IN this weekly feature, personal trainer Aylia Fox shoots from the hip about some aspect of the health, fitness or weight loss industry. Unafraid, upfront, provocative but most of all honest, you'll either lover or hate her opinions. Either way, you won't be able to ignore them and you might just learn something!
This week's rant:
TRAIN YOURSELF TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TRAINERS
FASHION is fun and colour is cool, but if you're buying a pair of training shoes for the purposes of exercise, make sure you're ruled by your head not your heart.
What I mean by this is that nowadays there are so many trainers on the market, it's easy to be confused about which are for sport and which are for everyday use. They look much the same; they cost a similar amount and they're often not separated on the shop shelves. On top of this it's difficult to focus on what you need - rather than what you want - when your senses are bombarded by a rainbow array of colours and designs the moment you walk through a shop door.
Caught up in this intoxicating vacuum, you can be drawn towards a pair which you can't help but try on. They fit like a glove, feel like a pair of slippers and the shop assistant is employing their best sales patter on you. Soon you're hooked and you've long forgotten the reason you went shopping today was to buy sports trainers. It doesn't really matter though because these trainers look great, they're cool, they'll impress your friends and therefore you simply have to have them....
Above, an example of a fashion/leisure trainer
No you don't!
If you buy them and use them to work out, you are setting yourself up for problems and, potentially, injury. Initially this might only present itself as a bit of discomfort in your joints such as your hips, knees and ankles. But it can escalate to back pain and conditions such as shin splints (extreme pain in the shins)l achilles tendonitis (damage and inflamation between the calf muscle and the ankle) and plantar fasciitis (overstretching and damage to tissue that links your instep to your heal). A worst case scenario could mean irreparable damage to your spine.
So here's a bit of guidance: as a rule of thumb, the higher the exercise impact, the more support you need from a trainer - particularly around the ankle and underneath the heel in the form of cushioning. If you're a serious runner you need serious running shoes. If you're someone who does a variety of exercise types, then your best bet is a cross-training shoe. This is a soft and flexible generic trainer which moves as you do (see pic below). You can normally identify this type of shoe by a criss-cross patern on the sole.
Above, an example of a cross trainer
As a personal trainer I often see people exercising in 'leisure' shoes or sneakers. Sometimes I strike up a conversation and mention it. Most people welcome the advice because they want to be safe, but I was once told to 'mind my own f-----g business' by a burly macho man who was a regular gym user and should have known better. About six months later I saw him hobbling around with a hunched back. I couldn't help wondering if his condition had anything to do with his gym footwear. Unfortunately I was too much of a coward to ask!
And finally, trainers are like tyres - they wear out with use. If you exercise more than about three times a week, you should be looking to replace your trainers every six to eight months. But don't think you have to buy one of the overpriced, well known, 'hip' brands (I'm thinking tick logos here). No, buy what's right for you and within your price range. But before you do, just remember: functionality first, then fashion.
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