Toning shoes have helped to bring a new lease of life to many people and have made exercise fun and enjoyable again. Not since the aerobics craze of the 1980's have shoe manufacturer done so much to encourage a new healthy lifestyle. Toning shoes have helped add a spark of enthusiasm to exercise and have triggered a drive to get fit and healthy with many men and women.
Toning shoes and toning sandals are perhaps inappropriately named, giving the impression that there is only one major benefit to wearing them. Whilst this may be true of the Easytone, it is not true of the rocker sole toning shoes of which MBT shoes and Skechers Shape ups are two of the most popular. The shoes could quite easily have been named the somewhat less catchy posture correcting shoes, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it. MBT come close with their anti shoe slogan which suggests there may be more to the shoes than the promise of a tight bottom and shapely thighs alone.
A damming report has recently been released by the American Council on Exercise, which appears at face value to ensure that the toned bottom falls out of the toning shoe market asking the question Do toning shoes work? and coming up with a firm No. The ACE tests on metabolism changes and toning when wearing the shoes suggest no difference whatsoever between standard running shoes and toning shoes. However a closer look at the testing by ACE highlights many areas which could have led to an inaccurate result.
All of the big names have had studies completed to test the effectiveness of their shoes, all adding weight to the claims of a pert bottom in a fraction of the time. Skechers in particular have been quick to condemn the ACE study which only used 12 women for the toning tests, with only 3 hours of testing. A case study completed on Skechers by Dr. Steven Gautreau, D.C conducted over an 8 month period with 80 test subjects clearly demonstrates that over a long period, Skechers Shape Ups are effective for weight loss, lowering body fat and improving health.
Many tests have been completed by independent research teams on the short, medium and long term benefits of rocker bottom toning shoes, and there is a considerable weight of evidence to suggest that the shoes really do tone and improve body health. Whilst those customers who expect to swap over to toning shoes and see a rapid transformation in the shape of their bodies will probably be disappointed, over time the benefits can really be felt. As Skechers are quick to point out, the thousands of unsolicited emails they have received from customers praising the shoes for their toning and health giving benefits should be evidence enough that the shoes do work.
Skechers Shape ups have a wide range of benefits in addition to toning. They help to improve mobility in the muscles in the feet, they promote a faster walking pace to help target weight loss, the comfortable underfoot foam offers excellent shock absorption to cushion the joints, and the increased movement in the feet helps to stimulate blood circulation.
However the most important benefit comes from posture correction. Rocker soled toning shoes help to get the posture and waking gait corrected, making wearers stand up straighter and taller. With the muscles and the bones of the body properly aligned, many aches and pains are banished, and the long term detrimental effects of bad posture are arrested. For this alone they are a worthwhile purchase and the evidence suggests that they will also help tone your legs and bottom too. Whilst the ACE study does cast doubt, the small sample size and short testing has not dampened spirits too much. Should they obtain similar results on a long term study with an appropriate sample size, then the future will certainly not look too bright for toning shoes.
Toning shoes and toning sandals are perhaps inappropriately named, giving the impression that there is only one major benefit to wearing them. Whilst this may be true of the Easytone, it is not true of the rocker sole toning shoes of which MBT shoes and Skechers Shape ups are two of the most popular. The shoes could quite easily have been named the somewhat less catchy posture correcting shoes, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it. MBT come close with their anti shoe slogan which suggests there may be more to the shoes than the promise of a tight bottom and shapely thighs alone.
A damming report has recently been released by the American Council on Exercise, which appears at face value to ensure that the toned bottom falls out of the toning shoe market asking the question Do toning shoes work? and coming up with a firm No. The ACE tests on metabolism changes and toning when wearing the shoes suggest no difference whatsoever between standard running shoes and toning shoes. However a closer look at the testing by ACE highlights many areas which could have led to an inaccurate result.
All of the big names have had studies completed to test the effectiveness of their shoes, all adding weight to the claims of a pert bottom in a fraction of the time. Skechers in particular have been quick to condemn the ACE study which only used 12 women for the toning tests, with only 3 hours of testing. A case study completed on Skechers by Dr. Steven Gautreau, D.C conducted over an 8 month period with 80 test subjects clearly demonstrates that over a long period, Skechers Shape Ups are effective for weight loss, lowering body fat and improving health.
Many tests have been completed by independent research teams on the short, medium and long term benefits of rocker bottom toning shoes, and there is a considerable weight of evidence to suggest that the shoes really do tone and improve body health. Whilst those customers who expect to swap over to toning shoes and see a rapid transformation in the shape of their bodies will probably be disappointed, over time the benefits can really be felt. As Skechers are quick to point out, the thousands of unsolicited emails they have received from customers praising the shoes for their toning and health giving benefits should be evidence enough that the shoes do work.
Skechers Shape ups have a wide range of benefits in addition to toning. They help to improve mobility in the muscles in the feet, they promote a faster walking pace to help target weight loss, the comfortable underfoot foam offers excellent shock absorption to cushion the joints, and the increased movement in the feet helps to stimulate blood circulation.
However the most important benefit comes from posture correction. Rocker soled toning shoes help to get the posture and waking gait corrected, making wearers stand up straighter and taller. With the muscles and the bones of the body properly aligned, many aches and pains are banished, and the long term detrimental effects of bad posture are arrested. For this alone they are a worthwhile purchase and the evidence suggests that they will also help tone your legs and bottom too. Whilst the ACE study does cast doubt, the small sample size and short testing has not dampened spirits too much. Should they obtain similar results on a long term study with an appropriate sample size, then the future will certainly not look too bright for toning shoes.
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