My first job was as a sales rep at the local downtown Nike store in Portland, Oregon where I grew up. With that job I was required to understand and sell all Nike products. Of everything I learned the most important lesson was that there is a huge difference between workout shoes. Athletic shoes are specifically designed to enhance the athletes performance. If an athlete isn’t wearing the right shoes they may not be at their full potential.
There are three types of shoes (as I understand): running, training, and sportswear.
Before explaining these here are a few things to understand:
- If the title says “air” in it, there are literally air pouches in the shoe.
- Nike frees range from Free 3.0-5.0. These are not the order of when they came out! The higher the number the more the support. Nike Free 3.0 has the least support and Nike Free 5.0 has the most.
- The new Flyknit material is designed to be a “second layer of skin” to make the runner faster. It’s not just for looks!
RUNNING SHOES
These shoes are for runners who run outside or on the treadmill for extended periods of time. Nike categorizes their running shoes based on a barefoot, neutral, or stable ride. I listed the categories below and the newest and most popular shoes in each category.
Barefoot like ride: The lightest running shoes. Designed to make people faster and lighter on their feet.
Frees – In order of weight/support. The number is written on the outer side of the sole of the shoe.
3.0
4.0
5.0
Neutral Ride: For runners who want more support.
Air Pegasus: These have been around forever. They come out with a new version periodically.
Flyknit Lunar1: The newest of the Lunar family with the new flyknit technology.
(Lunarspeed and Lunarflash are also in the Lunar family for this category)
Zoom Vomero: I know runners who love these.
(Terra Kiger and Elite are also in the Zoom family.)
Air Max 2013: Lots of cushion.
Stability: These shoes are the most stable of the running shoes.
LunarGlide 5: This is the fifth version of the lunarglides and they are all a little bit different. This is my favorite running shoe!
(The LunarEclipse is also in the Lunar family for this category)
Zoom Structure : This is the most supportive running shoe Nike makes. There is also the Zoom Structure Breathe, which has air holes to let air into the shoe.
TRAINING SHOES
These shoes are for people who are lifting weights, kickboxing, doing cross fit classes, or any workout which requires lateral movements or quick changes in direction. They are not recommended for running in unless you are only running for a short period of time.
Types: (The newest and most popular)
Free Trainer III : The lightest of the training shoes.
(There are also the bionic, advantage, Free trainer 5.0, free trainer 2.0, and connect in the free trainer family)
Air Max Fusion : In the air max family. Has good cushioning.
Lunar Element: In the lunar family. Has good support.
SPORTSWEAR SHOES
I always cringe a little bit when I see people running in Nike Shox, ouch! Shox are categorized as sportswear shoes, which are designed for walking in. They are not recommended for running or training.
Types
Dunks, Jordans, Blazers, Shox, etc.
Roshe Run Woven:
Blazers:
Shox:
Make sure you have the right shoes so you can be as fast, fit, and strong as possible!