In this article, you’ll discover if squash shoes are ideal for walking.
Nobody would think of installing a cheap tire on their beloved car.
After all, good adhesion is vital in terms of driving and braking properties.
But in squash, you can often see players — even professionals — who repeatedly stomp their feet on the ground in search of the right “grip” or even wipe the sole with the palm of their hand.
Although the floors of the different courts of the respective sports facilities are partly made differently.
According to many, this is a typical characteristic of squash.
Although squash shoes could make for manageable walking shoes, it is good etiquette not to wear your squash shoes outdoors, as the gym instructors might fine you for bringing dirt into the courtroom.
In this article, we would look at more suitable walking shoes for your convenience.
Indoor shoe with “non-marking sole”
No tennis player would complain that the Wimbledon turf was too slippery or that the Flushing Meadows hard court was too hard. Footballers have the right “tires”, the right shoe, for every space, from cams to screw-in studs.
Many squash players are initially dissatisfied with the nature of the court before they get the idea that it could be their fault or their shoe.
For beginners and advanced players, one thing is important when choosing a squash shoe: it must have a non-marking sole. This means that the sole should not leave any traces or residues on the respective hall floor.
The sole should therefore not leave any streaks of color or even dirt from the profile on the court. That is actually a matter of course, the inclined reader may now think. Talk to a squash operator of your choice. He will most likely tell you something else.
It goes without saying that the shoe should be the right size. It should not be too big, but also not too small, neither in length nor in width.
Most athletes have already found the right brand for them over the years, some are more suitable for slim feet, others for broad feet, some with a high instep and others not.
There are specialists for indoor shoes, as well as racket and ball specialists who have shoes in their range.
What the squash professionals wear in the World Tour of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) is certainly also a helpful indicator of the suitability of the shoe for squash sport. But other indoor sports, such as handball, badminton or floorball, are certainly ideally suited for squash.
What does an indoor shoe cost!
The question about the price can be answered with a clear “it depends”. You can get simple indoor shoes for little money. However, if you want special properties such as lightness, breathability, lateral stability, and grip, you will quickly find yourself in higher price regions, even with a top indoor shoe, like a good running shoe.
In simple terms, it can be said that greater comfort thanks to more cushioning contrasts with more direct contact with the ground through less cushioning. Athletes who tend to have problems in the ankle often choose a higher cut shaft that is similar to those used in basketball.
As with the racket, it is also said with the shoe: “Trying is better than studying”, so it is advisable to try on different shoes in the squash facility you trust. Everyone knows people who trudge through the sports shop in ski boots. It would certainly not occur to any of them to buy the right shoe without trying them on beforehand.
Nordic Walking Shoes
In addition to the sticks, the right shoes are the most important equipment for Nordic walking. Although they are not a must for practicing this sport, they make the cyclical sequence of movements much easier. The reason: They are perfectly adapted to the requirements of walking.
The ideal Nordic walking shoes are light, robust and support your feet in the typical rolling movement. As far as I know, there are no special Nordic walking shoes.
When looking for the right footwear, you should therefore keep an eye out for normal walking shoes. Running shoes, on the other hand, are unsuitable because they are tailored to a completely different type of movement.
Nordic Walking Shoes Properties
If you want to get Nordic walking shoes, you should pay particular attention to the following properties:
Rounded shoe sole with grip
A rounded shoe sole supports the rhythmic movement of Nordic walking and also reduces the risk of twisting an ankle.
The grip ensures that you don’t slip away. This is particularly important in autumn and winter. The rounded sole is practically the unique selling point of walking shoes.
Stability
The shoes should be well-padded and offer the best possible support. In particular, the toe cap of walking shoes is often padded.
Breathable
During physical activity, we inevitably sweat, and our body temperature increases. Breathable shoes ensure that our feet do not overheat and that the air can circulate properly.
Waterproof
Nordic walking is a sport that you can practice all year round. It is therefore important that the shoes are waterproof, especially in autumn and winter. But as you probably know, German summers can also get very wet. Waterproof shoes keep your feet dry in spite of wetness.
Flexibility
The ideal walking shoe adapts to the anatomy of your feet and thus gives you maximum flexibility. This flexibility in turn supports the rolling movement, which I will come back to separately later.
Weight
Despite stability and padding, the shoes must be as light as possible. After all, you can run 6,000 steps in an hour.
The number of steps varies, of course, from person to person. With this workload, it would be extremely counterproductive if you had blocks on your leg that hinder you.
Cushioning
When stepping on, the shoes should cushion the impact as well as possible so that the rest of your body is not shaken by the thud. Your joints – and especially your intervertebral discs – will thank you.
Cut
If you are very sensitive to the cold, I recommend high-cut shoes, otherwise, low-cut Nordic walking shoes will do the same. In winter I generally recommend high-cut shoes to brave the cold.
Why Rolling Movement?
In contrast to classic jogging, Nordic walking always has one foot on the ground.
The crux of the matter, however, its occurrence. When doing Nordic walking, you should make sure that you hit the ground with your heel first. Starting from the heel, you then slowly roll your foot on the floor. The heel is followed by the sole of the foot and only at the very end of the ball of the foot including toes.
Such a rolling movement is extremely energy efficient and helps you to find the right rhythm. In this way, you can cover a longer distance with less energy. Of course, this type of movement is also gentle on your joints. After all, your foot doesn’t hit the ground with your full body weight with every step.
If you want to know more about the correct technique for Nordic walking, I recommend the linked article. At this point, I can also recommend my article about the most common mistakes in Nordic walking.
How To Choose Shoe Size
Due to the padding, walking shoes are usually a bit smaller than conventional shoes. It is therefore advisable to order the shoes one size larger.
If the shoes don’t fit, you should definitely send them back and get the right size instead. Under no circumstances should you just walk around in unsuitable shoes.
The right size is crucial for the health and a safe gait. Shoes that are too small lead to uncomfortable blisters on the foot and pressure points, which in the worst case have to be cured for a few days. With shoes that are too big, on the other hand, you cannot walk properly.
Quality Nordic Shoes Manufacturers
When it comes to shoes, you should never save at the wrong end. Of course, this also applies to Nordic walking shoes.
Personally, I prefer to use well-known brands such as Reebok, Adidas, Ecco, or Asics. Most manufacturers offer their shoes in both men’s and women’s versions. Or directly unisex versions.
Are Running Shoes Alternatives
I have to admit: I myself use normal running shoes for Nordic Walking. That’s not optimal – I know that. I only see myself as a hobby Nordic walker, who is very interested in this sport and uses every opportunity for it, but I don’t have to achieve 100 percent in terms of efficiency.
I would definitely advise against street shoes or high heels. I have already tried the sport for the test with normal street shoes, but I did not get into the right rhythm. After a short time, my feet hurt.
However: If you just want to get a taste of the sport first, you can use running shoes without a guilty conscience.
Conclusion
Squash shoes are great for indoor court games, specifically the squash game. Turning it into an outdoor shoe might ruin it eventually. In this article, we have discussed better options for your convenience.
