Not so long ago, I encountered major buzz in my local gym. The locker rooms were ablaze with talk about, alas, not a particularly good class or workout plan, but a shoe, which magically produced all the effects of a workout… sans a real workout.
The hype enraged my mother, a Pilates instructor and well-versed personal trainer, who knows that there is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to being fit and healthy. This sad reality, however, did not stop the magical shoes from becoming an instant hit- one that has been subsequently replicated and is becoming quite widespread in the shoe industry.
Let’s take a look at where it all started!
Origins
The original magical weight loss accessory I encountered at my local gym turned out to be MBT- the anti-shoe.
MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology. The tech involves a multi-layered, curved sole that creates an uneven walking surface and simulates walking in sand. Naturally, this type of stride utilizes additional muscle groups, which turns the humble walk into more of a workout. Interestingly, these shoes aren’t really designed for running, so their wearers don’t have to suffer the indignity of rigorous traditional exercise.
The shoes don’t just maximize strides: they solve knee and back problems, ease joint pains, and generally tone the buttocks and thighs. MBTs also improve posture and gait, as is demonstrated on their site (where they also list various studies supporting their claims).
MBT shoes are pretty expensive, costing around $250-$400 a pop. Despite the steep price, people got excited about these funny looking shoes.
Consumer buzz never falls on deaf ears. As one might expect, other shoe brands quickly jumped on the magical weight loss bandwagon with their own miraculous shoes. Here are some examples:
Smaller Brands
Earth Shoes don’t look quite like MBTs, but still have that characteristically curved sole. These particular accessories are characterized by their Kalso Negative Heel Technology, which positions the toes 3.7 degrees higher than the heels, anatomic arch support, which maximizes the effectiveness of the heel design, and BioFoam Cushioning, which provides luxurious comfort.
These features are supposed to improve posture and help strengthening and toning. They also allow you to burn more calories, breathe easier, have stronger core muscles, tighter thighs, better leg and calf toning, and “BURN 4x MORE FAT than ordinary shoes!”
Compared to MBTs, prices are more reasonable, floating right around $100.
The Springboost shoes’ fitness aspect is anchored in Dorsiflexion Technology, which incorporates Dorsiflexion position, rolling action, Energy Plate, and the U-Control Insole System.
What do these fancy technologies supposedly produce? Enhanced performance, increased muscular activity, improved sports training, and augmented alignment. Ultimately, I’m more of a fan of these shoes, because they’re positioned to augment rather than replace other modes of exercise, but they’re still part of the magical weight loss shoe trend, because they’re utilizing special features to make their product a source of physical conditioning, rather than a passive enabler.
Springboost prices average around $150.
FitFlop footware uses its Microwobbleboard midsole to increase muscle activity, improve tone, reduce joint and back stress, and relieve pain. The shoes come in a wide range of styles, and strike me as disdinct from its major rivals in that they more effectively conceal their weird fitness features in trendy shoe styles.
FitFlops range from around $50 (for the flip-flops) to $2000 (for fancy boots).
Miyata Muscletrainers, designed by Japanese Miyata Co. Ltd., are different in that they stimulate magical weight loss not via special plantar manipulation, but rather through sheer weight: the shoes are weighed down with granulated steel sealed into the soles!
The added weight supposedly leads to a 25% metabolism increase, as “Muscletrainer helps to strengthen Red Muscle which facilitates blood to circulate smoothly and produce lasting power.”
Muscletrainers are unique in that they’re the one recent magical fitness shoe that utilizes weight rather than positioning, (and stimulates core muscle activation via excessive laughing brought on by the amusing Engrish website).
The wearable weights cost around $150.
Major Brands
Sketchers Shape-ups
The Shape-ups are the closest replication of the MBT Shoe, but cost much less. The line has numerous styles (with names such as Optimize, Motivator, and Fitness Junkie), but each shoe has the characteristically curved bottom that supposedly allows the wearer to get a mini workout in every step.
What makes the shoe effective is its dynamic rolling bottom, soft foam insert, and dual-intensity mindsole. Working together, these elements will supposedly produce:
-Improved posture
-Improved blood circulation
-A strengthened back
-Tighter abdominal muscles
-Firmer buttocks muscles
-More toned and firm calf muscles
-Reduced knee joint stress
Prices hover around $110.
Recently, Rebok released its EasyTone line of shoes, which range from a flip flop to various street and running styles.
The basis of Rebok EasyTone shoes’ weight loss properties lies in the “balance pods” built into the soles of the shoes, which “create a slight instability with every step, which forces your muscles to adapt and encourages toning.”
The idea is that you simply walk around in them and lose weight because your muscles are constantly adjusting (supposedly giving your muscles 28% more of a workout). Nevertheless, Rebok has provided various exercises one might do wearing the shoes, complete with photos and downloadable pdfs.
The flip flops are the least expensive at $59.98, and the EasyTone Go Outside, at $109.58, costs the most.
Significance
These magical weight loss shoes are just another interesting manifestation of our desire to lose weight- in the most easy and convenient way possible. Typically, corner-cutting takes place with diets and workouts, so it’s exciting to see it manifested in a shoe! What will come next? Weight loss shirts with built-in electrodes? Who knows??
The only guarantee is that we will always look for new weight loss shortcuts, so there will always be fun trends to spot in the field!
One Comment
I love pseudo-science~ Especially when they’re coming up with insane terms like “balance pods.”
Causing constant instability sounds like a recipe for sprained ankles :]