You might not ever think about the need for good workout shoes or have them further down the list of necessities, but they are far more important than having the latest stylish workout outfit. If you don’t have good foot support, you could find yourself benched because of ankle or foot injuries. Your feet go through a lot of stress during exercise. At the least, they’re the grounding force and hold up your entire body. They need to be cushioned and supportive, so when you twist and turn or land back on the ground after you jump, they’re protected.
Not only are well-made shoes important, the right type of shoe for the activity is also important.
One of the biggest setbacks for people on the road to fitness isn’t that pint of Ben and Jerry’s in the freezer, but injury. Preventing injury is extremely important and one of the reasons trainers emphasize form so much. There are nineteen muscles, thirty-plus joints, twenty-six bones and hundreds of tendons and ligaments in the foot. That means a lot of ways you can sustain injury if there’s not enough support. Getting the right workout shoe can help prevent some problems.
Different workouts require different shoes.
Running shoes differ from shoes for yoga/dance, HIIT or weightlifting. Each of those exercises affect the foot in different ways. If you run, you want a shoe that provides protection from the constant pounding and one that is based on your arch type and gait. For weight lifting, a low profile shoe with a good grip and stable hard sole gives you the stability you need for explosive movements. You have to have lots of support, stability and cushioning if you’re doing HIIT movements. Lightweight shoes are important for dance or yoga.
Don’t skimp on your shoes, but you don’t need to spend your entire budget either.
You need shoes that fit well, which should be top priority. You also need shoes with the right amount of support. Don’t worry about brand names, instead, focus on the features the shoe offers for your favorite sport. While the shoes may be a bit more expensive than normal tennis shoes, the cost isn’t for extra advertising, as it is for some name brands, but for quality. Ill fitting and inappropriate shoes can cause, corns, bunions, ankle strains, pain on the ball of the foot and fractures
- Do you do a lot of different types of workouts and can only afford one good pair of shoes? Consider cross training shoes. They offer the rigidity of lifting shoes and the cushioning of running shoes.
- The best time to buy shoes is when your feet are at their largest, late afternoon or evening. It guarantees they’ll be large enough to avoid pinching, yet still won’t slip and slide on your feet.
- While you may see some top weightlifters going barefoot, shoes help when you need a wider range of motion or are doing deeper squats by aiding in foot positioning.
- If you’re focusing on a specific fitness area, such as weightlifting, it becomes more important to have the right type of shoe. They provide the benefits you need to excel in your chosen area.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health and Fitness