Category Archives: Personal Best Newsletters

Athletic Shoe Selection

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 How to Select the Right Athletic Shoes

Proper-fitting sports shoes can enhance performance and prevent injuries. Follow these fitting facts when purchasing a new pair of athletic shoes.

  • If possible, purchase athletic shoes from a specialty store. The staff will provide valuable input on the type of shoe needed for your sport as well as help with proper fitting. This may cost a premium in price but is worthwhile, particularly for shoes that are used often.
  • Try on athletic shoes after a workout or run and at the end of the day. Your feet will be at their largest.
  • Wear the same type of sock that you will wear for that sport.
  • When the shoe is on your foot, you should be able to freely wiggle all of your toes.
  • The shoes should be comfortable as soon as you try them on. There is no break-in period.
  • Walk or run a few steps in your shoes. They should be comfortable.
  • Always re-lace the shoes you are trying on. You should begin at the farthest eyelets and apply even pressure as you create a crisscross lacing pattern to the top of the shoe.
  • There should be a firm grip of the shoe to your heel. Your heel should not slip as you walk or run.
  • If you participate in a sport three or more times a week, you need a sport-specific shoe.
  • It can be hard to choose from the many different types of athletic shoes available. There are differences in design and variations in material and weight. These differences have been developed to protect the areas of the feet that encounter the most stress in a particular athletic activity.

For additional information see link:  http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/how-to/footwear/Pages/Selecting-Athletic-Shoes.aspx

Overcome Your Exercise Plateau

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People often abandon their workouts when the results — getting stronger or slimmer — begin to dwindle. In most cases, reaching a plateau simply means you’re progressing toward fitness and ready for a new level of workout.

If you’re stuck on a plateau, fitness specialists recommend enhancing your routine 4 ways using the FITT principles — Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. This strategy can be adopted for cardio exercise and resistance training.

FREQUENCY — how often: Increase the number of your workouts or exercise days. Example: From 4 days to 6 days per week.

INTENSITY — how hard: Increase the difficulty or level at which you exercise. Example: Increase heart rate maximum from 65% to 90% (following the proper exercise heart rate range for your age).

TIME — how long: Increase your minutes per workout. Get a minimum of 150 minutes per week.

TYPE — activity: Change the type of activity (e.g., replace 2 cardio workouts with strength-training or walking outdoors).

The FREQUENCY and TIME of your workouts will be subject to your schedule. But the INTENSITY and TYPEof exercise are only limited by your fitness level and activity preferences.

You can enhance the benefits of cardio exercise (swimming, hiking, etc.) through speed, incline and distance, or by combining activities. Strength-training intensity can be adjusted with changes in weight resistance, number of reps and sets, and more.

Variety is the key to your continued fitness improvement. Every few months, change 1 or more elements of FITT. Take pleasure in performing new moves in new ways. Check with your health care provider for more personalized guidance.

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