Fitness mats? Exercise mats? What is the difference between a yoga mat and an all purpose mat? And with so many different types of exercise mats to choose from, it can be confusing at times.
If you are thinking of buying a used mat. Please remember about cleanliness and durability issues.
Because mat gets dirty and damage with constant use.

Are there any difference?
Yes.
Because each mat serves different function for different exercises as well as for different sports.
They are not created equal.If you want to know the difference, read on..
1.The General purpose mat

This mat is usually the most common found in sports shops online and offline.

They are usually great for doing body weight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups and many other exercises such as Pilates and Yoga.
Why is this mat good for body-weight exercises? Because this mat provide sufficient cushion to protect your body and its also protect the floor. This mat is ideal for home exercises.

If you are looking for a exercise mat right now.
Here is a mat, I found that is great.

It is the HemingWeigh extra thick foam mat.
But why do you choose this mat over other?

Because with this simple mat,you can unroll it for use and when you done with it.It provide sufficient cushion for your joints. You would love it the feel of such a mat. You can roll it up for easy storage because of its weight and size. And it is easy to clean.
So you can keep free from dirt
2.The Yoga mat
Yoga mats are much thinner as compare with general purpose fitness mat.
Yes,it is made of rubber,provide a non-slip surface and easy to store.This mat give the yogi (The person who practice yoga.) a sense of the balance while the yogi is doing yoga.

They provide very little cushion because the main function is to provide a stable and non-slip surface for yoga poses.

Please do not buy a yoga mat and use it for doing body-weight exercises.
Why? Because if you use it for body-weight exercises. It may cause your body to have some slight discomfort.
3.The Pilates Mat.
What is the difference between a Pilates mat and a Yoga mat?
The difference is that the mat provide more cushion. And it has a non-slip surface same as the yoga mats.
Why does the thickness of the mat matter if you are doing Pilates?

Because most Pilates exercises are mostly done on the floor ,therefore the mat need to provide more cushion. And they are no need to feel center as with yoga poses.
4.Heavy Duty Exercise Mat.
This kind of mat is used mostly in school, gymnasium as well as some club. That requires the use of gymnastic mat.

They are more costly, bulky and they take up space and they cannot be folded.
And that does not mean you cant use it at home.
If you like a mat that last for a long time. And you exercise at home most of the time.
Here is a mat that I found. It is durable enough and provide more than enough cushion for hard floor. Best of all it is foldable. But it is still bulky.
SPRI Folding / Exercise Mats
This mat does all the things that I stated above.
If you need something long lasting.This is a mat worth checking.
5.Interlocking Puzzle Mat.
This type of exercise mat is good if you have dedicated place for your home gym.

They are easy to clean. But there are not easy to move around because they tend to stay on the floor.

Unless you chose to remove the puzzle mats and assemble it elsewhere.

Besides, that you have to measure the floor area first. Before, you buy it.

6.Mats for exercise equipment.
There is always a risk of exercise equipment damaging the floor.
Or leave a mark on the floor after many years. That is why having a mat underneath the exercise equipment can help protect the floor.

And they aren’t any standard size mat for exercise equipments.
So you have to cut the mat to the correct size in order to protect the floor.

Now we have a new type mat---Air Floor,Air mat ,inflatable air track.

Bring your gym training home!
The Home Air Floor offers all the benefits of our inflatable equipment in a smaller, lighter, and cheaper package.  Whether youre at home, on vacation, or at a friends house, you can still train like youre at the gym! Easy to set up,store,and move around. Perfect for gymnast,cheerleaders,and tumblers .
It can be used on floor, water and grass . just make sure there is no stone or sharp things on the grass to hurt the track.