Healthy and beautiful legs with Chung Shi

  Chung Shi shoes for whole-body health

In the past few years, an interesting trend in footwear has been making an appearance on the feet of quite a few women about town: exer-shoes, or shoes that promise to improve the look, tone and appearance of the hips, thighs and derriere simply by walking in them. 

Never one to miss out on a hot shoe - or health - trend, I have been curious about this shoe claim-to-fame and recently decided to get serious and investigate. I stopped by Foot Solutions in Cleveland Park and spoke with Robert Graham, Pedorthist, and he introduced me Chung Shi; an exer-shoe exclusive to Foot Solutions and based on the principles of Pilates. Unlike other exer-shoes, such as the Fit-Flop, which only offers a shoe for women, the Chung Shi has models for both men and women, and claims a long list of benefits, most notably : improve the appearance of the lower-half of the body, assist with weight lose, and promote overall health. What makes the Chung Shi unique from other exercise shoes? According to Foot Solutions, the Chung Shi is more useful than some other shoes because it is designed to encourage a natural gait, and can be incorporated into a normal workout or exercise routine such as running or jogging.

Other benefits include: 

• Absorb shock to the feet, knees, hips and back
• Improve athletic endurance
• Help prevent injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments
• Tone and strengthen the feet, legs, butt, abs and back
• Strengthen core muscles
• Improve the appearance of cellulite

The Chung Shi's ingenious shape is what makes it unique from other shoes.  With a distinct heel/toe construction and a center roll bar, the Chung Shi massages the ball of the foot, and offers impressive support while encouraging proper alignment of the spine. There are two versions of the shoe available. The Level 1, or Comfort Step has a 15 degree angle, and offers a more gentle workout, useful for standing, walking or jogging. The Level 2, or Balance Step, has a 20 degree angle at the heel and toe, which forces muscles to work harder and is a more rigorous workout.

Chung Shi shoes are available in a variety of colors and styles including sneakers and sandals, making it easy to maintain the exercise benefits while doing everyday tasks such as grocery shopping or running errands, and because they promote proper alignment of the spine,  wearing them should help ease pain in the lower back, hips and legs.

As costly or more than high-end running shoes, Chung Shi shoes are an investment to be sure, but a worthwhile one. Just like any other piece of exercise equipment, when used properly, they will increase the intensity of your workout and improve results. And, for a limited time, Foot Solutions is offering an exciting promotion which will pay you back to lose weight!  Here's how the program works: the day you purchase your first pair of Chung Shi shoes, the store will weigh you to determine your starting weight. Then, you take the shoes and wear them for 90-days, both for exercising and normal daily use. After 3-months, the store will invite you back for a follow-up weigh-in, and the results will be tabulated. For every pound you lose while wearing the Chung Shi shoe, Foot Solutions will give you $5 worth of in-store merchandise credits, applicable toward future purchases! Enrollment is required so see your individual store for details.

While not a substitute for healthy eating or regular exercise, the Chung Shi is a smart and innovative way to reap added health and beauty benefits simply by doing something you are probably doing everyday anyway: putting one foot in front of the other.

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