WAG New foam column floor is too hard

[JennyS]

Hi - hoping someone out there might have had a similar experience or can help us ....

After much fundraising, our Club has just bought a new foam column (Acromat) floor. It has been installed for about a month and we have found it is is super-hard compared to our previous floor (also a foam column Acromat, about 12 years old). The gymnasts are complaining of sore ankles, knees, etc and some of the coaches will not use it, or are using it very sparingly. The local equipment agent maintains there is no problem with the floor - he says it is FIG approved and the athletes will just have to get used to it.

Any ideas or suggestion greatly appreciated.

 

[emilykatherine]

We we go our new floor it was really hard you jus have to break it in, it took a while but it's not as hard anymore

 

[leotardmakermum]

All our coaches say that Acromat products are no good (that's not the term they tend to use, but I don't use words like the ones they actually used!). Janssen-Fritsen is what is preferred around here.

Of course the local agent says it is fine - its his job to sell the products! ;-)

I hope it settles soon and that it causes no injuries. It's not a happy situation to be in. :-(

 

[JennyS]

We we go our new floor it was really hard you jus have to break it in, it took a while but it's not as hard anymore

How long do you think it took before the floor started feeling better? The supplier has told us it won't get softer because the foam is not designed to do that - but we had wondered about getting a team of big guys in to jump up and down on it ;-)

 

[emilykatherine]

How long do you think it took before the floor started feeling better? The supplier has told us it won't get softer because the foam is not designed to do that - but we had wondered about getting a team of big guys in to jump up and down on it ;-)

It took a few months but if you got some really big guys I'm sure they could break it in fast than a bunch a tiny gymnast

 

[Iwannabemargo]

hope it gets better soon - I have nothing constructive to say but I do have a lovely image of the local Rugby team " softening it up" for you

 

[Deleted member D3987]

foam block floors are garbage. even Europe has started converting to spring floors.

 

[Gymsanity]

Hi - hoping someone out there might have had a similar experience or can help us ....

After much fundraising, our Club has just bought a new foam column (Acromat) floor. It has been installed for about a month and we have found it is is super-hard compared to our previous floor (also a foam column Acromat, about 12 years old). The gymnasts are complaining of sore ankles, knees, etc and some of the coaches will not use it, or are using it very sparingly. The local equipment agent maintains there is no problem with the floor - he says it is FIG approved and the athletes will just have to get used to it.

Any ideas or suggestion greatly appreciated.

Sorry to hear that. We all know what it is like to save and save for something that we think is going to be really great, and then it turns out to be less than what we were hoping for. I've never heard of the company, and I've never owned a foam floor (never liked the feel), but a couple of things maybe. First, as mentioned, they tend to need a little 'break in' period. Secondly, where is your old floor? Any chance you can use 25%-50% of the old foam to give it a 'broke in' feeling, and replace those after the floor starts to feel better? How about removing every fourth or fifth piece if you don't have the old foam? Just like you can get springs with different tension, do they make foam of different densities for the floor that you could mix in? Also, when we go to a meet where the girls complain 'the floor is too hard', I tell them 'the floor isn't too hard, you are too soft. Tighten up!' Hope you can find a solution to your problem. Good luck.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

you can't do that with an Acromat floor system. ^^^ and it'll never break in unless a herd of elephants tumbles on it for a year.

and by the way, they cost about 40 grand US.

 

[Gymsanity]

'and by the way, they cost about 40 grand US.'
!!!!!!???? Off to get a rag to clean the cereal off the computer screen......

 

[Deleted member D3987]

a cement slab would be cheaper and probably have more bounce.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

During the Sydney Olympics (good job Australia on screwing that up) There were a lot of complaints about the floor, It is an acromat thing. Add the slang word starting with C to 'O'mat and you have the international opinion on their equipment. They don't even have faith in their own boards, they sell the AAI ones and provide those at competitions.

 

[BlairBob]

I have no idea why you aren't using a sprung floor with palmer springs.

A new AAI floor is like 25k in the US.

 

[leotardmakermum]

Good floors are extremely expensive here in Australia and NZ. The shipping to get them here from the other side of the globe is high. A gym I know of recently purchased a good quality sprung floor for over $70000AUD.

Acromat is Australian company, which will be why some posters have never heard of it.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

When we looked at a floor for the old gym I found a US supplier of springs and we were going to ship the springs over and install them ourselves. It is very labour intensive but with enough volunteers it was possible. I have never heard of Acromat either but if you have no other recourse it might be possible to swap out the foam for springs ( maybe ?)

 

[Flyaway]

I imagine it's incredibly disheartening to not be satisfied with the product after all the hard work and money spent on it. What is the gym's plan? Just deal with it?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

When we looked at a floor for the old gym I found a US supplier of springs and we were going to ship the springs over and install them ourselves. It is very labour intensive but with enough volunteers it was possible. I have never heard of Acromat either but if you have no other recourse it might be possible to swap out the foam for springs ( maybe ?)

yes, that can be done.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Express strong dislike for the product and ask for return. As it does not work and their are no work arounds, return is the option. Break-in period - bully! Dunno posted that a herd of elephants may break the FX in. That may be but how to get a herd of elephants and how to keep them from soiling the FX top surface. Now that would be hard to clean! Seriously, if the product puts athletes in risk during break-in period it is not worthy. Athletes use the product and if they provide feedback that it does not work - it does not work. (Booster Clubs, parents do not tumble and use the FX.) If no one uses it, it can only be used as a vacuuming practice site. I do not see much value in that.

I know the above is not necessarily what you ash to hear, but the product is truly not what you wished for. Return the product quickly.

BTW: If you wish assistance installing the springs you will need to purchase, provide me access to a plane ticket and I will come and assist installing. I loved my past visit to New Zealand! New Zealand rocks!

Best, SBG -

 

[Deleted member D3987]

if you want to replace the foam blocks with springs, ask and i'll put you in touch with either Paul Kemp or Neil Palmer and you can figure out how many you need and how to get them there. it's a half days work.

 

[ivyagogo]

Our floor is hard too. Our HC put it down himself. Springs, two layers of plywood, foam, and carpet. I hate it. I make our girls tumble on it because I don't want them learning all their skills on the rod floor and tumbltrak, but I won't tumble on it at all.