Do those new funny shoes work?

Subject: ? For your trainer

Hey – I was wondering about those tennis shoes with the funky bottoms…skeechers and reebok make them (maybe also earth).  Anyway, can you ask your trainer if she has an opinion about them. Wouldn’t want to miss a buying opportunity if it’s healthy!

Thx!

I think that’s funny.

You know – I AM interested in them though. Let’s see – what are their claims?
From Reebok: (OMG! is their advertising selling sex!)

78% of men are speechless.
81% of women jealous.
EasyTone helps you get better legs
and a better butt with every single step.

From Sketchers:

1. Tone your muscles
2. Promote healthy weight loss
3. Make it easy to get in shape!

Okay – so at least they’re not trying to claim that you’ll burn more calories in them. What I think they’re doing is providing an unstable surface, so that you have to engage your muscles more to walk in them & your core muscles to stand in them. (similar to using a BoSU).

I have a client who recently purchased them & they look interesting. I would like to try them, and I get it: no one wants to work out. "If I can get the same benefits of doing squats as walking around the mall, hell yeah – I’m gonna buy the shoes & do some shopping!"

Now, that being said, any improvement that they make is going to be minimal. They may recruit additional muscles, therefore minimally raising your metabolic rate for the duration of your activity, but the only real way to make your legs look better is if you reduce the layer of fat on top of the muscles. And that means reducing body fat; and the only way to reduce body fat is to create a calorie deficit.

It all freakin comes down to diet & exercise (DAMMIT!).

So, in summary, I think they’re fine as a "BONUS!" or "Yippee!" – but they’re not going to do it on their own. Squats, Squats, Squats! … and lots of cardio.