Puma BodyTrain Review

Sexy sneaker maker Puma has thrown it's shoes in the ring for the toning shoe market.  The shoes are called BodyTrain, and promise to be light weight, have a cool profile so you will want to wear them, and increase toning of your legs and buttocks.

I have read the reviews from ACE that toning shoes don't actual increase toning more than regular running shoes, but I have to say after wearing toning flip lops over the summer, I actually felt my legs working harder than in traditional flip flops.  When Puma reached out to me to try out their BodyTrain shoes, I was excited and skeptical:  Would I really notice any difference?

Heather from Puma sent me some adorable white mesh and purple patent BodyTrain shoes to sample.  The first thing I noticed was that they were cute!  I actually wanted to put them on.  Other brands I have seen are clunky and almost Frankenstein looking. 

The shoes are very light, and when I put them on I immediately noticed the negative heel.  According to website wisegeek.com, "Developed by Danish yoga instructor Ann Kalso in the 1950s, the [negative heel] shoes mimic the traditional Tadasana, or mountain pose, taking the stress off one’s back, hips and knees and putting it on the leg muscles where it belongs. Walking in negative heel shoes gives the whole body a workout, similar to walking up a slight incline. The calf muscles are stretched, extra calories are burned, and parts of the body not usually involved in the walking process are engaged and exercised. Even standing still places one’s body in proper yogic alignment, a bonus for people looking for simple ways to incorporate more exercise into their daily routines."

I wore the BodyTrain's to my floor shifts at the gym and noticed they kept my pelvis in more neutral alignment.  I typically tend to stand with my knees locked and my pelvis in posterior tilt-- the shoes definitely made me more aware of my posture.  They were light and comfortable to wear.  As far as the toning effects, I did think they made my calves look more shapely than my traditional running shoes.  And any shoe that promotes more activity is a plus in my book!

Puma Bodytrain is available exclusively online and at Lady Foot Locker stores.  For more details and a location near you, go to www.puma.com/bodytrain.