Sports such as basketball, volleyball and soccer place a big emphasis on the height of your vertical jump. The higher your jump, the more effective you will be as a player. Strength Shoes are used by athletes and sportsmen who want to increase their maximum vertical jump and develop stronger calf muscles. Some bodybuilders also use Strength Shoes to increase the size of their calves.
About Strength Shoes
Strength Shoes are high-top athletic shoes with a 1.6-inch high platform located under the forefoot. Made from synthetic leather, Strength Shoes are available from various online sources and, as of December 2010, cost around $130. The forefoot platform is designed to literally keep you on your toes. By placing all of your body weight on your calves and not allowing you to rest on your heels on the ground, Strength Shoes place a larger than normal workload on your calf muscles which, say the manufacturers, will increase calf strength, power and jumping ability.
Strength Shoes Uses
You can perform various exercises while wearing Strength Shoes, all of which place a direct or indirect workload on your calf muscles. Performing free weight exercises such as squats and lunges increase static calf strength while hopping, jumping, bounding and running exercises will increase dynamic calf strength. By keeping your heels elevated, Strength Shoes turn even the simplest activities such as walking or jumping rope into demanding calf workouts
Potential Dangers
According to Fred Hatfield, associate strength and conditioning coach at James Madison University, the use of Strength Shoes is not without risk. In his analysis of numerous studies performed on Strength Shoes, Hatfield reported that 10 out of 24 subjects in one Strength Shoe study had to drop out due to injury attributed to the special shoes. Improvements in speed, jumping ability and calf girth were, says Hatfield, not statistically significant enough to support the claims of the manufacturer.
Risks Vs. Benefits
When deciding if Strength Shoes are for you, it is important to consider the risks and potential benefits of this type of training tool. While anecdotal evidence supports the use of Strength Shoes, empirical evidence is less convincing. Because there appears to be a real chance of developing an injury it could be that the potential benefits are outweighed by the risks. If you choose to use Strength Shoes you should start by wearing your shoes for short periods of time and by performing low intensity workouts to acclimate your calf muscles to the increased demands placed on them. Progress slowly to minimize your risk of injury.
Member Comments