Footwear and training surfaces

These notes combine advice from 139 reviewed passages across 86 workouts.

Overview

A different surface material or location can make a familiar movement feel unfamiliar even when the load is the same, and surface conditions can affect an acrobat’s height and performance. Floor-based versions of movements are the hardest, including the handstand, so it is worth getting used to practicing on the floor even though it is harder. For some athletes, doing a movement on the floor can produce better form than on an elevated support. Parquet is a good surface for pulling movements, though some floors burn the palm and shed small pieces that distract.

Handstand and balance surfaces

Coach’s advice

Handstand work needs a firm, non-slip surface. Harder surfaces suit practice better than grass because you need to feel small points with your fingers. Avoid very soft surfaces, because the hands sink and excessive load goes to the wrong place. The softer a surface is, the more it aches, and sinking into soft surfaces makes the muscles ache. Soft, sinking grass can be painful for handstands, even for advanced practitioners. For handstand practice, avoid grass, sand, and mats, with firm, suitable grass as an exception. Soft training surfaces can also cause wrist pain during handstand practice.

Coach’s advice

Grass may make initial handstand balance practice more difficult because standing on grass is different. Before doing a handstand on an unfamiliar surface, gradually test how hard, soft, or slippery it is, because an unknown surface is risky. Practicing handstands without a wall builds familiarity, and falling backward makes the descent softer. Grass behind you provides a more forgiving landing area for wall-free handstand practice if you tip over. Use a cushion for handstand practice on parquet, while grass does not require the same padding. Use a wooden support during handstand practice, and you can take it to sand, grass, or concrete.

Use a firm, non-slip hardwood or parquet floor for handstand practice. On grass, use boards for handstand-style movements so the hands do not sink, and you can place two small pieces of wood on grass and practice on them. Use moderate loading for hand-balancing work and practice on a ground surface rather than grass. For a true ninety-degree position, use a wall rather than a low bed, because the low setup forces the body to bend.

Handstands on a hard floor are the most difficult type of handstand practice, and wooden surfaces are the best practice surface. Handstands are easier to hold on the floor, while planches are easier on parallel bars because the bars give a pulling grip and more control. The L-sit is harder on the floor.

Socks and footwear

Practice inverted positions and handstand work without shoes, because shoes make foot gripping difficult. Socks or indoor shoes are better. Remove shoes for pull-ups so they do not add extra weight. For lifting, wear flat-soled shoes rather than running shoes. For rope work, choose snug shoes that wrap the foot, because bulky shoes can cause catching. Shoes add weight during handstand practice, and practicing with socks is acceptable and works better once you are used to it.

Shoes add weight during training. Widespread shoe use has shifted walking toward heel-dominant stepping compared with barefoot movement, and the resulting step pattern is not a suitable one. Training barefoot on varied surfaces such as asphalt and grass conditions the soles of the feet. Barefoot training is acceptable in this context, and Brazilians practice capoeira barefoot. Sock choice is an important equipment consideration for the movement called ‘reverse break’, and it can be done with or without socks.

When slipping is expected at the start of an exercise, wearing a sock is an option. During bridge work, remove socks if sliding occurs, because grip matters and sliding makes the bridge difficult. If a sock slips during a movement, consider removing it. When a movement involves lifting rather than friction, do not wear socks. On a slippery floor, take off socks when you need more grip.

Coach’s advice

Remove socks when they create a slipping risk during an exercise. Socks can slip on floors during training, and slipping during a drill can fatigue the hands and feet.

Wearing socks can make some movements more comfortable. For movements that involve repeated rubbing, wear socks rather than going barefoot. For the backward-and-forward movement with the neck held, wearing socks makes it more comfortable. Do a seated side stretch with socks. In split and leg-opening work, socks allow sliding and make stopping harder, which strengthens, so open gradually, about one millimeter every five seconds. For a stretch that involves sliding, use a surface that allows it, and hold the position while it stretches. Socks can be used for some movements, but they may slip easily, and knee-length socks are worth trying.

Wear socks during wall-based training to reduce marks and dirt on the wall, because bare feet dirty the wall. For handstand practice, work without socks, or remove the sock from the foot that goes up last while leaving the other sock on.

Coach’s advice

Use thick socks, or two or three pairs worn together, to cushion the heel when it touches parquet during held stretches. When heel discomfort occurs during a stretch, use fingertip support or suitable footwear. When sliding the foot, wearing socks can help prevent burning on the top of the foot. Use footwear rather than performing the bench version barefoot or the gray-support version in socks. During a wall bridge, if the feet feel slippery on the floor, wear secure shoes and avoid doing the bridge on a slippery floor. Wearing enclosed leather footwear all day may harm the foot. If the feet hurt substantially during an exercise, performing it in shoes next time is an available modification.

Barefoot running is recommended.

Coach’s advice

Barefoot running is very useful and is always recommended.

Mats and padding

Coach’s advice

Mats provide safety on the floor, and a yoga mat is one type of mat. Use a mat to protect your back from a hard floor, and using a rug may make the back more comfortable. Put a mat under your elbows or knees when working on a hard floor, and lay one on a bench if the surface bothers you. Put a mat where you will land, and tighten the lower abdominals during descent so you land softly. For a movement with a real fall risk, a mat is preferable to a hard stone surface. Position a mat so its cushioned side protects you from the hard surface, so a fall onto the mat will not reach the wood.

Coach’s advice

Put a towel or padding under the knees when kneeling on a hard surface causes discomfort or pressure. When elbow contact with the floor is uncomfortable, place padding such as a towel, rug, or carpet under the elbows. Putting a towel under the knee while loading it does not cause problems as long as the surface beneath is good. Floor pressure can make floor-based stretching uncomfortable, and a towel placed under the contact point can help. Place a pillow in the landing area to make a descent more comfortable.

Coach’s advice

Cushioned tatami-style flooring is excellent, because floor impact hurts less and it allows varied practice. Tatami can help protect the back during some acrobatics training, but it can be unsuitable for handstands. Practice forward rolls on tatami rather than parquet. You can work on tatami, but do not overdo the duration.

Coach’s advice

Learn a technique on carpet or a mat before using a fully hard surface, because a hard surface can hurt at first. Even good mat practice does not remove the initial discomfort of a hard surface, and the discomfort fades with gradual hard-surface practice. A fuller surface such as grass may be better at first for this practice.

Coach’s advice

A yielding mat may reduce injury risk in some training, but its elasticity can increase the force you must push and the force returned during explosive skills such as flares. A carpet can provide a safer practice surface.

For kneeling work, use the mat when it is suitably soft, otherwise put a towel or a shoe under the supporting knee, place the other foot forward, and hold that knee with the same-side hand as you come forward. If a towel slides under the hand, keep the hand on the floor instead for comfort. Tatami is suitable for practicing forearm stands, and landings are more comfortable on the ground. For an elbows-on-the-floor, fists-joined setup, use a towel or tatami surface. If a mat makes too much noise, use the parquet floor or move the mat much farther forward, and either setup works. Keep the hands supported on the mat while allowing forward reach beyond it, because a taller athlete may need more distance to preserve body form. Make sure the floor is clean before lying down. Covering the wall with foam is an option for reducing noise. For supported exercises, use a comfortable soft surface that does not let you sink too far.

A training mat can also be used for rolling exercises. A carpet can be a better surface than an overly soft support. A very soft support can stop the back from descending properly in some exercises. Overreliance on a yielding surface can make hard surfaces feel unfamiliar and reduce transfer. Some floor-based gymnastics practice may need a special mat.

Grass, sand, and outdoor surfaces

Coach’s advice

Grass can serve as a good practice surface, and in an outdoor setting it can be the best surface available. Soft grass may reduce knee impact compared with hard surfaces. Some people may feel discomfort on grass surfaces. Grass is more suitable for practicing a forearm stand than a handstand.

Practicing a skill on soft grass makes landings more comfortable. Grass can make jump-rope work difficult because the rope catches frequently, and jump-rope practice can be harder on grass than on asphalt. Sand provides more comfortable landings when practicing skills such as cartwheels and handstands. Beach sand has both softer and harder sections, which makes training there comfortable. Beach running has benefits, and extensive barefoot training is associated with greater upward jumping power.

When jumping rope on grass, add the elbow handstand, because its landing is comfortable.

Coach’s advice

A push-up variation done with the feet planted in sand can be harmful, because the whole body is pulled while the feet are anchored in the sand. When practicing rings outdoors, place a mat or a shirt underneath and go on in socks, and rings are not practiced with shoes. For the skill called ‘Amazon’, prefer a gym mat or tatami, and if you practice it on grass, stand on a small board or plate. Check that the surface is not hot enough to burn the foot before continuing. Grass is a possible training surface, and soil is claimed to remove bodily electricity. Historically, running on grass in improper footwear is claimed to have built up static electricity and caused cardiac arrests, with football deaths attributed to this cause, especially in lower leagues.

Slippery surfaces and safety

Coach’s advice

Check the training surface before practice, because the floor is very important. Assess the surface before attempting acrobatics. Before starting an exercise, place one hand on the ground and check whether the surface slips or grips, and make this check every time before you proceed. Use a dry, non-slip surface for practice.

Coach’s advice

On a slippery floor, a twist can make you rotate on the spot. A floor that is noticeably more slippery than the usual mat area raises the risk of losing footing. When slipperiness makes a movement difficult, remove the band and try the movement in a drier place. If the practice surface looks too hard, move to a better open space instead of training on it.

A firm support surface such as a hard floor or a chair gives the foot a fixed point, while on carpet the foot drifts while control is still developing. Some forward hip sliding during a sit-up can be normal when it results from floor friction. Difficulty with the jump-rope Cross may be caused by the floor or the rope.

Coach’s advice

A bump in the surface can catch a jump rope and make it strike the foot.

Coach’s experience

In his own home, he used four interlocking tatami-style mats to stop noise reaching the floor below and to make the floor more comfortable. In his own training, he practiced mostly on carpet and found it very good. When he practiced on tatami, more load went onto his wrists. He has always practiced planche on the floor rather than on bars, because the bar version feels strange and presses on the wrist, and he suspects limited wrist flexibility. He does power moves himself and finds hard ground very good for flares.

In his own training, he jumps higher during somersaults on soft, pleasant grass than on hard surfaces.

He wears a snugger shoe size for sports so the shoes stay on his feet, while preferring a roomier size for everyday comfort. In his own training, an undone shoelace distracts him and makes getting into a handstand harder. His sock tore when he performed a movement with socks on carpet, so he moved to a slippery floor for that movement. In his own training, he keeps his foot dry for the movement he calls Precision, because a slippery foot makes it difficult.

In his own training, he has about 20 years of acrobatics experience and still thinks twice before doing acrobatics on a much more slippery floor. He once left the mat area for a spot about five times more slippery and lost his footing. During a Flyer, he once stepped into a slight depression in the floor, and his weight loaded incorrectly onto one arm. After the floor incident, he stopped the movement for a while, which gave other parts of his body rest, and he strengthened his wrist differently.

Related pages

• Confidence and fear: Supports
• Injury prevention: Supports
• Progressions, regressions, and scaling: Supports
• Skill specificity and transfer: Supports
• Grip technique: Often discussed together
• Progressive overload: Often discussed together
• Resistance and load selection: Often discussed together