I’m truly amazed that there are people who think that a sneaker can make them faster. Of course it doesn’t help that sneaker companies are helping feed the delusion. These Nike Vaporfly 4% claim to be “the fastest shoe on the planet”! Oh really? (I’m doing some serious eye rolling right now). Here’s the bottom line. I hate to burst your bubble but you and only you can make you faster. Better training, proper nutrition, consistency, yes. Sneakers, no.
What is the role of your sneakers then you might ask. I’ll tell you. The role of your sneakers is to protect your feet from sharp objects and other elements you might potentially step on. They should just barely be there. You shouldn’t feel them. Which brings me to another point. While sneakers can’t make you faster, the wrong kind of sneakers can get you hurt. How? By inhibiting the natural motion and landing. If a sneaker is “designed to correct” something, it will force an unnatural position and you will get hurt no doubt. “Correcting” the foot position with a sneaker is a ridiculous, at best, notion. The foot lands where hip sends it. Loosing up your hips, not changing your sneakers, will improve your foot landing. Your body is the engine that drives the complex motion we call running. Working on each aspect of the kinetic chain is the best approach to improving your speed.
Let’s break it down:
Your lower back, abs, knees and ankles stabilize the motion of running preventing you from falling. Working on balance can help improve this area. One legged exercises and planks are great for that.
Your glutes are power. Lifting heavy(squats, lunges, deadlifts, bridges), running uphill, explosive jumps can improve this aspect of your running.
Your hips are rotation control. They determine where and how far the foot lands. Tight hips will inhibit proper rotation and will cause an unnatural follow through, which results in other muscles taking over. Injuries usually follow. Stretch, stretch, stretch and did I say stretch? Leg swings are also great for loosening up tight hips. Something to note here. The reason why we tend to over stride is because we attempt to force where we want the foot to land (usually too far in front) as opposed to letting the natural swing from the hip determine that. This accounts for many hamstring injuries plus you’re constantly bleeding energy as the stride is forced not relaxed.
Hamstrings are your brakes. Be good to them. They don’t like to be taken for granted. Have you ever ridden a bike fast and then tried to stop all of a sudden? Scary right? Ok so don’t do that. Incidentally, this is why it’s so important not to heel strike since that causes a constant “stop and go” motion which is a huge strain on the hamstring.
Your quads is where the speed is. It’s a known fact that proportionally, quads contain a larger amount of fast twitch muscle fibers which are responsible for generating speed. They fatigue faster than other muscles so use strategically.
And last, your calves. That’s where the endurance is. Don’t forget those calf raises. Lots and lots of calf raises.
So let’s review. Where do the sneakers fall in this equation? They don’t. They are just supposed to not be in the way.