The Toning Shoe Sham
Back in May, I attended the CrossFit Central East Regional in Ohio, where there was a Reebok EasyTone stand displaying their product. And the CrossFitters, ardent fans of Vibram Five Fingers and other minimalist shoes, responded to these rigged-up kicks by steering clear of the stand. Way clear. In fact, I don't recall seeing a single person approach it, but I did hear a number of competitors speculating that the EasyTone truck had taken a wrong turn. This attitude pleased me immensely. Why? Because toning shoes are a silly product.
Silly, but one that appeals. The premise: You stand/walk/run atop a built-in unstable surface
(whether it's a curved one or cushy like mini BOSU balls), and thus
activate more muscles than when shod in regular shoes. An easy-peasy to
lose weight and look better -- doesn't that sound great? And isn't that what we want? Sure,
but...
The idea that training on unstable surfaces is a good thing is flawed in and of itself -- check out "Build Your Balance"
for a glimpse into Eric Cressey's research on the topic (the gist: unstable-surface training
makes you slower and less powerful) -- and aside from that, the
muscle-activation research these shoe companies are producing is flimsy
at best (tiny studies, questionable results).
Reebok isn't the only hawker of such wares -- they're joined by Avia, Skechers, Easy Spirit and even Curves for Women (wth?!). (There are probably more; if so, I don't want to know.)
In my happy little world populated by informed experts who dispense solid fitness advice, I'd heard toning
shoes uniformly mocked -- by podiatrists, chiropractors, athletes and
fitness industry peers alike, so I genuinely believed (or wanted to believe) that
this trend didn't have staying power and didn't impact the market in any
real way.
So when my boyfriend handed me an issue of Bloomberg Businessweek this
morning, flipped open to an article called "As Nike Scoffs, Toning Shoes
Gain Traction," I felt alarm. (Access the entire issue here -- flip to page 24-25.)
Nike has held out on this trend to this point, instead marketing their minimalist shoe, the Nike Free, which makes the small muscles of the feet and lower legs work more by providing less support. And for their trouble, they're losing footing as the top provider of women's athletic footwear. (According to the article, Nike slipped 7.2 percentage points, or $412 million, from a year ago. Reebok's share in the market more than doubled, and Skechers tripled.)
I'm heartened by the sarcastic response of the Nike executive team. Eric Sprunk, vice president for global product and merchandising, was quoted during a meeting with investors as saying, "Wouldn't it be great if we could make a pair of shoes that made your butt smaller, made my gut look smaller, make your muscles look a little bit bigger, just by putting them on and...walking in them? Nobody can do that. I was just teasing."
To Nike: Please continue to hold out, and the rest of us will do what we can to kick this trend to the curb. Right?
______________________________
So, let's review: Do toning shoes work? No. No. No. No.
"ACE Research Study Finds Toning Shoes Fail to Deliver on Fitness Claims" (ACE)
"A Revolutionary Sneaker, or Overhyped Gimmick?" (USA Today)
"Shoes' Toning Claims Draw Experts' Doubts" (CNN)
"Firm Body, No Workout Required?" (New York Times)
"Do Toning Shoes Really Work?" (That's Fit)
"Toning Shoes No Better Than Sneakers" (FitSugar)
"Finally, Research on Those Popular Toning Shoes!" (FitBottomed Girls)
"Morning Cup of Vomiting in My Mouth: Skechers Shape-Ups" (Tony Gentilcore's Blog)
Great post. I love the Nike Frees. I hope they hold out as well.
Are these shoes comfortable? The idea of walking on a built in unstable surface all the time isn't that appealing.
From a CNN.com article:
"But some foot specialists find the shoes to be clunky, heavy and unstable. Dr. Paul Langer, a podiatrist at Minnesota Orthopaedic Specialists, has a pair of toning shoes that he wears as an experiment.
"I can say that after a day in clinic, my legs feel tired and the shoes feel heavy (they are much heavier than conventional shoes)," he wrote. "Because the shoes are unstable, muscles must [work] harder to stabilize the foot and leg. I would never propose that these shoes would replace a conventional fitness routine.""
It is silly.
-Mike
I did an "experiment" on these (the super-pricey MBTs) on my website. Wore them as prescribed for a month. Not only did I not notice any change at all in my "tone" (ahem) but I almost injured myself a few times. It was like being a living weeble-wobble. If weeble-wobbles lifted weights. Yikes!
PS> I also have a pair of Nike Frees and don't wear them very often - it turns out I have wussy feet. They just kill after working out in them. Which I know is the point but...
Mike,
Yeah, I hope the minimalism trend sticks, too.
Charlotte,
Whoa, that doesn't sound pleasant. I don't think your feet should *kill* you after wearing Frees -- mine get a little sore if I do a plyometrics-intensive workout, but otherwise I don't feel any difference anymore. I recently did an interview with endurance coach Joe Friel, and he stressed how very slowly you should transition over from regular running shoes to minimalist running shoes. Like, at first you wear them around the house for an hour, then switch back. Then move on to wearing them for a few minutes during your warm up before switching back. And so on, till you're fully transitioned without pain. Unfortunately, our feet are so weak and bound up with scar tissue that the transition has to be gradual or they freak out.
I'd heard toning shoes uniformly mocked -- by podiatrists, chiropractors, athletes and fitness industry peers alike, so I genuinely believed ...
I bought a pair of Sketchers and ended up with some serious pain in my arches. I also play a lot of tennis (not in those shoes, obviously) so I can't say for sure the injury resulted from those shoes, but I know I won't wear them again. This post was a great read because I was wondering the same thing - whether their claims were true. Thanks!
re so weak and bound up with scar tissue that the transition has to be gradual or they freak out.
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