The Sole of Shoes at Reebok

Read the first half of the recap of my visit to Reebok Headquarters with #FitFluential where we WODed at CrossFit One!

When we last left off we had just completed a fun WOD at CrossFit One. Afterward we cleaned up and headed back to home base for a yummy veg-friendly, healthy lunch spread. They were so nice to accommodate all of our dietary needs!

Reebok is up to big things. They want to be “the fitness brand” and are all about getting people active. I love that Reebok views CrossFit as the training authenticator, too. They shared some statistics about the growth of CrossFit; people are getting fit with CrossFit and it’s trending to only keep growing!

I really respect Reebok’s shoes after learning what goes into them and how they make them for the end use. They want you to be able to do anything in your shoe. I love that all of their shoes are runnable since I am usually adding running into other cross-training. They also respect the many movements of our feet and incorporate flexibility into all their shoes.

While we ate we heard from Kate Young, Reebok’s U.S. Women’s Merchandising Manager. Kate was one cool chic and seemed to know everything about shoes. I immediately felt safe knowing my feet were in great hands in my Reebok RealFlex Transitions!

Some fun facts:

- Running shoes make up 80% of athletic shoes bought.

- Colors are in! Pink, black and grey with pops of color are in.

- Washing machines can compromise how the shoe was built so just wipe down the surface of dirty shoes. Choose darker colors if you’re extra messy

- “Lightweight” shoes weigh less than 10oz.

- Reebok offers a totally custom fit with U-Form technology. Heating the internal structure in the upper and then tying tightly onto your feet gives you an almost-instant customized shoe.

A few of the shoes we learned about….

RealFlex Transition

These shoes are the bomb dot com. Reebok graciously gave us each a pair to try out throughout the day and during our WOD. It’s designed for natural movement so the whole shoe is really flexible.

The bottom of the shoe has sixty-two little squares called nodes. Other than at the midsole (where you need more stability), the nodes aren’t linked so the shoe can move with your foot and not be limited by a stiff shoe. It weighs less than 9 ounces and is Reebok’s most versatile shoe. I bought a second pair

ZigTech

ZigTech is Reebok’s running shoe. The wave design in the sole is designed to help propel you forward. This shoe has a solid running platform, but it’s also flexible and soft so it’s multi-functional. It weighs less than 10 ounces.

Oly Lifting Shoe

If you’re a CrossFitter than you either have or have heard of olympic lifting shoes. The raised, stiff heel helps you keep your weight in your heels in olympic lifts. I’ve paid them little attention because they’re so darn stiff and I can’t use them for a whole WOD. Reebok’s are unique because they are flexible in the front so you can run short distance and then still come back and rock your olympic lifts.

How do I know when to replace?

Kate said there really isn’t one magic answer. Check the wear and tear at the bottom of the shoe. Lightweight= less rubber. The more rubber, the more durable. That’s why true runners will want to have a running shoe to hold up with their activity. Consider replacing when there are rips or tears in the upper- the upper is meant to hold your feet in. The more pairs you spread your workouts between, the longer wear.

What’s Your Arch?

Your arch will affect the kind of shoe you want. To find out if you have a flat, high or normal arch, wet your foot and step down on newspaper on the floor. Take a full walking step over it and look.

•    Flat arch: No visible arch, completely flat, tend to overpronate (feet “roll in”). Look for shoes that offer “stability” and “motion control.”

•    High arch: Disconnected arch, tend to supinate (feet “roll out”). Look for shoes that are described as “flexible” or “soft” and offer “cushioning.”

•    Normal arch: Most common foot type. Neither flat or high. Look for shoes that are “neutral” and offer “cushioning.”

Barefoot versus Minimal

Barefoot shoes have a zero drop- meaning that if the shoe is 10m at the front, it will be 10m at the back back of the shoe. Barefoot mimics bare feet. Problem: most of us have always worn shoes that aren’t zero drop. We haven’t developed the muscles necessary for barefoot so we have to transition. Reebok doesn’t want to build shoes that you have to get used to; they want to make shoes that you can put on and go. So, they make more minimal, lightweight shoes that you can move in.

After geeking out on all this shoe info we headed to studio room to take a Cardio Dance class with Illyse Baker, Reebok’s Global Ambassador.

I was so nervous before the class. Coordination is not my thing. Much less coordinating moves to fast music with a superstar instructor when there are a ton of cameras out. Ha!

photo credit Carrots ‘n Cake

The class ended up being a blast! It was one of my favorite parts of the day. Illyse broke down each move and repeated the sequence before adding to it so it was really easy to follow along. I had such a good time that I’m finally going to check out some local dance studios in Orlando

Before we knew it it was time to head home!

Thank you Reebok for such an awesome experience!

What comes to mind when you think of Reebok?

Tagged as: FitFluential, recap