what shoes for Zumba?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone recommend shoes to use for Zumba? I've been using my running shoes, but they grip the floor too much, and I can't do some of the moves. I need something with good cushioning and support. Thanks!

[zumbamama]

I like Ryka studio sneakers. I used to have Nike O'shox made for dancing but the Rykas have a little more cushioning in the sole. But a lot of instructors have Nike Musiques or Vida Fitness sneakers. The best ones for your feet, however, are Bloch Boost sneakers...although they are not as cute as the Rykas or Nikes, unfortunately.

A circular or curved tread is what's important for turning and pivoting, so look for that in addition to cushion and support. Shoes made for tennis also have the same kind of tread that dance sneakers do, so that is another option.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Zumbamama!

[Anonymous]

http://www.vidadancefusionfitness.com/zumba.php

Found this info at the link above:

Q: What should I wear?

A: Wear comfortable clothes that you can move in (workout clothes). Because you will be twisting, pivoting, and sliding the best shoes for a ZUMBA® class are supportive cross trainer with not much rubber at the bottom, dance sneakers or aerobic dance shoes. Ideally something without deep treads that grip the floor too much to prevent the risk of knee injuries.

Because there is a lot of side-to-side movement in a Zumba® fitness class, you should consider buying a shoe that is a "trainer" rather than "running" because cross-trainers offer lateral support. While we do not particularly endorse one brand of shoe over another and preferences are also made by an individual’s comfort level, below are some dance-fitness shoes that seem to work for this type of workout:

Nike Shox Electro
Nike Danzante Star
Nike Musique III
Ryka Intensity XT3
Ryka studio D
Bloch Dance Sneakers
Addidas Bounce
And many more!!
In addition, you also need some cushion support so you may want to also invest in some inserts for your dance shoes. Keep in mind what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for you, you may have to trial and error before you find that perfect shoe to dance in.

[Anonymous]

These are the best shoes I've ever had for an aerobics/dance type class:

http://www.zappos.com/saucony-grid-virtue

They have the pivot, they are cushioned, but best of all they have a special mesh area on the sides so I don't get blisters or caluses from side-to-side movements.

[Anonymous]

I have Bloch dance sneakers with a split sole. They are pretty funky looking, but work much better than my cross trainers for zumba and other dance type of classes.

[Anonymous]

I found Ryka and Nike shoes to be the best. Ryka shoes are made for a woman's foot. The trick to making them supportive and comfy is to take out the innersole that the shoe comes with and put in an athletic innersole such as Spenco. Most of these shoes come with innersoles that can be taken out. Sometimes you have to buy a half size or size up in order to do this. Also look for a cross trainer as opposed to a running shoe. Cross trainers have multi-directional support whereas runners only have forward and back motion support and have less tread on the bottom of the shoe. Here is a complete list of the best shoes for dance-fitness classes: http://dancenyoga.com/best_shoes_for_zumba.html

[Anonymous]

I used to take jitterbug, which was quite aerobic but required a lot of twisting and turning, like zumba, and it was popular to wear comfy sneakers with felt glued to the bottom.

[Anonymous]

Is there anywhere to buy them locally or is online the best option?

[Anonymous]

I have Rykas and they are super comfortable. Order from zappos and you can return them easily if they don't fit.