If you want a multi-purpose mat for MMA where you’re training a multitude of disciplines, then invest in a combo mat. Combo mats utilize the same multiple-foam density technology as grappling mats, but are thinner and provide a firmer surface for kicks and spins. They also provide enough shock absorption for basic takedowns and grappling.

4. Surface is key

Imagine throwing down and wrestling on a soft rubber mat. Unless you’re a masochist, having friction burns galore isn’t an attractive prospect. The same applies to a slippery surface; no one wants to watch ‘Fighting on Ice.’ A gloss vinyl finish is easier on the skin, but is very slippery when soaked in sweat. A canvas surface offers good traction but will tear up skin. Find a happy medium that allows you to grapple without the worry of burns and allows you to stay upright when throwing kicks and punches. ‘Textured’ vinyl surfaces (such as judo mats) and jigsaw mats tend to fall somewhere between the two.

5. Don't be puzzled

Jigsaw mats are handy because they interlock and allow you to customize the size of your mat training area. They’re also light and portable and come in a variety of thicknesses.

6. Design your own

Specialist mat companies now offer the luxury of designing your own. You can customize the size, weight, color and even add your own logo. We recommend a beaten and battered pugilist screaming as his opponent (dressed in a Fighters Only gi) sinks in a particularly savage kimura.

7. They need TLC

Mats aren’t indestructible. Like everything else, they’re prone to wear and tear. Buy a good quality mat that will last but if it does begin to damage, use a range of products designed to solve any issues you may have. Specialist vinyl paint can be bought for touch-up and repair of nicks, cuts, small gouges, etc. On foam mats, paint is needed for touch-up on top of glue or caulking compound. Glue can also be used for cementing torn material or repairing parted seams and caulking compounds will fill holes.

8. Roll up, roll up!

Mats aren’t the cumbersome rubber slabs they used to be in the dark ages; they’re now wafer thin and light. There are also various mats available that fold or roll up, meaning you can throwdown wherever you wish.

9. Mats can also be dangerous

When mats are not cleaned correctly, fighters are a serious risk of staph infection when rolling around on the mats – just ask Kevin Randleman who ended up with a tennis-ball size hole in his side. Staph infections can create boils and other forms of contagious rashes on a fighter’s skin. Specialist cleaning products are available and mats should be wiped down and sprayed a minimum of twice a day.

10. Shoes off

Apart from being gym etiquette, fighters should take their shoes off when entering a gym as they can spread dirt onto mats which can ultimately lead to nasty infections like the one mentioned above. However cool your Converse are, put them in a locker or your bag.

Pro tip

If you’re on a budget, you can use bleach, peroxide or alcohol to disinfect your mats. For every two squirts of this on the mats, add one squirt of water, creating a ratio of 2:1. This gets the mats clean but ensures disinfectant doesn’t get on a fighter’s skin the next time the mat is used.

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