No matter what you do, having the right tool makes all the difference. Now, in most niches the difference means greater efficiency at what you do, but in fitness it means reduced risk of injury. Speaking about injury, we are not talking just about spraining an ankle or tripping and hurting a leg, but also about some long-term problems that could arise from wearing inadequate footwear. So, without further ado, here are a few thoughts that might help you choose the right shoe for your specific needs. Once you’ve figured out what you need, you could head over to somewhere like Buyside Sports, who can point you in the direction of some of the great players’ picks for NFL and NBA shoes, if those are what you’re looking for.
Shoes for Hiking
To a lot of people, hiking is both a cardio and a way of life. However, this lifestyle doesn’t come without its own hazards. When it comes to hiking, the dangers are actually quite obvious. First of all, the terrain you face while hiking is usually quite unforgiving towards the soles of your shoes. Seeing how you will mostly walk over a rocky surface means you could benefit the most from shoes with a strong rubber soles. When compared to the other types of athletic shoes, you could probably say that the emphasis is less on flexibility and more on sturdiness. Nonetheless, this is the only logical outcome, seeing how these shoes are particularly made to protect your feet from the outside hazards.
Basketball Shoes
In contrast to the hiking shoes, most basketball shoes are made for an indoors use. One of the best indicators of this is a fact that their rubber sole is significantly thinner and much more flexible. You see, when it comes to hiking, the emphasis isn’t on expediency, but on reaching your destination in one piece, but when it comes to basketball things are much different. The basketball shoes are supposed to be as light as possible in order not to slow down the people wearing them.
Last, but in no way least important, one of the key traits of basketball shoes is the shock absorption, seeing how the sport has a lot of jumping involved. Without the proper footwear, the effects of basketball on your feet would be simply devastating.
Cleats
Now, if you are a football, rugby or a soccer player what you need are cleats. These are sturdy, specifically designed shoes with studs on their soles. These studs allow more stability while on grass and eliminate the slip risk as much as possible. When it comes to their origin, they are used since the early 1500s, but have undergone many design improvements in the past. In some cases, the studs are detachable which would theoretically transform your cleats into a regular shoe. Finally, seeing how the aforementioned sports can be extremely aggressive, the emphasis is once more on the shock absorption and protection in general.
Weightlifting Shoes
Finally, a surprisingly large amount of people doesn’t see the reason why one would need the weightlifting shoes in the first place. However, there is a method behind it. First of all, your feet are under a lot of tension while you lift weights. This is why that extra protection that gym shoes offer comes in especially handy. In the end, there is one more thing for you to consider. By allowing you to efficiently push against the floor, these shoes give you a chance to muster more force, which in turn makes your training much more efficient.
Conclusion
From all of this, it is easy for you to see how the adequate shoe can make all the difference in both your exercise efforts and your overall in-training safety. However, you first must learn to identify the shoe for your needs and this alone is not an easy task. Still as they say: if the shoe fits, wear it!
