The Low Down on MBT Shoes

For a few years now, I've been curious about MBT Shoes. How do they change and effect one's gait? What effects do they have on the body's alignment? What's the difference between walking in regular sneakers compared to MBT sneakers? My list of questions went on and on, but it was only last week that I finally broke down and ordered a pair to try them out for myself, and fell in love with my MBTs.

How the Shoes Work
Here is an in depth video all about the MBT shoes. It describes how they work, how they are constructed, why they're beneficial, and how to walk in them. I like the description of how regular shoes cause the body to pitch forward while walking. I also like how the video shows how to roll through the foot while walking.



Pros and Cons of the Shoes
Ok, I'll start with the pros. The first time I wore my MBTs was on the treadmill, even though I've been told to break them in slowly because they take some getting used to. I figured I'd just jump right in and try walking 3 miles, with a gradual incline. My pace was between 3.5-3.7 miles per hour and the incline gradually increased from 0-4, and back down again. The workout was absolutely amazing. The best way to describe it was that it felt as though I had run 4 miles at a fast pace. It was awesome!

The backs of my legs and glutes really felt worked out for the whole day after I walked in the MBTs. Besides that, as I was walking, I could feel how completely different my body is while walking in MBTs compared with regular running sneakers. My alignment felt drastically different- that is, it felt correct! My neck and shoulders felt remarkably tension free, which was interesting because I realized that I wasn't aware of how much tension I usually hold in my upper body while doing cardio exercise until the tension was no longer there.

Another great thing is the number of styles and colors these shoes come in. They're made for men and women, and come in styles made specifically for walking, casual wear and work wear. The Mary Jane and sandal styles are popular with people I know.

Now for the cons- I can admit it, these shoes are truly weird looking. As I was walking down the street to the gym, I was praying that no one was looking at me! They feel huge on the feet at first, and the rounded bottoms give them a dorky, orthopedic look. However, everyone I know who has them agrees that once you try them, you just don't care how they look. The benefits in the body far outweigh the ridiculousness of them. Within an hour, I went from feeling embarrassed to be seen in them to thinking of ordering another pair!

One of the number one reasons why people put off buying a pair of MBTs is the cost. They run between about $180-$300 a pair. That is personally the main reason why I didn't buy them until recently myself. Fortunately, there are other brands out there that recently started making similar shoes for a more reasonable price, which I have linked to at the bottom of this post. I do have to wonder if knock-off MBTs are just as good as the originals, but they could be worth a try. From what I have seen, other brands that sell shoes similar to MBTs are not as rounded in the soles and don't seem to be of the same construction. There is an essential heel construction in the MBTs that the other brands don't appear to have.

Another semi-con is that they are easy to use incorrectly. Like pilates, they must be used correctly to benefit from them, and so not to injure yourself. You should never locked your knees and rock backward in these shoes, as you could really hurt your knees. If you're walking outside, be careful of uneven pavement so not to twist an ankle from the higher elevasion of these sneakers.

Also, it is easy to walk incorrectly in them and be unaware of it. It's very important to roll through the foot while walking, from heel, through the ball, to the toe, to get the most effect from the shoes. If you walk on the rounded part only, which is easy to do, the benefits of the shoes will remain untapped.

The video is a great way to learn how to walk properly in these shoes. Another option is to take a class at a studio, like my studio, Rhinebeck Pilates, in Walk-ilates. We have Walk-ilates classes each week, and private sessions are also available for a lesson in using the MBTs properly.

Who Should Try MBT Shoes
Many active women who become pregnant must at some point slow down or stop their cardio activity do to over heating, exhaustion, or risk of injury. It can be quite depressing for a woman who used to be a runner to reduce her cardio activity to walking- it just might not feel like enough exercise. If a pregnant woman wears MBT shoes and goes for a walk, it is guaranteed that she'll really feel the extra work, as though she went for a run! These shoes also reduce foot pain that commonly affects women from walking while pregnant. MBTs can be a great investment for a woman to walk in during pregnancy, and after when she's walking the baby in the stroller.

MBTs are also a great option for anyone who feels pain from walking- whether the pain is in the foot, low back, neck and shoulder, knee, or hip. These shoes put the body right into proper alignment. By rolling in the foot from heel, ball, to toe, the rest of the body truly benefits and pain from faulty alignment literally vanishes.

I think anyone and everyone can benefit from MBTs. If anything, they are a very interesting lesson in what it feels like to walk in proper alignment, and they really intensify a cardio-walking workout.

Here is the official MBT website:
http://us.mbt.com/

Sketcher's Version of the MBTs:
http://www.skechers.com/info/shape_ups/?utm_source=SKXHP&utm_medium=TileShapeUps Read more!