But it is very surprising that when people talk about workouts, they relegate aerobic shoes, which is an integral part of any exercise program into the background.



Daily, discussions are centered on proper hydration of the body, and other myriads of exercise tips, but no mention of gym shoes is ever made.

We all know that footwear is a non issue for anyone taking aerobic lessons, because all the aerobic exercises will be done on a padded mat, so the use of shoes is frowned upon. This is normally enforced to preserve the mat.

All other aerobic exercises, with the exception of swimming and a few others, the use of the right aerobic shoes is a prerequisite for attending any session.

The kind of aerobic shoes to be donned depend on the nature of the workout. Accomplish runners need to have a pair of running shoes.

These forms of footwear are lighter compared to other types, and have a concentration of padding where necessary. These cannot be used for other activities like for playing tennis, for instance, because they offer virtually no lateral ankle support.

Games like tennis or others that require more than just straight line movements needs separate class of aerobic shoes known as cross trainers or tennis shoes.

Though both type of aerobic shoes described are basically the modern version of gym shoe, they traditionally have lots of paddings, but offer a low top to ensure flexibility and easy movement at the ankle.

Basketball players require more rugged and larger aerobic shoes to provide adequate cover the ankle. These types of footwear are known as high tops, perhaps because they come all the way to the ankle.

They are the most suited for the game because it involves players jumping high, bursting into sudden sprints in almost any direction, and generally doing several acts that are potentially dangerous and damage the ankle.

The footwear also protect players from injuries more effectively than any other type of aerobic shoes, that is the reason why a greater percentage of basketball players using them. They are certainly not suited for the kind of sprints in tennis, and are rarely worn by tennis players.

And if you are a cross country runner, you belong to a completely different sphere, so you need different aerobic shoes altogether.

This will be almost the combination of tennis shoes and light hiking boots, usually with a light build and lots of traction beneath it. I guess this should be a story for another day.