Common Myths About Minimalist Running Shoes

Sports shoes stores are today awash with shoes marketed as minimalist running shoes. They have been tried, tested and proven to be efficient- at least that’s how they’re marketed out there. It does not end there. The word ‘minimal’ is always there to lure buyers into churning out cash all in the name of getting value for their money. The word, as you are about to find out, has become one of those loosely defined phrases brandished about irresponsibly by shoe marketers. To stay safe, try to answer the following questions when buying minimalist shoes:

top comfortable minimalist running shoes

  • What makes up good minimalist shoes?

  • Who can wear a minimalist running shoe?

  • How can you wade through the myriad of information out there?

If you can answer these questions, then you can easily counterbalance the fuss about minimalist running shoes and get value for your money. You’ll also debunk 4 common myths about minimalist running shoes that have seen so many buyers being ripped off. The myths include:

best minimalist running shoes

Myth #1- Can Improve Your Form

Truth is, top minimalist running shoes can help you to improve your form. This is however nothing but just a bi-product of running in minimalist shoes regularly rather than the minimalist shoes themselves. Because of their sparse construction, athletes and runners often strike the surfaces lightly, land towards the forefoot with each stride and push off more efficiently with minimalist shoes. As the body retains its biomechanics and gets used to these shoes, the changes become permanent. Should a runner go back to his or her old clodhoppers at this point, their form remains improved. The bottom line therefore is, your form cannot improve overnight with minimalist shoes. It takes time and effort and some know-how on the best way to make the best out of minimalist shoes.

Myth #2- Can Cause You Injuries You Cover Long Distances in Them

Of course this is all false. As long as you allow your body ample time to adapt to a material underfoot and less cushioning, everything should be fine. Just like it has already been hinted, minimalist shoes can gradually improve your form in a couple of weeks if used accordingly. All you need to do is to gradually increase your time in minimalist running shoes. Run two miles on grass or thaft in normal running shoes in week one of your workout program then switch to five miles on the road in minimalist shoes.

best asics minimalist running shoes

Myth #3- Will Increase Your Speed

This is highly debatable if you asked any runner, but true with just a glimpse into the finer details of the fact. To run faster, you have to:

  • Log the ideal volume

  • Put in more effort

  • Work out regularly to improve fitness

  • Run at the right intensities

Shoes alone will not make your run faster, just like therapeutic acids, nutritional supplements, energy drinks and training techniques wont.

women dansko professional

Myth # 4- Minimalist Running Shoes are Only for Light Weight Runners

Runners with excellent neutral gaits require less time to adjust and adapt to the lower profiles of minimalist running shoes. They are however not the only ones who can use them to their advantage. No matter no one’s pronation patterns, gait abnormalities or body weight, minimalist shoes will correct all these flaws with time by simply forcing your body to run more efficiently.

There are several misconceptions about New Balance minimalist running shoes just as there are about dansko professional shoes. Debunking the aforementioned myths is the only way to get the best of minimalist shoes even with top brands such as Asics minimalist running shoes. All you need to do is carry out some basic research online and you’re good to go.

Secret Tips When Shopping For the Best Running Shoes

With a massive market for running shoes, it is easy to get lost in all the available options in your search for the best running shoes. Fortunately, there are a few subtle considerations that can come to your rescue. The quality of your running shoes, their sole shapes and of course their pricing are just but some of these considerations. But like you may have already guessed, there are other considerations as well. Such considerations include:

  • Control and stability of motion

  • Shock absorption

  • Protection against strain

  • Improved performance

  • Comfort

best comfortable running shoes

All these boil down to one shoe component: the sole. The sole simply refers to everything below your running feet when you are inside the shoe. Note that while sole shapes may look the same, they actually aren’t. This is mainly because people have different feet shapes. Also, all the components and bits that make up a shoe sole depends on the design and brand of your running.

The Best Brands

When limiting options towards brands and excluding fancier running shoes targeting the high end market, you should be left with, a shoe brand that offers value for money. Brands like Dansko professional have in a way managed to crack the code. They simply serve several functions, so they easily go down as the best running shoes. Your search should however not start and end with dansko shoes. Consider other brands too and find out more about their performance.

dansko professional shoe

Go For Recommended Brands

This is perhaps the easiest way to shop for running shoes. Always check if the brand you want to buy has been recommended by popular athletes or fitness enthusiasts. This may seem like too much of an uphill task but it is not. Think about it. If an athlete recommends a certain brand as the best running athletic or shoes, then it means that with such shoes:

  • You won’t strain

  • You’ll keep injuries at bay

Go For Unisex Shoes

Sure there are best running shoes for women out there, but it doesn’t hurt a trifle to check if the same shoes preferred by men can be worn by their female counterparts as well. There’s an assumption mainly by women that running shoes for men can double up as running and work out shoes for women too. Nothing can be miles away from the truth than such an assumption. Why so? Men and women have different arches and different feet shapes. Only a few brands take these factors into consideration. That’s exactly why it is extremely important to go for either unisex shoes or simply stick to gender specific shoes.

best comfortable running shoes for women

Know Your Arch

It is easy to find out whether or not you have a high arch. It is however tricky to find the best running shoes that can support high arches. The best running shoes for high arches are:

  • Fitted with properly engineered midsole

  • Fitted with supportive bands in the upper foot areas

  • Fitted with medial posts on the outsole areas

best comfortable running shoes for men nike

These three factors go a long way to offer a little extra bump in the mid foot, making it easy for runners with high arches to work out.

It is all about finding shoes that can give you comfort. It is never about how a pair looks like or how popular a brand is. At the end of the day, you want to have a nice work out experience or at least secure podium positions if you are a professional athlete. All these can only happen if you shop for the best running shoes. Feel free to ask more about the shoe you want to buy and how it can help you improve your performance. That way, finding a nice pair can be a smooth cruise across the ocean.

A Quick Overview of the Trail Running Shoes

Trail running shoes are mainly subjected to a number of harsh conditions and for this reason one should choose these shoes with utmost care for they should not only be comfortable to the feet but also protect one from the harsh outdoor environment. Outdoor running shoes are supposed to be well fitting and highly tear resistance as they undergo different physical conditions on the terrain. There are three major factors that most runners take into account when choosing which brand to use in these events. These are that the shoes should be comfortable, durable, and well fitting.

Trail running shoes have become a major factor in the performance in the field and most runners mainly take it into consideration more often. Due to their performance one should also bear in mind that these shoes are most likely to wear out quickly and therefore the need to replace them. For this reason it would be advisable to go for the low cost shoes in the market but also considering the fact that there are certain brands that are favorable for use for these kinds of events.

best trail running shoes

Dansko Professional

They offer both women and men professional foot wear at affordable cost. Dansko is a brand that has a unique and comfortable design fit for the professional group. With the different patent designs it offers quite a number of options to choose from meeting the unique preferences of different people. They ensure a comfortable feeling in the work environment leading to efficiency and high productivity. Though it is a very common brand, it is sad to note this brand only offers professional shoes that can be used with casual wear leaving out trail running shoes to other brands. It would not be wrong to assume that due to its popularity it would definitely be a major hit if it penetrated the running and other sports market.

New Balance Trail Running Shoes

These are lightweight running shoes that provide the best performance and a good experience outdoors. They are mostly designed to provide a comfortable and natural stride when running. This brand from a Boston based company established in 1900 has been a favorable and well performing brand in the market. Maybe because of its many years in existence the brand has got a high rank in the market for different types of running shoes. These running shoes offer protection from the harsh outdoor conditions that are characterized by weather conditions that are unpredictable.

dansko professional leopard clogs

Popular Names for Mens Trail Running Shoes

Perhaps due to the high performance of men in the track and in the field, men’s shoes are in high demand and therefore there prices are higher than women’s shoes. The most common brands of men’s shoes include;

  • Adidas

  • Asics

  • Avia

  • Merell

  • Mizuno

  • New Balance

  • Nike

  • Pearl Izumi

  • Puma

  • Sketchers

best mens trail running shoes

Each of these big brands has established its place in the market for running shoes undertaking to market its products in a number of ways including publicity through sponsoring major events and publicity through equipping the most famous runners. This market can be said to be highly competitive and therefore every firm here has extensively undertaken research to ensure that their products are comfortable and durable.

The high number of people participating in outdoor events has also led to the development of new designs by the day and this competitive market ensures that products are up to the required standards. It can also be said, that due to the high body mass as compared to that of women, men are capable of wearing out there footwear at higher rate than womens trail running shoes.

new balance trail running shoes

In conclusion trail running shoes should be affordable, comfortable, fitting, and durable. The changing business world that has experienced a change in technology has led to the development of these shoes to a whole new level. They are subjected to scientific testing and mostly produced for the ultimate running experience. Different weather conditions and temperatures are used in the tests to ensure that the product covers even the unexpected conditions in the field. In most cases testing is done on the actual ground to ensure that what is produced is capable of dealing with the actual conditions in the field.