What makes tennis shoes

The type of shoes needed for a baseline player requires a lateral support. A highly durable sole is also necessary due to constant lateral motion. Serve-and-Volley Player A serve-and-volley player frequently charges the net. This type of player often slides their back foot along the court during the serve, so a shoe with a durable toecap also referred to as a reinforced toe and medial inside the arch is essential.

Court Surface Type The type of court surface you play on has an impact on the type of tennis shoes you purchase. Hard Court Concrete Tennis shoes for hard courts are designed with more durability in mind, offering a more resilient, outsole and more supportive upper. Soles may wear out more quickly on hard courts—be sure to check your pair of tennis shoes for wear and replace when necessary.

Upper and outsole materials are designed tougher, using leather or vinyl. Soft Or Clay Court Tennis shoes for soft courts are designed with non-damaging traction in mind. Some of these differences include: Tennis shoes are designed to primarily handle the frequent stops and starts around the court in order to remain comfortable for the player They tend to take on a flat design that has some unique designs of treads on the sole, and this will generally depend on the type of court surface you play on grass, clay or hard courts Tennis shoes have a sturdy build compared to other athletic shoes, which take on a softer and thicker heel that lessens impact through cushioning and makes the shoe lightweight.

They are also slightly heavier, especially if you are planning to use them on hard courts Athletic shoes, for the most part, are primarily designed for the repetitive motion of walking or running, but tennis shoes are designed to cater for lateral movements on the court Factors to consider The playing style There are two kinds of tennis playing styles: the serve-and-volley player and the baseline player.

As a general rule, here are the criteria to keep in mind when considering various surfaces: Concrete hard courts : The shoes must be highly durable because of the harsh nature of the court that wears shoes down very quickly. For instance, the upper is tough, very resilient and supportive.

The materials that make up the shoe are tougher, mainly using vinyl or leather The soles tend to wear down faster, so you need to ensure you frequently check the shoes for signs of wear and tear, and also replace them when you need to. Clay soft courts , they: Tend to be quite forgiving to your shoes, so you can use a variety of shoes on them The shoe is lighter to allow for greater movements but has plenty of lateral support and tighter uppers to ensure the foot remains stable in the shoe while also protecting the joints The uppers tend to be made from synthetic materials, and the soles have a herringbone tread system that allows the player to grip and slide while not collecting soil Grass courts: They are designed to prevent court damage, similar to the soft court shoes, while still providing traction on slippery grass.

They feature a combination of mesh and synthetic materials When looking at the midsole, it needs to have gel or EVA padding in order to give good coverage in the toes and heel areas.

Fit of the shoe and your foot type You might initially assume that all feet are the same, or the feet of most people are the same. Over pronation — if you happen to see your foot leaving a complete imprint without a visible arch, then you have over pronation.

Because of this, your feet will have a tendency to roll inwards as you move, and you therefore require a tennis shoe that can stabilize your movements. When you run, you tend to go in one direction, forward. Running shoes are designed to help the body cope with the rigors of running.

Running shoes have cushioned toe and heel areas to reduce impact from heel-to-toe strikes on the ground. While there is some lateral stability built into running shoes, it is usually very little because side-to-side motions are uncommon in running. Cushioned shoes are also called "neutral" shoes according to American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

They're fashioned for people with high arches. Stability running shoes are for those people whose arches may collapse. Heavier people and people with flat feet should choose motion control running shoes. Tennis shoes are specifically designed for use on the tennis court. Whereas the running shoe places emphasis on cushioning, tennis shoes focus on lateral support and stability. But there's no need to worry because we can find the best tennis shoes that perfectly fit the anatomy of your feet.

First, let's have a look at how to determine the length and width of your feet. Step 2: Wear socks that are similar to what you plan to wear when playing tennis. Stand with one foot on the paper. Step 3: Keeping your body weight over your foot, trace a thin line around the outside of your entire foot. When drawing the line, hold the pen perpendicular to the ground. Step 4: Measure vertically down the length of your foot tracing.

This is your foot length. Step 5: Measure horizontally across the widest part of your foot tracing. This is your foot width. Now that you understand and know your width and length, look out for the fit detail in our product descriptions to determine if the tennis shoes you are interested in are a good fit for your feet.

We also provide many video reviews in which we talk about the fit and performance of different shoes, to help you choose the best tennis shoes on Tennis Warehouse Europe! Are you a light-footed, sprinting all over the court kind of player? Or are you a hard hitting baseliner who is more concerned about ankle support? Depending on your body and your game, you want to consider the following characteristics when choosing your new tennis shoes:.

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