USA Weightlifting Platforms
How do you get low profile
weightlifting platforms...
Without replacing your flooring.
weightlifting platforms...
Without replacing your flooring.
Trends With Inlay Weightlifting Platforms
Trends With Inlay Weightlifting Platforms
How do you get low-profile weightlifting platforms without replacing your flooring? Traditional weightlifting platforms come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses, but typically they are anywhere from 2 inches to 4 inches in height. They are made with steel frames, wood centers and dense rubber drop zones and do not have a natural transition on the edges for safety.
Trends with Inlay Weightliftig Platforms are prompting schools and commercial programs to work towards other options, one industry favorite are inlay weightlifting platforms. Inlay platforms are flush with the main floor, increasing safety and appearance. This effect of an inlay weightlifting platform is achieved by fitting the weightlifting platform into the flooring. To do this properly, it requires new flooring to be installed, with much thicker flooring to absorb the impact of the weights when they are dropped.
Replacing or using new sports flooring in your weight room for inlay weightlifting platforms is expensive. For most high schools, it simply isn't practical. Why would you want to spend one of the largest portions of your budget to cover your weight room in thick rubber sports flooring when you only need it in your weightlifting platform areas.? The rest of your weight room can be covered in much thinner and less expensive sports rubber flooring unless you have a large room and plan to do plyometrics and other high-impact activities with your athletes. In this case, if you are planning high-impact activities other than weightlifting, a thicker floor that provides adequate force reduction is important.
The TRUTH About Inlay Weightlifting Platforms
Unfortunately, most decision-makers in weight room construction are not well informed. Either the strength equipment salesperson has introduced the coach or athletic director to the flooring company, or the General Contractor of the project has selected a provider. The decision maker is provided with much of a choice in their flooring, thus not giving them a fair chance to choose the proper performance flooring for their weight room and other performance areas.
The truth of the matter is that most flooring providers will sell a floor with "inlay weightlifting platforms", using the same basic flooring they would otherwise. The flooring contractor simply provided different color flooring in the center platform and drop zones of the platform to give the appearance of a weightlifting platform. Is this an inlay weightlifting platform? Yes, but it is not adequate in performance, where it has increased force reduction.
The outcome is also unfortunate, where the flooring installed in the inlay weightlifting platform areas is usually a basic 3/8" or 1/2" solid rubber, providing very little force reduction. This leads to damaged equipment, flooring and substrate. The substrate, usually being the concrete beneath the rubber flooring becomes broken over time. When this happens, the rubber loses its bond to the substrate, and there becomes a gap or air pocket beneath the rubber floor. With repeated drops of bumper plates and weight plates, this rubber will become damaged with cuts and tears, along with the concrete beneath. This usually comes later in the story, as the bumper plates will become damaged and the bars bent are the first to see damage.
Ultimately, over time this weight room flooring application will need repair or replacement, with the rubber flooring in the damaged areas needing removal and concrete repair before applying new rubber flooring to the damaged area.
These repairs are expensive and time-consuming. Many times causing the weight room to become unavailable for use for some time while the repairs are being made. It is also possible that new replacement flooring may need to be ordered and matching any colors will be quite difficult to do.
Low Profile All-Rubber Weightlifting Platforms - Great for New or Replacing Old Platforms - Safe, Low Cost, Practical
The Solution
The solution is simple, low-profile all-rubber weightlifting platforms are the solution that will provide the important protection to both your flooring and equipment...all within most budgets.
Our custom all-rubber weightlifting platforms are only 19mm (3/4") in height and we mold in beveled edges to provide the perfect transition and reduce trip hazards. This solution will eliminate the thick, "old school" height and provide a nice low-profile platform that your athletes will find safe and super quiet. You could see a drop in sound and vibration of more than 50% with our weightlifting platforms.
With care, your all-rubber low-profile weightlifting platforms are portable, allowing you to move and change configurations as your needs change. This is impossible with inlay weightlifting platforms, they are permanent and once you have your configuration, you own it until you replace your flooring.
Traditional Weightlifting Platform Alternatives
Weightlifting platforms are traditionally expensive, extremely heavy, and somewhat awkward with most having a 2” to 4” in height from your existing floor. We provide affordable, accessible, and durable weightlifting platforms for several markets that are only 19mm (3/4") tall and provide excellent sound and vibration control.