Taking the First Step: Your Next Pair of Workout Shoes
With literally hundreds of exercise shoes available, choosing a pair can certainly be an overwhelming task! Here’s a handy guide to help you along the way.
What is the difference?
- Walking shoes don’t require as much cushioning as running shoes. While the sole is more flexible with a rounded heel to allow a more natural roll from heel to toe, the shoe itself is stiffer.
- Running shoes have more cushioning and heel support to help absorb the impact of hitting the ground. A curved toe, treads and a thicker heel are all designed to help propel the runner forward.
- Cross trainers have a wider front to provide the lateral support required by many sports such as tennis and aerobics where side-to-side motion is required while still giving you some of the flexibility of a running shoe.
Which support is best?
To determine this, grab an old pair of sneakers and look at the soles to see where they show wear. If the wear is:
- Equally worn on both sides, you have neutral feet and should look for a stability shoe which has a mix of motion control, cushioning and support.
- On the inside edges, you are an over-pronator (generally caused by flat feet which roll inwards when you run) and should seek a shoe with strong motion control.
- On the outside edges, you are an under-pronator, otherwise known as a supinator (generally caused by high arches which lead to running on the outside of your feet) and should find a shoe with lots of cushioning.
Anything else?
- Have your feet measured regularly. Foot size actually changes as we age.
- Bring a pair of athletic socks to try on with your shoes to get the best fit.
- Leave a thumb’s width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe and make sure you can still wiggle your toes.
- Shop at the end of the day when your feet are at their largest (feet swell over the course of the day much as they do when you work out).
Now that you’ve gotten all of the technical stuff out of the way, you can move on to the hard part—choosing a color!
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