Lifestyle & Entertainment Juice 11 Things Hardly Anyone Knows About Nike Nike turned 50 this year. To celebrate, UK gym My Fitness Boutique has created this infographic to celebrate its five decades in business. We’ve picked out some of the more interesting factlets from the infographic and a few snippets from around the web many people may never have known about the world’s most famous sports brand. 1. Nike was originally named Blue Ribbon Sports and was founded in 1964 and initially operated as a distributor for Japanese shoe maker Onitsuka Tiger (now known as ASICS). It officially become Nike Inc. in 1971. 2. The company was founded with just $1,200 in the bank. It was created by Bill Bowerman — a track and field coach — and Phil Knight, a middle distance runner from Portland who was enrolled in the University of Oregon. 3. Knight had originally wanted to call the company “Dimension 6.” The Nike name comes from the Greek goddess of victory, and it’s pronounced “ny’-kee.”

Nike’s first employee, Jeff Johnson, came up with the name. 4. The first Nike shoes were made inside a waffle iron. Bowerman’s first eureka moment for footwear innovation came in 1971 when he and his wife were making waffles for breakfast: it sparked an idea for a grooved pattern on the sole of trainers to help athletes grip running tracks. cheap asics shoes usIt spawned the “Nike Waffle Trainer,” which was patented in 1974 (at the expense of his wife Barbara’s waffle iron), Nike explains on its press site.best walking shoes tennis 5. The Nike “swoosh” was designed by Portland State University student Carolyn Davidson, for just $35 (just over $200 in today’s currency). best running shoe store east bayAt a later stage she was given stock which is now worth over $640,000.

6. The slogan “Just Do It” was inspired by serial killer Gary Gilmore who said “Let’s do it” just before he was executed by a firing squad in 1977. The revelation was made in 2009 documentary about advertising called “Art & Copy”. 7. The first “Just Do It” campaign launched in 1988. The ad featured Walt Stack, a then-80-year-old running icon lumbering across the Golden Great Bridge. 8. Despite the fact that he hasn’t played professionally since 2003, Michael Jordan still reportedly earns $60 million annually in royalties from Nike each year, according to Forbes.  That makes him the athlete with — by far — the biggest Nike endorsement deal. 9. Romanian tennis professional Ilie Nastase, “the Bucharest Buffoon,” was the first athlete to sign an endorsement contract with Nike, in 1972. Nastase was a gifted tennis player but also became infamous for his erratic temperament and was lumped with several fines, suspensions and disqualifications throughout his career.

10. Nike’s 1987 ad for the Air Max shoes was soundtracked by The Beatles’ “Revolution” — the first time a Beatles song had ever been used in a TV commercial, according to the Career in Sports book. 11. The World’s largest Nike store is not in its US homeland but on London’s Oxford Street. It cost £10.5m to build the store, which spans across three levels and roughly 42,000 ft. It was constructed around the theme of a town square. When the Nike Free TR Fit shoe was developed for women, Nike wanted to create an upper that would hold the foot enough for vigorous cross-training, yet fit so well that wouldn’t cause blisters even after long workouts. The design called for a flexible material that was both lightweight and strong. And the material they chose was Ariaprene. Not only did our alternative to synthetic rubber meet their rigorous specifications, it also met their goal of using non-toxic, green materials whenever possible. Ariaprene is free of toxins and solvent adhesives, dramatically lessening the environmental impact of the shoe.

By the way, we’re giving away a free pair of Nike TR Fit III Women’s training shoes on our Facebook page this month! All you have to do is click this link to sign up! With all of the different sneakers that are being sold for exercise class, not all of them can be the best and get the highest reviews. The table below contains the top 10, highest rated shoes for Zumba fitness class. Ryka Influence – Probably the most popular studio trainer. They offer lots of cushioning with stability at the same time. Highly recommended if you want something that doesn’t make you feel awkward in the grocery store. Nike Flex – Fitness dancers have fallen in love with these for being so comfortable and for offering so much freedom of movement. They may not have been designed for dancing, but they are an excellent option. Capezio Rockit – Capezio was making dance footwear before Beto Perez invented Zumba. They know how to make a killer sneaker and have been doing so for decades.

They have been making footwear since before Beto broke his first sweat. Bloch Lightening – Just like Capezio, Bloch is synonymous with dance. Great for transitions thanks to being fully supportive while being lightweight. Has a spin spot to help protect your joints. Bloch DRT – Lots of room in the toe box and tons of comfort for girls that are worried about high impact. They might look a little chunky but if you try them on you’ll instantly notice that they don’t feel that way. Zumba Impact – This official pair is a very lightweight option that is still very supportive. The extra large spin spot is a very nice touch. They tend to run a little large so get half a size smaller if they are available. New Balance Cross Trainers – A great purchase if you’re not sure you want to commit to regular classes. Can easily be worn outside of the studio to the grocery store or for another workout on the treadmill. Zumba Energy Fuze – This is a great shoes with lots of support.

I would like to rank it higher on the list but its’ too new, but I’d like to get more feedback. I really like the roomy toe box and that they provide the perfect amount of traction. When it comes to Zumba dance sneakers there’s really no #1 best-for-everyone. Every dancer will have their own needs and the right sneaker for somebody else might not be the best choice for you. Your decision for Zumba shoes should be based on the features that are most needed in this type of footwear that include: As you can see from the chart a lot of the top rated ones come from the same company. It seems that some brand get it while some others aren’t making footwears for us as well as they could. While what you choose will come down to your own personal choice, here are a few of the top recommended based on reviews from dance students as well as their coaches: This brand tops the chart for any type of studio dance activities including Zumba. They come with an air upper mesh complete with overlays of synthetic material, an Ortholite removable insert and textile lining.

Ryka’s provide superior cushioning for the arches making it one of the most preferred by dancers and coaches alike. Many of their shoes have been specifically designed for Zumba and dance fitness. They offer an upper breathable mesh, a full sole and a midsole that absorbs shocks well with a special spin-spot. These sneakers have quickly become a favorite amongst enthusiasts across the country. These are one of the best-selling Zumba shoes as we head into summer. They are lightweight, breathable and can include the essential pivot point that most dancers are looking for. As an added bonus, many feature soles that don’t leave marks on the floor or carpeting while still providing great traction. Many consumers buy these for the comfort level they provide. While most people start out by using whatever sneaker they currently have in their closet for dance classes, they also quickly find out that they’ll need to get Zumba shoes if they’re going to carry on with the class.