Short cuts to fitness - MBT Shoes/ Stimulators

Money Shot

A relative recently informed me that they were going to invest in one of those 'Electronic Muscle Stimulation units' for the best part of 150 euros. She went on to say that she didn't like doing sit ups or going to the gym (fair enough), but wanted one of those toned tummies. I restrained myself - she is over weight but has started a diet of sorts (another diet). She honestly believes that hooking this on while watching corrie can substitute for any sort of exercise regime. I tried to sell the long term virtues of introducing walking into her lifestyle combined with healthy eating, rather than fad diets and electronic stimulators, but to no avail.

I've also heard other people talk of these legendary shoes that can give an intensive all over body workout while walking, while also reducing Celluloite. MBT shoes have been billed as "the world's smallest gym." Since they increase muscle activity, strengthening and toning of the leg, buttock, stomach and back muscles takes place during everyday activities like walking and standing.
I haven't used electronic stimulators (well maybe once - but we won't go into that now), so can't dismiss them completely, but I think I am safe saying they will not tone you to any noticable level if not combined with good eating and exercise. If you eat well and exercise, you won't need it anyway.

I don't want to dismiss the shoes either because they might work well for people who want to take stress from their knees or back, but I would be surprised if any noticable gains could be had by swapping these 200+ euro shoes for your normal footwear if you don't address any diet and non-activity issues.

I'm open minded, so would be interested to hear anyone's experiences with the shoes or electronic units, and any of the more knowledgeable members of the forum's input might be useful for anyone considering spending a large amount of money on any either of these ?

Frankiestylee

I dunno if they work or not, but those MBT shoes are ugly as hell

Hanley

Unfortunately unless you change your diet and lose some fat, you're not gonna tone up. It jsut doesn't happen...

And agreed, MBTs=ugly.

Miguel_Sanchez

I thought those MBT shoes were to help with posture. I never heard any other claims about them.

And yes, they look pretty damn ugly.

nesf

Jeff_Lebowski wrote:

I thought those MBT shoes were to help with posture. I never heard any other claims about them.

I think they made some claim that they help you distribute your weight better while walking or something on top of literally forcing you into a "better" posture. The company themselves haven't claimed cellulite or weight loss but some resellers have afaik.

Jeff_Lebowski wrote:

And yes, they look pretty damn ugly.

Completely agreed. Simu was looking at them and found that they have a baby MBT line of shoes... I mean really, if adults have to "train" them in over a few weeks what are toddlers going to do in them?

Dragan

Generally speaking todlers have awesome posture......for todlers, and this should not be messed with.

It's as they get older that they develop poor postural habits, which my mother would resolve by screaming at me to "stand up straight".

Her advice was free aswell.

nesf

Dragan wrote:

Generally speaking todlers have awesome posture......for todlers, and this should not be messed with.

It's as they get older that they develop poor postural habits, which my mother would resolve by screaming at me to "stand up straight".

Her advice was free aswell.

Watching their posture in the pre-toddler phase (i.e. trying to take their first steps) is enlightening. There are so so many ways of standing and walking that simply don't work.

t-ha

Those electronic thingymagibys that you wear like a belt or whatever can actually stimulate muscle contractions - the thing is that, as we keep saying on forum, 1,000 crunches won't give you a six-pack unless your bodyfat is low enough to see it & it's no different for those things.

hunnymonster

as for the M "barefoot" T. If you're looking to get a barefoot posture then just walk around barefoot as much as possible. The first thing I do when I get in to door at home is kick my shoes off. I've even been known to walk around the office in my socks.

Frankiestylee

hunnymonster wrote:

as for the M "barefoot" T. If you're looking to get a barefoot posture then just walk around barefoot as much as possible. The first thing I do when I get in to door at home is kick my shoes off. I've even been known to walk around the office in my socks.

I bet you're just looking for your own office! Wiley... very wiley.

I know this is a tad off topic but what's the standard bodyfat % ? I was reading some fitness logs and people were super fit and had 22% or something, what's the technically no longer obese % ?

Miguel_Sanchez

Dragan wrote:

Generally speaking todlers have awesome posture......for todlers, and this should not be messed with.

It's as they get older that they develop poor postural habits, which my mother would resolve by screaming at me to "stand up straight".

Her advice was free aswell.

My Ma used to charge me for hers.

jazzieb

I've had a pair of MBTs for 3 years now .. the new ones are less ugly but my hubby still calls them clown shoes.

I got them after major surgery when I had problems with my trapezius - upper back. I found they really helped - my back pain disappeared almost overnight and my posture is much better now .. I now walk 5 miles a day altogether for my "commute" so they're comfy .. however, as a shortcut to fitness, you'd be better save your 200 yo-yos and put it towards a gym membership.

Jazzie

Money Shot

jazzieb wrote:

I've had a pair of MBTs for 3 years now .. the new ones are less ugly but my hubby still calls them clown shoes.

I got them after major surgery when I had problems with my trapezius - upper back. I found they really helped - my back pain disappeared almost overnight and my posture is much better now .. I now walk 5 miles a day altogether for my "commute" so they're comfy .. however, as a shortcut to fitness, you'd be better save your 200 yo-yos and put it towards a gym membership.

Jazzie

Great to see they can help with injury recovery. 200 yo-yo's isn't a lot to pay if it helps with back pain, and who cares what they look like if you're getting relief.

bored and tired

hi all, i have been having back trouble since car crash in August. i was considering mbts but 200 is a lot to me as i have 5yr old and a mortgage to consider and i have still not got back to work. However i have been looking at summer sandals given the nice weather we have been having and found cork to be the most useless place in the world to shop.
i specifically asked for sandals that would support me as i have back pain, but didnt look like it was designed for my grandmother. Guess what the sales lady tried to pitch me a pair of sandals that cost 95 squid and in the middle of her chat, got distracted by a granny and tried to sell the same shoes to her.
i am not being agist exactly but i am only 25 and trying to claw back some resemblance of normality. ive mourned that i will never lift my daughter up to give her a hug or piggy back, might not have another child because of the strain on my back, and have already started taking medicines to protect my stomach from ulcers because of the volume of pain killers im on, so i dont think it was too much to ask that i could have a pair of sandals that would look nice under a pair of jeans. or at least she could have waited until my back was turned before trying to sell the same pair of shoes.
rant over, is it worth the outlay for mbt's or would i be better walking bare foot as i am home bound most of the time.

thanks j

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

bored and tired

well doctors have said i have chronic back pain caused from whiplash type injury. was basically stopped on main road trying to turn right when got belted from behind which wrote my car and my back off in the process.
Docor has said he doesnt know when or if i will lead a normal life.
but normal for me was relatively active -hill walking was a favourite i started when i was 11, Mangerton is beautiful if anyone is in killarney,
so im settling for being able to reach my shins someday and maybe tie shoelaces again, it took almost a month to teach myself how to get out of bed so im lucky with what i can get up and about to now, physio accupuncture and massage have failed so im on a tough road of specific exercises designed by rehab place to try to get my internal muscle skeletol back working i have been told most of my problem with sciatica is caused from deepest stomach mucles, which act as back brace, but have forgotten to perform and therefor leaving spine open to jerking when cough sneeze or just move to much or too little. not sure what is causing problem with upper back pain, no problem with escess weight (yet) so just have to take meds and get on with what i can,

Hanley

I assume you've got second and third opinions?

Tried to track down the top doc in the field??

Guvnor

MBT shoes are very good. Do they increase calories burned or help 'tone' - not so sure on this but they do take pressure off of your joints when you are walking - less lower back strain and better gait so less knee and hip action as well.

Defo worth it, I used them when walking on the t'mill at an incline and found them far better than ordinary runners tbh.

As for slendertones - helpful for a bit of rehab but not the easy way to a winning physique.

bored and tired

Hanley wrote:

I assume you've got second and third opinions?

Tried to track down the top doc in the field??

my doc is brilliant, really supportive even when i get a bit mental, have had sets of x-rays, both after crash and after i got facial paralysis - not permanent thank god, physio etc, ive spent hundreds on acupuncture, going to rehab clinic, being referred to pain specialist - not exactly sure what those guys do, i presume they are the ones who decide if you get the back injections or not, but so far making very slow progress,
might splash out on mbt's but still not sure, actually worried that i will lose my balance as they are so curved and end up doing more damage, as i said, internal back brace has forgotten how to work, so even the slightest of movements at the wrong time can lead to an episode that could last a week.

ali.c

bored and tired wrote:

my doc is brilliant, really supportive even when i get a bit mental, have had sets of x-rays, both after crash and after i got facial paralysis - not permanent thank god, physio etc, ive spent hundreds on acupuncture, going to rehab clinic, being referred to pain specialist - not exactly sure what those guys do, i presume they are the ones who decide if you get the back injections or not, but so far making very slow progress,
might splash out on mbt's but still not sure, actually worried that i will lose my balance as they are so curved and end up doing more damage, as i said, internal back brace has forgotten how to work, so even the slightest of movements at the wrong time can lead to an episode that could last a week.

MBT's do take a bit of getting use to. I have a pair used to use them for work, when i first starting wearing them (with no injuries or complications) I found it hard to balance on buses and the likes. i would suggest running it by your doctor in light of your situation.

bored and tired

thanks ali.c, not easy weighing up all the jargon fed to you by different manufacturers, it is there job to sell after all, and you cant really take shoes back after a weeks test run!!
have to talk to doc soon anyway re update from rehab, so will mention it to him then.

BJohnson

Bored and Tired,

Just curious which exercises they gave you for your back rehab? I prescribe exercises to patients regularly. It sounds like they've got you on the right track - when there's an injury like whiplash, the muscles of the deep low back go weak quickly and won't function properly, leading to a loss of spinal stability. The key to progress is making sure you do your exercises every day - if you only do them a few times a week, you won't get nearly as much benefit. A realistic time frame for things to improve is around 3 months. If you need any advice, feel free to send me a private message.

Brian

bored and tired

hi brian, 3 months passed by in november!! the exercies are based on core stability and sound a bit silly, more are stretching. the best ones i do are, lying on my back knees bent, i engage my inner most stomach muscles and push them to the floor. i did this as a rep of 10*3 for 2 weeks until i got it right, then i did steps for another week, and finally progressed on to cycling.
another exercise is standing on two cushions for instability, and trying to stand on one leg for 10secs with eyes closed. a lot harder than it sounds typical calf stretches, back stretch.

using a rope or belt, held with both hands wide apart trying to get arms to lower behind back.

using gym ball legs on edge, stomach engaged, push ball away and back towards you, and from side to side.

another one is on all fours on ground and stretching out opposite leg and hand, with a broom on my back to prove im keeping back steady!!!.

theres about twenty different exercises all with different progessions to follow, but im been advised to focus on core stability as i have so little strenght in stomach muscles.

i tried pilates but was put off when the pregnant woman to my right and 80 year old granny to my left got in to fit of giggles watching me try to sit on the floor never mind the actual exercise we were meant to do. 6 month old babies can mange this but i have yet to figure it out.