Daily shoes that strengthen your legs?

[shopbruin]

I see women who wear them here on campus. They bounce when they walk. (No it's not a good bounce. I'm talking about middle aged office workers)

Don't buy them.

 

[gorcorps]

haha you guys crack me up. I surf, I'm going to be playing in on of the top tennis leagues, I run a little, I hike. For some reason the way I walk? I have fairly weak calves. I used to play bball but my vertical leap was non existent. Even with all that I'm not explosive playing bball or I'd like to be a bit faster on the tennis court. I'm a competitor so in our tennis league I'd really like to be in shape but of course I'm also a desk worker 10-12 hrs a day and the gym is not exciting for me.

Then do calf raises. Hang your heels of the edge of the stairs or a ledge, hold on to a railing and just dip the heels of your feet up and down. It burns pretty damn quickly if you have weak legs. If they get too easy throw on a backpack and fill it with books and shit for added weight.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Holden if you want explosion playing basketball you've come to the right man. I love playing b-ball and I found myself in your shoes years ago. There is no secret easy way to get it. Just like the others have said squat, squat, and then do more squats. I've added a shitload to my vertical and explosion is off the charts. When I make my move it's like guys are stuck in quicksand. I use to be the slow guy that got abused on the court. I'll be 30 next month and I'm still leaving guys in the dust that are 20 years old. Your calves have little to nothing to do with your explosion and vertical. Maybe 5% of it is in the calves. If you want that Rafael Nadal type explosiveness on the tennis court you best be looking at strengthening your legs big time.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Gyms are stupid. The work is boring, and replaces the work you removed from your life by buying labor saving devices. If you have a lawn, get an old school reel mower. They work well, and you'll accomplish something with your effort. If you want an extreme workout, let the grass get long. I've found that reel mowers brutally punish laziness, and I only skipped a week of mowing ONCE :^D

That because you don't have a good mindset of the gym. Where else will I get a set of weights that are preconfigured so that I can easily track my progress and get stronger in a linear fashion?

4 weeks into my formal Gym workout and my Squat weights have increased by 70 pounds, my bench about 30 pounds, my dead lift 85 pounds and I feel great.

Mowing the lawn every once in a while won't show those gains and won't keep it anywhere near as well.

Also, if you want stronger legs, as I said before, do squats. If you want calves, either do calf raises with dumb bells or do it on a leg press machine. Shoes won't give you anything a old fashioned weight lifting will.

You will see very quick gains if you do it right.

 

[holden j caufield]

ok thx guys, guess I'll be doing squats, little biking and calf raises, haha what a koinkidink I'll be 30 soon but I feel as agile, stronger and fitter upper body wise, legs feel the same as 18 (they were weak then too lol). That'll save me $100, was thinking about buying the jump soles. lolz

 

[lxskllr]

That because you don't have a good mindset of the gym. Where else will I get a set of weights that are preconfigured so that I can easily track my progress and get stronger in a linear fashion?

Who cares about tracking progress? That's only good for bragging to people online. If you're working your body, you're making progress. It doesn't matter how much you're progressing, and there's no need to put it in a spreadsheet. Gyms give an unnatural development, because you're working unnaturally. The ideal physique is the fresh out of boot camp build. That was achieved by doing things the human body was meant to do.

If you put work into your daily life, you don't have to go to a gym, and your workout is tailored to making things you DO easier for you. Work in an office? Ride a bike to work, and take the stairs when you get there.

When you go the mall, instead of idling around the parking lot looking for a close space, take the easy spot near the trees and walk.

Want a cordless drill? use a manual drill. No batteries to charge, and it'll work as long as you do.

Live in the city, and want to lift weights? get a trashbag, and pick up all the shit laying around. You get to lift weights, and you're making your environment prettier.

Instead of buying labor saving gadgets, do shit manually. Work for it's own sake is retarded. You're paying to expend energy, and waste electricity. There's enough ways to add work into your daily life without paying someone for the privilege of doing so.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Who cares about tracking progress? That's only good for bragging to people online. If you're working your body, you're making progress. It doesn't matter how much you're progressing, and there's no need to put it in a spreadsheet. Gyms give an unnatural development, because you're working unnaturally. The ideal physique is the fresh out of boot camp build. That was achieved by doing things the human body was meant to do.

If you put work into your daily life, you don't have to go to a gym, and your workout is tailored to making things you DO easier for you. Work in an office? Ride a bike to work, and take the stairs when you get there.

When you go the mall, instead of idling around the parking lot looking for a close space, take the easy spot near the trees and walk.

Want a cordless drill? use a manual drill. No batteries to charge, and it'll work as long as you do.

Live in the city, and want to lift weights? get a trashbag, and pick up all the shit laying around. You get to lift weights, and you're making your environment prettier.

Instead of buying labor saving gadgets, do shit manually. Work for it's own sake is retarded. You're paying to expend energy, and waste electricity. There's enough ways to add work into your daily life without paying someone for the privilege of doing so.

Tracking progress is important because it shows if you're doing exercises right or not. If you don't go up in strength, then you know you've peaked or you've been doing the exersize wrong. Working your body just through normal life isn't enough. Normal life isn't muscle usage agnostic. You don't always hit the muscles that should be worked. And even the muscles that are worked arne't stimulated enough to make much of a difference.

I'm not sure how you argue that gyms give you unnatural development, because it is a 100% natural way to develop muscle. You lift heavy things so your muscles get stronger. Simple.

Also, all the things you've mentioned are usually cardio based things. Normal every day life simply does not stress the muscles in a way that optimizes health.

As for lifting weights, trash isn't always available, in the weights you want. If you want to lift heavy trash, work out at a gym, you'll pick stuff up thats heavier then you ever imagined you could because you have consistently been picking up heavy weights rather than in consistently lifting things. Also, trash bags don't evenly work out your muscles, as you prefer one arm over another. Also, picking up trash doesn't target the muscles properly because most likely you aren't undergoing a full range of muscle nor do they stress the muscles properly.

And unless the lights that are already on waste electricity by me being there, I don't see how it applies. By paying (100 bucks for a year, chump change), I get access to regular heavier weights that work all my core muscles equally and accesses parts of my body I don't use. I learn how to pick up heavy things in a proper way that use correct muscles the minimize chance of injury, I learn how to properly load my back to minimize back strain, and I increase overall body power.

Working out for the sake of working out is important to achieve true health.

Concepts like parking your car farther away and such are such uniquely American concept. Instead of actually putting in effort to take care of your body, you simply just make a tiny change that barely makes a difference and makes people feel better about themselves. Instead of just hoping that everyday life is keeping you fit, actually do something that ensures that you are fit.

Just because you don't think that being able to take pride in your own body can't

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

@Lxskllr
OP is not looking for that type of exercise. Sure raking up leaves and mowing the yard works for the majority of people but OP has already mentioned the fact he likes being competitive when he plays tennis or basketball. Fact is mowing the yard is not going to be strenuous enough to build the muscle he's looking for so he can jump higher, run faster, and have that reaction speed that he's looking for. So while playing basketball or tennis might not be worthy of expending energy or money to join a gym to you it is to many other people.

 

[lxskllr]

Tracking progress is important because it shows if you're doing exercises right or not. Working your body just through normal life isn't enough. Normal life isn't muscle usage agnostic. You don't always hit the muscles that should be worked. And even the muscles that are worked arne't stimulated enough to make much of a difference.

No, it isn't important. Somehow people managed all this time without a single manufactured weight, or an air conditioned room to work in. If you're doing something, you're doing it right. I doubt there's many people here training for the Olympics. You specialize when you're competing at the highest levels, and the freakish bodies are testament to that.

I'm not sure how you argue that gyms give you unnatural development, because it is a 100% natural way to develop muscle. You lift heavy things so your muscles get bigger.

No, it's too individualized, and you're spot working muscles in an unnatural way.

Also, all the things you've mentioned are usually cardio based things. Normal every day life simply does not stress the muscles in a way that optimizes health.

Those were just examples. There's 10,000,000,000 things you can do to make work.

As for lifting weights, trash isn't always available, in the weights you want. If you want to lift heavy trash, work out at a gym, you'll pick stuff up thats heavier then you ever imagined you could because you have consistently been picking up heavy weights rather than in consistently lifting things.

I don't know what magic land you live in, but there's no shortage of trash in the places I live, and you can exercise every part of your body getting it, and do something for the world at the same time, all at no cost to you.

And unless the lights that are already on waste electricity by me being there, I don't see how it applies. By paying, I get access to regular heavier weights that work all my core muscles equally and accesses parts of my body I don't use. I learn how to pick up heavy things in a proper way that use correct muscles the minimize chance of injury, I learn how to properly load my back to minimize back strain, and I increase overall body power.

It's wasted because the building shouldn't be there in the first place. It's filled with people who have removed all the work from their lives by using labor saving devices, and are paying to add the work back.

Working out for the sake of working out is important to achieve true health.

Incorrect, as I've shown above.

 

[lxskllr]

@Lxskllr
OP is not looking for that type of exercise. Sure raking up leaves and mowing the yard works for the majority of people but OP has already mentioned the fact he likes being competitive when he plays tennis or basketball. Fact is mowing the yard is not going to be strenuous enough to build the muscle he's looking for so he can jump higher, run faster, and have that reaction speed that he's looking for. So while playing basketball or tennis might not be worthy of expending energy or money to join a gym to you it is to many other people.

It absolutely will if you use the mower I suggested. It doesn't take long for the grass to get high enough where your legs are burning after only tens of feet. You also get the bonus of working your upper body which will help both tennis and basketball.

Picking up trash is also ideal for that. Go clean up a stream bed. long stretches climbing up and down stream banks are ideal for leg strength, and the bags of trash you're carrying work your upper body.

Both of these will give a total workout, and a balanced body.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

No, it isn't important. Somehow people managed all this time without a single manufactured weight, or an air conditioned room to work in. If you're doing something, you're doing it right. I doubt there's many people here training for the Olympics. You specialize when you're competing at the highest levels, and the freakish bodies are testament to that.



No, it's too individualized, and you're spot working muscles in an unnatural way.



Those were just examples. There's 10,000,000,000 things you can do to make work.



I don't know what magic land you live in, but there's no shortage of trash in the places I live, and you can exercise every part of your body getting it, and do something for the world at the same time, all at no cost to you.



It's wasted because the building shouldn't be there in the first place. It's filled with people who have removed all the work from their lives by using labor saving devices, and are paying to add the work back.



Incorrect, as I've shown above.

Nope Nope Nope.

1. People managed fine because they weren't in sedentary lifestyles. They were chopping down wood (Which is an amazing exercise by the way, it targets arm muscles and tons of core muscles and even leg muscles, doing field work, and other physically demanding things.

2. That implies that I do spot training, which I don't. Every single exercise I do is a compound exercise that uses groups of muscles to do a task in a natural way. Compound exercises emphasize movements that your body would do naturally if you underwent the same movements. They only people who should be doing isolation exercises are people who are specifically training it for competitions or something similar.

3. And all those those things fail in the face of good old working out with weighs, because every single example is just applying smaller stresses to your muscles in daily life rather than big stresses in a gym that actually build muscle. All your examples are seriously just easier versions of just going to the gym.

4. Like I said, trash removal will exercise some parts, but ignore others. And how much weight are we talking about? How much can a trash bag hold? I work in catering the heaviest trashbags I've ever held weren't more than 50 pounds. And this is heavyduty giant trashbags filled with fluids and food. 50 pounds is light, and I doubt that your every day neighborhood trash pickup will involve more than 50 pounds used in a mechanically muscle forming way. If you're simply walking you're not using the full motion of your leg, which doesn't work it out in a proper way. The work you do in hauling bags of trash would be much better used by squatting 275 pounds, which in one fell swoop could replace a weeks worth of picking up trash as it actually stresses your core and legs in a full way.

5. Essentially unless everyone to go out start chopping all their wood, dragging logs, doing field work, or lifting pigs all day, you will not get the exercises required to make a balanced body simply by removing some labor saving devices. The only labor saving devices we really use day to day are cardio based.

6. And no you haven't shown anything. You've only provided counter points and haven't shown why normal every day work will achieve health.

 

[Schfifty Five]

I'm sort of a lazy walker by nature. I've seen commercials for Skechers shoes that say the strengthen or train you to walk better? I've heard these shoes aren't great, was wondering if there are any regular shoes that would do what I'm looking for? Thanks

If you are talking about Sketcher Shapeups or reebox eztone shoes, those don't train you to walk better. They just strengthen your calf/leg/gluts muscles.

If you suck at walking, you should probably see a foot doctor to get specialized shoes that help you walk normally.

 

[lxskllr]

Nope Nope Nope.

1. People managed fine because they weren't in sedentary lifestyles. They were chopping down wood (Which is an amazing exercise by the way, it targets arm muscles and tons of core muscles and even leg muscles, doing field work, and other physically demanding things.

Thanks for making my point for me. Don't be sedentary. There's enough things that need to be done, that paying someone else to do absolutely nothing is stupid.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

There is no possible way you'd get the same workout you get at the gym by mowing the yard or lifting trash cans. Even if there was I'm not going to be out in the middle of the street with my neighbors trash can above my head doing military presses.:/

 

[lxskllr]

There is no possible way you'd get the same workout you get at the gym by mowing the yard or lifting trash cans. Even if there was I'm not going to be out in the middle of the street with my neighbors trash can above my head doing military presses.:/

I see. So it's easier to drive to the gym eh?

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Thanks for making my point for me. Don't be sedentary. There's enough things that need to be done, that paying someone else to do absolutely nothing is stupid.

No. It's not an argument for you. I don't know the nearest place to go where I can start chopping wood with regularity nor do I know where I can go to pick up pigs all day every day. I do have a half dozen exams in the next week. I'm also pretty sure that people who have desk jobs don't exactly know the nearest place to chop wood all day either.So of course the gym is the next best place because you get to work out, without having to start chopping wood. The farm lifestyle isn't the lifestyle of everyone anymore. Going to the gym replaces that quite nicely.

And also, I'm not paying someone to do absolutely nothing, as I said I'm paying someone to get access to configured weights regularly, and in only 4 weeks, I've seen ridiculously massive gains, is that nothing?

And did you just ignore everything else that talks about the importance of a good regular workout that progressively gets harder and works out everything?

Also, I usually do walk to the gym, I've been taking the bus lately as there is a layer of ice that could kill you.

But walking to the gym, 25 minutes away by foot, burns an obscenely negligible amount of calories as opposed to an actually workout. Also, your retort to oilfield doesn't say anything.

 

[lxskllr]

No. It's not an argument for you. I don't know the nearest place to go where I can start chopping wood with regularity nor do I know where I can go to pick up pigs all day every day. I do have a half dozen exams in the next week. I'm also pretty sure that people who have desk jobs don't exactly know the nearest place to chop wood all day either.

Yup, chopping wood and lifting pigs. That's the only thing anyone did in the history of civilization until the mid 20th century :^S

And also, I'm not paying someone to do absolutely nothing, as I said I'm paying someone to get access to configured weights regularly, and in only 4 weeks, I've seen ridiculously massive gains, is that nothing?

Gains for what? Are you a professional lifter? Epeen? lifting ever increasing weight isn't any better for you than doing something normal all the time.

And did you just ignore everything else that talks about the importance of a good regular workout that progressively gets harder and works out everything?

I've already addressed that. You go ahead and waste your money. I don't really give a shit. I'm just here to point out the fallacy, and your contradictions.

 

[Nebor]

It absolutely will if you use the mower I suggested. It doesn't take long for the grass to get high enough where your legs are burning after only tens of feet. You also get the bonus of working your upper body which will help both tennis and basketball.

Picking up trash is also ideal for that. Go clean up a stream bed. long stretches climbing up and down stream banks are ideal for leg strength, and the bags of trash you're carrying work your upper body.

Both of these will give a total workout, and a balanced body.

WTF. Shouldn't you be busy churning some butter or viewing the latest stereopticons or something you fuckin' redneck freakazoid?

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Yup, chopping wood and lifting pigs. That's the only thing anyone did in the history of civilization until the mid 20th century :^S


Gains for what? Are you a professional lifter? Epeen? lifting ever increasing weight isn't any better for you than doing something normal all the time.


I've already addressed that. You go ahead and waste your money. I don't really give a shit. I'm just here to point out the fallacy, and your contradictions.

1. Like you, I'm giving examples. Humanity has achieved a more sedentary lifestyle because things that we needed to do to survive just aren't needed anymore. We don't hunt our meat and drag it back home, the majority of us (In the US anyway) don't farm, we simply don't have the need or even really the opportunities to do the hard labor that our ancestors needed to do in order to survive.

2. Lots of things actually. Practicality is one, being able to lift heavy things is really helpful for me. My job in catering requires me to lift 15 gallon containers constantly, and working out allows me to make that job easier, also after starting to work out, I've been doing it more safely, relying more on my legs then my back. And when I HAVE to use my back, my core muscles have developed enough to make it easy to support 15 gallons of water on it. I've also needed to toss garbage bags into dumpsters over my head. The Power clean helped be develop that explosive power to take said 60 pound garbage bag and haul it above my head without hurting my back

I also hold jobs for concert sounds and lighting. Sound have those fuckhuge speakers that weigh about 80 pounds. I can easily take two of those and carry them because of my squats. It's barely encumbering anymore, and is only limited by the unwieldiness of holding 2 80 pound speakers. Dead lifiting helped me develop my grip strength and squats developed my legs and core muscles.

Doing proper workouts also encourages doing manual labor outside the gym in a way that decreases your chance of getting hurt and in ways that also make it easier to lift heavy things.

I can also defend myself. More muscles means harder punches and kicks.

Lifting weights also promotes general overall health. Your muscles are supported, the characteristic elderly slouch doesn't happen as much as your core muscles are exersized so that they remain strong, your cardiovascular health is also improved because doing heavy explosive workouts your heart rates starts shooting up because your body is struggling to put oxygen to your muscles.

Also, I feel better about my body. Taking pride in yourself is important.

And finally, you haven't proven anything. You used the word "contradiction" and "fallacy" and I don't think you know what they mean. I haven't contradicted myself at all. Maybe you showed arguments that may or may not show that I am wrong, but that is not the meaning of contradicting myself, also there is no fallacy because you haven't shown how my own argument fails to support my other arguments.

 

[holden j caufield]

If you are talking about Sketcher Shapeups or reebox eztone shoes, those don't train you to walk better. They just strengthen your calf/leg/gluts muscles.

If you suck at walking, you should probably see a foot doctor to get specialized shoes that help you walk normally.

so they do some of what the advertise? Amazon has great reviews for them. I think progress is important in that it motivates you more. If you start seeing signs of a six pack after working out a month well you'll be gung ho to continue. If you see no progress even if there is minimal progress, you're like fck it why am I doing this.

 

[OCGuy]

You should team up with Quebert and get some energy bracelets.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Who cares about tracking progress? That's only good for bragging to people online. If you're working your body, you're making progress. It doesn't matter how much you're progressing, and there's no need to put it in a spreadsheet. Gyms give an unnatural development, because you're working unnaturally. The ideal physique is the fresh out of boot camp build. That was achieved by doing things the human body was meant to do.

If you put work into your daily life, you don't have to go to a gym, and your workout is tailored to making things you DO easier for you. Work in an office? Ride a bike to work, and take the stairs when you get there.

When you go the mall, instead of idling around the parking lot looking for a close space, take the easy spot near the trees and walk.

Want a cordless drill? use a manual drill. No batteries to charge, and it'll work as long as you do.

Live in the city, and want to lift weights? get a trashbag, and pick up all the shit laying around. You get to lift weights, and you're making your environment prettier.

Instead of buying labor saving gadgets, do shit manually. Work for it's own sake is retarded. You're paying to expend energy, and waste electricity. There's enough ways to add work into your daily life without paying someone for the privilege of doing so.

I dunno man. I feel so much better all the time now than when I was out of shape. I'd have to work balls out for 12 hours a day doing the type of boring manual labor you're describing to even approach the benefits I get from one hour a day of planned, targeted, and focused exercise. For one hour a day I get to improve the quality of the rest of my life. I still have time to do all the other stuff I need to do, and I have more energy and mental acuity with which to do it. Actually spending time doing things that are directly meant to improve your physical conditioning is far more efficient than doing busy work which might provide some conditioning as a sort of side bonus.

 

[silverpig]

*pictures OP wearing sketchers shape-ups while playing wii tennis*

 

[zerocool84]

We wore these in football.

 

[Malak]

My grandpa swears by the sketchers but I found them uncomfortable.