As you get ready for your gym workouts, one thing that you must be keeping in mind is that you’re wearing proper footwear. While you’ve very likely checked out the latest fashions in gym clothing and are sporting a new workout get-up that gets you feeling good as you walk through the door, it’s important not to overlook function for fashion.
Shoes are an integral part of what you wear to the gym and if you’re not choosing your shoes carefully, you may wind up wearing ones that just aren’t going to support those hard training sessions.
One big mistake that many people do also often make is not changing their shoes enough. Remember, just like your clothing gets worn out over time, so do your shoes.
Changing your shoes regularly is going to be absolutely imperative because this will play a big role in how much cushioning support they offer and how well they stand up as you go about all your usual activities.
Let’s have a look at a few of the most important things that you should keep in mind when it comes to your shoe selection.
Choose Cross-Training Above Anything Else
The very first thing that you should be considering above all else is a good cross training shoe. Chances are you plan to do a wide variety of different types of exercise with your workout session from running to biking to using the free or machine weights.
Cross trainers will easily go from activity to activity without a problem, providing the support that your foot needs.
While if you’re a specialized runner who only performs either endurance training or sprint training you may be better off looking into shoes that are built around this purpose, for the average gym-goer the cross trainer will meet your needs just fine.
You don’t have any major requirements of a shoe other than the fact that it fits well, supports the ankle, and provides great traction on a variety of surfaces so those are the main concerns to be taking into consideration.
The specialized shoes can be good at times when you’re really getting serious about a certain element of your workout and need specific things from your footwear but for the vast majority of people it will simply be overkill.
Think Light-Weight And Comfortable
The next thing that you should be thinking about is the overall comfort and weight of the shoe. The last thing you will want while you’re working out is a shoe that feels as though it’s weighing you down, so really pay a high amount of attention to this.
Try a few different shoes on and walk around the store in them. Most people will very quickly be able to pick out the shoes that feel lightweight and comfortable and those that feel heavy and almost clunky as they walk around.
Even as few as a couple ounces of shoe weight could make a big difference on your comfort level so this is something you won’t want to overlook.
Also be sure to try on the shoes with the socks that you intend to use while you’re at the gym. This is another common mistake that some people make – they try on the shoes using the socks the store provides or socks that they just happened to be wearing that day.
Different socks very well could mean the difference between your heel slipping or not so this will also significantly impact your comfort level.
Consider The Arch Element
The arch is another thing that you should consider when purchasing your gym shoes and is something that’s worth extra money if you have to spend it.
Some people who have particularly high arches will even have to invest in arch supports for their gym shoes, so that may also be something to take into account.
Having good arch support is vital though to ensure you don’t start suffering from knee and back pain, especially if you plan to do running or weight lifting activities.
Different shoes are built with different natural arch levels, so you’ll want to have someone at the store assess your arches and then try and place you in a few different shoes to see which feels best.
Skip The ‘Tush Toners’
One thing that you definitely can consider skipping when looking at gym shoes are the new ‘tush’ toners out on the market that are designed to help tighten your lower body.
While these are marketed to help you get more from each workout you provide, the truth of the matter is that they’re likely to just make you more uncomfortable than anything.
They also tend to place you higher up off the ground so this could even potentially impact your balance point, throwing you off on many of the exercises that you plan to perform.
You’re going to be far better off purchasing a pair of gym shoes that are actually comfortable to wear and allow you to push as hard as possible in the workouts that you’re doing as this is what will really lead to the best toning and definition results.
So there you have the main things to keep in mind as you go about shopping for gym shoes. Generally the top rated brands tend to be the ones most well-known as well such as Nike, Asics, and Reebok, however don’t be afraid to try on a few other brands that aren’t quite as familiar.
Remember what feels most comfortable on you will be one of the greatest deciding factors so if that means it’s not a major brand name, so be it.
If you can keep all of these points in mind though, then you should have no problem getting a great pair of shoes that will take you through your workout session.
