For $250 Nike claims these shoes
can make you
Yeah, I'm skeptical too.
For years, sneaker companies have been marketing
shoes they claim that can make you
be like Mike, know like Bo
and I'm still confused about the purpose
of the Reebox with the pumps.
- Time out!
Gotta get pumped (pumping sound)
- I'm talking to researches, a sports therapist,
and doing an experiment of my own
to see if shoes can truly improve your performance
and to see if any shoe is worth that kind of cash.
Generally speaking, sneakers are make up of three components
The upper, the midsole and the bottom.
They're designed to cater to the load they will endure,
so sneaker makers sometimes experiment with grip strength,
cushioning and a lot of other things
to ensure better performance depending on what sport
the shoes are designed for.
- So basically you have an upper
or the cloth part that wraps around your foot
and you have a lower or a sole
that is made up of an insole which is the removable insert
typically that you have in your shoe,
the midsole which is where all the structure
and cushion come and the outsole which is what
makes contact with the ground.
- Originally released in 2017, Nike claims their shoe
Zoom Vaporfly four percent uses
what they call responsive cushioning
can ensure more efficient running.
The shoe has a carbon plate extending
from your heel to your toes that
stores and releases energy with every stride
to propel you forward.
This in theory can
which equates to four percent speed improvement
over other Nike shoes, hence the name.
While Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% sounds groundbreaking,
it's far from an original concept.
Both Reebok and Adidas have released
that use added polycarbonate
or rubber to help you run faster or more efficiently.
Inspired by all-terrain vehicles,
Reebok's ATV+19 promised stability
through mud, snow, sand and grass.
And geared toward the casual runner
the Adidas Springblade used 16 blades of polymer
that act like springs to give you added propulsion
every time your shoe hits the ground.
Here's a fun fact:
at one point, sneaker innovation got so crazy
that the NBA had to ban a pair of kicks.
APL's Concept Ones were banned
just before the 2010-2011 season
because they used forefoot compression technology
which its creators say can give players
an additional
Eventually, the Concept Ones were allowed back in the league
but its creators say it could still be banned
from competitive play in some schools
and some professional leagues.
Although Nike's claims for this sneaker might be outlandish,
An independent New York Times analysis
used public records to compare more than 500,000 marathon
and half marathon running times.
The analysis found runners in Vaporflys ran
and more than one percent faster
than the next fastest running shoe.
Since I have trust issues, I wanted some more proof.
So we visited New York Dynamic Neuromuscular Rehabilitation
and Physical Therapy clinic,
a state of the art outpatient clinic
that specializes in gait analysis to run some tests.
Basketball, baseball and football
all require hand movements that
are not affected by your sneakers
to see the correlation between footwear
and athletic performance.
- With markers placed on my feet, knees,
hips and chest, I walked, ran and jogged
while a computer tracked my motions.
a New Balance designed for running,
and some Chuck Taylors which are pretty much
some average shoes.
By the way, athleticism,
- Results showed that while running
in the New Balance sneaker,
my feet experienced less pressure
possibly due to cushioning.
I also had more gait line stability
but while this would provide me more comfort in a race,
- While this might sound like a trivial issue,
a lot of studies have been done on this subject.
To improve performance, some advocate for stiffer bottoms
while others call for lighter shoes.
But researchers are pretty split.
The truth is
so no one solution
is going to be right for everyone.
It goes without saying that if you want
superior athletic ability along with shoes,
Shoes can vary in price depending on the research
and development behind them.
Then there are also some
that use superior, higher cost materials.
- What we found is
so if you're
comfortable in the shoe and you feel good in the shoe
and you have confidence in that shoe,
you're going to perform better.
- If you want to buy shoes to improve your performance,
don't base your decisions on the price tag,
brand, or celebrity endorsements.
Just make sure they have the right fit and feel
and you'll be set to cross the finish line.
Possibly.