Tone up / Shape upshoes

yuliyax
yuliyax Posts: 288
in Fitness and Exercise
I got given skechers tone up and avia shoes, apparently they :
Promote weight loss
Strengthen the back
Firm calf and buttock muscles
Reduce cellulite and tone your thighs
Increase cardiovascular health
Improve posture
Reduce stress on knee and ankle joints

what do you guys think? Is it true or just another fad?

Replies

  • acfkaren
    acfkaren Posts: 60 Member
    Possibly a fad but I like them because they make me walk properly - I stomp on my heels!
  • ASondel
    ASondel Posts: 4
    I have Sketcher Shape Ups, have had them since early 2010 & I LOVE them. I really can feel the "burn" when I walk in them as opposed to regular sneakers. Just wearing them daily in the office (Dental Assistant) I could feel a difference, but even more so when I go out to actually walk. LOVE them!!!!!
  • KathleenPub
    KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
    I have a pair and to be honest I haven't really noticed them doing much. But I have pretty strong legs and I read that they don't do too much if your legs are already toned except add a bit more intensity to your workouts since they make you use your stabilizer muscles. I love mine though, they are very comfy :)
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    I always see women wearing these shoes. They just do not look right.
    Truthfully I have no idea if there are any benefits, but it does seem like a bit of a fad.
    Either way I think they are kind of ugly so they BETTER be doing something beneficial for posture and strength because they sure aren't making a fashion statement. :smile:

    How long have you been wearing your tone/shape shoes? Have you felt any differences/changes?
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    No personal experience of anyone wearing them, but I feel like if they are making you walk funny to use different muscles then:

    a) in the best case, you will just be working different muscles than you normally would, so the normal ones will end up being neglected

    b) in the worst case you will be causing yourself damage.

    There is a reason runners need to get fitted properly for running shoes.
  • lorim77
    lorim77 Posts: 63 Member
    I have both Shape Ups and Tone Ups. I would NEVER exercise in either of them (because they force you to stand in a way that isn't natural for your body and I think, for me personally, I'm much more comfortable exercising in a "regular" sneaker), but for walking around, shopping, etc.. they are really comfortable. I don't know if they actually promote weight loss, but they do force you to stand up straight.. and like I said- they are really comfortable. I put on a pair of "regular" sandals for about 10 minutes last summer before I ran to my closet to get my Tone Ups because my feet hurt.

    All that being said, I've heard some people have been injured wearing them and Sketchers isn't making them anymore.
  • KathleenPub
    KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
    I have a pair and to be honest I haven't really noticed them doing much. But I have pretty strong legs and I read that they don't do too much if your legs are already toned except add a bit more intensity to your workouts since they make you use your stabilizer muscles. I love mine though, they are very comfy :)
  • Victoria2448
    Victoria2448 Posts: 559 Member
    I bought them when they first came out...but not because I thought they would "shape me up or help me lose weight." I got them because they reduce my knee and back strain when I am walking or standing for hours...they work great for that!
  • drift
    drift Posts: 143 Member
    I'm a convert, wear little else now after changing to them after a knee injury. I started with MBT's which are great but expensive, and you do have to be fitted for them... Ive had and worn out several pairs, never liked the sketchers version although I used to like regular sketchers and am now in the Avia version. I think they contribute to good posture, never get blisters any more and had shapely calves long before my more general fitness caught up some of the rest of my body
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    Aside from when I'm running, they're the only shoes I wear. I love them. They're so comfortable, and though other people disagree I love the big, bulky look. Do I believe they actually help with toning? Not much. Mine felt like they were having an impact for about four days, nothing since. But then, I didn't buy them to tone - I bought them because I've never worn anything so comfortable. Couldn't have done a 23-mile hike, including mountain and waterfall climbing, without them last year. Miracle shoes, as far as I'm concerned.
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
    I have not noticed any great exercise advantage with them, but they are the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    My husband got a pair a couple of years ago in an effort to help his knee and ankle pain after spending 5 years running around on concrete in a retail job. They worked his calf a little bit, but didn't help his joint pain. He ended up switching to Vibrams.

    Personally, I'm rather skeptical of them, because they force you to walk in a heel-to-toe form, which isn't proper stride and can potentially lead to worse injury.
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    I work on concrete, I would get up with terrible pain in my legs in the morning, after a few months of shape-ups no more pain in the morning. You couldn't get me to go back to regular shoes, lol.
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    I have no personal experience with them but I know there were several lawsuits against sketchers for the false claims made about the health benefits of shape-ups.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Don't know about the sketchers or aviva but Reebok is forking out $25million to owners of their version of these shoes........
  • Char_marcus
    Char_marcus Posts: 141 Member
    there are many different types, but a study has shown, that they don't actually firm up anything more than usual trainers would, i read it on the Daily Mail uk website, i won't waste my money on them !!
  • geecee77
    geecee77 Posts: 149 Member
    I don't have Sketchers, but I :heart: :heart: :heart: my FitFlops! Sandels, boots, shoes, love them all :happy:
  • _LilPowerHouse
    _LilPowerHouse Posts: 365 Member
    I bought a pair of the shape ups because they ease the pain in my leg while using the elliptical, I do say that at least for me my calves have gotten huge, not sure about my butt, LOL, I'll have to ask my wife about that one.. :laugh:
  • LolaRuff
    LolaRuff Posts: 3
    I have plantar facitis, and for anyone who has this in their feet, will testify that walking or jogging is nearly impossible. Sketchers, or any other type of 'rocker bottom' shoe is the only thing that will help, (not including Dr recommended items) I have had this condition for years in my right foot. These shoes have been the only thing that has made it possible for me to work out again, and with out them I would not have been able to lose 38 lbs!! And while the lawsuits are there, please keep in mind, that those person probably expected to loose lots of weight, and didn't think to reduce their calories, and exercise as they were supposed to. But for anyone with feet issues, these shoes will fix it, I swear by them!
  • yuliyax
    yuliyax Posts: 288
    I use avia trainers to work out, and I haven't noticed much difference, I'm asking because I walked 6 miles yesteday and now my back is in pieces, so I am thinking about wearing sketchers. Haven't worn them before for the reason mentioned before - they are really ugly.. and donot really go with chinos.. you know..
  • biznoche
    biznoche Posts: 43
    I really liked mine at first and noticed soreness in different muscles. I wore them for a year, and I think after awhile they didn't really work anymore. Eventually it got to the point where I couldn't wear them anymore because they were starting to hurt my legs, and not in a good "feel the burn" sort of way. I don't know why. For as expensive as they are, I would find some good back stretching exercises on the net and do a few of those everyday instead. You'll always hear mixed reviews about the shoes, I think the're probably different for everybody.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    The con is that people are more likely to go out and walk thus burn calories and use their leg muscles... they have slight instability which means they'll force your small muscles to work harder and get stronger... you'll feel a burn because you're out consciously walking for exercise!!!
  • InstantSunshine
    InstantSunshine Posts: 355 Member
    I've got the FitFlop version that look like lace up plimsolls. I had plantar fasciitis and was sick of the hard plastic insert I was wearing in my shoes.

    I don't think I believe all the claims, personally, although I followed the recommended "breaking in" procedure (that's you, not the shoes!) of just wearing them round the house for a day to get used to them. I have to say, the next morning I did wake up with an achy bum as though I'd been working out.

    But mainly, I don't think they've made a difference. I walk a lot anyway and always quite fast (to the station in the morning, and I've always left it too late, so am rushing).

    They are without a doubt the most comfy and supportive things for that and I wouldn't go back to anything else now - but just appreciate them for what they are, and don't let them tell you they'll give you amazing pins. You'll have to do that bit yourself!

    PS, the plantar fasciitis has totally gone, though. I'm not saying it was the shoes - but they may have helped...
  • sarahc001
    sarahc001 Posts: 477 Member
    I have plantar facitis, and for anyone who has this in their feet, will testify that walking or jogging is nearly impossible. Sketchers, or any other type of 'rocker bottom' shoe is the only thing that will help, (not including Dr recommended items) I have had this condition for years in my right foot. These shoes have been the only thing that has made it possible for me to work out again, and with out them I would not have been able to lose 38 lbs!! And while the lawsuits are there, please keep in mind, that those person probably expected to loose lots of weight, and didn't think to reduce their calories, and exercise as they were supposed to. But for anyone with feet issues, these shoes will fix it, I swear by them!

    this ^^^

    I bought these at Costco because they were cheap, and heard they are comfortable for people with high arches. They are GREAT for walking or standing, but I wouldn't feel comfortable jogging in them. I have heard that other people with high arches that spend the day standing in their job find them to be a lifesaver. I would not buy these as a "miracle fix" to tone you more than you would by walking alone; however, if it means that you would walk where you otherwise wouldn't, they're great!

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