How to Find the Best Sports Shoes for YOUR Workout
Unless you’re a barefoot runner or yogi, there’s one piece of equipment every workout requires, sports shoes. But how to pick the best sports shoes? Should you get flat shoes? Special cushioning? Is expensive always better? Forget the Googling and endless clicking you’d need to do to find all the best articles on shoe picks, we’ve done all the work for you! Check out these 8 stellar sources to help you discover the best shoe for your foot and lifestyle.
Activity
If you need to pick a shoe based on how you get your sweat on, try these articles. Organized by activity, these all-inclusive lists cover everything about the best sports shoes, from tire-flipping to lifting and from boating to golf!
- Longest List: This comprehensive list from Fitness Magazine had its testers try out almost 100 pairs of sneaks to discover the perfect shoes for trail running, cross training, spinning, road cycling, walking, boot camp, hiking, tennis, and even the best shoe to wear if you’re gonna get wet (I’m thinking of that terrible time I tried [and failed] to make it through one of those mud obstacle course thingies). Prices range from around $60 to almost $200 and they even tell you how to freshen up a pair of crusty kicks.
- Choices: I love these picks from the Daily Burn because it lists 3-5 different shoes under each category that vary in style and price. (Check out the fab bargain $35 Champion Edge pair!) This great list covers which shoes are best for road running, trail running, cross training, group fitness, walking, interval training, Zumba, water activities, cycling, and hiking.
- Categories: This article from Women’s Health breaks your sports shoe choices down into three broad categories; running, cross-training, and outdoor, with an extra, smaller category for the more specialized sports (like golf and boating). For the big categories, it details 7-8 pairs of shoes with varying prices ($60-$250) and styles. Although the magazine takes care to talk serious shoe stats, there is a definite emphasis on style here. Each pair is cuter than the last. Enjoy the eye candy while still feeling good about the solid choices!
- Fitness Fashion: Check out the latest fashion-forward shoes with the 2015 Shape Sneaker Awards. I’m super in-love with these cutting-edge shoes that range from $70-$150. The categories reflect today’s fitness interests with a shoe award each for beach running, walking, CrossFit, interval training, long and short distance running, kickboxing, dance cardio, road races, mud runs, triathlons, trail running, bootcamp, lifting, and even looking hot while walking to the gym!
Type
- If you’d rather just shop by the type of sports shoes but feel lost on how to pick the right one for you, this article from Real Simple might help. Instead of recommending a specific brand or shoe, this list help you understand what kind of kicks you’re looking for-like running shoes or cross-trainers. If you take kickboxing classes, feel like you need motion control, or get terrible blisters, this list has some answers for you. Once you figure out what kind of shoe you need, take your knowledge to the store or online and grab the cutest pair that fits your requirements and wallet!
Gym Rat
- If you’re someone who wears a groove between the weights and cardio machines in your gym, check out this short video from FitnessRx for Women. Did you know that the shoes you should be wearing for lifting are completely different from the ones you should wear for cardio? IFBB Bikini Pro, Ashley Kaltwasser, outlines the differences for you and helps you know how to shop for each pair.
Runners
Runners are notorious for being super picky about their shoes, and with good reason. When you’re pounding repetitively over the ground, the shoes you’re wearing can mean the difference between a great workout or blisters that sideline you for a week.
- Breaking News: This article from Runner’s World gives a great overview of the hottest running shoes of 2015. It covers the best new updates from Brooks, Saucony, Nike, New Balance, etc. for what to wear on the trails and which shoe has the best new design. Bargain lovers beware though, there’s nothing on this list for under $100.
- Personalized: This search function is my personal fave! Find the best shoe for you using the Shoe Finder, also from Runner’s World. Enter in answers to a series of question about your height, weight, and running style and the Finder spits out a long, comprehensive list of shoes with different brands, styles, and prices that are perfect for your particular gait, foot striking placement, and kind of running you do. The perfect shot just for you! It’s a no-brainer!
Is there a great sports shoes list that we missed? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!
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Shutterstock Gym Shoes Photo image via Shutterstock
