Workout shoes

I tried a couple pair of Nikes I had but my feet kinda hurt while exercising. Kelly Ripa always talked about working out in Ryka's so I bought a pair of walking shoes from QVC for $54. They are so comfortable and my feet never hurt afterwards. When I need another pair I will stick with this brand.

My main work out is Zumba and I need support for jumps and little tread for turns and I go to classes in different places, one a hospital conference room with a carpeted floor (not ideal but it works for us and the room is big with a kicking sound system) and the other a typical gym with hardwood floors. I went into Bob's and tried shoes on and did some jumps and turns in different shoes till I found ones I liked. I got some looks and more than one employee came up and asked if I needed help (I think they meant straight jacket!) but I found a pair on clearance that work great on both surfaces and they are hot pink and cute too!

I am trying to get into running and I needed new shoes so for the first time ever I went the expensive way. I went to the specialty store and bought running shoes. OMG I will NEVER go back. I have never owned a pair of shoes that I have not blistered in (usually going less than 3 miles). I now run/walk 3 miles 6 days a week and my feet are never sore and I don't blister (even during the break in period).

Thanks for the responses, everyone, keep 'em coming! I guess I'm torn about what to get because my workouts are so varied. I do strength training through workout videos, I run occasionally, and I do plyometrics. I need a pair that can support explosive movement and also keep me comfortable running long distances. I don't know if I can get all that in one pair of shoes, but I'd really hate to spend double the money and buy two.

But if you buy two "specific" pairs they will last twice as long and protect you far more than one generalised pair. A short term cost for a long term investment

I pretty much swear by my Asics, reasonably priced, light and comfortable.

Buy two...I went to a specialty store & got fitted so now I know I'm a Brooks girl (high arch.) I have a pair for boot camp & a different pair for trails. I'm glad I spent the extra time & money to find the right shoes.

It's about more than just having comfortable feet - a professional fitter is also concerned with your knees, posture, gait, etc.

I pretty much swear by my Asics, reasonably priced, light and comfortable.

There are some really pretty colored Asics out there right now!! I need an everyday pair of kicks and I might go with Asics just for the fun colors!!

First, the type of shoe you want will depend on what your exercise types are. I used to almost always buy nike running shoes. Now I primarily do circuit workouts and dance workouts. I wanted shoes with a more flexible sole so I could do my dance workouts a little easier but I didn't want to buy dance shoes that I couldnt use for my circuit training as well. I went to the local shoe carnival and spent several hours trying on almost every pair of shoes they had. I came out with a pair that I absolutely LOVE and would buy in bulk if i had the money to do so lol. These are the shoes I bought.... ADIDAS Aerate STYLE # 76810. I have a very high arch and very bony feet. One thing I noticed right away with these is that the tongue does not irritate the bony tops of my feet like most shoes do. I think this is in part because the shoes don't have thick padded tongues like some do. I also like that the laces go further around the foot than many do and, therefore, I can tighten them as much or little as I need to depending on foot swelling, workout type, etc. They are also VERY lightweight. I put a pair of my nike's on the other day and they felt like having bricks on my feet because they were so heavy in comparison. The one drawback to these is that they are very airy to allow sweat to dry, etc. Only problem is if you are running through water puddles, there are little air holes in the bottom....Just a thought...again keep your shoe purpose in mind.

One thing I do is I don't usually wear my workout shoes for anything but working out, even though I love them and would love to wear them all the time. I believe this has helped keep them in top shape longer, and has kept the insole and footbed from wearing differently from the way I walk vs the foot position when I workout.

All in all, find the brand and type that works for you. For example, I know a lot of people that LOVE New Balance shoes. I absolutely cannot wear them and have never been able to do so. THey don't fit my foot shape ( mostly because of my high arch, I think). I think that everyone can find a pair of great shoes that will work for them without paying an arm and a leg or special ordering if they have the patience. Good luck!