Tennis is a popular sport. To be able to play this game well, you need to prepare yourself with the necessary equipment such as tennis rackets, tennis balls, tennis clothes, and indispensable equipment – tennis shoes. A pair of shoes that fit your feet will help you play better as well as minimize injuries during training and competition. In contrast, a pair of unsuitable shoes can lead to skin blisters, ankle and knee pain, and limit your ability to move. Here, we will provide you with some tips to help you choose a pair of shoes suitable for the practice and competition of this sport.
Based on the characteristics of the foot
There are three basic types of feet and you can identify which kind of foot is in a very simple way. Soak your feet in the water, then step straight to the ground, preferably a cement floor to easily observe the footprint.
- If you see a concave footprint, similar to a crescent moon, you can conclude that your feet are relatively thin, horizontally large. Those who own this foot need a pair of shoes that are relatively comfortable in the toe cap and for the toes. You also need to have extra pads to cushion the concave foot.
- A full, non-concave foot means your feet are thick and flat. This type of condition is very prone to injury when playing tennis, so it is necessary to pay special attention to choosing the right shoe. You should choose the type of shoes that increase the strength and smoothness (especially the heel). People with this type of foot often need special support from the shoes they wear. A pair of shoes sewn well on the sides is a smart choice.
- If your foot shape is a combination of both of the aforementioned: Not too thin, not too full, those who own a foot like this will be very comfortable in choosing shoes. Because they can use almost any type of shoe, as long as it feels comfortable or they can freely choose the type of shoe to play on each type of yard.
Based on the design of each shoe
There are four parts of shoes that you need to care about:
- Toe cap: The first part of the shoe is called the toe cap. The toe cap is usually made of real leather, synthetic leather or a combination of both materials. When you try on a pair of shoes, make sure that the toe cap is comfortable and not too tight. When you try on your shoe, use your thumb to press down on the toe cap of your shoe without touching your big toe to get this balance for the movement of your feet. If you often stand on tiptoe when serving, pay attention to a high-strength shoe.
- Insole: This is the part that your entire foot rests on, but does not affect mobility. If you have foot problems, check to see if the insole is removable. In old cases, this base must be replaced with a new one, able to provide better cushioning.
- The body of the shoe: The body of the shoe is usually made of synthetic resin or other chemical materials. This is the cushion between the foot and the shoe face. For players who play two or three days a week, the shoe body is often broken after 5 or 6 months. As for players who play more often or are more active, the shoe body will break faster. When you don’t feel supported by cushioning, as if your shoes are new, which means the body is no longer usable, you need to buy another pair of shoes.
- Outsole: This is the part of the shoe that touches the yard. The design of the outsole will affect the traction that you will have to create when playing on hard courts and clay courts. Fish-bone shoe insole is suitable for everyone. Moreover, these shoes have good strength, have floor grip when moving, keep the feet stable when hitting the ball while running. Tennis shoes should be heavier than athletic shoes. However, you should buy 2 pairs, 1 light pair for normal training and 1 heavy pair for competition.
Weight of shoes
What is the weight of the shoes you wear? People often say, light shoes are ideal, but sometimes heavy shoes have certain advantages.
The fact is, the lighter the shoe, the faster you move on the field. So why are tennis shoes always heavier than athletic shoes? The constant demand for running and stopping in tennis requires that each pair of shoes must be cushioned, the outsole is durable and all must have very good support. Therefore, tennis shoes are always heavier.
In an effort to lighten the tennis shoes, manufacturers often use outsole designs in the shape of an hourglass (tapered in the middle). This will make the shoe’s curve point towards the middle of the shoe, not the top of the foot, where your toes often move. Pay attention to the curve of the shoes. If it is completely on the upper half, you may have some trouble with all activities, force support. The durability of the shoes will also decrease.
If you are comfortable with both heavy and light shoes, do not hesitate to use both pairs: light pairs for everyday matches and heavier pairs for practice. This secret has been used by many athletes running long distances over the years. If you practice with a heavy shoe and play with lighter shoes, you will feel more agile, can be easily accelerated in every game. And you will feel like you will be able to run faster.
Some other advice
Buying a pair of shoes for tennis must be an investment both in time, money and experience, not merely a random choice or chance. When buying shoes, you need to pay attention to some of the following:
- Please buy shoes after you have played a tennis game, or in the late afternoon because normally your legs will be 5 to 10% bigger after strong activities or at the end of the day. And the more important thing you need to remember is to wear same type of socket in every game. By doing so, you will easily measure the exact size of the shoes you want to use.
- In some cases, many people often have unequal feet, a small one and a big one. At that time, choose shoes that fit longer feet.
- In the case of changing shoes, bring an old pair. Based on that, you will not need to take time to describe and explain but still have a pair of shoes that fit well, full of support factors, durability that you need.
- The final advice for regular players is to try at least two or three different types of shoes before buying.
Instructions on how to store tennis shoes
After choosing the right and suitable tennis shoes, the preservation of shoes is also important to keep the shoes durable. You should avoid washing your shoes as much as possible because washing shoes regularly will reduce the technical functions inside the shoes and make them less durable. In case you wash shoes at home, follow these steps:
- Remove shoelaces from shoes.
- Remove the padding inside the shoe (except for some pair of padded shoes that are glued, you should not try to remove the pad).
- Wash shoes with a toothpaste or a soft cloth to clean stains, then carefully wash with clean water and make sure that the material inside the shoe has been completely rinsed.
- After washing, dry your shoes in a dry place without sunshine.
- After a few hours, turn the toecap up so that the inside materials are drier.
- Do not use shoes if the shoes are not completely dry.
- Do not use bleach or chemicals to clean shoes.
- Do not wash shoes and dry shoes with a washing machine or dryer.