Deadlift platform / Plywood vs 2 layers of horse stall mats?

[fevzay]

Kind of a strange first post, I know...

I am arranging for a dedicated deadlift area in my garage gym. Currently, I have the entire floor covered with 3/4" thick horse stall mats. These are the super dense kind of TSC. I intend to eventually work up to weights over 500lbs. Up to now, I was using bumpers. I sold them in favor of iron as bumpers were going to eventually be a problem working up to heavy weights.

For some time, I have been planning on doing the standard 2 layers of OSB/Plywood, then the top layer 4x4' of premium plywood + 2x4' strips of horse stall mats on the end. Recently, I noticed that Rogue's deadlift platform (which I have no interest in buying) uses the rubber tiles that are 1.5" thick.

By that logic, would I be safe just doubling the horse stall mats (giving me 1.5" thick rubber mats) on top of each other in this area and calling it good, or would I benefit from a "true" platform with OSB/ply?

So I'm not flogged, I do not intend to ever drop the weight. I always lower the weight in a controlled manner. I may be a first time poster, but I am well versed in SS:BBT and PP.

Thanks in advance for your time.

[Christopher Anderson]

Kind of a strange first post, I know...

I am arranging for a dedicated deadlift area in my garage gym. Currently, I have the entire floor covered with 3/4" thick horse stall mats. These are the super dense kind of TSC. I intend to eventually work up to weights over 500lbs. Up to now, I was using bumpers. I sold them in favor of iron as bumpers were going to eventually be a problem working up to heavy weights.

For some time, I have been planning on doing the standard 2 layers of OSB/Plywood, then the top layer 4x4' of premium plywood + 2x4' strips of horse stall mats on the end. Recently, I noticed that Rogue's deadlift platform (which I have no interest in buying) uses the rubber tiles that are 1.5" thick.

By that logic, would I be safe just doubling the horse stall mats (giving me 1.5" thick rubber mats) on top of each other in this area and calling it good, or would I benefit from a "true" platform with OSB/ply?

So I'm not flogged, I do not intend to ever drop the weight. I always lower the weight in a controlled manner. I may be a first time poster, but I am well versed in SS:BBT and PP.

Thanks in advance for your time.

I believe Alan Thrall has a video on his YouTube on how to create a platform step by step, that might help you out.

[Strega]

I have basement gym and it's basically a regular stall mat over concrete. I've considered adding plywood for a proper platform but honestly if a stall mat can handle a 2,000 pound horse I'm not sure what you gain by plywood. I mean, honestly I don't know but it is so damn dense I don't see, feel or have any signs of it giving. If you drop enough weight from high enough over a long enough period of time it's going to do damage. But like you said if you don't plan on dropping shit you should be OK. Honestly I would not worry about it until you get to over 500+ pounds, that's sort of my plan. Until that time I'm forgetting about it... and at my age and when I started 500 is highly unlikely.

[thejosef]

I have basement gym and it's basically a regular stall mat over concrete. I've considered adding plywood for a proper platform but honestly if a stall mat can handle a 2,000 pound horse I'm not sure what you gain by plywood. I mean, honestly I don't know but it is so damn dense I don't see, feel or have any signs of it giving. If you drop enough weight from high enough over a long enough period of time it's going to do damage. But like you said if you don't plan on dropping shit you should be OK. Honestly I would not worry about it until you get to over 500+ pounds, that's sort of my plan. Until that time I'm forgetting about it... and at my age and when I started 500 is highly unlikely.

THANK YOU. My buddy deadlifts 400+ on his 3/4" stall mats over TILE FLOORS (for years now) with zero cracking of the tile. 3/4" stall mats are awesome for gym use, and are probably all anybody needs.. unless you Oly lift.. with iron.

I've been lifting with 3/4" stall mats over concrete for about 4 years now with no issues.. though I'm only lifting in the 350 range.

I've only heard of one incident on the entire interwebz of a dude cracking his concrete with only stall mats, and everybody concluded his concrete was definitely poured incorrectly. Lol.

[Jeff Illingworth]

The plywood isn't necessary, but it really helps if you have your rack on the platform as it gives you something to bolt/screw it to. I had just stall mats with my rack sitting on them and, even with weights on the plate holders, it would move on me when I was racking/unracking heavy squats and, sometimes, bench presses. The plywood might be better than stall mats if you're doing explosive pulls.

[Strega]

The plywood isn't necessary, but it really helps if you have your rack on the platform as it gives you something to bolt/screw it to. I had just stall mats with my rack sitting on them and, even with weights on the plate holders, it would move on me when I was racking/unracking heavy squats and, sometimes, bench presses. The plywood might be better than stall mats if you're doing explosive pulls.

Why is the rack not bolted into the concrete floor?

[Jeff Illingworth]

In my particular case, I didn't lag it into the concrete because the place was a rental. I knew we were going to be moving, so I didn't want to put a whole platform together just to take it apart in a few months. So, I figured, why not be lazy and dangerous all at the same time.

[scwot]

The gym I go to has had those mats down for the last 10 years and they're still fine.

[fevzay]

Thanks for the responses, guys (and gals if present).

I appreciate the comment about Alan Thrall's video too. Looks nice.

For now, I feel a lot better about using my TSC mats until I can get something put together.

[Agilic]

I'll chime in with another plain ol' single horse stall mat over concrete, and iron only. 2 years so far with a max deadlift of 405, and no issues whatsoever.