Three Simple Categories of Shoes to Remember

Running shoes can be classified into three simply categories.  The difference between the categories is decided by their intended performance.  The three types of shoes you will see when at the store to get your shoes are neutral running shoes, stability running shoes, and motion control running shoes. See any similarities here?  Think back to the three foot types I wrote about in the past. 

          The neutral running shoe is the most common type to be found and will inevitably have the most options in most any store.  It is best suited for the supinator or the neutral foot type, yea I know you didn’t see that coming did you? In this category the primary performance focus is cushioning.  These shoes are also referred to as neutral cushion trainers as well.  Cushion in these models will have a very wide range of feel underfoot.  There will be the super plush, pillow soft trainers. Then right next to it will be a firm snappy responsive cushion shoe.  Which types you get all depend on personal preference.  Almost everyone likes some sort of responsiveness to their shoes though and this is a feature you can ensure while still getting a good shoe that you feel comfortable in over the long haul by following a couple simple rules of thumb.  In neutral running shoes the higher your weight the firmer the shoe you’ll want to cushion your running.  While the lighter your frame the softer the shoe you can get away with without losing responsiveness.

            The middle of the ground shoe and second most common yet the most widely needed by the general public is the stability/support running shoe.  The support shoe is best suited for the mild to moderate pronator, or the neutral foot type looking for a little more support from their shoe.  The support in these shoes is most commonly supplied through a dual density midsole insert placed on the medial aspect of the shoe usually under the arch and heel.  In the photo above it is the grey foam.  The level of support is adjusted by the density and amount of this foam added to the shoe and fine tuned by how far forward or back the foam sits.  This style shoe does still supply just as much cushion as the neutral shoe’s but it focuses on support and is more likely to sacrifice cushion for support.  Just like the neutral shoes the support you need is personal preference.  It is however very closely related to pronation in that the more you pronate the more support you will need to attain the goal neutral gait.

            The final style of shoe you’ll run into is much less common, usually only being two or three models available in a store.  The motion control shoe supplies maximum stability and support.  This shoe is best suited for those with severe pronation or ankle instability.  They are built up for maximum support with much more dual density foam and usually some sort of internal structure which supplies additional support.  The dual density midsole will usually wrap entirely around the medial and lateral aspects of the shoes heel.  When in comes to motion control shoes many times a shoe this beefed up can be avoided with a custom foot orthotics in a mild to moderate support shoe.  This is a great option for anyone looking to get away from the confines of the motion control category.  If not, like I said this type of shoe is always limited on selection so try all the models you can and listen to your body for the best fit.

            This finally concludes my complete overview of running shoes.  As always I hope everyone gets something out of this and lets me know any questions or critiques they may have. 

Endurance = Strength = Speed

Hope everyone had fun and active weekends

Matt V.

Mveiga86@gmail.com

Running Shoes Inside and Out

When we walk into a shoe store we are confronted with a myriad of options and usually don’t know where to start.  In reading my previous blog post I hope everyone was able to take something away that will help point you in the right direction and narrow the options to some extent.  In this segment I will break down the inner workings of running shoes on the market today.

From the ground up running shoes can be broken into four distinct parts. The first part of a shoe is the outer sole which is the rubber on the bottom of the shoe that supplies traction.  The outer sole can be made up of a combination of materials from most common in carbon rubber & blown rubber to more advanced specialty materials designed by shoe companies for their specific purposes.

                The outer sole is then attached to the midsole next which is the foam that supplies the impact protection/cushioning.  Originally EVA foam was the go to material for all companies.  Now almost every company has their own specialty midsole material. The midsole also contain two other common features found on many shoes but not all.  These are a crash pad on the heel made of SRC (slow rebound cushioning), and a propulsion pad in the fore foot made of HRC (high rebound cushioning) I won’t go into detail but each company also has their own technology specific to their shoes.  Some common one’s everyone has heard of are Nike Air Max, Asics-Gel, and Mizuno Wave Plates etc.  Though flashy and touted to be the best you can get, all these technologies do the exact same thing. Supply Cushion. Which is best is personal preference in that what works for one most likely won’t for the next person.  The big question is whether you prefer soft plush cushion or firm responsive cushion. Just remember, listen to your feet and not the flashy marketing or pushy sales rep. and you’ll have the most success.  Obviously the midsole play’s the biggest role in the shoe’s performance and is the biggest factor in comfort. 

                The next piece to the puzzle is the most important to most people .  It can affect the fit quit a bit but that is a company to company fit difference and not a model to model difference in a specific brands line. Some brand do have drastic differences in their uppers though for the most part this isn't the case.  What I mean by this is that each company will have a different fit.  The different models in a single company’s line of shoe’s will all have very similar upper fits.  There are a few technologies you can find in the upper but not many.  Off the top of my head the big three I can think of are the Arch Lock by Saucony, A Symmetric lacing system by Asics, and Fly Wire technology by Nike.  The technology in the upper plays a big role in the shoe as it is what holds your foot over and on the sole while moving. It protects you from the elements or breaths really well on hot day.  In general it plays a big role in the overall comfort of the shoe.  Of course the most important part is how they look right?  In my opinion your best bet is holding off on looks for fit, but hey sometimes we can get lucky and find that awesome looking shoe that fits like a glove.  Just don’t expect it every time since fashion and running shoes are two things that haven’t joined each others company just yet.

                The last piece of the puzzle is the insole.  For the most part they are very basic, a thin strip of foam to give a tiny bit more comfort and cushioning.  The insole also plays a role in the arch support of the shoe as they are built up to supply more arch or made flat to give a smaller arch.  I told you they where simple. There are some over the counter insoles which can be bought separately and are more advance but those are for another post.  I hope everyone has learned quite a bit about the structure of running shoes through this blog.  I will have one more post on the shoes and then move on.  After so much information it makes more sense to write up a small piece on the three categories of running shoes to finish it off instead of packing it into this post.

As usually feel free to email me with any questions and comment with your opinions.

Endurance = Strength = Speed

Happy running

Matt

Mveiga86@gmail.com