Sports and fitness activities can place a tremendous amount of pressure on our feet, ankles, and legs. Running and jumping, for example, create an impact force that is equivalent to five times our body’s weight. With that in mind, wearing appropriate workout shoes, or picking a pair of shoes for the gym, is important.
With so many different types of workout shoes, and it can feel overwhelming to narrow down your options. So how can you find the best shoes to workout in?
Why Wear Shoes at Home
If you are planning to train with a home workout, you may wonder if you even need a pair of workout shoes at all. It be required by your standards and while you might not need them for every activity, it’s still a good idea to have them.
Shoes for the gym and for your home workout help keep your feet safe. It’s recommended to always wear running shoes while using a treadmill whether you are walking, running, or sprinting. High impact machines like these can be hard on your lower body joints, and shoes help reduce impact damage.
If you plan on lifting weights, shoes add additional protection from any accidental drops, tripping, or toe stubs that happen.
Finding The Best Shoes to Workout In
In order to narrow down from the seemingly endless options, let’s set some parameters to help you choose the best workout shoes for you.
- When possible, shop at stores that cater to your activity- for example, the best shoes to workout in while running would likely be found at a running store.
- The best shoes for the gym will be comfortable. Since feet swell at the end of the day, it’s not a bad idea to go shoe shopping in the evening to ensure they fit well.
- If you can’t visit a specialty store, do some research online about shoes that relate to the activities you plan to do as part of your home workout.
Is It a Good Fit?
Here are some helpful tips when trying on shoes for gym workouts:
- To ensure a good fit, wear the same type of sock that you would wear while doing the sport you are buying the shoes for.
- Make sure the back of the shoe holds the heel in place and nicely grips your heel.
- For the best workout shoes, there should be about 1/2 inch space between your longest toe and the tip of your shoes.
- The front area of the shoe should have room enough to wiggle your toes. Your training shoes shouldn’t feel cramped at all.
- Always tighten the laces so that your feet are secure in the shoe.
- Try on both the shoes to make sure that they both fit. Also, inspect shoes for the gym on a level surface to ensure that they are straight, even, and without defects.
- While the materials of an athletic shoe are designed to handle lot of pressure, the cushioning can become less effective over time, even if hasn’t been worn yet.
