The shoe thread - because it's needed.

[Kiz]

Your place to talk shoes!

Personally, I do most of my fitness activities barefoot. I'd love to go to an aerobics class barefoot - but is that accepted? I just can't afford "good" running shoes, and the cheap ones annoy me. I never have foot/knee/hip problems when I exercise barefoot. But I can imagine the looks I'd get at the gym!

What are you shoe issues?

[Kiz]

This is a serious thread, by the way, because even if people were not talking about it in the other thread, I still wanted to ask that and ask shoe advice. Just saying.

[Elena99]

Thanks for that second post, Kiz. I don't think you're a troublemaker, but I still wasn't quite sure.

Anyway, I run in New Balance sneakers. I chose them because they're vegan, and I have a very wide, but short, foot. They came in wider sizes (though I had to have them widened further).

You should ask the specific aerobics instructor about going barefoot. I've never been to an aerobics class, but when I do that sort of thing at home, I'm barefoot. I think it's something about jumping/stepping hard on a bare foot that can hurt some people. In some martial arts, you have mats partially for this reason, but there are no mats in an aerobics class.

[Kiz]

When I did martial arts we working on hardwood floors, but that was a koryu, or traditional martial art.

[Elena99]

Actually, I'm going to change that. I just remembered my friend's karate class was on hard wood floors. d'uh. :-P Sorry.

[eggplant]

I need shoes with very good arch support, especially when running. I've had planter's fascaitis (sp?) because my feet are on the flat side (hereditary). Shoes that have really good arches tend to be more expensive, although I'm good at finding good deals. Although I used to go barefoot a lot and only buy cheap shoes, those days ended several years ago when my feet started hurting. Some gyms might not allow you to go barefoot. I know mine doesn't.

[borealis]

In fall and winter, I mostly wear my Chuck Taylors (which have no support) and I get along fine... and in summer I tend to live in my flipflops. This summer, I spent a couple weeks working harder than usual, on my feet, and in very high humidity. My feet were *very* unhappy with me. I didn't really think my flipflops were to blame, but my mom gave me a pair of Birkenstocks that were a bit big for her (and so, my size) and the difference it made to my feet was almost immediately noticable.

I would have thought that my feet would prefer exercising barefoot, or with little arch support... but now I am not so sure.

[brownieB26]

I do aerobics barefoot, but that's in my house, on two cushiony mats. And sometimes it makes my arch hurt, but I have some tendonitis/arch muscle thing. I think they have rules about bare feet at the gym- they're a no-no (not so much because you're on the machines, moreso because there are so many parts laying around you'll probably stub your toe an sue them when your nail falls off.)

There is not a shoe in the world that would be cushioned enough for me to run on pavement right now. But if I heal, I would need a very sturdy, very cushioned shoe to run. I need a cushioned shoe to basically go anywhere because if I don't I'll be in pain. So yeah, barefoot or really good shoes. any other shoe = pain.

[AngelOfDance]

lots of people dance barefoot. especially since regular floor shoes don't offer much other than something to turn on and many dancers already have calloused feet. most gymnasts are barefoot all the time, too.

I'm weird. I can't stand being barefoot in dance or gymnastics. I always wore my ballet shoes to gymnastics and, aside from certain classes where we're not allowed to wear shoes, I always wear mine.

[zoebird]

i think that gym policies would be diverse in relationship to shoe policies in aerobics classes. you'd have to ask the individual instructor or the individual gym.

we do yoga barefoot of course, and i walk around the room barefoot. i work in a number of gyms. Some have these sort of plastic-tile floors, others have carpet, and others have dance-studio type hardwood floors. i can imagine that unless it's a class where you work with weights (that could be dropped on your foot), you'd be allowd to do it barefoot if you wanted to.

[CaptainSwab]

I run in Brooks most of the time with a pair of orthodics. I also have flat feet and need the support. I have tried shorter runs barefoot and my feet usually end up hurting for a few days afterwards. They hurt becasue I need to make those muscles stronger though, not because of a specific foot problem.

When I exercise at home it is always barefoot. If I ride my exercise bike it is barefoot and if I do an aerobic tape (which isn't often) it is barefoot.

[MEM]

When I did martial arts we working on hardwood floors, but that was a koryu, or traditional martial art.

It kinda depends on what style of martial arts you train in, whether wearing shoes is traditional or not...

I train barefoot, mainly because I simply have better balance. A friend of mine, who trains at the same place, will wear shoes on occaison (usually when there's guest instructors), because she was reprimanded when she was training in China, since "only peasants train barefoot".

As much as I want to be barefoot most of the time, when I run, I have to wear a shoe with really solid arch support otherwise I end up with some fairly painful knees.

[pseudo_vegan]

I do yoga barefoot and a pilates video (when I do it) barefoot...

Repeating something probably: The shoe-thing at the gym is for liability issues...

As far as my running...I run in Mizunos...before that a pair of Saloman trail-runners...and I run with shoes because I need something to take the impact from my knees (maybe because I'm not striding correctly...and I'm not being snappy, I'm just saying)...I also seem to have a hip issue, but I think it's a body thing, not a shoe thing... :|

:)

:nigel: Cheers.

[remilard]

Sports I have participated in and my shoe preferences:

Tae Kwon Do, no shoes no problem. Essentially all the impact was from jumping and landing, shoes don't really help with that.

Tennis, nobody can play this full speed without shoes, on a hard court. You would rip your soles off when you changed direction. I tend to use the best shoes I can get since the lateral strain on the ankles and knees is so high.

Running, I chose to wear shoes. While I would run in cheaper shoes sooner than I would play tennis in cheaper shoes I don't even have to think about it much because this is one of those areas where the better product pays for itself in durability.

Ultimate, my preference would be barefoot largely because I can jump higher barefoot (not that I can jump very high at all these days).

[CaptainSwab]

I do yoga barefoot and a pilates video (when I do it) barefoot...

Repeating something probably: The shoe-thing at the gym is for liability issues...

As far as my running...I run in Mizunos...before that a pair of Saloman trail-runners...and I run with shoes because I need something to take the impact from my knees (maybe because I'm not striding correctly...and I'm not being snappy, I'm just saying)...I also seem to have a hip issue, but I think it's a body thing, not a shoe thing... :|

:)

:nigel: Cheers.


How many miles do you put on your shoes? Usually when I start having hip pain, it is a sign that I need to change my shoes and it usually takes care of the problem.

[pseudo_vegan]

How many miles do you put on your shoes? Usually when I start having hip pain, it is a sign that I need to change my shoes and it usually takes care of the problem.

Well I estimated on the trail-runners I probably put...350-400?

With the Mizunos...I've probably put 200 so far? I guess I *could* go spend more $$ on a new pair and seeee :D

HeHe. I didn't think they're that "worn" yet though... :think:

:nigel: Chees.

[CaptainSwab]

Yeah, 200 probably isn't quite enough. The 400 on your trail runners sounds about right though. They usually say between 350-550.

[pseudo_vegan]

Yeah, 200 probably isn't quite enough. The 400 on your trail runners sounds about right though. They usually say between 350-550.

Good to know :yes:

:nigel: C.

[zoebird]

pv: which hip stretches are on your yoga and pilates tapes? this may help with your bip problem, if it's related to tightness. also, it is important to mind the wear on your shoes--and luckily swab mentioned some things about that.

swab: my husband, who also has flat feet, buys shoes that have a firm arch through the sole. these are pricey shoes. for a marathoner, they may be worth your while. of course, if your orthodics do the same thing, then wathever! :) with this, though, i recommend using some wooden bottomed clogs (bastad is a good brand). I don't know if they have non-leather! :cry: anyway, because they definately hold your feet in the right alignment, they'll work those muscles very well. DH does a 20 minute walk in them 2-3 times a week. then barefoot, and then a shoe with cushion (danskos, usually, for him). That's his foot strengthening routine.

remi:

the lateral issues related to tennis are fascinating to me. i've run into a lot of tennis elbow and strange sheering like reactions in clients who play a lot of tennis. It's kinda similar to what i see in some basketball players.

[remilard]

the lateral issues related to tennis are fascinating to me. i've run into a lot of tennis elbow and strange sheering like reactions in clients who play a lot of tennis. It's kinda similar to what i see in some basketball players.

I read once that the sports that produce the most debilitating injuries are downhill skiing, tennis, and basketball. All of them require violent side to side directional changes and knee injuries are common to all of them. Downhill skiing also has the whole running into a tree thing, tennis has tennis elbow, and a lot of scary things can happen in basketball because of the contact and the fact that people end up in the air with another body under them.

IME, tennis elbow is almost always the product of poor form (on a one hand backhand in general) or a too-small grip size (which some people use on purpose because a looser grip helps on the serve).

Speaking of shoes, Fed's shoes rule.

[Kiz]

I've done some martial arts classes in heels! Sounds weird, until you realise you might be out wearing heels and want to defend yourself. And no, "just kick them off" doesn't work with all shoes.

[remilard]

I've done some martial arts classes in heels! Sounds weird, until you realise you might be out wearing heels and want to defend yourself. And no, "just kick them off" doesn't work with all shoes.

While most of my training, admittedly, is competition oriented, we would work out from time to time in jeans and shoes for this very reason.