Asics Fitting Guide

At Running Bare we offer a fantastic service of Gait analysis (foot scanning) and advising customers on shoes that would be suitable for their sporting pursuits! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to either contact or pop into any of our stores

When you first come to purchase a shoe you need to ask yourself 3 questions

So let’s think about the first question – What sports am I doing?

You need to think about what sports you will participating in i.e. Running, Gym, classes, weights, walking, tennis, netball or taking classes with loads of side to side movement (e.g. boxercise). Once you have worked out your main activities you can then select a shoe that is more suitable and will help to support and cushion your foot effectively.

There are two general types of movement to consider; a forwards and backwards motion, which is found in sports such as running and walking or a side to side (lateral) motion which you will do more in sports such as tennis, netball and some gym classes. For a forwards/backwards motion a Running Shoe is recommended as it is designed to correctly support and cushion the foot through this kind of activity (click here to view running shoes) For a side to side motion it is recommended that you opt for a cross trainer, or specific tennis or netball shoe which will correctly support the foot especially in the upper part of the shoe as it increases stability and helps to prevent injury. (click here to view cross training and court shoes)

Now for the second Question – How often am I going?

The amount of use a shoe gets will help determine what level of shoe to go for. Which is quite easy the more use the higher level of shoe this is because the higher end shoes have more cushioning like the Asics Gel Nimbus or Gel Kayano.

If you think that you are going to use your shoes quite frequently it definitely beneficial for your feet and body to get a shoe with the most shock absorption. However if you are just getting into things and not out pounding pavements you can opt for a shoe with less cushioning.

Finally the last question of – What is happening with your feet!

You need to take a look at your feet to help decide what type of support you will need. Typically people can be divided into three categories. -

10% Suplinated Feet
20% Neutral Feet
70% Pronated Feet

To help work out what your feet are doing you can do simple test which will give you some idea of the type of support you will need.

1. Get a piece of paper
2. Wet your foot
3. Step on the paper
4. Then trace the outline of your foot impression

So to sum up

If you have a High arch go to Cushioned shoes section If you have a Normal arch go to Cushioned Shoes/lower structured shoes like the 1130 If you have a Flat arch go to the Structured shoes section

Fitting your shoe

To make sure that your trainer fits correctly you will need to do the following -
Try on the shoe later in the day or after a run when they are more likely to be a little swollen. Try to wear the socks that you would normally exercise or run in.

Trainer sizes are quite different from your standard street shoe size. In our stores it is quite often that customers end up opting for a half or full size larger than their dress shoes.

When trying on the shoe your heel should fit snuggly and not move up and down as that will cause blisters. The front of the shoe should be fairly roomy and you should be able to wiggle your toes freely. You will also need to check the space at the end of your shoe (this should be done standing up) there should be about half a thumb to a full thumb width.

If you wear orthotics (customized arch supports) it is also advised that you try these on in the shoe to ensure you have the correct fit.