One of American Gymnast’s most exciting projects to start off the new year was upgrading and completing this installation for the USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team training gym in Indianapolis! What a CLEAN, SAFE and a beautiful asset this is for these athletes. 2020 showed us that we needed to start thinking of different ways to help gym owners provide a safer and cleaner environment for their athletes while giving parents a peace of mind as programs start back up this year. More than ever, athletes are longing to get back in the gym and do what they love – gymnastics! We at American Gymnast are doing our best to keep up with the latest and most innovative equipment so that dreams will continue to come true, champions will continue to be made, and lives will continue to be impacted by this amazing sport.
BigAirBags can be retrofitted into your old loose foam pit or we can work with you to design the perfect size and shape airbag for new construction projects. Additionally, we have portable above-ground airbags which are great for vaulting, tumbling and dismount training that can be easily moved around the gym and inflated in seconds.
One of the worst jobs in owning a gym has got to be cleaning out the loose foam pits! The thought of cleaning out all of those foam cubes and then dealing with whatever you find underneath them is enough to make you feel sick to your stomach. But by replacing your foam pit with this airbag, you will be blown away by the cleanliness and low maintenance of your new pit — the satin top sheets are anti-microbial (killing micro-organisms and stopping growth) and the sheets can be easily removed and washed. No more dirt and grime living in your pit!
Providing the safest equipment for our customers and athletes is at the top of our list and we love the features this product has to ensure extra safety for those training. Just a few of these features include an audible alarm that sounds any time a blower malfunctions or the power goes out. There is also a pressure sensor located in the airbag that is able to read the pressure within the bag and that pressure is displayed so one can determine whether it is within the appropriate limits. When the air bag is deflated, there are large, brightly colored “Do Not Jump” labels that display alerting gymnasts that it is not safe to use.
We feel this product fits perfectly into how gyms can easily transform and upgrade to keep up with the dramatic changes we have had to make in the last year. Safe, clean and effective — words that come to mind when describing this airbag.
More airbag installations are scheduled this month to provide gyms and their athletes a healthy way to train and we are truly excited about helping many other gym owners get this product set up in their facility. For information about the BigAirBag and how to get one in your gym, go to https://www.american-gymnast.com/airbags-in-gymnastics/
My, how the world has changed in a short period of time. As most gym owners can attest, the new normal is hardly recognizable and if you want to stay in the game, you have to adapt…quickly. To sum it up, facility cleanliness is key going forward
One aspect of the gym everyone is a little unsure about is the foam block pit. There is hardly a gymnastics facility in the country without one. However, in today’s environment, with respect to cleanliness, foam block pits seem to come with a stigma that may have existed before but most were able put it out of their mind. There’s no denying that foam pits are challenging to keep clean. It is a process that involves hours of time and dozens of people lending a hand to make it happen.
As you may be aware, there is an alternative and you shouldn’t shy away from it. That’s right, it’s the AirBag. I can assure you, they are not just for tramp parks anymore. Manufacturers have been working hard on this product to make them a better fit for any gymnastics facility.
So, let’s get right to it and discuss the AirBag so you can make a more educated decision for your facility:
1. Fully Customizable Shape & Size – Gymnastics pits come is all shapes and sizes. “L” shapes, “U” shapes, long channels, large rectangles, and even hour glass shaped. The good news is the AirBag can be made in any shape you can imagine. So that crazy polygon hole you have in the ground can easily be filled with a perfectly customized AirBag.
2. Cleaning & Maintenance – The HUGE bonus of owning an airbag is the ease of which you can clean it. We all know too well the method for cleaning out the foam block pit – Wrangle up multiple staff members and a team of kids and start throwing foam out of the pit and then bang out each and every block. It is a tedious task to say the least. Also, foam pit blocks can be impregnated with fire retardants, which become airborne in the form of dust particles.
This is where the AirBag outshines foam block by a long shot. It has a top sheet that can be removed by two staff members in a matter of minutes. That top sheet can then be cleaned and replaced. With the AirBag you won’t have to worry about filthy socks or other nasty items sinking down into your pit and making a home for months.
In addition, Anti-Microbial top sheets are also available, which kills micro-organisms and stops growth – so no need to wash daily! It’s the same price as a normal top sheet so that’s pretty awesome!
3. Landings – There are some major differences with landing on an airbag compared to foam block. Both systems are designed to create a landing area that is extremely safe when it comes to awkward landings. Is injury possible with the both systems? Yes, of course, but the risk is substantially reduced due to how each are constructed. I think this is where gym owners are a little skeptical of the airbag system. They know foam block systems, they are comfortable with them, and they know for the most part they are very safe if installed properly.
Well, more good news on the airbag is that the technology has evolved over the last several years to create a system with redundancies and other safety mechanisms. Let’s take a look at the construction of the airbag.
One question many people have is whether or not you can bottom out an airbag. Engineers have taken this question seriously and have devoted lots of time in to creating a system that is next to impossible to bottom out. The safety zone (the bottom layer of air) is a key feature that prevents anyone from bottoming out. Well, what if the blower malfunctions and the airbag deflates? To deal with this scenario, the AirBag (aka Smart AirBag) has 3 different built-in safety features.
1. Blower Alarm – Visual and audible alarm goes off any time a blower malfunctions
2. Pressure Sensor – there is a sensor located in the airbag that is able to read the pressure within the bag and that pressure is displayed so one can determine whether it is within the appropriate limits.
3. Traffic Light – basically like it sounds. It shows a constant green when it is safe to land on the bag, yellow when there may be an issue, and red when it is completely unsafe to land
Since we are discussing landings on the airbag, it is definitely worth mentioning one really cool feature that would be appealing to a lot of gym owners. Pressure may be adjusted to allow for different types of landings on the bags. If the athlete is learning a new big skill and needs a more cushioned landing, no problem. Pressure can be reduced to allow for that softer feel, resulting in a more comfortable landing on their back or rear. Or, do you want to mimic more of a firm mat landing? This can be done as well by increasing the pressure enough for the athlete to land on their feet.
4. Aesthetics – I will keep this one short and simple. Airbags can look amazing and provide a very clean look in your facility. Your imagination is the driver of the look of the top sheet. Any design or look you want can be done on this top sheet – logos/branding, motivational words, shapes, colors, pictures, etc.
5. Throughput – This is another area where the AirBag is amazing. We all know how long it can take to get out of a foam block pit. This can sometimes take more than a minute, while other kids are standing in line waiting for their turn. The average time to exit the pit from an airbag is about 7 – 10 secs. Now you are increasing training productivity by almost 10 fold!
6. Noise – This one seems to be the deal killer for a number of folks in gymnastics facilities. Coaches fear the noise can be distracting. Again, engineers have listened to the gripes and have come up with the low noise air blower. The decibel level can be compared to that of a low level conversation.
7. Cost – This is a BIG question for most people considering an AirBag over foam block. What is this thing going to cost me? Quite simply, the initial cost of the complete airbag system (with all bells and whistles) is going to cost you more than foam block. However, if you are more interested in the cost over time, then the airbag will become the obvious choice. Long term cost analysis shows that most gym owners will recover that additional cost in about a year and half when purchasing an airbag over foam block. Think about it – very little maintenance (both staff time and actual cost), and nothing to replace for a very long time (if ever).
How about cost to run the Blower? Quite low…about $2 per day.
Based on all of the information above, the future is looking pretty bright for AirBags making their way in to gymnastics facilities. I think education on the product is key for each owner considering making the switch. We are here to answer any questions about them and can also provide a quick estimate for changing out your existing pits if needed.