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If your home gym includes dumbbells, kettlebells, or any type of resistance equipment, you should seriously consider these heavy-duty rubber tiles.

They’ll absorb impact to protect your floors, and the seamless interlocking design means there’s no adhesive is necessary. The tiles simply fit together like giant puzzle pieces. That’s a benefit, as Fischer points out that rubber flooring has a tendency to shift and shrink. “I like the interlocking rubber tiles, as they keep tight seams,” he says.

The tile approach also keeps things flexible. “In a home situation, I would opt for a floating rubber system rather than a rolled system,” recommends Rish. “That’s mainly because most rolled systems require an adhesive.” If you need the option of converting that home gym into a nursery in a few years, these interlocking tiles will be easy to take apart with no damage to your floor.

This freestanding exercise mat is specifically designed to protect your joints and your floors when you’re busting out burpees and other high-impact moves. It’s made with non-toxic rubber and has a firm but cushioning feel and a no-slip grip. Plus, it’s available in a range of spacious sizes to suit your space.

At one-quarter inch thick, these mats offer the absorption you want during high-impact workouts. And since they roll right up when you’re done, they quite literally turn any room in your home into a usable gym space. 

Cork flooring is a stylish and impressively effective choice for home gyms. Not only is it impact-resistant, cushioning, and low-slip, it’s particularly beneficial if you have a treadmill, stationary bike, rower, or another oversized piece of equipment. Cork is smooth and resilient, but it naturally flexes and compresses to absorb shock beautifully. It also insulates nicely against acoustical vibrations to reduce noise, no matter how fast you’re sprinting, stepping, or spinning.

Another bonus: unlike most other flooring materials, cork is a renewable resource that won’t shed microfibers or trap dust. Plus, it’s super easy to keep clean (though it isn’t completely water-resistant).

There’s a reason yoga studios all seem to have the same floor. “Vinyl is the best product for [yoga] because it can be cleaned easily, has a little give underfoot, and is aesthetically pleasing,” says Rish. “You can opt for a lot of different patterns here that look like real wood or stone, which gives you a more biophilic or Zen design aesthetic.”

This option from Lifeproof is antimicrobial to resist mold and mildew. It’s also scratch and stain resistant and waterproof if you’re feeling the Bikram yoga. While you will have to install it, the drop-and-lock system is straightforward. Plus, it can go right over existing tile, wood, concrete, and vinyl floors.

Laminate, hardwood, and even polished concrete also tend to crop up in the yoga world, but Rish still prefers vinyl for its slip resistance, she says. “I would go with something that does not have a beveled edge,” Rish adds. “Dirt likes to make a home in the crevices so save yourself some sanity and make sure it has a flat edge.”

Whether you’re using a heavy bag or following a contact-free cardio kickboxing class, you need a secure base that’s not too slick. “You want a non-slip surface that’s easy to clean, and it needs to be fairly firm (not foamy) to help provide a stable platform to train on,” says Husk. That’s key when you’re throwing both contralateral and ipsilateral combos. 

These stand-alone mats are heavy enough to stay put no matter how nasty that left hook/right round gets, and a proprietary manufacturing process ensures they’ll always lay flat—no curling edges here. They come in multiple sizes and thicknesses, and there are even options for a little splash of color.

Prefer your workouts low-impact and high-intensity? These rubber gym tiles will give you a great base for any studio class that leads you through an energetic, calorie-burning workout. The tiles come with a connection piece for a secure fit, which is key when you’re moving quickly through high knees or dance moves. (The last thing you want is your floor coming apart.) The rubber also absorbs shock well and is slip-resistant even when it’s wet, which means no slipping or sliding.

The tiles have a patented wear layer for long-term durability and come with a 15-year warranty.