Smart shoes
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Move aside humble trainer, the dawn of the "smart shoe" has been and gone...but they're still with us and flying off the shelves. Closer decided to get our running gear on and try out two of the best smart shoes money can buy.
Airun Plus
Airun are the latest ‘smart shoe’ on the market and we couldn’t wait to check out what they had to offer.
Prompted by research which showed that short, high intensity workouts actually burn more calories than long, low intensity workouts, the makers of Airun wanted to design a shoe which encouraged increased efficiency to your workout.
According toThe Journal of
Physiology short burst of very intense exercise – the equivalent to only a few minutes per day– can
produce similar results to traditional endurance training!
So what makes Airun different from the other shoes claiming to increase the intensity of everyday activities? Well, Airun acts as your own personal trainer because of its Smart Controller and Interchangeable Weighted Technology.
What is essentially a tiny computer inside the trainers will work out how many calories you’ve burnt whilst wearing them, the percentage of your recommended exercise that you’ve achieved, paces taken, distance traveled and time spent exercising.
The Weighted Technology in the sole of the trainers is also rather nifty because it allows you to increase the intensity of your workout, even if you follow the same routine as before
What’s great about these shoes is that you can’t cheat yourself by thinking you’ve worked harder than you have, and equally you won’t over-stretch yourself, which can lead to injury. All too often we hear of women complaining that they’re exercising but not losing any weight, and it turns out they’ve over-valued how many calories their 20 minute stroll actually burns. Airun are great because you know exactly where you stand with regards to your recommended daily exercise.
Airun Plus are available in black and yellow in sizes UK3-10, £125.00 exclusively from www.lovethoseshoes.com (0161 975 5380)
MBT
Ok, so they look a bit funny but MBTs are proving to be a great work-out tool which can give you stronger and leaner legs, a flatter stomach and toned back muscles just from standing (yes, really).
Wearing a pair of MBTs also helps you burn more calories and speeds up weight loss because the uneven surface of the sole means you have to use otherwise neglected muscles to achieve stability.
Walking around in MBTs will see you improve your core muscles (hello, flat tummy), give you better posture and gait and reduce the stresses on joints, knees and hip.
There are many different styles of the genius shoe, ranging from sporty to elegant, so you can wear them to work or on a night out and not only for exercising.
To find the MBT that suits you best and for more information and stockist details visit www.swissmasai.co.uk. MBTs are priced from £135 and up.