If someone told you that you could tone up your legs and trim down your butt without having to go to the gym would you be interested? It sounds too good to be true – but there are now a whole range of shoes from a variety of different manufacturers which claim to be able to help you do exactly that. They come in a range of colors and styles – some of them look nothing like exercise shoes at all and are very fashionable.
The common thread seems to be replication of the action of walking barefoot on soft, yielding ground – such as lush grass or sand for instance. Most of these new high technology fitness shoes feature specially designed soles in order to achieve this. Selection of the right density of materials used in the construction of the shoes also seems to be important.
Masai Barefoot Technology Shoes (MBTs)
These are probably the forerunner of the current range of shoes on the market. They are not, strictly speaking, fitness shoes at all. They were developed by a Swiss engineer called Karl Muller. He was walking barefoot across a rice field in Korea when noticed that his back pain, a perennial problem for him, was considerably better than usual.
After performing some research he learned that the Masai tribesmen of Africa are well known for their excellent posture and have an extremely low incidence rate of lower back pain. He designed the MBT range with a curved sole to produce a rolling gait and avoid jarring. Users certainly seem happy with he benefits.
Fitflops Sandals, Boots And Shoes
The Fit flops range of fitness footwear was developed in the UK by ex-personal fitness trainer Marcia Kilgore. These also feature a curved sole to mimic walking on soft ground in bare feet and incorporate something called “microwobbleboard” technology. Testing at London South Bank University and Salford University in the UK has shown that the lower body muscles are engaged for longer when walking in Fitflops, in comparison with standard shoes. Fitflops are, according to the company website, the sandal with the gym built in. They tone your lower body as you walk around during the course of your daily routine.
Of the different specially designed exercise shoes available, Fitflops are probably the least like fitness footwear. Their range includes sandals in a wide selection of colors and styles and slippers, clogs and boots have now been introduced. Additional to the independent testing, anecdotal feedback from Fitflops wearers suggests that a wide variety of different benefits are available as a result of wearing these shoes. Better posture, reduced heel spur pain and cellulite removal are included in the list of benefits described. Traditional flip flop type sandals can actually produce foot problems. However, Fitflops are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).
Skechers Shape Ups
Skechers Shape Ups shoes also incorporate a curved sole which uses specially selected materials in its construction. Again the idea is to reproduce the effect of walking barefoot on soft sand. Clinical studies in both the USA and Japan have confirmed that walking in Shape Ups delivers a number of benefits to wearers.
Reeboks Easy Tones
Reeboks contribution to the latest trend in fitness shoes is the most recent addition to the market. These do not use curved soles like the other shoes discussed so far but have air filled balance pods incorporated into the soles. These generate “natural instability” when you wear them and this makes your muscles work harder as they try to readjust to compensate for the instability.
Once again, a number of independent tests appear to support the assertion that the lower body muscles do extra work whilst walking in this type of shoe. There are also a large number of favourable reviews from the wearers of Easy Tones, on the company website (of course) and elsewhere.
On an intuitive level, it’s possible to imagine how the shoes that mimic walking in soft sand might stimulate your muscles to do some extra work. It’s probably also reasonable to assume that, if you’re trying to regain your balance on a constant basis, then that might make your muscles work a little bit harder. In any event, it’s certainly a very attractive proposition – getting a free lower body workout by doing nothing other than walking about as normal. It can’t hurt to try. There is now such a wide selection of these miracle shoes on the market – at prices which are comparable to standard exercise shoes – that you could probably find a style that you like the next time you need a new pair of shoes anyway.
