How to pick the right workout shoes

We live in a world that values form over function, and sometimes we see that magnified in fitness settings. It’s easy to pick shoes that aren’t helping you make the most out of your workouts, and even easier not to know it. One time, I witnessed a woman wearing shoes with a giant spring where the heel is supposed to be. It definitely got my attention, but was it a practical choice? Let's talk about what to look for.

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Room for your toes

For most activities, choose shoes that let your toes spread out. Our feet are designed to naturally splay out similar to hands. Modern footwear styles don’t typically consider this. To test whether a shoe allows your foot to spread, try to wiggle and spread your toes a bit. You should feel supported and snug without your foot feeling like it’s in a too-small sleeping bag.

Don’t forget about overall shoe length, too! Our feet need a bit of room here as well. Be sure to make sure there is between half an inch and an inch of room between the end of your big toe and the end of the shoe. This should be about the width of your thumb as you press down just past your toe.

Soles

Shoes should be non-skid and grippy, which can mean different things depending on the environment of the workout. Trail running shoes and track & field shoes have bumps and spikes on the soles that help you keep footing on a track or in environments like grass and dirt. 

Be sure your shoes don’t hinder movement, which requires flat soles. Think about your foot as having four corners, all of which need to be stable. Toners or spring-loaded shoes can seem like a great idea on paper, but have you tried running or doing lunges in them? My ankles cringe at the thought!

When trying shoes on, check in with the bottom of your foot to see if there is the right amount of support for the arches. Too high or low can be uncomfortable or cause overpronation (where the foot rolls inward). Changing to a different type of insole can be helpful if you already own a pair of shoes that your arches don’t love.

Breathability

Be sure your foot isn’t suffocating on its own sweat. Look for shoes that feature breathable fabric or natural materials like leather as opposed to inorganic compounds like vinyl. 

Suited to activity

Shoes that allow maximum ankle mobility for squats and lunges in the weight room don’t exactly measure up to the support of a high-top when playing basketball. A heel higher than the toes (called a drop) can be helpful for lifting weights, but can throw off posture during normal movements like walking or running. In fact, many people find that when they switch to a zero-drop shoe, alignment-based problems like back pain diminish or disappear!

If you have questions about what footwear is right for your workouts, ask a certified fitness professional (that's me) or talk to the staff at a specialty running or walking shoe store.