Shop-a-holics are familiar with the mantra, “you can never have too many shoes.” While this belief might not be the best for your wallet, it might be the answer to improving your workouts and preventing injury.
Many gym-goers purchase one pair of shoes for all of their workouts, whether they run on some days, walk the treadmill and then lift weight heavyweights on others. But, this habit can be holding you back from seeing the best results from your workouts, and it can make your workouts downright dangerous if your footwear isn’t up for the challenge.
If you like to mix up your workouts, try to purchase shoes that can stand the variety. For instance, long distance runs require shoes with supportive soles, while boxing shoes have almost no support at all.
Check out these tips for picking the right shoes for each of your workouts. You don’t have to buy a different pair for each class you take, but you should have more than one option to protect your legs from unnecessary wear and tear.
Distance Running: if you take a look at distance runners shoes, they aren’t usually
the most attractive shoes you’ve ever seen. Distance running requires a lot more support of the entire foot, and for some people, it might require a bulkier shoe than others. When you’re shopping for running shoes, it’s imperative to get fitted by a professional. They can watch your running and walking patterns to see where you need the most support.
If your foot rolls to one side, you can find a shoe with a strong arch support to correct your stride. When you put in dozens of miles on the pavement at a time, you want to make sure your feet are as perfect as they can get. For this shoe, go all out, and try to only use it for running to preserve the show for the long haul. Lastly, don’t hold on to these shoes forever! Let them go and move on to a new running show after you’ve put 300-400 miles on them.
Weightlifting: There are some show made exclusively for particular lifts for bodybuilders, but if you’re doing moderate weight deadlifts and squats, you just need to shop for a show with a flat sole that lets your foot rest naturally on the ground. You don’t want to lift in a shoe with a slight heel or anything that keeps you from distributing your weight evenly through your feet.
This is why you might notice people in the weight room wearing converse. These shoes are sturdy and flat-soled.. Perfect for lifting something heavy and putting it back down. If you go with a more flexible shoe, you can also wear it to your studio classes like Zumba, HIIT, or aerobics classes.
Boxing: Once you get hit by the boxing bug, there is a good amount of equipment needs to
commit to. Besides your gloves and hand wraps, you may want to check your shoes. The main specs of boxing shoes is that they are very thin so that you can grip the floor with your feet for turns and pivots. Boxing shoes are super lightweight, and unfortunately, don’t tend to last that long if you box regularly.
So this is another shoe that you might want to reserve exclusively for your boxing matches and training to keep them in good shape for the longest time possible.
Walking: Shoes specifically for walking do exist, and typically these have a lot of support like running shoes. The difference is that walking shoes will have more support at the ball of the foot as opposed to the center of the foot like running shoes where you strike down the hardest with your foot.
However, if you’re doing a lot more running than walking, just use your running shoes for your walks so you can get plenty of support and the miles won’t add up as fast as the miles you run.
When in doubt, just remember that shoes are NOT a one-size-fits-all kind of deal!
Sharita Jennings is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She leads group fitness classes in Washington DC and she provides online coaching and tips on her site, GetFitLikeThat.com
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