Fitness Shoes To Make You Enjoy Exercise
Fitness Shoes
They’re all over the media. Fitness shoes claim to give you a tighter and more toned butt, just by walking. What woman doesn’t want that? One manufacturer made them and now everyone is on the bandwagon. There are even fitness flip flops. Of course there are also the inevitable cheap knock offs. I guess the question is do they work?
They do work. The shoes made by MBT, Reebok, and Skechers have a curved “rocker” bottom with the heel lower than the toe and cause a gait that firms and tones the legs and butt. MBT has done nearly two dozen studies that claim the shoes ease knee, back, and joint pain, increase calorie burn and firm the muscles. Just be aware that you need to be faithful about stretching when you use these shoes. Women with tight heel cords or Achilles tendon problems can strain these muscles. This is particularly true of women who wear very high heels all the time. It shortens the heel cord and wearing the fitness shoes can cause a lot of muscle strain.
The other downside is that these shoes are very expensive, from $100-$250 a pair. Be wary of the knock offs. Yes, they are cheaper, but they have not been shown to be effective. Quite frankly, you can get the same butt toning with exercise alone. You don’t need the fancy shoes. I know the idea of just walking is much more appealing than slaving away at the gym. We women would much rather pay a little more money and spend less time in the gym.
I love the name of the sandal version. Fit flops is certainly a catchy name. I remember the Dr. Scholl’s sandals that were popular when I was younger. They had wooden soles and claimed that grabbing with your toes to keep them on would firm your legs. Keeping them on was certainly a challenge. I frequently stepped out of them and smacked my ankle with that very hard wooden sole. My father thought I had lost my mind and was sure to break my neck before I gave up on the shoes. Whoever said that beauty was pain was certainly right when it came to those shoes.
Hey, if walking is your exercise of choice and you can afford the fitness shoes, go for it. Remember to stretch, especially if you wear heels all the time. Keep walking and your butt will rival J Lo’s.
