Slam balls are an ideal piece of equipment for most home gyms. They are small (which is perfect for storage) and are functional meaning you can utilize them to work a variety of movements and muscle groups.
Despite the convenience though, it can often be difficult knowing when to use slam balls at home. Within a gym environment, you have flooring and specific apparatus like slam ball platforms that allow you to use a slam ball to its full capacity.
In this article, we’ll therefore consider what options you have when using a slam ball at home and answer the question of – can slam balls be used on concrete, or do you need special flooring to utilize them at home?
Can Slam Balls be Used on Concrete
Most concrete surfaces have a natural strength that is not easily damaged. However, the amount of force that a concrete surface can withstand depends on the type or location of the surface. Here are a few examples of different concretes:
- Basement and foundation walls and slabs
- Driveways, garages, and industrial floor slabs
- Reinforced beams, columns, and walls
(Source: Compressive Strength)
Each of these surfaces is commonly found in popular exercise areas and homes, and all of them have a pressure per square inch (PSI) capacity of above 2500 lbs. This means that it would take at least 2500 lbs. of pressure per square inch of surface to damage the concrete.
Most slam balls are made of a “no bounce” material that softens the impact made when the slam ball is thrown onto a solid surface. The rubber material used to make the slam ball cushions the blow as you throw it.
Therefore, it’s very unlikely that throwing a slam ball would damage concrete. Additionally, slam balls are constructed to reduce damage to the ball itself. As the ball reduces bounce back, any impact sustained would simply travel through the ball. This means that slam balls can be used on concrete.
In simple terms, it doesn’t take direct force all in one place, so the weight and pressure applied to the ball is more evenly distributed. So, unless you’re Superman or just outrageously strong, there should be no breakage of either the ball or concrete surface.
What Surface Can You Use a Slam Ball On?
Overall, the surface you choose should be strong, steady, and level. Though wall and medicine balls can be used on surfaces like walls, you’ll want to limit throwing a slam ball to the ground or floor.
Though you may occasionally thrust towards a wall or trainer, the best place to do slam ball training and exercise would be a quiet area with a hard surface. This may include a garage, a backyard, or even a basement.
As long as the surface is sturdy and flat, it’s perfect for using a slam ball. If you plan on doing wall training, find a sturdy wall or column made of concrete. This is the best surface to allow maximum force without worry.
Whether your floor is made of concrete, wood, vinyl, or tile, there’s no need to worry about destroying your flooring. Virtually any surface that you would comfortably walk on regularly is more than capable of withstanding the force of your slam ball.
Will a Slam Ball Damage My Floor?
Other exercise balls are usually much heavier or larger with a less durable surface. With a slam ball, you’ll see a rubber surface built to withstand impact.
The rubber gives the ball a type of absorbency that makes it easy to use on hard surfaces. No matter how hard you throw the ball, there should be no risk of damaging your flooring.
The best surface for using your slam ball is obviously concrete because of the high PSI capacity, but most homes are not going to contain a lot of rooms made of concrete.
As long as your floors are made of strong wood or tile, your slam ball will not cause damage. As we’ve stated, the ball absorbs most of the shock from the impact, so the amount of force you exert will travel through the ball – not your floor.
So, feel free to throw your slam ball on any wooden, carpeted, or vinyl flooring that you would feel comfortable jumping on. In all actuality, jumping on your floor would most likely exert more PSI than using a slam ball.
The only point we would emphasize though is that you should use some common sense when selecting a surface to use a slam ball. Laminate floor, flooring upstairs, decking, or cheap tile will all be susceptible to damage as they do not provide a solid base.
Will Throwing a Slam Ball Cause Damage?
It is recommended that you take full advantage of throwing your slam ball. In fact, a slam ball is designed so that you can use your full amount of force and put your entire body into it. The recommended exercise for slam balls puts you into several throwing positions.
You might throw the ball:
- Overhead
- In a jumping pass
- Laterally
- From your chest
- While squatting
(Source: Protips)
Don’t be afraid to expend a lot of energy and force in your throw. These balls are made for rigorous use so that you can improve your strength and coordination. As long as you are throwing onto a solid surface, you don’t need to be afraid about breaking the landing area.
The heavy rubber material used to line the outside helps the slam ball absorb impacts, and the inside of your slam ball is most likely filled with small shards of material that help the ball to stay grounded.
With a well-made slam ball, you will notice either minimal or no bounce on impact so the ball will not burst or break when thrown on hard surfaces.
When you throw your ball, you have free range of putting as much force as possible without fearing a rogue ball bouncing off your property or shattering into several pieces. Slam balls are made to withstand intensive use without damaging the surface it lands on.
Will Different Weighted Balls Cause Damage?
Slam balls can come in several different sizes, including:
- 10 lbs.
- 15 lbs.
- 20 lbs.
- 25 lbs.
- 30 lbs.
- 40 lbs.
The available sizes of the ball can depend on which brand you choose, but this list is a basis for different sizes. Though different weights will affect the way your body responds, it is very unlikely that you would exert enough force to cause damage to a concrete surface.
With the flexible, heavy material used to design the ball, the size would not affect the absorption of the impact. The manufacturing process does not change based on the size of the ball, so the design will still absorb the shock of the impact.
Therefore, whatever size slam ball you currently have is fine to throw on solid surfaces. Obviously, they shouldn’t be thrown on weak drywall or warped flooring, but the size does not affect how much force you can apply while throwing.
Summary
A slam ball, by name, is a piece of exercise equipment that produces a lot of force. Therefore, selecting the best surface to use a slam ball on is necessary not only for workout efficiency but also to protect your flooring.
The best surface to use a slam ball on is solid concrete or heavy-duty gym rubber matting (on top of a solid surface). A slam ball is designed to absorb much of the force when thrown against the floor or wall but some force will still be transferred to the surface upon impact.
Therefore, try to use a slam ball on a solid surface where possible, and not only can you use a slam ball on concrete but it would actually be the recommended place to use it in our opinion.
