Need some motivation to be more active? Walking is a great way to increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. Just 30 minutes of daily walking can improve your overall health. Plus, it’s easy to do! Just make sure you have some properly fitted walking shoes before you hit the trails.
Why Walking?
It’s a fantastic way to liven up your day! Here are some benefits of making a walk part of your active routine:
- Good for the heart. Walking regularly helps strengthen your heart, reducing your risk for coronary heart disease.
- Lose weight. Burn calories and keep those pounds off!
- Protect your joints. Keeps the joint-supporting muscles lubricated and strong.
- Strengthen your legs. Use those leg muscles and tone your legs.
- Energy boost. When you’re tired, a good walk is actually a great way to boost your energy because it increases oxygen flow in your body.
- Mood boost. Helps reduce depression, anxiety, and bad moods.
- Creativity boost. Clear your mind with a brisk walk, and you’ll find yourself thinking more creatively.
With all these great reasons to take a walk and improve your life, you have nothing to lose! Get on those shoes and take half an hour to do something good for your body and your mind.
Find the Perfect Pair of Shoes for Walking
The kickoff to a new season of walking deserves a new pair of walking shoes! Not only will you be more motivated to get out and be active, but a good pair of shoes will also help prevent blisters and calluses. Omega Sports has everything you need to find the perfect fit.
Free Shoe Fitting Evaluations
Get the proper fit by coming into one of our stores and asking for a free fitting evaluation. No appointment needed, and there is no obligation to buy a pair of shoes. We will ask you some questions about yourself and your lifestyle, and then we will scan your feet and your walking gait. Based on the results, we then recommend the best shoes for you.
More Tips for Buying the Perfect Shoes
Picking the right pair of walking shoes depends on a number of factors. You’ll want to consider where you are going to walk. If you will mostly be on pavement, you should go with a running or multisport shoe. If your walks take you off the beaten path, consider a trail runner or a light hiking shoe.
Flexibility is key to a good shoe. When you pick up the shoe at both ends and bend up the toe, the shoe should bend at the ball of the foot. Also, if you twist the shoe, you should feel some moderate resistance.
Test out your shoes before buying them. They should feel snug, not tight, and you should have room to wiggle your toes. When you walk down an incline, your toes shouldn’t bump into the front of the shoes. When you walk up stairs, your heels should not lift off the insoles more than 1/8 of an inch.
Some people need extra support to compensate for feet that tilt while walking. Balance your gait with a pair of motion control shoes, or find an insole that will do the trick.
If you have any questions about finding the best pair of walking shoes, please stop by any of our neighborhood sports stores or check out our inventory online. Our experience ACTIVE-PLAY Experts will help answer any questions and help you try on a few pairs of shoes to find the correct ones.
