Aerobic Dance Flooring - Jazzercise Wichita Testimonial

Related Product: Martial Arts Karate Mat Premium 1 Inch x 1x1 Meter

Fifteen-year Jazzercise instructor, Kara Yuza has learned a lot about what she likes and doesn't like about dance fitness facilities and their flooring.

After taking classes for 2 years, Yuza made the decision to become an instructor and, as fate would have it, the day she became an instructor was also the same day she became the owner of Jazzercise Wichita in Wichita, Kansas. Her Jazzercise journey has taken her from utilizing space in a church to owning her own facility in her first year. For about 13 years she taught her classes over carpeting, but in January of 2016, she replaced that carpeting with Martial Arts Karate Mat Premium tiles from Greatmats.

''A lot of studios utilize more laminate or actual hardwood because it is smoother,'' Yuza said.

But after seeking recommendations from colleagues on Facebook, and doing some research of her own, Greatmats Martial Arts Karate Mat Premium tiles rose to the top as the best fit of flooring for her studio, which has nine instructors and runs 35 classes per week for a clientele of approximately 100 students per day.

''The recommendations were important,'' Yuza said. ''And it was within a price point that I could afford.''

While it did take some adjustment to get used to the difference between her old carpet and new foam floor, Yuza says, ''It was a great decision.''

''It took about a week for us to not slide all over the place, but they were brand new,'' she said. ''My students are loving them. It's much better for their knees and their ankles. It's just got enough of that cushion. ... They're loving the fact that they have more support, they're able to move right, left, forward, and back. Their feet aren't getting stuck on it. They're able to slide. They're able to have bigger movements. Their feet aren't catching. They're able to twist on it. ... It's not super cushiony. Of course, it's not meant to be, but it absorbs that impact much better. ... And because it's a floating floor, it kind of moves with us.''

Because of the foam material and the fact that it's a floating floor, the tiles also have a tendency to expand due to heat and humidity, so Yuza advises that anyone looking to make the switch to this type of flooring should keep that in mind when installing the floor.

It also cleans differently and will show more dirt as well as dents and dings (from sharp-edged weights) than carpet.

''I had to find the right vacuum cleaner and the right cleaner for it,'' she said, adding that she also now asks clients and visitors to take off their street shoes at the door.

Now, as Yuza looks into opening a satellite location in another part of town, the question of flooring keeps coming up.

''A couple of women who come from that side of town are like, 'But are you going to have the same floor?''' she said, noting that they also told her, ''We don't want to go back to carpet.''

''We're all feeling that fact that we just move better on it versus the carpet,'' Yuza said. ''If people are looking for a new floor. It's a great option for a fitness studio. It allows for multiple fitness options on it. It is a floor that definitely allows for movement in all directions, pivoting, jumping, strength work as well as cardiovascular. It's been a very good choice for us.''

Kara Yuza

Jazzercise Wichita

Wichita KS 67205