ONE MAT, MULTIPLE NAMES, INFINITE APPLICATIONS

Cheese mat, wedge, folding incline — you’ve heard it called them all. With so many names, what exactly is this mysterious piece of equipment, and what can you “do” with it? Here, we spotlight five practical applications for your … whatever you want to call it!

1. For Preschoolers … A cheese mat instantly becomes a fun hill for obstacle courses! Walking, hopping and rolling are way more exciting when done on an incline mat (and maybe you can even have your wee ones sing a fun song when they hit the wedge, like “On Top of Spaghetti, All Covered in CHEESE!”).
   
   
2. For Athletes Learning Kickovers and Walkovers … Going front or back, a wedge is a great tool for teaching kickovers and walkovers. Grab a second incline (used folded) to create a “starting block.
   
   
3. For Athletes Working Back Extension Rolls … Folding inclines are the perfect place to
   work on back extension rolls. Starting at the top of an opened wedge and rolling down
   gives the athlete a lever advantage. Grab a pair of Sticky Toes and work on keeping
   those feet together while you’re at it!
   
   
4. For Athletes Training Back Handsprings … You can use two folding inclines together to
    create a platform to begin on, and a wedge to go down, when training back handsprings.
   
   
5. For Athletes Working Shoulder Flexibility and Core Control … A wedge is the ideal spot
   to work on shoulder flexibility and teach correct bridging position by doing feet high
   bridges. You can also use the side of the folded incline (when folded) to have athletes work
   on core control while in a handstand.
   

(And as an added BONUS!) For Coaches … Yes, we couldn’t leave you out, coaches! Do you ever need just a bit more height when spotting? Save your back (and your shoulders!) and grab a folding incline for use as an easily portable spotting block. Fold it and rest assured it will stay firmly in place thanks to Tumbl Trak’s™sturdy Velcro flaps!

Who knew one little mat could do so much?! For more, be sure to check out our Tumbl Trak ™Training Tips at https://www.tumbltrak.com/training, where we feature hundreds of useful video clips submitted from coaches throughout the country. And remember, Train Smart!