Running Shoes or Adjustable Dumbbells??

andreamaym

I have a bonus coming up at work and I'm having a difficult time choosing what I want the bonus to be. We receive monetary bonuses quarterly, but each month we receive rewards for meeting targets/completing projects. I am trying to decide if I should ask for new running shoes or money towards Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbells.

A little information about my workout routine: I do not have a gym membership and work out at home 6 days/week. I usually do Jillian Michaels' workouts 4 days, and work out with 10lb dumbbells the other 2 days. I want to increase the amount of weight I lift, but do not want to have loads of dumbbells hanging around my house. I don't run, but I'm thinking I may want to give it a shot this Spring/Summer. I own a pair of Nike (Free) shoes that I got on sale and wear them when I do my Jillian Michaels' workouts, but sometimes they hurt my feet so I think I would need to invest in getting a pair from a place I can get a proper fitting and the proper shoe for me (many people have recommended Running Room).

SO, with all that being said, what do you think I should get? What would YOU ask for? I'm super indecisive and would love some help in making my decision!

jenncornelsen

Id say the shoes as well.

sofaking6

I dunno, if you're not running then maybe you don't need to invest so much in the shoes? Either way you'd want different shoes for running vs aerobics. I'm trying to save for the adjustable dumbbell set so that would be my choice.

Emilia777

Well, I’m not big on weight machine stuff, as I prefer free weights. I also have seen what a big difference the right running shoe makes: I got mine at the Running Room too, and they were a huge upgrade from the SportChek mis-recommendation. So obviously, I’m biased towards the running shoes

What helps me make purchasing decisions is wondering what I’d get more use (and subsequent happiness) out of. Making a pro-con list also helps. One pro comes to mind for shoes: great incentive to get outside as summer comes along and enjoy the nice weather!

Smallc10

Well if you're not running and you just want to give it a shot... you may end up hating it. You can get a shoe fitting at a running store and purchase shoes that aren't super expensive and then put the rest in to savings for the weights. That way you have decent shoes to test out running with. You aren't going to want to do exercise videos in your running shoes, those should be two different types of shoes.

Mrsallen6_11

If it were me, I would get the adjustable dumbbells because I already have a pair of running/workout shoes that I love and fit my feet perfectly. But I agree with @joleneee421, that you should probably go with getting running/workout shoes fitted specifically for you. The shoes that you wear while working out or running are important. They should fit your feet comfortably and they shouldn't hurt your feet while you're working out or running.

andreamaym

Thank you for your input, everyone! I think I will look into getting a pair for running as well as a pair for my at home workouts. Hopefully Running Room can help me with both!

AllanMisner

What are your fitness goals (cardiovascular, muscle mass/strength, endurance, mobility, balance, speed, agility, etc.)?

SweatLikeDog

The adjustable dumbbells are very wide. Try them out in a store to see if you like them.

njitaliana

I'd definitely go to a running store to be fitted for the best shoes for you, and to find out if you need orthotics to go with them. I wore the wrong shoes for a week and could barely walk.

andreamaym

AllanMisner wrote: »

What are your fitness goals (cardiovascular, muscle mass/strength, endurance, mobility, balance, speed, agility, etc.)?

I'm trying to build some muscle mass and lower body fat. The videos I do incorporate a lot of resistance and HIIT but sometimes I wonder if I could benefit from more cardio.

andreamaym

SweatLikeDog wrote: »

The adjustable dumbbells are very wide. Try them out in a store to see if you like them.

Good to know! Have you ever tried them? If so, did the size make them awkward?

AllanMisner

andreamaym wrote: »

AllanMisner wrote: »

What are your fitness goals (cardiovascular, muscle mass/strength, endurance, mobility, balance, speed, agility, etc.)?

I'm trying to build some muscle mass and lower body fat. The videos I do incorporate a lot of resistance and HIIT but sometimes I wonder if I could benefit from more cardio.

If muscle mass is the fitness goal, then go with the dumbbell. Fat loss will come from what and how much you eat. Remain on a slight deficit and you’ll lose fat.

AllanMisner

andreamaym wrote: »

AllanMisner wrote: »

What are your fitness goals (cardiovascular, muscle mass/strength, endurance, mobility, balance, speed, agility, etc.)?

I'm trying to build some muscle mass and lower body fat. The videos I do incorporate a lot of resistance and HIIT but sometimes I wonder if I could benefit from more cardio.

If muscle mass is the fitness goal, then go with the dumbbell. Fat loss will come from what and how much you eat. Remain on a slight deficit and you’ll lose fat.

dmkoenig

I look at it this way - a pair of running shoes will open up a while new world of activities you can do. Even if weight training goals are more important to you there are all sorts of body weight exercise options available so not investing in the adjustable weights at this time will not prevent you from improving your strength. You can also consider picking up a set or two of inexpensive dumbbells. Chances are you will only be using a couple of different weights for a while so that additional flexibility is not that essential right away.

SweatLikeDog

andreamaym wrote: »

SweatLikeDog wrote: »

The adjustable dumbbells are very wide. Try them out in a store to see if you like them.

Good to know! Have you ever tried them? If so, did the size make them awkward?

Yes, I tried them. When I did certain exercises they were awkward. They're great for saving space, but I prefer traditional dumbbells.

ninerbuff

The Selectech dumbells are way more in cost than some good running shoes. Get the most you can from the bonus if it's allowing you to spend more.
Running shoes (especially if you're a novice) don't have to be too expensive.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

_runnerbean_

I would say the running shoes. Even if you don't enjoy the running you can use them for walks afterwards. If you do intend to keep running don't use those running shoes for circuits/exercise videos or weights as that will spoil the support and bounce in the shoes.

zipa78

Shoes.

andreamaym

_runnerbean_ wrote: »

I would say the running shoes. Even if you don't enjoy the running you can use them for walks afterwards. If you do intend to keep running don't use those running shoes for circuits/exercise videos or weights as that will spoil the support and bounce in the shoes.

That's good to know - thank you! I may buy a cheaper pair for my videos and invest in a nice pair for running. Nike Frees are certainly not for me, though.

wils5150

go for dumbbells the bowflex's are very wide. I ended up with power blocks much more narrow. I like them

amackg

Shoes because using badly fitted shoes can cause injurys