Fitness

The popular Dollamur mat cleaner, already trusted by schools, coaches, gym owners and loyal customers, has earned it’s own trademarked brand -- Mat Attack!™ Athletic Surface Cleaner.  Dollamur Mat Attack!™ is designed to provide effective cleaning, deodorizing and disinfection on mats and sport surfaces to protect athletes and maintain a healthy surface for your students and customers.

Dollamur’s Chuck Thompson, VP of Wrestling, and Michael Shumate, Engineering Manager, have gone into detail on why Mat Attack!™ is so important to maintaining healthy mats.

Q1: How often should coaches and athletes be cleaning their mats?

A1: Chuck Thompson – “We recommend Dollamur mats be cleaned before and after each practice as well as once on days there is no activity on the mats.  This recommended practice will be best to reduce the risk of skin infections and maximize the life of the mat.”

Q2: What are some of the major repercussions of not keeping fitness spaces sanitary and clean with Mat Attack!™?

A2: Chuck - “Skin infections are a major concern for any wrestling program.  If an infection were to spread throughout the team it could require shutting down the practice room for weeks to be properly sanitized and get the outbreak brought under control.  This could have a significant impact on a wrestling team’s season so maintaining clean mats and healthy athletes is a top priority.”

Q3: What are some of the ways that Dollamur is staying ahead of the competition when it comes to fitness mats and accessories?

A3: Chuck - “With the introduction of the new and improved Mat Attack!™ mat cleaning product Dollamur once again proves to be the leader in the industry, continually innovating and introducing products that set new standards throughout the wrestling market.”

Q4: Can you expand on Q2 – What types of viruses and bacteria are being eliminated and prevented with the use of Mat Attack!™?

A4: Michael Shumate - “The list is very long, but some that our athletes, coaches, and parents may be most worried about are: staph (MRSA), salmonella, E. coli, pneumonia, influenza, Hepatitis B and C, and athlete’s foot, which can lead to ringworm. In addition to viruses and bacteria, Mat Attack!™ also kills fungi. For a full list of coverage and directions for use, visit www.dollamur.com.”

Q5: Even if someone (unfortunately) doesn’t have Dollamur mats, can they use Mat Attack!™? What surfaces does it work best on?

A5: Michael - “Mat Attack!™ is still a disinfectant. It was formulated to work best on hard, non-porous surfaces, like the vinyl surface of our wrestling, martial arts and fitness mats. However, it can be used to disinfect any surface, even carpet.”

Q6: What went into the process of creating Mat Attack!™ to ensure that it’s the best for our customers? Testing, trial and error, naming etc.

A6: Michael - “When we began development for Mat Attack!™ we knew that we needed to partner with an industry leader in chemical innovation and safety. We performed ATP (adenosine triphosphate) tests on mats before and after cleaning with different surface disinfectants to measure any actively growing microorganisms. This led us to our current formulation for Mat Attack!™.”

Mat Attack!™ is highly concentrated to save storage space and reduce shipping. The quart size makes 16 gallons, and the gallon size makes 64 gallons of cleaner.  We recommend using a microfiber dry and wet mop to maintain your mats and warranty.  For more information on how to clean your mats, view our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yWDUYxoIUE.

Mat Attack!™, mop pads, mop kits are available online at Dollamur.com and shipping is FREE.

At the peak of any training season common rashes and infections will occur on sport surfaces. Through-out regular training, mats should be cleaned daily to prevent what is commonly referred to as “Mat Funk,” a combination of infectious conditions such as ring worm, herpes simplex, impetigo, staph infections/MRSA and scabies.

“Contagious skin infections are a big concern for athletes who compete at any level,” said Chuck Thompson, VP at Dollamur. “As a manufacturer of high-performance sport surfaces for wrestling, martial arts, cross-training and fitness, Dollamur mats help protect athletes from falls and take-downs.  Regular cleaning maintenance of your mats is critical to health and well-being of athletes.  For many years, Dollamur has offered an Athletic Surface Disinfectant, but the decision was made to rebrand this product with a new name Mat Attack!™ Athletic Surface Cleaner to stress the importance for mat health.”

Mat Attack!™ is designed to provide effective cleaning, deodorizing and disinfection in areas where housekeeping maintenance is of prime importance in controlling the hazard of cross-contamination on surfaces. Use Dollamur’s Mat Attack!™ to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces such as Wrestling, Martial Arts, MMA, Fitness, Yoga and Pilates mats, wall pads, athletic mats, athletic training tables, physical therapy tables, exercise equipment, athletic helmets, wrestling/boxing headgear, athletic shoe soles and in locker rooms.

“Even though all of our smooth and tatami vinyl mats are pre-treated with an anti-microbial, additional daily cleaning is a critical step for a safe and healthy mat,” added Thompson.

How to clean your Dollamur mat:

Use in conjunction with the Dollamur Microfiber Wet Mop Pad and Mop - Also available as a Cleaner, Mop and Microfiber Pad Kit in the Dollamur store.

Step 1 – Use Dollamur Dry Microfiber Pad Mop to dust away loose dirt

Step 2 – Mix mat cleaner according to directions on bottle

Step 3 – Spray your mat generously with Mat Attack!

Step 4 – Let sit for 10 minutes

Step 5 – Mop map with Dollamur Wet Microfiber Pad. Allow mats to dry thoroughly before use.

Check out this video for detailed instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=71&v=8yWDUYxoIUE

ABOUT MAT ATTACK!

Mat Attack!™ is a phosphate-free formulation. It is a disinfectant effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and is viricidal including HIV-1, HCV, H5N1, H1N1, H9N2 and HBV.  It also inhibits the growth of mold and mildew and their odors when used as directed. This product is an effective fungicide against Trichophyton mentagrophytes - the agent that causes Athlete’s Foot fungus on bathroom surfaces - and is used to clean and disinfect hard, non-porous sport surfaces.

The mission at Gowanus Treehouse is to provide the best quality and most comprehensive services to children for their complex and individual therapy needs. The expert practitioners work on behavioral, sensory and motor skills and small group social learning with children. The Gowanus Treehouse is a uniquely designed sensory gym, fully equipped for zip-lining, scaling ladders and rock walls, and a treehouse loft for improving motor planning, strength, coordination, endurance or structured activities.

Dollamur got with Cathy Reid, owner and operator at Gowanus Treehouse, to ask a few questions and learn a little bit more about the Gowanus Treehouse facility and services!

Q1: What is a day at Gowanus Treehouse like?

A1: “A typical day at the Treehouse is a lot of movement and proprioceptive-vestibular input, such as, swinging, climbing, rolling and exploring the various layers of the treehouse.  We are transitioning from a focus in fine motor rooms to a sensory gym, which helps children keep their brains and bodies connected and gives them the much-needed sensory input they need but may not be getting daily.

We are a team of 8 occupational therapists and one physical therapist working with young kids from babies and up and achieve goals through play - That could mean going on adventures as superheroes or pirates, to save animals or take a ride on a boat, train, or plane through the use of obstacle courses. They could be doing more concentrated therapeutic exercises as well to improve specific skills, such as, fine motor skills, core and upper body strength and sensory processing that need support outside of school. We run daily small social learning groups for kids to build awareness and understanding about sensory processing and social participation and to give them the tools and skills they need to better navigate through their everyday lives. Our PT sees babies to older children with physical disabilities due to congenital or developmental delays, like Cerebral Palsy or Torticollis, or other mobility and gross motor issues.”

Q2: What types of injuries/disabilities have you seen benefit most from time at Gowanus Treehouse?

A2: “We see children with general developmental delays, such as difficulty with writing or sustaining visual attention, postural control or using adequate eye hand coordination really excel in our programs. Children with pervasive developmental delays, such as Autism spectrum disorders or attentional difficulties also tend to really benefit at the Treehouse.”

Q3: What is your personal favorite type of therapy/workout/activity to work on with kids at GT?

A3: “I love to see the kids moving and playing so freely and joyfully on the trapeze and catching them in the various net swings. We have homemade net swings to catch them and they like for us to turn them into a tiny ball and let them spin/pop. I call it the ‘sushi roll’ and that is a big favorite for facilitating a calming response with both deep pressure, deep breathing, and self-regulation. They also love to climb into to the multi-layer ‘cloud’ swings just above.”

Q4: Are members benefiting from the flooring diversity provided by Dollamur when it comes to their unique physical therapy needs?

A4: “The Dollamur flooring allows us to move around all day in a safe environment, learning about body awareness in space through the vestibular (aerial) suspended equipment. Kids aren't allowed to play as freely anymore in parks and on playgrounds and they need to be able to make mistakes, get bumps and have falls to learn how to manage their bodies and overcome fears. It's an epidemic, trying to push kids, before they are ready, into academics and there has been a rise in poor coping, problem solving and social-emotional regulation due to the anxiety it is placing on them.  We have a lot to learn from other countries like Finland, England and Japan who allow kids to rescue each other (vs. adults) and use their hands with tools, play with tires, build things, play outside and climb tall trees. We love technology in our practice too (since it always comes up/hot topic) but we only use it as a teaching tool since it too much screen time takes away from learning about 3-D space and kids who are constantly using touch screens might not develop their in-hand manipulation skills during critical windows of development.”

Q5: Where are your Dollamur mats coming in most useful?

A5: “They’re great so that we can enjoy our beloved swings to soar high and fast while keeping the kids safe. They also provide a cozy nest-like feel for the spaces under the treehouse and comfort for everyone to be able to work and play on the floor at eye-level with the kids. This is important to develop everything from visual, postural and social skills through play. We work with our shoes off and don't allow shoes and everyone comments on how soft and bouncy the floors feel!”

Safety is the #1 priority at Altitude Fitness, in Frisco, TX and Dollamur is proud to supply their FLEXI-Connect Tatami Mats and Landing Pads. Join them for a fun, effective and circus-inspired fitness class and experience unique programs like Aerial Silks, Aerial Yoga, Pole Fitness and Lyra Hoop – They even have classes for kids!

We got with Tricia, the owner of Altitude Fitness in Frisco, to get to know a little bit more about Altitude, their members and see how they’re liking their Dollamur mats – Check out our 5 Questions with Tricia!

1. We’d love to know a little bit in general about the Altitude Fitness environment – Friendly, fun, serious trainers, supportive, etc?

“Our motto is fun, effective circus-inspired fitness for everybody. We bring the circus arts to regular people to make fitness fun again. “

2. What is the overall member at Altitude Fitness like? Very advanced, brand new to fitness, looking for group fitness/workout buddies?

“We have over 150 new clients come and try us every month, none of whom have ever tried anything like this before.  Anyone coming for the first time will feel right at home with lots of other people just like them that are trying something new for the first time. Our membership is primarily women, but we support and encourage all genders. It is so much fun you can't help but make friends.”

3. Why was it important to you to develop kids fitness programs?

“I think kids are natural acrobats. We have such a demand for it because of movies like Greatest Showman, and kids are thrilled with learning a very unique skill while all their friends are doing dance and cheer.”

4. What type of fitness/classes are you using your Dollamur Mats and flooring for?

“The flooring is throughout our aerial room and we could not be happier with it! It still looks like new and the charcoal gray is perfect. The vinyl top is easy to clean so clients LOVE that it is germ free, especially during flu season. For our aerial classes, it is firm enough to support, but soft enough if they miss the landing mat with a foot or finger, they are injury free.  I truly believe it has saved quite a few people from serious injury.”

5. We know safety is a top priority at Altitude – Do you feel confident Dollamur will continue to keep your members safe during their workouts?

“Absolutely. Client safety has to be a priority in aerial arts. Even the most seasoned performer can fall. Using your durable and quality landing mats as well as your amazing floor adds peace of mind for me as a studio owner.”

Drop by and join Tricia for one of these unique fitness classes at Altitude Aerial Arts & Pole Fitness - 8855 Preston Trace Blvd #300 Frisco, TX 75033!

It's a busy summer at Dollamur.  We have 2 great shows coming up.  Hope to see you there!

IDEA World Convention

When:  June 27-July 1, 2018

Where:  San Diego, CA

Why:  Over 14,000 fitness professionals, club and studio owners/managers, nutrition professionals and leading brands for the Super Bowl of Fitness. Experience 4 days of cutting-edge education, networking and motivation at the biggest industry event of the year!

Dollamur Booth #3031 near the IDEA STUDIO STAGE – Dollamur will also be providing the stage flooring for the 3^rd year in a row. 1 ¼” Royal Blue Tatami FLEXI-Roll with FLEXI-Connect.

Martial Arts 18 Supershow

When:  July 1-3, 2018

Where:  Las Vegas, NV

Why:  17th annual martial arts conference held in Las Vegas, NV. You get three days of hard-hitting, growth-oriented strategies to build your martial arts school and improve your martial arts career.

Booth #329 – Booth will feature some digital printed graphics on the floors and wall pad.

Keep an eye on Social media for pictures. Facebook  Twitter   Instagram

Climbing Wall Summit (May 16-18, 2018)

Image: MetroRock Climbing Centers

Dollamur was excited to exhibit at the 2018 Climbing Wall Summit in Loveland, CO during the Climbing Wall Association’s 12th annual summit. Having worked with indoor climbing gyms over the years providing bonded, padded indoor climbing gyms, Dollamur was looking forward to participating in the event. Indoor Sport Climbing is exploding in US and will only gain momentum as Sport Climbing will now be an Olympic event in Tokyo 2020.

The trend in the industry has seen more climbing complexes expanding their training activities for athletes.  Dollamur has worked with developers and indoor rock and bouldering climbing centers to add FIT-TECH® Rubber Flooring for training and safety in addition to their fitness carpet.  Another industry trend has seen facilities adding dedicated training space for Yoga, to aid athletes in balance, stretching, flexibility and focused breathing.

Options are the key. As sport climbing centers are developing their individual brand, Dollamur has been able to provide fitness carpet in a variety of colors and thickness options. Individual training mats, FIT-TECH Rubber Roll or Interlocking Tiles and wood-grain Yoga flooring have added the custom touches for low-impact, high-performance branded training centers.

CWA Summit Recap - http://www.climbingbusinessjournal.com/cwa-summit-recap/

Tokyo 2020 Sport Climbing - https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/sport-climbing/

Dollamur Free Quotes and Design Assistance –

Climbing - https://www.dollamur.com/fitness/fitness-rock

Yoga Flooring – https://www.dollamur.com/yoga/

FIT-TECH® Rubber Flooring - https://www.dollamur.com/fitness/fit-tech