Sticky Shoes During Zumba

The most common “complaint” I hear about Zumba is about gym shoes that stick to the floor during class.

Most gym shoes are built for traction. During volleyball, I often wipe the dust off the bottom of my shoes for a better grip. Too much traction in Zumba is not necessarily a good thing…

To some, it is just annoying – you are dancing and moving, but your shoes are sticking to the floor.

To others, it’s painful – you are dancing and your shoes are sticking to the floor and your feet are sliding around inside your shoes. Either way, sticky shoes could cause you to develop blisters and other foot or ankle injuries.

I have three suggestions to prevent sticky shoe syndrome at Zumba class:

1. Pick up your feet. It might not be how you would normally dance and not what you prefer, but if your shoes or feet won’t slide and you are sticking to the floor, pick up your feet to prevent injury.

2. Wear last year’s tennis shoes. Don’t wear your newest pair of gym shoes – wear an older pair. The grips will be worn down slightly and may help you slide across the floor better during Zumba class. I often wear a pair of Nike Shox I’ve owned for about four years to Zumba class.

3. Buy dance shoes. I often wear my Capezio dance shoes from dance team in college. You can buy directly from Capezio or any major shoe manufacturer like Nike. Major shoe stores like Zappos carry athletic dance shoes. Go for an athletic-style dance sneaker to give you the support you need – if you are thinking about your shoes and feet during Zumba class, you won’t be able to concentrate on your workout!

Also see my “Best Zumba Shoes” and “Good Dance Shoes for Zumba” and “Where to Buy Dance Shoes” posts.

Filed under exercise, group fitness | Tags: athletic shoes, Dance, dance shoes, group fitness, gym shoes, injury, shoe, shoes, sticky, tennis shoes, workout, Zumba | Comments (6)