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Hi guys, Sean Maguire here, a new intern coach at EZIA Human Performance. A few quick words about myself… I recently moved here from Aspen, Colorado where I was a personal trainer, a budding sports performance coach, and an avid rugby player. I started at EZIA HP a few days after driving the moving truck from Colorado to San Diego in what can only be described as a traveling circus with my family. The night before my internship began, I realized I forgot my cross trainers back in Colorado during the melee of the move. The only shoes I had were my running shoes. Within five minutes of taking Coach Taryn’s Endurance class, it became evident that my running shoes were not designed for the speed, agility and change of direction drills incorporated here at EZIA HP.
This brings me to my topic, do cross training shoes benefit the athlete in performance output? Or is it just a mental barrier, and any shoe will let the athlete attain their personal best goals?
By design, cross training shoes are built to meet the needs of many activities and have a wider and more stable outsole than a running shoe to provide for lateral (side to side) movement, support, and stability. Typically cross trainers offer a moderate amount of cushioning, primarily at the heel and forefoot of the shoe. The cushioning is durable and dense, which enhances the shoes stability. However, this does not make it ideal for a full-time running shoe.
I want you guys to check out the following video by our Coaching Director Ryan Gallop while he wears a pair of the new Fox Motion Elite Shoe. Would he have been able to beat his personal records in three performance based drills with a pair of running shoes? I’ll let you decide for yourself.
So what did you think of Ryan’s “performance” while wearing the Fox Motion Elite Shoe, impressive huh? Based on this video (and my own personal experience of wearing a running shoe for a whole week), I can say that training in cross trainers is like night and day to wearing running shoes. I had my forgotten shoes shipped to me and my first day back, my foot felt much more stable. I began participating in all the classes that EZIA HP could throw at me. I am confident that I will thoroughly beat my Initial Performance Assessment test scores, this time wearing my cross trainers. Check back for an update on my next blog post!
Is this a mental block of mine? Possibly, but if you really want to know for yourself, come down to EZIA HP with both a cross trainer and running shoe and see for yourself. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by your results.
All the best, train hard, and we will speak soon.
Cheers,
Sean Maguire
