Advanced Flooring Prioritizes Safety and Performance at World Class CrossFit Facility
A state-of-the-art CrossFit training facility in San Diego sought to ensure its members could enjoy the life-changing benefits of functional fitness without risk of injury by upgrading its flooring.
Invictus Fitness aims to provide an inclusive environment of support and encouragement to create healthier and happier members. By offering professional coaching services and world-class fitness instruction to a variety of athletes, Invictus Fitness has established itself as a preeminent CrossFit athlete development program. The 12,000-square-foot facility has coached more than 40 individual CrossFit Games athletes – including podium finishers in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
C.J. Martin, the owner of Invictus Fitness, is a Level 4 CrossFit instructor driven by a strong passion to help athletes achieve optimal performance levels through smart training. The USAW Club Coach and former member of the CrossFit HQ training team knew safety and performance were key when making upgrades to Invictus Fitness.
“My main priority in setting up a gym is member safety,” Martin says. “We wanted flooring that members can do all sorts of dynamic movements on – from Olympic weightlifting to burpees – and know they are going to stay safe.”
Durability, sound reduction and aesthetics also were key for Martin, as the CrossFit facility’s floors have to withstand strenuous activity such as “guys putting 400 pounds over their head and dropping the weights.”
Perfect Fit for Fitness
During renovations in 2016, Invictus installed RubberX flooring from Ecore’s Training Ground with Nike Grind Collection in the workout areas of the facility. RubberX is proven to absorb sound and force while returning energy, which reduces the wear and tear on an athlete’s body.
RubberX features a dense rubber surface field united to a SmashPad that includes Nike Grind, a palette of high-performance materials generated from recycled athletic shoes from the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe Program. The elements of this system work together to drastically reduce the transmission of heavy impacts in both body and sound vibrations associated with strength training to enhance workout safety and performance.
The RubberX surfacing was installed through a swift two-layer process. Martin said the floors were ready to go in just a few days.
“Our members love this floor,” Martin says. “They appreciate that it’s a little softer and they can put their knee down to do lunges and stretch and not have to add extra padding underneath it. They find it aesthetically pleasing too – it’s a little bit lighter than our previous floor, giving the gym a nice look and feel.” Martin also appreciates the acoustic benefits of the RubberX product.
RubberX is comprised of a 20.5mm system that features a vibrant 2.55mm wear layer engineered with an 8mm base layer, which is field united with the 10mm SmashPad. RubberX is available in 10 vibrant colors and can be customized to fit any space.