Did you look at your feet right there when I said what's on your feet? Did you? 

Made you look :)

But seriously, what are you wearing on your feet right now?  Are they sneakers? Are they tennis shoes?* Flip flops? High heels? 

These are all sneakers right? Yes and no. Not one of them is actually designed for performance. These are all retro throwback shoes that were once used as running and tennis shoes, but don't have the modern day technology that actual performance shoes have. And yes, I have a shoe problem. No, this isn't even close to all of them...

If you are wearing sneakers, do you know what kind? 

If they are running shoes, do you know if they are stability shoes or minimalist shoes?

In today's saturated sneaker market it can be especially daunting to find the right type of shoe for your workouts. You might pull something off of the shelf because you like the color or the way they make your calves look in the mini-shoe mirror. But are they the best shoes for what your doing?

The right shoes matter for so many reasons. Do you have chronic back pain? Check your shoes. Knee pain? Check your shoes. Hip pain? Yes check your shoes. 

Also, just make sure they're tied. K?

Avoid sportswear and lifestyle shoes for training

So I have sort of a shoe problem, as you can tell from the photo above. More like...well...let's just say I would welcome a walk-in closet. :) I have a particular fondness, along with vinyl records, for vintage sneakers.

These vintage styles have made a big comeback in recent years, much to my delight, but even though they look like workout shoes, they're not meant for training. In fact, companies like New Balance, Puma, and Nike refer to these as lifestyle shoes. 

Double-check your workout shoes and make sure they are designed for performance. 

Running Shoes vs. Training shoes

Most clients I see walk in to the gym are wearing running shoes which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Most running shoes offer some lateral support and, depending on the style, cushioning. 

The biggest difference between runners and trainers is the tread. Running shoes typically have a more aggressive tread, while trainers have a flatter sole, more suitable to indoor surface. 

Are you primarily a runner who adds in two days of strength training? Choose a running shoe. Have you signed up for the local bootcamp, Zumba or crossfit class? Choose a trainer. The general rule is that trainers are safe for 3-5 miles of running, and runners are safe to do 1-2 days of training. 

It's tougher to see in this picture, but the shoe on the left is a running shoe, while the shoe on the right is a trainer. The tread on the left is much more aggressive and still fine for wearing in the gym, while the tread on the right is designed specifically for smooth surfaces. 

How can you tell the difference?

If you're at at a box shoe store such as a DSW Warehouse it's nearly impossible. The sneaker collection is lumped together in one aisle and this is where it becomes more difficult to tell a running shoe from a fashion shoe. 

But if you visit your local sporting goods or running store, you'll find different sections for training and running and lifestyle.

Are you a pronator, supinator, terminator or neutral?

If you're the Terminator well...I don't think shoes are a big concern for you.

Do your ankles cave in? Do you have a low arch or flat arch? You're a pronator.

Do you walk more on the outside of your feet? Then you're a supinator. And if you don't do either, chances are you're neutral. 

That's a crude explanation of foot types, but if you go to a running store to find a good pair of shoes these are what the sales folks are looking at when they look at your feet. 

Minimalist shoes

A few years ago, the book "Born to Run" by Chris McDougall revolutionized the running world, and the shoe world in general. By the time the book was written, Nike was already experimenting with the Nike Free and Vibram had produced those weird alien looking five fingered shoes that you'll still see at races and in gyms. 

McDougall began the book because he was looking for an answer to foot pain. The book is an excellent read, but the conclusion for McDougall is that he was simply wearing too much of a shoe and it was dramatically affecting his gait. 

I mention this here because minimalist shoes, such as the Nike Free, the New Balance Minimus, Altra Zero Drops, and others are great shoes that have been mixed into the market, but:

1. They are not for everyone

2. You should be aware of what you're buying when you buy them. Again, these shoes will be mixed in with the great deals at DSW Warehouse and TJ Maxx, but if you head off to a bootcamp class with a pair of minimalist shoes with no lateral support, you might be setting yourself up for injury.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to running and training shoes. But the bottom line is, pay attention to what's on your feet. 

And if you see me, pay attention to what's on my feet too, 'cause I kind of obsess over my shoes. :) 

* For some reason, growing up in Western Pennsylvania, we always had tennis shoes even though none of us played tennis. I digress.

So you signed up for your first 5K. Or your first 5K since Friends was part of Thursday night t.v. You weren't going to do it, but someone applied peer pressure the way Dolly Parton applies makeup and you crumbled like you were in middle school and everyone said it was cool to peg your acid washed jeans.*

The race is in a month and you’re putting off all of the things you should be doing. Like, I don’t know, running. Or working out at all. 

I’m not here to tell you that you won’t have to run. I mean you did sign up for a 5K. But I’m also here to make a few suggestions about some other exercises you can be doing to help prepare for the run. 

1. Soft tissue work and warm up

Do your foam rolling. Do it! Eat your vegetables and do your foam rolling. If you don't have a foam roller, use your Tiger Stick. (Or use a rolling pin. Just maybe don't tell your spouse). I've posted before on the benefits of foam rolling, and I realize that it can be tough to plop down on a roller before a race (hence the tiger stick). But using the roller to get the main muscles in your leg before a run can help get the blood flowing. 

And don't forget about your upper body. Many runners tend to hunch over and tense up the shoulders during the run, so using a lacrosse ball or baseball to get into the shoulder areas can be very helpful before and after the run.

After you do your soft tissue work, doing a dynamic warm up. In other words, do more than a few arm circles and cursory quad stretches. Deep squats, 90/90 hip shifts, rocking ankle mobs, hip flexor stretch, t-spine rotations are a few good ones to start. 

This video explains how to appropriately use a foam roller and baseball or lacrosse ball to warm up your muscles prior to working out. It’s also a sneak-peak into the type of videos included in my new product “Stronger You” to be released the first week of July.

2. Do some form drills and strengthen the glutes

We've all seen the video of Phoebe from Friends running. And I don't know what it says about me that I managed to make two references to "Friends" in the same post...

What are your glutes anyway? Well, there are three gluteal muscles that form our butt.

• The gluteus minimus, (the smallest), is situated immediately beneath the gluteus medius.
• The gluteus medius is a broad, thick, radiating muscle, situated on the outer surface of the pelvis.
• The gluteus maximus, the largest and most visual of the three. It makes up a large portion of the shape and appearance of the hips. It’s also the largest muscle in your body.

Weak glute muscles can lead to a host of injuries, including the dreaded runner's knee. Glute strength helps to provide stability in the lower leg. And trust me, that's a good thing.

Spend some time focusing on technique. Below are two exercises that can be very helpful in working the glutes and forcing you to concentrate on leg drive especially. No you're not planning to sprint in this 5K, until the very end when you want to catch that one dude that you KNOW you can beat. 

When done correctly, this exercise should burn your butt and get your heart rate up.

A strong butt can also help support proper trunk posture during the run, which leads me to point number three.

3. Don't neglect your core

Pretty much every post I write on everything comes back to having a strong core. A strong core can pretty much stop a zombie apocalypse, make a short person taller, and help you leap buildings in a single bound.  It can help with balance, posture, speed, endurance...a strong core is pretty much the unspoken key to happiness. 

Do your core work. And no, that's not a butt-ton of sit ups. It's some stuff like this: 

Instead of doing a front plank or side plank for time, work on using doing three-five full deep breaths during the exercise.

Be careful about letting your back arch. Pretend someone’s going to punch you in the gut - that’s bracing your core. Totally welcome for that.

4. Run

Last but not least, you should actually get some runs in. Build up slowly - if you're not currently running, start slowly. Follow a format of walking/jogging/walking/jogging. Choose a landmark in the distance and run to that landmark. Walk for a minute and repeat. Keep in mind that you will be ready to run from a cardiovascular standpoint sooner than your joints will be ready. So resist the urge to go from 0 miles a week to 30 miles per week. 

Listen to your body. Don't be like me and run on a stress fracture for a month. If something starts causing you pain stop running; immediately. 

Your 5K will be less fun if you can't run it.

*I'm talking about me here. This is how I signed up for a 10k and a Tough Mudder Half within a few weeks of each other. Also, I did peg my jeans.