Try Out Our Turf Area at AFAC Gym
If you’re looking for a fresh way to challenge yourself during your workouts, Adventure Fitness Athletic Club has something exciting waiting for you. We’ve added a brand-new turf training area inside our expansive Riot Room, giving members a dedicated space for functional fitness, athletic performance, strength training, and much more.
Whether you’re an experienced athlete training for competition, someone working toward better overall fitness, or simply looking to add variety to your exercise routine, our turf area provides an ideal environment for safe, effective movement. Designed to support everything from explosive power training to low-impact mobility work, it’s one of the most versatile workout spaces you’ll find at any gym in Thornton, Colorado.
What Is Gym Turf?
Gym turf is a specially engineered indoor athletic surface designed to mimic natural grass while offering superior durability and performance. Unlike outdoor artificial grass, gym turf features short, dense synthetic fibers mounted to a durable backing with a cushioned underlayer that helps absorb impact during exercise.
This combination creates a high-traction, non-slip surface that allows exercisers to move confidently in every direction. Whether you’re accelerating into a sprint, pushing a weighted sled, performing lateral drills, or stretching after a workout, the turf offers both stability and comfort.
At AFAC gym, our turf area is located inside the spacious Riot Room and measures an impressive 80 feet by 30 feet. That generous amount of space allows multiple members to train simultaneously while providing plenty of room for speed work, conditioning circuits, and functional fitness exercises.
The result is a training surface that feels comfortable underfoot while supporting explosive movement, quick changes in direction, and high-intensity workouts.
What Can the Gym Turf Area Be Used For?
One of the biggest advantages of turf is its versatility. Rather than limiting you to one style of training, the turf accommodates nearly every type of functional fitness workout imaginable. Whether your goal is building strength, improving athletic performance, increasing endurance, or simply making workouts more enjoyable, the turf can help.
Strength and Resistance Training
The turf is ideal for exercises that require movement while carrying or pushing resistance.
Popular strength exercises include:
- Weighted sled pushes and pulls
- Farmers carries with kettlebells or dumbbells
- Walking lunges
- Sandbag carries
- Resistance band exercises
- Medicine ball slams
Sled pushes, in particular, have become one of the most effective full-body conditioning exercises because they challenge your legs, core, cardiovascular system, and mental toughness without placing excessive stress on your joints.
Speed and Agility Training
Athletes in nearly every sport depend on quick footwork, fast acceleration, and rapid changes of direction. Turf provides excellent traction that allows you to train these movements confidently.
Common agility drills include:
- Agility ladder drills
- Cone zig-zag patterns
- Lateral shuffles
- Shuttle runs
- Sprint intervals
- Bear crawls
- Crab walks
These exercises improve coordination, reaction time, balance, and overall athletic performance while helping develop stronger movement mechanics.
Plyometric Training
Being strong is important, but being able to generate force quickly is what creates power.
Plyometric exercises train your muscles to produce maximum force in minimal time, making them popular among athletes participating in football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, skiing, baseball, track, golf, and countless other sports.
Exercises that work exceptionally well on turf include:
- Broad jumps
- Box jumps
- Tuck jumps
- Bounding drills
- Skater hops
- Single-leg hops
- Jumping rope
The cushioned backing beneath the turf helps absorb impact during repeated jumping exercises, making explosive training more comfortable than harder flooring surfaces.
Bodyweight Circuits and Functional Fitness
Not every effective workout requires equipment.
The turf offers a comfortable surface for bodyweight movements that challenge multiple muscle groups at once.
Popular exercises include:
Because the turf is softer than concrete or traditional gym flooring, many people find these workouts significantly more comfortable.
Balance and Stability Training
Balance plays a major role in injury prevention, athletic performance, and everyday movement.
Using exercise balls, BOSU trainers, medicine balls, or simply performing single-leg exercises on the turf helps improve coordination, joint stability, and overall body control.
These workouts are especially beneficial for:
- Older adults
- Athletes recovering from injury
- Individuals improving functional movement
- Anyone wanting better posture and stability
HIIT Workouts
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) continues to be one of the most efficient ways to burn calories while improving cardiovascular fitness.
The turf allows members to combine multiple exercises into fast-paced circuits, such as:
- Sprint intervals
- Battle ropes
- Sled pushes
- Burpees
- Jump squats
- Mountain climbers
- Walking lunges
- Medicine ball slams
Because the surface absorbs impact while providing reliable traction, HIIT sessions can feel safer and more comfortable.
Strength Training
The turf also works well alongside traditional strength equipment.
Members frequently use:
- Barbells
- Dumbbells
- Kettlebells
- Resistance bands
- Medicine balls
- Sandbags
The added grip helps improve footing while lifting, carrying, or performing dynamic movements.
Yoga, Mobility, and Recovery
The turf isn’t just for high-intensity training.
Many members use the area for:
- Dynamic warmups
- Yoga flows
- Pilates
- Foam rolling
- Mobility drills
- Post-workout stretching
Its softer, non-abrasive surface provides a comfortable alternative to harder gym flooring without always requiring an exercise mat.
What Are the Advantages of Gym Turf?
The turf isn’t simply an attractive addition to the gym. It also offers numerous practical benefits that improve both performance and comfort.
Reduced Impact on Joints
High-impact exercises place significant stress on the knees, ankles, hips, and lower back.
The turf’s padded construction helps absorb some of that impact, making movements like sprinting, jumping, lunging, and agility drills easier on the body.
This can be especially valuable for:
- Athletes completing repetitive training
- Individuals recovering from minor injuries
- Older adults
- Anyone wanting a more comfortable workout surface
Better Traction Means Greater Safety
Slipping during explosive movements can lead to unnecessary injuries.
Gym turf offers excellent grip that helps keep your footing secure while running, changing direction, or pushing heavy sleds.
Its non-slip, non-abrasive surface creates a safer environment for both beginners and experienced athletes.
Exceptional Versatility
Few gym surfaces can support as many different workout styles as turf.
You can use it for:
- Functional fitness
- Weight training
- Cardio workouts
- Speed training
- Agility drills
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Calisthenics
- Plyometrics
- Sports conditioning
- Martial arts drills
- Mobility work
The same space can easily transition from a strength circuit to a recovery session within minutes.
Built to Handle Heavy Use
Artificial gym turf is designed for demanding athletic environments.
It easily withstands:
- Heavy foot traffic
- Repeated sprinting
- Sled pushes and pulls
- Dropped medicine balls
- Kettlebells
- Agility equipment
- Plyometric workouts
- Resistance training
Unlike many flooring materials, quality turf maintains its appearance and performance even after years of regular use.
Perfect for Functional Equipment
The turf pairs well with nearly every piece of functional fitness equipment, including:
- Weighted sleds
- Kettlebells
- Medicine balls
- Barbells
- Agility ladders
- Cones
- Battle ropes
- Plyometric boxes
- Benches
- Hurdles
- Tires
- Resistance bands
Having all of this equipment available on one dedicated surface allows for efficient, uninterrupted workouts.
Quieter Workouts
The cushioned surface helps dampen sound generated from equipment and movement.
That means:
- Less noise throughout the gym
- Better protection for the flooring underneath
- A more enjoyable training environment
A Dedicated Training Space
The turf creates a clearly defined area specifically intended for athletic performance and functional fitness.
Having a dedicated space makes it easier to:
- Stay focused
- Organize circuit workouts
- Train without interruption
- Explore new exercises
The vibrant green turf also adds visual appeal to the Riot Room, making the space feel more energetic and inviting.
Increased Workout Motivation
Sometimes the biggest challenge is simply staying excited about exercising.
A dedicated turf area introduces new training opportunities that keep workouts fresh and engaging. Whether you’re learning new agility drills, competing with friends during sled races, or creating your own HIIT circuit, the variety helps prevent workouts from becoming repetitive.
Many members discover that having access to specialized training areas encourages them to try new exercises, challenge themselves more often, and stay consistent with their fitness goals.
Level Up Your Training on AFAC Gym’s Turf!
Every workout should challenge you, motivate you, and help you become stronger than you were yesterday. Our new turf area was designed with exactly that goal in mind.
Whether you’re pushing a sled for the first time, improving your sprint speed, completing an intense HIIT circuit, practicing yoga, or simply looking for a more comfortable place to move, the Riot Room’s 80-by-30-foot turf gives you the space and support to train with confidence.
If you’re not a member yet, we hope you’ll visit AFAC gym today to speak to our team about our affordable memberships and personal trainers. AFAC gym is committed to supporting your health and wellness efforts, so you’ll see the results you’re working so hard for. That’s why we were voted the best gym in Thornton, Colorado, and have hundreds of 5-star reviews.
To learn more about our top-rated gym and our incredible array of strength training and cardio equipment — as well as our unique offerings and amenities like daily group classes, cryotherapy, InBody 770 assessments, hydro massage, personal trainers, and our rock climbing wall and cave — please contact us or visit for a personalized tour. Our team will be happy to help you. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.