Integrating Open Space Into Facilities
Date: 2/23/2026
Author: Jake Purdy
As sports performance training evolves, the spaces it occurs in must evolve as well. More time and square footage are now dedicated to sprinting and agility, and facilities should be designed to support that demand. The question is simple, are you running a performance program or a lifting team? The answer to that question should guide your layout. It will determine whether your space is better suited for a traditional gym setup with primarily machines and dedicated platforms, or a modern sports performance facility built around multi use rack stations/open space that support more dynamic and team based training.
The Purpose of Open Space
Open space gives teams an area to gather without clutter for meetings, training plan reviews, and whatever the session requires that day. These areas can be turf or rolled rubber, both support a wide range of training uses.
Turf works best for sprinting and sled work but is not a stable lifting surface. Rubber open space can still support sprinting and general movement while also allowing lifting anywhere in the room. It does not pair well with sleds that lack wheels or tires, but it is more cost effective and far more versatile overall.
Training qualities enabled by space
• Acceleration and deceleration
• Reactive Agility
• Change of direction mechanics
• Energy system development
• Warm up organization
• Large group flow and staging
Operational benefits
• Reduces congestion and standing lines
• Easier supervision for sport coaches
• Faster transitions between movement and lifting blocks
• Allows multi team training at once
Types Of Flooring
Rolled Rubber from ECORE Athletic
We have partnered with ECORE Athletic since 2009 and have handled our own flooring layouts and installations for over 15 years. Keeping the equipment and flooring plan under one company ensures a clean, coordinated design and avoids the delays and mistakes that often occur with third party contractors.
Our layouts typically combine Beast Plus in drop zones and heavy impact areas with Rally throughout the remaining space for running, jumping, and general training. Turf strips are often added to provide a dedicated lane for warmups, sprints, and sled work. Beast Plus is more expensive as it is a more dense material, so we reserve it for Drop Zones and install Rally everywhere else. Read more about the Rally and Beast Plus System here!
Turf
Rubber backed performance turf is designed for daily weight room use while still allowing real movement work. The backing absorbs impact to reduce lower leg stress like shin splints but remains firm enough for sprint starts, jumps, and change of direction. A 15 mm grass layer provides consistent traction for sled pushes, sprints, and any other movements. It can be made in nearly any color with integrated logos to match your facility.
Rolled Flooring Open Space
Open space does not have to be turf to be highly functional. Rolled rubber is often the more versatile option because it supports lifting, sprinting, jumping, and agility work within the same footprint without limiting programming. The tradeoff is sled work and floor based mobility, as traditional flat bottom sleds do not slide well on rubber and turf is more comfortable for stretching and ground based drills. Sleds with wheels such as the Torque Tank can be pushed on rubber surfaces. Turf also increases overall project cost and adds another layer to the installation process.
Shown below at Carroll High School, they installed four 50 yard sprint lanes down the center of the room, creating a true indoor runway for speed, conditioning, and agility work while keeping the space fully usable for lifting.
Future Scalability
Open space protects your future flexibility. If you build it in from the start, that area can later be converted into additional racks, machines, or storage solutions as your program grows. If you eliminate open space on day one, expansion becomes difficult because schools rarely want to remove racks or machines they already invested in just to reclaim square footage.
We often see coaches assume that more stations automatically means better training, but that is not always true. Designing for your largest training group and no more typically creates better flow and leaves room for complementary pieces like specialty machines, recovery areas, or dedicated speed lanes. The right number of racks gives you structure. The remaining space gives you options.
Conclusion
The most effective facilities are built with intent. When space is designed around movement first, not just equipment placement, it becomes a performance environment rather than a weight room. Open space dictates flow, dictates training quality, and ultimately dictates outcomes. Whether that space is turf, rolled rubber, or a strategic combination of both, the key is aligning the flooring and layout with how your athletes actually train. Build for acceleration, change of direction, and organized team flow, and the lifting will take care of itself.
