Shoes for Zumba

Regular running shoes can be problematic for Zumba class, as they often have treads that “stick” to the floor when turning. It can be hard on your knees to wear “sticky” shoes. The best shoes for Zumba are those with little tread. Good shoes to wear also have a “pivot point,” a circle on the sole that allows for twisting and turning the foot. “Cross-training” shoes are better than running shoes. Zumba.com also sells shoes that are made for Zumba.

Shoes are very individual, so you may have to experiment with different brands to find a shoe that works for your foot. Some shoes with pivot points don’t have much cushioning, so you need to try different brands. It’s also possible to add an insert to any shoe for more cushioning.

Make sure you leave enough room in the toe box, so that your big toe in particular does not get injured by banging into the shoe repeatedly. I speak from experience, here.

CARPET: If you are working out on carpet, you should cover part of shoe with packing tape or buy shoe slip-ons. You can also put knee-hi stockings on over your shoes. Ugly, but effective. Always pick up your feet when doing Zumba on carpet.

Here are some common shoes that people wear for Zumba:

Nike: Shox, Musique, or Hurache

Reebok: Zigs

Ryka: Studio, Sync

Dance shoes: Capezio or Bloch (these run small, so you may have to size up). You can buy dance shoes at Brava Bodywear and other dance stores.

Some shoes made for cheerleading have pivot points.