Ten Things You should Know About MBT Shoes | MBT shoes help you ...

Sure, you’ve heard of those silly MBT shoes: shoes with curved soles, designed to help you lose weight and straighten your posture simply by carrying out your daily, casual walking. Sounds like the latest fad, right? You might be surprised to hear about the science and engineering behind these wacky walkers-as it turns out, there’s a lot more than meets the eye. In fact, we’re going so far as to venture that you haven’t heard any of these ten facts about MBT shoes: 1. MBT shoes were invented after a Swiss engineer got over some of his aches and pains. His name? Karl Muller, and he first started thinking about this whole odd-shoe foot structure thing when walking barefoot in Korea on soft ground that gave way to his feet. He noticed that knee and Achilles tendon pain went away. Was there something to this? Muller bet there was, and set about creating a shoe that could recreate his soft-ground, bare-foot experience. 2. MBT shoes are also inspired by the Masai tribe in Kenya. The Masai are a plentiful tribe in east Africa that frequently walk barefeet-yet they’re no slouches. They are renowned for having excellent posture, and many times their stature would make those of us in the western sphere feel like frumpy little eggs. 3. The shoes are designed to recreate the feeling of walking on soft ground. You may see them as ordinary shoes, but the fact that they’re shoes is almost incidental: MBT shoes are all about bare feet and soft earth. Of course, in the western world, we don’t have as much soft ground as they do in, say, Kenya, but we do have one thing: the MBT shoes. 4. MBT stands for “Masai barefoot technology.” You didn’t think that was just a randomly-assigned series of letters, did you? Of course you didn’t. You’re smarter than that. 5. The shoe is not an overnight sensation. Okay, maybe in the world of shoe companies, going from 1990s to 2000s with a successful, fresh shoe idea is “overnight.” <a href="http://www.cheapnikeairmaxshoess.com/nike-air-max-2010-c-44.html"><strong>nike air max 2010</strong></a> Then again, maybe it isn’t. The point is that even if you’ve only heard of MBT shoes this past year, they’ve been around and selling for quite a while. 6. There isn’t only one type of MBT shoe. That’s right-you may have seen MBT sneakers marketed here in the states, but there are a number of MBT shoes available, including sandals, clogs, casual shoes, boots, and even professional shoes. Check em out. We are reviewing all of the styles on this site. 7. A study showed that, indeed, the MBT shoe is easier on the knees and hips. Sheffield Hallam University concluded as much. 8. The fitness benefits are, shall we say, up in the air. No one’s quite sure the kind of fitness benefits that MBT shoes really have, but it might be almost negligible, at least compared to what customers are looking for. Still, that’s not what the original MBT was designed for. Since I bought mine I’ve lost weight, and have become more fit-but that’s because I walk 8-10 miles a week in them. Wearing actually helps. A lot. Consider this…Many of the top shoe manufacturers have come out with a knock-off version of the MBT concept. There is no denying the popularity of this innovative shoe. 9. MBT shoes aren’t a replacement for a healthy lifestyle. You can’t put on a pair of magical shoes and expect them to make you fit, no matter how much you want to. That being said, MBT shoes really can have benefits for your health and fitness. If you’re <a href="http://www.cheapnikeairmaxshoess.com/nike-air-max-90-c-10.html"><strong>nike air max 90</strong></a> like me, once you own a pair (or two) you want to go out and walk in them. They are fun to wear. Remember, a healthy lifestyle includes diet and exercise. Just don’t expect them to replace a healthy diet. 10. It’s not all about the sole. There are other components that go into the MBT shoes to recreate the soft ground/barefoot feel, including something known as a “Masai sensor.” So there you have it. Ten things you didn’t know about MBT Shoes. You’ll find a wealth of information about MBTs on this site…including reviews of the different shoe styles for men and women, and the many of the health benefits from wearing MBTs. So what are you waiting for? Start browsing the site. Find a style you like, and – dare I say?-”buy a pair.” You know you want Here’s what you don’t know. How to walk in your fabulous new pair of MBT shoes for the first time! MBT shoes are not like any other shoes, so just lacing ‘em up won’t work. Yes, actually putting MBT shoes on is the same, but those first steps are very different. There are actual steps you need to take to take those first steps. If you have gotten your MBTs from an authorized retailer, you will be able to get additional support from their knowledgeable customer service representatives. Initial Wear After you have admired your MBT shoes fresh out of the box, put them on. Easy enough. You will have extra room at the toes. Do not jam your toes further up! The shoes will fit snugly at the instep and heel. Your heel should be pushed back to the edge of the shoe. Before you walk: If you have <a href="http://www.cheapnikeairmaxshoess.com/nike-air-max-90-c-10.html"><strong>air max 90</strong></a> bad posture (and you probably do-even if you think you don’t), take in a very deep breath-through your mouth-and fill your lungs and chest. The resulting position you should be in is proper upright posture. Put One Foot In Front of the Other Look straight ahead of you. Do not look at your feet. Your first steps should be slow and even. They should also be as natural as possible. Your foot and leg positions should be essentially parallel, and your legs should be hip-width apart. The Actual Step Your foot should land on your heel with each step-at the Masai Sensor. Roll over the sole of the shoe without lifting your foot, and then roll forward to your toes. Your foot should lift off at the toes. Repeat. Increase your pace to a speed that is between walk and jog-not a jog itself. You should be maintaining the rolling movement with each step and an upright, straight position. After several steps, reduce your speed and stop. Each time you wear your MBTs, you will be able to go farther, faster-but increase this gradually so your muscles can adjust. Standing Exercise: When you are standing in your MBTs, do not let your feet roll out or in. Focus on staying steady and balanced. This will require effort, but that is the point. Rock yourself back and forth from heel to toe. Finding your balance and maintaining it is a wonderful exercise. General Tips to Walk Correctly Yes, I know you can all walk. But if you’re like me, you just walk. You do not pay attention to the form and function of your walking. MBT shoes are designed to force you to call attention to those details, and if you want the most benefit from your MBTs, you should know the basics. Keep your back straight-all of the time Keep your shoulders back and your chest open Have a slight bend in your knees-never lock them Use opposite arm and leg movement (right arm moves with left leg and reverse) Maintain a steady gait Focus on your center of gravity and core-balancing and supporting the weight of your upper body with your upper body, not just your legs Your should be activating all of the following muscles-neck, back, abs, hamstrings, calves, shins, and buttocks. And Soon You’ll Be Walking Out the Door… So now you have done it. Your first steps have been a success, and you are ready for more. Enjoy your MBTs-the comfort they offer and the health benefits! “The first steps felt a little awkward, but I was surprised at how quickly I got used to them.” “I really appreciated having some guidance on how to take my first steps.” “I had no idea how incorrect my walking stance and <a href="http://www.greentownfc.com/blog/blog.php?do=showone&uid=5406&type=blog&itemid=4055 38"><strong>Customize Converse Shoes on Customize Shoes</strong></a> balance was until I found MBTs. Wearing these shoes has forced me to focus on each step and the position of my entire body-and the results have been tremendous!” Article source:http://blog.outletsell.com/ten-thing...hoes/2602.html Tagged with: barefoot in Korea &bull; Karl Muller &bull; mbt shoe&nbsp; Recent Entries August 2011 July 2011 This entry was posted on Thursday, July 14th, 2011 at 12:26 am and is filed under mbt fashion, mbt news, mbt product. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. 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