Recently students have been looking outside traditional workouts for ways to increase muscle tone.Wellness shoes like the Reebok EasyTones and Sketchers Shape-ups have become popular in the last few months.”It does increase muscle usage so you tone quicker, but it’s not a magic shoe. You still have to work out,” said Tiana Chambers, manager-in-waiting at the Foot Action in the Mall of Louisiana. Caleb Trisler, a personal trainer at Definitions Gym on Nicholson Drive, said he does not think the shoe will make a significant difference in fitness. “You can’t just walk around in them and expect to see a difference,” Trisler said. “But if you use them while you work out, I believe they will help.”Kristen Manske, manager at Varsity Sports on Perkins Road, said she is not sure that a shoe can improve posture and tone legs. If wearing the shoe motivates people to work out and notice their posture, then it is effective, she said.”The Reebok EasyTones have helped tone my legs a lot,” said Marianna Knister, mass communication sophomore. “When I first started wearing them, they made my legs sore, but now they are comfortable.”Trisler said he believes the shoes would be beneficial to older people who can’t necessarily do vigorous activities like squats or lunges.”I have had people tell me that they got tendonitis and plantar fasciitias, but the only thing they claimed they did different was wear that type of shoe,” said Manske. “But the flip side is some people that wear them say they are the best shoes.”Trisler said he has clients who wear the Reebok line of workout shoes. “If I was going to trust a product, I’d go with a workout brand like Nike, Adidas and Reebok over Sketchers,” Trisler said.Tiffany Johnson, sales associate at Foot Locker in the Mall of Louisiana, said she hasn’t personally tried the shoes, but she has heard it works.
Johnson said Foot Locker only has the Reebok line of workout shoes and typically sells about 10 pairs of the shoes per day.At Foot Action, Reebok is the more popular brand of workout shoes. Chambers said Reebok is more popular because the shoes are more fashionable and don’t look like workout shoes. The Shape-Ups are still popular. Shape-ups came out first and the technology is coming out faster.The  EasyTones usually sell for about $100 depending on the style. The Shape-ups range from $100 to $150 depending on the style of the shoe.”I got the Reebok EasyTones over the Sketchers Shape-ups because they are prettier,” Knister said.Whitney Huet, graphic design sophomore, said she thinks the Shape-ups look the most effective because the shoe looks bigger.Since the release of the Joe Montana Shape-ups advertisements, more men have started purchasing wellness shoes.”Surprisingly men do buy the toning shoe, but they don’t call it the butt shoe as some women do,” Chambers said.
Manske said Varsity Sports does not carry wellness shoes, but men have called to ask if they carry the shoe since the Joe Montana ad was released.
Knister said she likes to wear her EasyTones to class because it is perfect for walking long distances.Ray Castle, assistant professor of professional practice, said a person’s body type, foot shape and physical activities are all factors to consider when buying shoes. “Color and style are not the way to shop,” Castle said.Castle also recommended shopping for shoes in the late afternoon because the foot will be the largest.”I would buy the Reebok RunTone because it is the most sporty looking,” Chambers said. “You can’t tell it’s a workout shoe, and I like the way they feel.” Knister said she wears her EasyTones while she works out and trains for a July 31 triathlon.”I probably wouldn’t wear toning shoes to class. If I get a pair I’d wear them to workout,” Huet said.–Contact Celeste Ansley at [email protected]