Training Mats - South Wales

The dojo I attend is, for reasons I will not go into in this forum, desperate to borrow approx 40 No.2m x 1m training mats, interlinkable type preferably, in order that we can keep the club going. We have sought assistance to purchase replacement mats in the future but we could really do with borrowing some for a few months. ( We are looking at sponsorship and grants also),

If you know of anyone who may be able to help, please, please drop me an e-mail. Your help may be for mats, or for advice on obtaining sponsorship, best prices (UL please) etc.

The dojo is in South Wales, so, somewhere within reasonaable travelling distance would be benificial.

Many thanks for reading my plea....

Peter

You should be able to make an acceptable MAT. Our Dojo use's a closed cell foam pad (like the type portable mats are made of) these pads are taped together in the size you need. The tape is to keep the pad from shifting and buckling during use. On top of the pads is a canvas covering that is tacked down with a board all around the edges. I have found drop cloths that painters use to be a good weight of canvas and they are fairly cheap to purchase.

The mat may be a little harder than a rubber mat but it will work fine. As you need to replace the mat just add a new layer on top of the old one.

Also keep your eye out for wrestling clubs or gymnastic schools that may be getting new mats where you could get there old ones.

Hi I don't know how much of a help the may be but tacking foam ruber to peices of card board has been used by some friends as a home made mat. I admit that they are a bit on the extreme side when it comes to training. However if you use enough paiding it might work. The card board is to protect the pading from the dirt or wear of the floor. I hope this is of some help.

Years ago, before they got mats and we started borrowing them, the judo club in the college here used cardboard boxes flattened out and taped together. Unless you've a concrete floor or something, you might be able to get away with this for a while. I suppose you could put newspapers under as well, thought that'd probably just make the cardboard slip.
It might be time to concentrate on aikiken and aikijo a bit more for a few months......

good luck!

andrew