By Vicky Waite
Back in 1998 I was on my way to an appointment to meet a fitness instructor who I thought would be the perfect candidate to buy advertising and reach our baby boomer audience. So, here I was in the parking lot a little early rehearsing what I would say and feeling a little anxious from an overdose of cafiene. I happen to look up and in front of my car is this guy running in the parking lot with these funny looking sneakers. I started to laugh out loud. Not sure what the people passing by thought but it was spontaneous.
So I pull myself together and go inside to meet with my appointment and guess who it was. Yes. The guy with the comical looking sneakers. And he still was wearing these sneakers so I did my best to hold off from laughing in front of him. While we continued our discussion my nerves began to calm and I got a hold of myself. Thank goodness I didn't bust out during our meeting.
While we were talking I couldn't help looking down at his feet. I finally asked the big question. What is that you are wearing? I never seen anything like those before. And, that's when he said they are MBT sneakers and explained the advantages and benefits of wearing them and how they improved his workouts. I remember reading about them but never saw a picture before. Our meeting took me on a journey to find out more about MTB sneakers. After more research I purchased a pair.
I got on my treadmill and found it a little difficult to walk at first but by the time I was done I was use to them. They actually feel great with plenty of cushion and support. And, you don't get the full pounding feeling on the treadmill like you would with regular sneakers. I haven't come across another sneaker out there like them.
The MBT's originated in Switzerland in 1996. These sneakers have the Masai barefoot technology. MBT made the discovery that natural stability can have a positive effect on the human body. They actually watched the Masai people walking bare foot on the natural, uneven ground. By seeing these people in action made them realize that the human body is not designed to walk or stand on hard, flat surfaces. So they set out to develop a footwear that would mimic walking in them, the ground doesn't feel flat and stable, so the body has to compensate and create stability. The key to the function of the MBT's is the curved sole construction. IT's balancing area requires an active and controlled rolling movement and therefore can help the body to improve balance and posture while walking and standing.
There are many claims out there of how the MBT's reduce stress on the knee and hip joints and help with back, hip, leg and foot problems. And, it always has been said that people who have a regular exercise routine should throw out their sneakers every two years and replace with a new pair. I actually still have the original pair I bought in the late 90's, and they still feel great! I would give these sneakers two thumbs up and yes, they are worth every penny. I have never had any foot or knee injuries that most have suffered after years of running or using a tread mill.
I would be careful when purchasing a pair, due to a lot of copy cats out there. So that day I met up with the fitness instructor and holding in my laugh attack was well worth it. I sold one of the largest advertising contracts of my life! Aways contact your physician before considering any exercise program. For more information got to www.mbt.com.