How to Select the Right Footwear for Spinning

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Selecting the right footwear for Spinning, an exercise routine that uses stationary bicycles in an aerobic classroom environment, is essential to both your level of performance and your safety. Choosing the right shoe for Spinning will depend upon your own personal style, as well as the type of stationary bicycle you will be using.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Correct footwear for Spinning

Select the Right Footwear for Spinning

Step1

Find out what type of stationary bicycle you will be using for your Spinning class, since the type of pedals dictate what type of shoe you need. Most pedals have a simple strap that comes over the top of your shoe, which allows for a variety of footwear. Some pedals have toe clips that require a bicycling cleat.

Step2

Choose a shoe that has a porous construction on the uppers so that your foot will be able to breathe, since Spinning creates a lot of perspiration.

Step3

Select a shoe with a hard, non-flexible sole that will help you keep your foot on the pedal more easily.

Step4

Consider a high quality cross training shoe if you intend to use it for more than just Spinning. This is a practical idea if you engage in fitness routines other than Spinning while you're at the gym.

Step5

Make sure that your shoes or cleats fit your feet snugly, so there is no give while pedaling. A shoe that fits loosely and moves around too much on your foot will cause you to be inefficient and expend more energy.

Step6

Try to use a shoe that is secured with a Velcro strap, as opposed to shoelaces. For obvious reasons, an untied shoelace can be a safety hazard around bicycles.

Step7

Opt for a bicycling cleat with SPD (Shimano Pedal Design) if you're serious about achieving the highest level of performance while Spinning. An SPD cleat offers the most efficient way to attach a cleat to the stationary bike pedal. Most people who select SPD-type shoes swear by them, and find it difficult to go back to conventional footwear.

Step8

Check online resources for more tips about Spinning footwear (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

Spinning is an intense exercise regimen designed to raise and lower your heart rate over extended lengths of time. Consult with your doctor before starting any type of exercise routine, especially one that can aggravate an existing heart condition.