Why Do People Work Out in Converse?

“Why do people work out in Converse?” People have often asked the question. The truth is, in every cause, people will always stick to what/where they find value.

People are always glued to products that help them in solving the problem of having those products in the first place.

It is undoing when a product turns out to defeat the purpose for which it is purchased. This brings one question to mind — “what are the qualities embedded in Converse that make it suitable for working out?”

Are there features in Converse that help people to glide with much ease during their workout routines? Is the market price relatively cheaper compared to other products?

But most cheap products don’t usually last long, if Converse is cheap and does not last long, why are people still sticking with the brand all these years?

This article will make an in-depth analysis of the reasons there are, so you’re able to make the right choice of footwear if you have a plan of having one soon.

Below are the reasons why people work out in Converse

  • Converse makes you closer to the ground
  • Converse are cheap and are of good quality
  • Converse is an established brand
  • Converse are flat

Why Do People Work Out in Converse

Converse makes you closer to the ground

As a fitness enthusiast who often gets engaged in fitness routines, a type of shoe you shouldn’t go anywhere near is one with a ridiculous high sole.

Even shoes that are moderately high soled are not advisable. Although they can be used, they are not comfortable.

Since “high” is relative, for the sake of clarity, the soles of Converse cut between 1-1.2cm while other random shoes go as high as 2.5-3cm.

While the height of a shoe sole is pretty inconsequential in the world of fashion, it is very crucial in the fitness world. Shoes with lower soles give an edge over disbalance to the weightlifters, squatters, skippers, and other people engaged in different exercises.

The importance of a low-soled shoe in weight lifting is pronounced. For example, doing a deadlift is a combination of both squatting and bending as you try to get the weight off the ground. When you put down the weight, what you’re simply doing is straightening up your body and standing upward.

This gets repeated. The fact that Converse is much closer to the ground makes this whole process easier in light of the information above.

This is because there is not much distance between the ground and your “straight-up” height. Shoes with thick rubber soles tend to create more distance for the process.

Besides, using shoes with high soles during some forms of weight lifting puts your ankle in a position of high susceptibility to ankle twists at the slightest disbalance.

Converse are cheap and are of good quality

Is no new fact that very expensive products are not common as not everyone can afford them. Converse are affordable, so it is only logical that they are seen with most people, such as people who work out.

The fact that Converse is affordable without sacrificing its quality is very rare among footwear.

Most workout shoes are pretty expensive, although they are of good quality. Understand that this is not to mean all expensive shoes have good qualities.

While most workout shoes are expensive and still have quality, Converse is comparably less expensive with good quality too. Quality and pocket-friendliness are the combined factors that make people exercise in Converse.

For example, you can get the Converse Men’s Chucks Taylor Sneakers for as low as $44, while the Puma Men’s R78 Futr Sneaker sells for $56. The Puma product is more expensive.

Converse is an established brand

Converse as a brand has been known since the year 1908. Converse is no stranger to the market. They are one of the few brands that are known for quality shoes for the last 100 years.

They keep up with trends and quality, they do well to update their products when there is a need to. So far, the only change about them is the upgrade of the value they deliver, otherwise, nothing much has changed about them. They haven’t stopped being “the people’s choice.”

If you have been with a brand as great as this, why change for some other product that you know little or nothing about?

There is a high-level confidence people get when they purchase products from brands that have made names for themselves over the years and have proven worthy by virtue of their track record.

People hardly ever want to offer themselves as the “lab rat” for products of brands that are just coming into the market. The goodwill of Converse is one of the reasons for its adoption by many people for their exercises.

Converse are flat

If you’re working out your butts and doing squats, flat shoes are the ideal shoes. Converse is great for this because it is flat and has a hard sole.

They are one of the greatest deals for the gym, especially if you are lifting weight using a barbell. If your working-out routines involve cross-training or doing jumps of any sort, then Converse is great for protecting your ankles.

What happens when you use a Converse to workout is; its flat surface imitates your barefoot. This, in turn, makes you use the whole of your feet in gripping the ground which causes more balance and makes your feet remain planted to the ground.

It also makes you push through with your heels which is a very essential thing in working out.

The flat nature of Converse allows for high flexibility which paves way for a higher range of movements. As such, Converse is great for weight training, aerobics, and other workouts that are multidirectional, like kickboxing.

Are Converse good for squatting?

Yes. Converse are cool for squatting. For most fitness freaks, Converse has been the ideal shoe for squats.

This is because its sole is made with rubber material that limits the range of movements so that you’re able to safely squat without slipping or going too forward.

The best part of Converse that enhances working out, especially squatting, is the midsole and the outsole because of their firmer materials. Converse has a very excellent level of squat usage in terms of optimal performance.

Having owned multiple pairs, I can tell, from a place of experience, that they are ideal for both squats and deadlift as they provide a flat surface while having a good grip of whatever terrain you are on when using them.

I will need you to understand that the sole of your shoes serves as the foundation for every single functional movement that you make. Think of the sole as the foundation of a building, whatever affects it affects balance in its entirety.

The sole is the core feature that sets the groundwork for the stability of our whole structure. The designers of  Converse know this, that is why they packed up the needed qualities in the sole needed for good balance.

When it comes to squatting, Converse is an ideal choice, even though it wasn’t initially designed for this.

Are Converse good for cardio?

Yes. And No. Cardio exercise isn’t just a single type of exercise but a body of exercise that involves varieties of exercises.

So, you should understand that while Converse has the feature to suffice for a certain type of exercise, it cannot exactly be great for another.

However, the recent designs of Converse have been imparted with the right dose of features to moderately fit for varieties of exercises, each exercise with their extent to which Converse aligns with them. Good enough.

But not as excellent as it would have been if those exercises were done with shoes that are specifically designed for them.

For example, there are:

  • High impact cardio
  • Low impact cardio

High impact cardio is a type of cardio that involves your feet being off the ground at some point during the routine. It is also termed “the weight-bearing exercise” as it requires you to support the weight of your body against the force of gravity.

Examples are high-impact aerobic dance, jumping, and other forms of advanced strength training. If you must do the exercises that fall in this category effectively, it requires footwear that is big on cushioning. And Converse is not. Except for the recent CX Converse.

However, low impact cardio involves exercises where one foot is on the ground at all times. Understand this well and not confuse low-impact cardio with low-intensity cardio as a lot of low-impact activities have high intensity.

They include low-impact aerobic dance, walking, hiking, and others. Cardio under this category is great with Converse because they require shoes with balance and good ground grip which are the qualities of Converse.

What shoes should you not use at the gym?

The type of shoes you shouldn’t wear to the gym involves the kind of workouts you’re going to do there. Nonetheless, there are other types of shoes that you should never wear to the gym regardless of the workouts you are getting involved in.

Below are the types of shoes you shouldn’t wear to the gym.

  • Boots
  • Sandals

Boots

Boots are not designed for treadmills, they are specifically designed to help keep your feet moderately dry and warm especially across difficult terrain.

Boots are not very breathable and they would have your feet storing up trapped sweat which would have you win “champion of the smelliest feet” if there was a competition like that.

Besides, boots clamp your legs above your ankles when you wear them. They make you uncomfortable when you try to do any form of squat as they squeeze.

Most boots are even weighty. They’re designed to be used in environments where there is a high need for feet protection, as such, the materials used are relatively denser which makes them heavy.

Heavy shoes are not comfortable for use in the gym because the wearer becomes saddled with the burden of trying to work out and having to deal with heavy legs.

Sandals

You are probably wondering who would even nurse the thought of wearing sandals to the gym. Well, surprisingly, it happens every day.

Sandals are never the ideal footwear for working out. Except in some cases with special people who have foot problems. Even at that, these cases are rare.

Sandals are not fit for the said cause because their designs are not equipped with the right features that should give your feet the right cushioning, arch support, balance, or toe protection that should be.

Many people would rather choose to work out in Converse because Converse would better keep their feet in tip-top position when they use them.

Feet protection is very vital when working out, sandals leave most parts of the feet in the open and vulnerable to injury. Working out with sandals is not just unfit for the gym but also terrible.

Note: the type of shoes that you should wear to the gym are:

  • Cross-training shoes: because these sets of shoes are great for hypertrophy and general strength training.
  • Lifting shoes: because they are shoes that work for balance and for the enhancement of powerlifting, aerobics, and High-Intensity training.
  • Running shoes: because they are great for treadmills and have minimal heel height and enhance your stability and control mechanism.

Conclusion

Oftentimes, footwear are not bad in themselves, they are just usually not used in their places of appropriateness.

Converse specifically, is a brand that has carved a good name for itself over time with an excellent track record, nonetheless, it is still limited to areas of use as no footwear is a perfect all-rounder.

“Why people exercise in Converse” has been answered and precise analysis has been made on other key details. You must stick to the guidelines therein as it has been structured to help you make better choices.

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