Buying Aerobic Shoes

Many people, both men and women are getting into one of the most fun and healthiest forms of exercise. Aerobics has gained in popularity over the past few decades, and still continues to dominate the workout and fitness club calendars, and choosing the right aerobic shoes is important. Alongside newer trends such as yoga and kickboxing, aerobics still remains the top way to get a full body workout and have fun all at the same time.

Combining elements of dance, calisthenics and other sports, aerobics is both fun and challenging. Naturally exciting and done to upbeat music, aerobics is a great way to put a smile on your face as you burn calories, strengthen muscles, gain flexibility and sweat dangerous toxins out of the body while increasing your cardiovascular health. However, like any sport or athletic activity, it is imperative that you carefully select the appropriate type of athletic footwear to make sure you are having a safe and injury free experience while getting the most out of your workout.

Choosing an aerobic shoe is relatively easy once you know what to look for. Aerobic shoes will combine elements of several other shoes such as basketball shoes, tennis shoes, running shoes and others. The lateral support of a tennis shoe, the ankle support of basketball shoe, the cushioning of a running shoe will all be familiar elements to aerobic shoes. Aerobics involves a lot of repeated up and down motion, so the lighter the over all weight of the shoe the better.

Most shoes specifically designed for aerobics will be women’s aerobic shoes, so if you are looking for a men’s shoe to engage in aerobic dance or other form of aerobics, the style you will be going for is a men's cross training shoe. Cross trainers and aerobic shoes will have a lot in common. I would recommend a mid-top men’s cross trainer to give more ankle support.

The basic elements of the shoe you are looking for will be common to both cross trainers and aerobic shoes. You will want good ankle support, and a mid top is appropriate for this. Because of the wide variety of motions involved in aerobics, ankle support is crucial to avoid rolling or twisting ankles. Lateral support is a key as well for many of the same reasons. Like tennis or basketball, you may find yourself jumping from side to side doing aerobics and twisting ankles is a danger here as well. Unlike a running who’s main cushioning is in the heel of the shoes, an aerobic shoe should have its primary cushioning under the balls of the feet, because a lot of aerobics will involve jumping and landing on this part of the foot. Heel cushioning is helpful but not nearly as important as the ball of the foot.

Fitting a cross trainer for aerobics or an aerobic shoe is much like fitting any other men's athletic shoe or women's athletic shoe. Make sure the shoe fits snug, but not tight across the toes and arch. Be sure that your heel does not slide, but also that your toes are not crushed into the toe box. Lace up both shoes wearing the type of socks you would normally wear and walk and jump a bit to ensure a comfortable fit. Different brands will run slightly different from each other, so pay less attention to the number of the size of the box, and focus more on the fit and feel. A 9 in one brand may be a 9 ½ in another.