‘Exercise is Medicine’.

‘Exercise is Medicine’. You will have seen this caption used on the advertising for ASICS walking shoes. There is no better exponent of this message than ASICS. It is in essence the underlying meaning of the ASICS name – an acronym for the Latin phrase ‘Anima Sana In Corpore Sano’, which translates to ‘A Sound Mind In A Sound Body’.

ASICS is committed to encouraging greater levels of exercise among people of all ages, genders and walks of life, by developing safer, more stable and comfortable footwear. This is why ASICS has evolved its walking footwear into three categories: HEALTH, FITNESS and COMFORT.

Since 2004, ASICS has promoted the ‘ASICS Walk For Wellbeing’. This fun walk for all the family is held each year in Sydney and Brisbane with all fees going to Diabetes awareness, research, education and advocacy programs. The series aims to promote good health and an active lifestyle in the community, while raising the awareness of diabetes.

Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease both nationally and globally, with 1.2 million Australians and 1 in 4 people over 25 being described as having diabetes or pre-diabetes. The next 10 years present a global challenge in relation to diabetes and obesity, and exercise is considered the best way to combat these issues.

ASICS has put all its resources behind the development of two new shoes under the ‘HEALTH’ category of walking shoes. These are the GEL-Assist and GEL-Cardio, two completely new walking shoes, purpose-built to meet the needs of people with diabetes. They contain a patented Nano Bamboo Fibre vamp lining material, which is breathable and has excellent moisture absorbing and insulating characteristics. The soft, supple garment leather upper is brilliantly engineered with minimal stitching, no exposed stitching inside the shoe, a gusseted tongue, elongated vamp, extra-high toe box and stomp-proof soft SpEVA heel counter.

ASICS has made the GEL-Cardio and GEL-Assist the most functional shoes available for early diagnosed diabetics and also general consumers who see walking as an exercise that can maintain good health.

The ‘FITNESS’ category provides the serious walker with a choice of purpose-built technical footwear. While the GEL-Kayano Walker remains the state-of-the-art walking shoe with IGS Adaptive Technology, the GEL-Solana and GEL-Walk Tech complete the FITNESS category with a shoe for every level of fitness walker.

The ‘COMFORT’ category features the proven GEL-Odyssey and GEL-Discovery and the new GEL-Explore. The GEL-Odyssey features a high level of technology for superior comfort, safety and protection against the elements, while the GEL-Discovery is a rugged choice that delivers a lightweight cushioned ride wherever you may trek. The new GEL-Explore uses a new tooling with a wider toe box, water resistant synthetic leather upper and is fashionable in style.

ASICS walking category of footwear utilises much of the same technologies as used in the running and other footwear categories.

ASICS is committed to the philosophy of walking as a fundamental form of exercise, important to the general health and wellbeing of every individual. It is for this reason that ASICS take special pride in the development of their walking category. The future of fitness walking has never been in better hands.