Tag: gym

If the shoe fits, wear it out: what to look for in athletic shoes

Posted on by Sol
athletic shoes / image source: Pixabay

athletic shoes / image source: Pixabay

If the shoe fits, wear it out: what to look for in athletic shoes

When we think about workout gear, we like to make sure that it’s durable, supportive, and appropriate for the activity. But what about your shoes? For many of us, we have a designated pair of shoes that lives at the gym and only comes out for workouts. But how do you know when it’s time to say goodbye to those shoes? Do your shoes need to be falling apart before you replace them?

When judging if it’s time to consider buying new athletic shoes, you need to consider how often you use them, where you use them, and what they are used for. Here are some tips to help you decide if you need a new pair…and what to look for when you’re facing a rack of identical kicks.

Running

Average lifespan: 6 months
When should I get a new pair?

You can estimate your shoe lifespan by the distance you run and where you run. A shoe that’s being used outside in the elements will have a different lifespan from one that lives on the treadmill. If you find your shoes have less response on surface contact, there are visible signs of wear on the sole, and the upper part covering your foot is showing signs of breaking down, it’s time to invest.

What should I look for in a new pair?

Running shoes are designed for cushioning and to disperse forces upon landing. Look for shoes with a good cushion and a heel rise that is slightly higher than the toes to facilitate forward motion.

Weightlifting

Average lifespan: 1 year
When should I get a new pair?

Your weightlifting shoes have to be able to properly support your form. The upper part of the shoe will be the first to demonstrate wear, losing rigidity and offering less support.

What should I look for in a new pair?

Weightlifting shoes have a raised heel which allows you to squat into a deeper position through increased ankle range of motion. Weightlifting shoes are also more stable than your typical barefoot or minimalist shoe. This ensures you have a strong and consistent base to land on, push through, and push out into.

General Gym Activities

Average lifespan: 6 months
When should I get a new pair?

From jumps to lunges to squats to your treadmill warmup, your gym shoes do a lot of work. Lateral movements and weight-bearing steps also decrease the stability of your gym shoes. Usually the front or the side of the shoe are the first to show signs of wear. If you are seeing holes, it’s time to replace them.

What should I look for in a new pair?

A shoe with a basic cushion is all you need. An ankle cut shoe will support your foot as you go through your routine. This allows for maximum flexibility without compromising stability.

Take care of your shoes to make them last and remember that function should always come before fashion when purchasing athletic shoes.

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Economics 101: is joining a gym worth the investment?

Posted on by Sol
Is a gym membership worth the investment? / Image credit: Victor Freitas

Is a gym membership worth the investment? / Image credit: Victor Freitas

Economics 101: is joining a gym worth the investment?

Thinking of joining a gym?

Last week, we talked about how to make New Year’s resolutions that last longer than February 1st. If you’ve taken my advice, you’ve focused on a single resolution with small, realistic changes. We’ve also discussed setting SMART goals and how having a measurable goal makes it easier to keep track of your progress.

If your resolution is to train for that 5K, lose 20 pounds, or take a new fitness class, you might be thinking of joining one of the big box gyms that are found on almost every main intersection. They are convenient and provide you with both cardio and weight machines. They also offer a range of classes from boxing to dance. For some people, the gym is a one-stop-shop for everything fitness. For most, they are a terrible investment.

While membership fees vary, the industry-wide average falls in at $58 per month, or $696 per year. On top of the monthly fee, some gyms often tack on an “annual fee” (paid at the start of each new membership cycle), and an “initiation fee” (a one-time fee that can run as high as $250, due upon signing).

If you were to use the gym seven times a week, every week, you would be getting a great deal. However, a study run by UC Berkeley economists found that while members anticipate visiting a gym 9.5 times per month, they only end up going 4.17 times per month. That works out to 50 visits per year.

If you are serious about achieving your goals but don’t want to pay for something that you don’t use, think about the role the gym will play in your workout schedule. What does it offer that you currently need? Will you be joining just for a place to run while the weather is cold, or do you want the guided instruction of classes?

If it’s to take a specialized class, are there other studios dedicated to this activities that can fill the gap (e.g., spin, crossfit box, or yoga studio)? These places don’t have monthly maintenance fees and work on different payment schedules. You can find group fitness classes to fit your budget and figure out which studio or activity best fits your goals.

If you are looking for a place to run and lift weights on your own, there are several contract-free gyms in Toronto. With low monthly fees and no perks, you might miss your scented towels, but you will have a basic gym with well-maintained equipment.

Finally, consider building your own home gym. If you have the space, you can turn that spare room — or even spare corner — into your perfect gym. Investing in durable pieces of gym equipment may feel like an initial expense, but once you add up the payments, it’s a great investment. And if you don’t want to commit to purchasing a cardio machine, free weights from Winners or Canadian Tire are a good starting point. There are many apps (free and paid) that can take you through heart-pounding workouts and require minimal equipment. Buy a wall-mount bracket for your tablet so you don’t have to keep checking your phone during a workout. You can also use this during your cardio sessions to replace those gym televisions which always have poor reception or shows you can’t change.

Joining a gym gives you a place to work out, but is it your best fitness investment? The truth is that it may be. You might like the convenience, classes, and services. However, for many people, being stuck in a contract will result in overall frustration. Figure out what role the gym will play before you give them access to your bank account.

Don’t let over-hyped evaluations get you down

Posted on by Laura
Trainer discussing evaluation with client. Image credit: Youfit Health Clubs

Don’t let over-hyped ‘evaluations’
get you down

When you join a gym, many of them offer you a “free evaluation.” Fuelled with images of your new body and setting the record of pull-ups, you make an appointment with a gym personal trainer to see how close you are to your goal.

I have very rarely heard of these appointments going well. As a personal trainer, I am often confronted by my own clients following their initial evaluation. They could not perform the activities. They were called obese. They were pushed to perform exercises that damaged their body.

They felt like failures.

What my clients don’t realize is that there’s no such thing as a free evaluation. These one-on-one sessions are designed to sell personal training sessions. The gym environment is extremely competitive, and personal trainers often have to fight for clients. Offering new clients an evaluation is a trick to make them feel like they are extremely out of shape and can only be rescued by a personal trainer.

The fitness evaluation is a tricky thing. As there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to training, there is also no one-size-fits-all fitness evaluation. Instead, personal training is a give-and-take relationship with clients opening up about what they want from a session (or long-term plan) and a trainer constantly refining what exercises will help them achieve their goal. The trainers at most gyms quickly use a series of tests to gauge where they think a client is at — and select the exercises that will best highlight the weakness.

Evaluation as sales technique

I am not saying that personal trainers at gyms are unprofessional or unqualified. The truth is that they are under extreme pressure to retain their jobs and build a clientele. In a numbers-driven sales environment, trainers are pushed to make a hard sell to potential clients. These environments do not prioritize the trainer-client relationship. Instead, it’s about the numbers.

If you do join a gym and are offered a free evaluation, there’s nothing stopping you from giving it a try. Do not take the experience personally and remember the real reason behind the evaluation. However, there’s a simple way to test your fitness at a new gym that doesn’t involve the hard sell: take a class or try out a new piece of cardio equipment.

Instead of feeling badly about yourself, why not start your gym relationship positively? The potential to build a new skill and a challenge to conquer will keep you coming back to the gym — not feeling badly about yourself.