I remember being flabbergasted when I found out a few years ago that your shoes have “mileage”. Then, after I started hitting the gym and seeing everyone in all sorts of footwear, I couldn’t help but wonder if people were showing up in their Converses because they wanted to go to class after, or if they were doing so deliberately. So here I am imparting what I’ve since researched.
Depending on what you do when you’re exercising, there’s no-one-size-fits-all sports shoes for training. If you’re doing a lot of circuit training, you’d want something that hugs your feet snugly, with usually a wide sole and sole flexibility to support the wide range of movements you’ll be doing. Think: lateral (side to side) movements. If you’re more into weight training, that’s where the Converses come in. Sports shoes usually have some height or a flexible sole that has a curvature to also protect the arch of your foot. But if you’re doing squats, you’ll want shoes that are flat so not only will Converses fit the mould but many other shoes too, like Vans, Adidas Originals and the like.
Your sprinting shoes and training shoes can actually be the same because you’re doing shorter distances but if you’d like the specifics, these shoes should be lighter to make it easier to run. The heavier weight is to provide support for the various movements training will make you do, as well as make it durable. Some people, however, might be more prone to injury, therefore, may prefer to use training shoes that absorb shock.
For long distance running, you’ll want a higher heel drop, which refers to the distance from the heel height to the toe height. Think: thicker soles. This is to provide cushioning and support since your feet is constantly hitting the pavement and therefore you need more shock absorption.
With all that said, you don’t actually have to own three pairs of shoes if you do all the above. If you go the gym but also do some form of cardio, it’s better if you just go with shoes for running (/sprinting) since they’re lightweight and work even as a day-to-day casual shoe because it’s lightweight and provides good support. Training shoes are mostly preferred if you do weight training or any form of exercise that requires you to move side to side quickly because you need the traction and stability provided.
It’s also important to know the type of foot you have – I’ve heard plenty of friends share stories about how they didn’t know they were flat-footed and suffer through shoes that weren’t compatible for them. Look at your shoes if you’re unsure about this. If you find that the top inner edge of your shoe is worn down, you probably have a lower or flatter arch so you’d need stability or motion-control shoes meaning running shoes with stiffer heels or firmer sides to reinforce, protect or counter your foot’s inward roll.
The timing that you purchase your shoes obviously matter as well, the answer is late afternoon when your feet swell. Some people also prefer sizing up half a size more to account for natural movement and more swelling during workouts.
Socks too, surprisingly have more of an impact than I thought. I was getting blisters on my toes because they were chafed rubbing against each other so I thought that my shoes had a wider toe room. I only found out after I bought new socks that the previous pairs were just loose and weren’t moisture wicking.
Final point, like I said, there’s mileage to your shoes so your traction might have long been worn off without you knowing but it depends on the types of exercises you’re doing. Another way to tell when you should get new running shoes is when there are deep-set wrinkles in the midsole area because you wouldn’t be getting proper cushioning anymore.
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