Wear and tear

American Fitness, May-June, 2004 by D.K. Howe

How do you know when it's time for new running shoes? Check for excessive shoe wear, says Ray Marigiano, president and CEO of Foot Solutions. "The cushioning or stability provided by the midsole material is gone before you'll notice significant wear on the outer sole. The back of the heel should be vertical--not slanted. After running or walking in them 300 miles or so, you've lost about half the cushioning of the shoes." If you train daily, Marigiano suggests alternating between two pairs of shoes.

TAP SHOES not Required

A new exercise video, Tap-N-Burn (Unriehl Productions), allows you to simultaneously get in shape and learn to tap dance. But let the buyer beware, this isn't Gene Kelley dressed in a suit and tie and swinging around a lamppost. Tap-N-Burn's muscle-shirt and cargo-pant clad instructors teach a hip, urban, West-Coast style workout.

"Tap dancing is an incredible workout because it requires continual movement and exercises the entire body, mind and soul," state the makers of Tap-N-Burn. If you don't have tap shoes, that's okay. They're not necessary. The hour-long Tap-N-Burn is available in DVD ($24.95) and VHS ($19.95). To view a demo or purchase Tap-N-Burn, visit www.tapnburn.com.