Unchecked male aggression is one of my pet peeves. All the macho with none of the class. When our reptilian brain beckons daily to just eat and breed, it’s no wonder the addition of entertainment on demand to our latest generation of teens and pre-teens can help provoke some of our less self-disciplined cubs to bully, steal, or just be all around jerks. Not only that, but add the pressures of social expectations in the face of adversity for many and you have a recipe for what seems to be a never-ending news feed of disenfranchised youths taking to recreational drugs, a stance against critical thought and educational institutions of any sort and in the worst cases, violence towards others.

I recently spoke to a customer who is working in the one of the poorest counties in the state of Kansas and is taking it upon himself to start a free youth wrestling program.  His program is aimed at teaching kids discipline, poise, and most importantly, self-control through the likes of wrestling mats. I couldn’t help but be a bit moved by the idea given that when I was growing up, programs like that greatly affected me and really did keep me deterred from expressing my more troublesome tendencies in an outwardly destructive ways.

Now I was never very athletic, but I distinctly remember how after-school programs that offered Tae Kwon Do, soccer, and even roller hockey, offered an alternative to the pressures of being a teenager in a low-income neighborhood where aside from staying indoors playing video-games and listening to music, there was little incentive for the ‘nerdy’ kids to go outside and socialize. Through a little positive influence and motivation from young adults such as this customer and mentors, kids can turn to martial arts, wrestling, exercise, and even using yoga products (which I have seen more and more recently especially here in Southern California) to make new friends, stay active, healthy, and build confidence and self-discipline.

MatsMatsMats.com is always happy to offer additional discounts to various local and volunteer funded programs on just about all our inventory from martial arts mats or exercise flooring to a yoga mat or meditation products. If you, much like many of these mentors and willing individuals, wish to make a difference in your community, give us a call and we’d be more than happy to help. While generally we don’t have second-hand items or donations available, we offer highly competitive pricing and might even be able to point you in the right direction if we don’t have exactly what you are looking for.

Once upon a morning dreary, after stumbled, late and weary,

Upon many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten quotes,

While I nodded, nearly sleeping, suddenly there came a ringing

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my telephone.

“Thank you for calling,” I muttered, “How may I help you”

Only this I’ve said before…

Ah, distinctly I remember, this customers wish me dismembered

As each separate dying ember, wrought their ill forgotten quote.

“I called twice, good sir, last morrow – and I must insist you follow…

follow up on promised rubber flooring quotes!”

“I need rubber mats for my brood! They play rough, I must conclude,

that as such they’re safety surely would be skewed.”

Deep into the darkness peering, of my screen with products gleaming

Out I shot my first suggestion, “Interlocking carpet tile flooring perhaps?  It makes the ideal play room floor.”

I questioned others

“Folding mats, Gym mats, or Wrestling mats for the young in violence nestling?”

Bored and uninterested

Quoth the customer “Nevermore…”

Flabbergasted there I pondered, through the phone her children wandered

With their screaming deep inside the burrows of my soul.

What would appease this consumer beast

With needs ill met by merchants there before…

“Please, on hold you’ll wait

While I try and formulate some kind of discount for you more.”

PART II next week!

Olympics… gotta love it!  As someone who sells martial arts mats, judo mats and wrestling mats for a living I never understood why judo didn’t get more coverage here in the United States?  Maybe that’s because before today the USA has never won a gold medal in Judo?  Well, thanks to Kayla Harrison who won the first Olympic Gold medal in judo for the USA in the women’s 78-kilogram title, that will no longer be the case.  Kayla is a 22-year-old with an inspirational story.

As a teenager Harrison tried to run away from home and considered suicide after suffering in silence through three years of sexual abuse at the hands of her first competitive judo coach.  Thank goodness, Kayla got a second chance at judo… and life.

She moved from a small town in Ohio to a suburb of Boston and became part of an elite judo program.  Her coach, Jimmy Pedro, a two-time Olympic medalist said “The American media have really embraced her. They followed her. They’re going to eat her up from here until forever.  She’s a good, good person. Cares about other people. Always willing to give back. She has an attitude of gratitude. And there’s nobody more deserving than her to climb to the top of podium.  She never skips a practice, she never skips a run, a lift.”

In an effort to inspire others from suffering as she did, Harrison has talked openly about her past.  She now hopes to inspire others to give judo.  ”I hope that America loves my story and hopefully a little girl or a little boy sees it and says, ‘Wow, mom I want to do that,’” Kayla said.

Way to go Kayla Harrison!

Wrestling Mats, Martial Arts Mats and/or high-end exercise mats are extremely expensive.  They are also generally heavy and difficult to transport or store.  There is now a new product on the market, Liteweight Wrestling Mats. These mats are manufactured in the USA with an exclusive, hot sprayed, polyvinyl paint coating. This provides a long-lasting and durable surface with the look, feel, and durability of a traditional mat surface. The 1-5/8” closed cell, cross-linked, polyethylene foam is ideal for absorbing impact and the flexible tambour slits on the bottom side allow for easy set-up.

These are currently the only wrestling mats to offer built in Microban® antimicrobial protection, which is designed to help protect the mat surface from the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria, mold and mildew.  As a testament to the quality and durability of these mats, when purchased you receive a 3-year manufacturer guarantee.

All these characteristics make this an ideal wrestling mat for home use, club or anywhere else you want to practice, especially if portability and storage are a concern.  Lightweight wrestling mats make a great wrestling mat for kids or adults alike.

Have you been looking among exercise mats, for wrestling mats, and haven’t found what you need?  Well, you’ll probably be able to end your search here and now.  Wrestling mats typically are made to endure greater impact and activity than personal or folding exercise mats.  You can choose three basic options for your approach to purchasing the right wrestling mats for your needs.

You can go with…

1. Reconditioned/used wrestling mats.  Used mats that have been reconditioned on both sides; the most cost economical.  They’ve been re-cut or squared, tears have been repaired, and the surfaces have been reconditioned as well.
2. Remnant wrestling mats.  Like the name implies, these are made from the remnants at the ends of rolls used to make bigger mats.  The remnants are glued together to form single mats, and provide a significant cost savings for you.
3. New wrestling mats.  These are brand new, custom mats manufactured according to your specifications for size and color(s).

In addition to wrestling and other exercise mats, you might want to consider some sort of wall padding if you’re outfitting a school or even a private or home gym.