Strength Shoe Training

Strength Shoes are special sneakers designed to improve your calf strength for jumping and sprinting. A hard, 1.6-inch rubber platform is built into the forefoot of Strength Shoes that, according to its manufacturer, places an increased stress on your calf muscles. The increased stress, in turn, makes running and jumping exercises more productive. Strength Shoes are available from sporting goods stores and from its U.S.-based manufacturer, Strength Footwear, Inc. of Metairie, Louisiana.

Benefits

Strength Shoes are popular with athletes, such as basketball and volleyball players, who want to increase the height of their vertical jump. Athletes involved in sports where sprinting speed is important, such as soccer and football, also use Strength Shoes because calf strength is closely related to sprinting speed. Some bodybuilders also use Strength Shoes because there is a reported increase in calf size associated with regular Strength Shoe workouts.

Function

The elevated forefoot platform in Strength Shoes forces you to place more weight on the balls of your feet than normal. Wearing Strength Shoes is like standing with the balls of your feet on the edge of a step all of the time. This constant loading of your calf muscles increases the demand of just about every standing, walking, running and jumping exercise.

Dangers

The purpose of Strength Shoes is to increase the duration and intensity of the load on your calf muscles. This purpose also causes the main potential dangers associated with Strength Shoe use. There may be an increased risk of calf strain and Achilles tendon injury when wearing Strength Shoes. To minimize your risk of injury, introduce use of Strength Shoes gradually into your training program, building up duration and intensity of exercise over time. Always warm up before wearing your Strength Shoes and make sure you stretch your calf muscles thoroughly after each training session.

Exercises

You can use Strength Shoes for a wide variety of exercises. Initially, walking in Strength Shoes will provide an extra workout for your calf muscles. Once you have become accustomed to the elevated heel position, you can progress to jogging and jumping rope. Jumping exercises called plyometrics are also very effective for increasing vertical jump height. Jumping on the spot, jumping over a sequence of agility hurdles, hopping and bounding are all examples of plyometric exercise.

Conclusion

Evidence confirming the effectiveness of wearing Strength Shoes is hard to come by. Very few scientific studies have been performed to assess the shoes. Anecdotal reports from athletes suggest that Strength Shoes can be beneficial but empirical evidence is inconclusive. The reported increased risk of injury associated with Strength Shoe use may negate any potential benefits for some users.