Wouldn’t it be great to train in the comfort of your own home? Like, properly train.
Be able to drill techniques, drill positions and spar as much as you like. Just like an open-mat class.
One of the best things about open mat classes is the freedom to train exactly how you choose. Sometimes you go to class and you have to learn a technique that you just don’t care about, or have already trained multiple times.
But when open mat comes around, you can train whatever position and submissions you like.
Our Top 5 Best Mats for BJJ
Pro
- Same quality mat as we make for our competition mats
- Practice circle with starting marks
- Surface treated with Bio-PrufTM antimicrobials
Cons
- Can be too big for home training
Pros
- Covered by high quality 18 oz. vinyl
- Contains high-density cross-linked polyethene foam
- Velcro on all four sides
Cons
- Difficult storage
Pros
- Available in 2 popular reversible colors
- Backed by a 1 year limited warranty
- Made from non-recycled, non-toxic
Cons
- Jigsaw mats are not as nice as roll out Mats
The Best Wrestling Mats For BJJ, MMA and Judo
There’s a ton of good mats on the market, and a fair amount of sub-par ones too. We’ve done the hard work and research for you and collated the top 5 home mats below for your perusal.
Editor’s Choice – Dollamur 10’ x 10’ Flexi-Roll Wrestling Mats
Pro
- Same quality mat as we make for our competition mats
- Practice circle with starting marks
- Surface treated with Bio-PrufTM antimicrobials
Cons
- Can be too big for home training
Dollamur make professional competition wrestling mats and MMA mats. You’ve likely already seen their work in top-ranked wrestling events, BJJ competition and on the floor of top gyms around the world.
Now you can buy the same high-quality standard of mat as you would expect in professional venues, but for your own home.
The mat itself is 1.25” thick and is split into two 5’x10’ parts that only weigh 20Ibs each. Even a child could roll them out and set them up. The mat is surface-treated with Bio-PrufTM antimicrobials to prevent dirt and infection from causing mischief on your mats.
If you purchase more than one unit, you can connect them together with mat tape to have an even larger training surface.
It’s really hard to fault these Dollamur mats as they are perfect for using at home now and then again or putting them down for good.
Runner Up - Z-Athletic 4’x8’x2’ Martial Arts Mats Version 4
Pros
- Covered by high quality 18 oz. vinyl
- Contains high-density cross-linked polyethene foam
- Velcro on all four sides
Cons
- Difficult storage
These mats are constructed with high-density, cross-linked polyethylene foam for the mat itself and an 18oz vinyl covering. The vinyl makes cleaning these mats a breeze. Whether giving them a quick wipe down or a full-scale disinfectant clean.
These mats come as a stack of 4 connected rectangle mats that fold out to form a larger rectangle in which to train on.
Version 4 of the Z-Athletic mat range allow you to purchase extra units and attach them together to create an even bigger mat space. If you’re one of those people lucky enough to have a spare room in their home that you can dedicate solely to training BJJ, then you could cost-effectively mat out the entire room. The mats connect end-to-end and side-to-side so you can customise your mats to fit whatever shape room you have.
Best Budget Mats - IncStores 1” Interlocking MMA Mats
Pros
- Available in 2 popular reversible colors
- Backed by a 1 year limited warranty
- Made from non-recycled, non-toxic
Cons
- Jigsaw mats are not as nice as roll out Mats
These are the typical mats you see in most gyms. If you’ve trained at a few different places over the years, you’ve 100% seen this mat set-up before.
The foam tiles interlock together on all sides and fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. You can even buy the bevelled edges as well to make the ends of the mat seamless and edged, without the teeth fittings hanging off of the edge.
Interlocking jigsaw mats are purchased tile by tile, with normally 4 tiles as a minimum order. This means you can be much more precise with just how much mat you need.
No overlap, no missing spaces. Buy the exact amount of tiles to fit your space.
IncStores sells two styles of the mats: Black and grey reversible and blue and red reversible. If you feel like being particularly snazzy you can mix and match the tiles to create your own design. Depending on available space of course.
Best Roll Away Mats - IncStores Roll Out Wrestling Mats
Pros
- Flexible rolling system for easy setup, transport & storage
- Perfect for home wrestling & MMA
- Purchase multiples to create larger areas
Cons
- Need to be joined together with Mat tape
IncStore supply you with an ample amount of options with their roll out wrestling mats You have 9 colours to pick from and 3 different sizes, leaving you with a total of 27 different choices you can make.
These are professional looking mats that are ideal for both temporary and permanent placement. They roll out and roll back for easy clean up and storage but are perfectly suited for matting out an area permanently as well. They are both light and compact when fully rolled up, making them the most mobile of the mats on our list.
You can purchase multiples and stick them together with mat tape, leaving no cracks that can catch and break toes.
The thick foam padding provides a soft impact when practicing takedowns, judo throws and full control sparring.
Best Travel Mats - Everlast 2’ x 6’ Folding Mat
The primary benefit of this Everlast folding mat is ease of use. You can unfold it and chuck it on the floor and you’re done. You’re ready to go.
No having to spend your valuable time having to connect and assemble them. When you’re done you just fold it back up and tuck it away. When folded, the two sides form a handle so you can move it about with ease and even travel with the mats.
Perfect for BJJ trainees who are on the move around the country but still want to keep up with their training when they can’t find an adequate gym.
The non-absorbent shell makes cleaning the mat easy and makes sure that it doesn’t soak up sweat and begin smelling. We’ve all rolled on stinking mats before and it is not a pleasant experience.
Other BJJ Mats for Home Reviewed
Greatmats Home MMA Mats and Martial Arts Mats, BJJ Flooring, 2x2 Ft x 1.5 Inch
These grappling mats from Greatmats are of excellent value. The pack includes 10 tatami mats that you can use to start your own home gym.
These mats are nice and thick, coming in at 1.5 inches, meaning takedowns shouldn’t be a worry, you just need to keep an eye out for space!
BalanceFrom Puzzle Exercise Mat with EVA Foam Interlocking Tiles
These jigsaw mats from BalanceFrom are also an excellent choice to start building out your own gym. These mats are an excellent choice to the new gym owner and come on a range of sizes and thicknesses.
These mats feature two different textures on either side of the mats. If you’re planning on using these mats for BJJ, Wrestling or Judo then the smooth side is recommended. If these are going to be more regular gym mats then they have a textured side for that.
Gorilla Mats Premium Extra Thick Large Exercise Mat - 7 x 4 x 8mm
If you have a large amount of space then, big individual mats may be an excellent choice for you. This 7ft by 4ft mat from Gorilla Mats is perfect for the aspiring home grappler.
Gorilla Mats offer a lifetime offer for these mats and a benefit of this product is the ability to roll them up when you are not using them.
If you’re looking for mats that are durable and look great then these could be the mats for you!
How To Choose The Best BJJ Mats – Buyers Guide
Choosing the best BJJ mats can be quite a tricky process. A lot of buying mats for your home really depends on one thing. The amount of space that you have available. If you have a small room in an apartment, then a huge wrestling roll-out mat isn’t going to cover you, however if you have a large space, individual jigsaw pieces will be overkill. Let’s take a look at your options
Jigsaw mats
If you’re looking for a more permanent mat space on a bit of a budget, then Jigsaw Mats are going to be the best bang for your buck. Made from moulded foam, known as EVA, these are a great option if you have a medium to small space at home. Jigsaw mats normally come in two widths, 20mm and 40mm, we would recommend getting the 40mm mats to protect against high impact moves.
Judo Mats
If you have a medium to large space and a bit more of a budget, the Judo mats are perfect for your needs. Coming in around 50mm thick a judo mat is made from sheets of foam and rubber layered on top each other and covered with a grippy PVC plastic top. These are heavy duty mats, so if you need to use your room for something else either than Jiu-jitsu then judo mats may not be the best solution.
Roll-out Mats
Now we are getting into the more portable solutions for a matting area. If you want to setup show anywhere then rollout mats are going to be a great option for you. Rollout mats can be stored away for when needed and brought out on a moments notice for a popup Jiu-Jitsu or MMA area. Fancy organising something in the park on a sunny day? Roll out mats are going to be a far easier solution than regular flat mats.
Folding Mats
Similar to rollout mats, folding mats are fantastic if you need a small area for drilling or light rolling. Easy to store and easy to grab, these are great for setting out some space in the dining room or lounge, where space is at a premium, but you still need to get your reps in.
How are Wrestling Mats Made?
Wrestling Mats are typically made from a hybrid material known as Sorthobane. This material is designed to be a shock-absorbing compound designed to reduce the impact of high-velocity takedowns.
This is the typical style of wrestling mats however Judo mats are made of a layers mat of foam and rubber wrapped in a PVC outer to allow the user to keep it clean.
How to Clean Your Mats at Home
Cleaning your mats at home is just as important as cleaning the mats at your gym.
To start off, it’s time to get the vacuum out, dust, grime and hair can all end up on the mats and these are much easier to get off than any bodily fluids, so as a starting point it’s good to get the henry hoover out.
BJJ mats are a hotbed for bacteria and fungal diseases, this can include common ailments such as ringworm, impetigo and athletes foot, so something more sinister such as Staph and it’s more evil brother MRSA.
These are commonly transferred through skin-to-skin contact, which is why it’s so important to wash after every session and also to clean your mats after every session.
The best way to clean your mats is by mixing 1 part anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent to 2 parts water. At home using a mop is sufficient enough for everyday cleaning but deep cleans require something a bit more intensive.
To deep clean your mats it’s highly recommended that you look at using a steam mop to keep your mats clean.