You don’t want to be put on the sidelines by an injury to your ankles or feet. They do hold all your weight and have to be ready for a variety of moves based on the exercise you’re doing. That’s why good workout shoes are important. Your feet often provide the only point where your body meets the ground and your shoes need to cushion that contact even when your feet are in an awkward position. Different activities require support in different areas of the foot, so not only is it important to have shoes that support your feet, but also ones that support it while you’re doing a specific activity.
Getting the right type of shoe with good support should be a high priority.
Injury is a big deal. It’s the reason trainers take the time to ensure you do every movement correctly. The ankles and feet are subject to abuse during a workout, so having a shoe that holds and cushions them as you’re moving not only helps prevent that injury, it makes your workout a far better experience. The fact that working out makes your muscles sore is enough of a deterrent. You shouldn’t be struggling with sore feet, too. Choosing the right shoe for the exercise you’re doing helps prevent that.
Choose the shoe based on the workout you do the most.
There are basically four different types of workouts when it comes to buying shoes for exercising. HIIT, weightlifting, yoga or dance and running style workouts both impact the feet in different ways. For strength training or weightlifting, you want a stable base that has good grip, a low profile that promotes stability and dense, hard soles to boost your power that’s more like going barefoot. HIIT shoes need shoes that have support, cushioning and yet provide stability as your feet hit the ground in a variety of lateral movements. If running is a top priority of your workout, have your gait and archtype analyzed to find the best fit for you. For dance style movements, choose a lightweight shoe recommended for your specific style of workout to add to your agility.
Protecting your feet doesn’t need to cost a fortune, but don’t cut corners to save money either.
Fit and appropriate support are the two most important factors in choosing your shoes. While brand names shouldn’t matter, some companies focus money and attention on finding the features that make shoes superior in each style of sport. They are often more expensive. Foot injuries from improper footwear can affect all parts of the foot and cause ankle strains, bunions, corns, fractures and pain in the ball of the foot. Good, well fitted shoes can lesson the impact and stress.
- Cross training shoes work for most people who do a little of everything at the gym. You’ll get stability whether you’re moving forward and backward or from side to side. They’re in between the high cushion of running shoes and the rigidity of lifting shoes.
- While some weightlifters like barefoot lifting to get maximum grip with the floor, weightlifting shoes provide the right foot position to help you get deeper squats and a wider range of motion.
- When buying your shoes, shop in the late afternoon or evening. It’s best when you do it after a workout. Your feet will be at their largest at these times. You want the shoe to be large enough without the heel slipping.
- The more you’re into performance in a specific area, the more important it is to get the right shoes. They can improve your overall ability in that area by providing the characteristics necessary like good grip or allowing quick changes in direction.