Shoe type has recently been a huge discussion lately at BodyZen and we wanted to take the time to discuss what kind of shoe you should have for your foot and exercise type, how often you should get new shoes, and what your injury risk is if you do not have the right shoe for you. Here is an article from the American Counsel on Exercise regarding this matter. Enjoy!

Are Your Running shoes hurting you?

Are you wearing the right running shoe for your foot type? When should you replace your running or walking shoes? Learn how to prevent shoe-related pain, so you can stay focused on your fitness goals.

Are Your Running Shoes Causing You Pain?

Maintaining a physically active life takes effort and determination. Whether your fitness program is just beginning or you’ve been at it for years, the last thing you need is to be sidelined by pain or injury. Selecting the right shoe can go a long way toward helping you stay in the game.

Claims and Controversies

The sheer number of different types of athletic shoes is staggering and the marketing claims make each one sound like the best. Health and medical experts disagree on whether or not people should even wear modern athletic shoes, go barefoot, or wear one of the new minimalist shoe styles.
Barefoot walking and running does strengthen foot and ankle muscles, but it’s not for everyone, for all sports, or for all the time. For more information about going barefoot, check out these training tips from the Harvard University Skeletal Biology Lab.

What Type of Healthcare Provider Should I See?

In most cases, your primary care provider is the first one to go to with running-related pain issues. Depending on your condition and how you respond to treatment, you may need to see a specialist:
• Orthopaedic physicians treat musculoskeletal issues like joint problems and bone disorders.
• Podiatrists specialize in problems of the foot, ankle, and the muscles and tendons involved in foot function.
• Sports medicine physicians are doctors with specialized training in caring for athletes and other active people. They treat sports-related musculoskeletal conditions, promote fitness and encourage injury prevention.
• Athletic trainers are licensed health professionals specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries.
• Physical therapists are licensed health professionals who evaluate and treat injuries to reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability.

Rock and Roll

When your heels hit the ground, your feet naturally roll inward, or pronate:
If you have flat arches, you may over-pronate, and this can lead to knee pain, or patellofemoral syndrome. Shoes with stability and motion-control features help reduce excessive movement.

With high arches, you may under-pronate. Too little motion is problematic because pronation helps absorb shock. As a result, the impact is sustained by a smaller area of your foot and this can lead to leg pain and injuries. Cushioned shoes with a softer midsole may be helpful.

If you have normal arches, you probably pronate normally. A shoe with moderate amounts of cushioning and stability may work well for you.

The wet test, or analyzing a wet footprint, is a popular, at-home method for selecting running shoes based on arch type, but a recent U.S. Army study questions the value of this practice in preventing injuries. Prior to basic combat training, approximately 1,500 male and female recruits selected motion control, stability, or cushioned running shoes based on the wet test. A control group of the same size all received stability shoes. During training, there was no significant difference in injury risk between the two groups, even after controlling for known risk factors such as age and fitness level.
You can still do the wet test to get a general idea of a recommended shoe type, but visiting an athletic shoe store that offers gait analysis may give you more accurate information. Or, ask a friend to film you on a treadmill and take a look for yourself.

Wear and Tear

Another way to determine the best shoe type is to examine your old shoes. If they’re worn out around the outside edges, you’re probably under-pronating. Shoes that sag inward indicate excessive pronation. An even pattern of wear points toward normal pronation.
Even if our shoes still look great on the outside, running and walking shoes should be replaced about every 300-400 miles, or every 3-5 months, if you’re averaging 20 miles a week. If you’re heavy-set or have a higher weekly mileage, replace your shoes at the shorter end of that range. Wearing shoes that no longer offer the right amount of support and cushioning puts you at risk for pain and injury.

Matching Shoes to Sports

It isn’t a good idea to wear your running shoes for activities such as playing tennis, or even in a step class, because running shoes don’t offer much lateral support. For activities that involve a lot of side-to-side movement, opt for cross-trainers or sport-specific athletic shoes like court shoes.

Expert Advice

For persistent pain that doesn’t resolve with a change of shoe style, talk to your health care provider, because your shoes may or may not be the problem. Some people benefit from off-the-shelf or custom orthotic inserts, and others need medical or surgical treatment. The right care and the right shoes will help you get back on your feet and back out there, working up a healthy sweat.

1. I have never worked out before and/or I have injuries and/or I am extremely overweight. Can I still join the boot camp?

Bodyzen Boot Camp specializes in providing challenging workouts for people at any level and at the same time. A 60 year old with joint dysfunction can work side by side with a 20 year old athlete in the same group and both will be challenged at their own fitness level. Our members are expected to give 110% at their given fitness level. In each session we show progressions and regressions for each exercise to allow for these different levels to operate to their maximum potential in the same environment.

2.  Will I experience muscle soreness?

Yes, the initial phase of adding High Intensity Strength Training into your exercise program will cause some muscle soreness. During our initial New Trial Member Orientation we cover, in thorough explanation, the proper warm-up and cool down methods for our boot campers. These strategies are to be performed before and after every session that will help your body recover from these intense workouts. Each session takes our clients out of their past exercise “comfort zone” which will lead to increased muscle soreness.

3.  How soon will I see results?

Your results will vary on your commitment to your nutrition program, 80-90% of your success will be determined by your nutrition. Clients can feel great results in as short as 1 week and see visual changes in a few weeks. In order to see maximal results you will need to adhere to your nutritional program and attend all workouts.

4.  Is there a nutrition program involved?

Yes, the number one most important component of any weight loss program is NUTRITION. “YOU CAN’T OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET!” We provide all clients with our tried and proven Nutrition Program upon joining.

5.  Doesn’t it TAKE 30 minutes to even reach fat burning mode?

When participating in endurance training exercise that is correct, However our 30 minute high intensity interval workouts have been scientifically proven to burn 9x the amount of fat than any endurance training workout! Without the components of Nutrition and High Intensity Strength Training you will not build lean muscle or increase your metabolism. Our goal for each client is to turn your body into a fat burning machine. Our clients see rapid results in as little as 2-3 boot camp sessions per week while following our tried and proven nutrition program. We provide every client with a metabolic boosting cardio program.

6.  In the Boot Camp sessions will I get enough individual attention?

Yes, you will get all the motivation, guidance, instruction and support that you need. Every session has time at the end to handle individual Q & A. We are ALWAYS here to answer any questions or concerns about anything relating to our clients training, nutrition, or supplementation. We have a friendly environment for anyone to feel comfortable asking questions and with our trainers knowledge they will be there to help tweak your form for best results!

7.  What do I bring to camp?

We do provide equipment for campers. For your first session please bring an oversized towel and/or yoga mat, sweat towel, workout gloves if you like, and of course water!

8.  What do I wear to the boot camps?

Wear comfortable, soft, breathable materials. Avoid anything too baggy, as it makes it difficult to properly analyze your posture and positioning during exercise.

9.  How long do your boot camps run?

Our boot camps are ongoing with no defined start or stop dates. Our boot camp sessions range from 30- 45 mins and will consist of a 5 minute warm up and cool down at the end of every workout.

10. How much does it cost?

Our membership ranges on if you would like access to 1 or more location. Check out our schedule page! Also ask about any specials that may be running

11. Do you cancel due to cold weather or rain? From Oct 1 thru April 1 if its raining we will not conduct classes. The reason for this is if we get sick we cant train and will tend to miss out on several days of training as opposed to one. This is why we provide you with at home workouts, just in case. Also if the temps are below 30 degrees we will not conduct class for the same above reason.

Here is a great post from Chris Lopez on how to do a proper kb snatch without bruising your forearm.

These are some of the recommended self massage exercises with a foam roller that should be used after your daily bootcamp workout.

BJ Gaddour wrote an excellent blog post about corrective slef massage using a foam roller, tennis ball and hands over at his blog at http://http://www.workoutmuse.com/blog/30-10-tissue-quality-circuit. I would HIGHLY encourage everyone to check it out.