YOUR SKILL VS TECHNOLOGY: WHY NEWTON SHOES DO NOT WORK FOR POSE RUNNING

A friend brought a pair of Newton running shoes one day and asked to check them out. Before handing them over, he explained that he already cut a chunk off both soles. Considering the price of $175 a pair, it was a painful experience. Having heard about runners "shaving" the soles of their shoes before, it wasn't much of a shock, it was more of a disappointment.

The goal of this article is not to disqualify these shoes (this brand is not the only problem), but to simply show, yet again, that no technology, no shoe, no gadget can ever substitute for your skill of movement. If you believe that you're exempt from laws of nature - the sooner you wake up, the better it is for you. If you think you can manipulate those laws and experience no repercussions or consequences - you're intentionally deluding yourself and are setting yourself up for a painful surprise.

The case in point - a pair of shoes that "provides greater shock absorption, greater energy return, while promoting the natural and more efficient forefoot strike of barefoot running." Wow, all of that from something called a membrane, an actuator lug and traditional shoe laces? But first thing is first, the shoes are a far cry from a barefoot experience. That is obvious by simply looking at the shoes and your bare feet, no scientific testing needed. If you don't agree, please find an eye doctor. Second, do you really think that any actuator lug/membrane/gel/air/rubber/foam/etc and a pair of shoe laces can help you become a better runner and what's more help you avoid injuries?

The best thing a shoe can offer is the smallest amount of interference between you and the environment. The only way to avoid injuries is to stop doing what's causing those injuries. Here's a joke (heard from Dr. Snell) that rings the bell - a man hitting his own head with a hammer comes to a doctor and complains of brutal headaches... putting on a helmet would be a dumb move. Dropping the hammer, however, would stop the headaches once and for all. Primitive but clear, isn't it?

What a lot of people do not understand is that while running barefoot forces one to run on the forefoot or ball of foot, it does not guarantee anything, you won't necessarily land correctly under the hips, under your GCM. A barefoot runner can easily land ahead of his own body and get injured all the while landing on ball of foot. Nothing is as damaging as heel striking, but even forefoot landing or, what is ignorantly referred to as midfoot landing, are not guaranteed ways of running injury free. There is only one way to guarantee injury free running and that would be to learn how to run, not just land, i.e. acquire a skill of movement and save $175, or donate to Wikipedia.

Now back to the shoes. Stay away from any shoes that make you run a certain way, whether they encourage or promote forefoot landing or heel strike, if they lock you into a certain way of moving or what's worse, not moving - you're in trouble. Your body, a divine creation, is perfected in such a way that it "responds on it's own" to changes in terrain and environment: all you have to do is be ready to "follow". If you're locked in a particular way of movement, then you can't adequately respond. Compare this to riding on a bike with fixed gears. It won't work anywhere, but on a racing track.

Get yourself the best wetsuit, spend a fortune on the best bike, believe that shoes can make you faster and injury free. Under all of that man made equipment is you - the man (or woman) - and if you can't move without injuring yourself, then no amount of money spent, no top name equipment can save you, as a matter of fact, it will hurt you even more, because it will delude you into believing a mirage (an optical phenomenon, something illusory, without substance or reality. - dictionary.com)

Improve your skills and build up on that instead of wishing on a star.

Just to point out, the closest to barefoot experience is currently offered by Vibram's FiveFingers. Some like it, some don't (the toe pockets don't quite fit every foot), but they work and the sole even looks like a bare foot literally. Then there is the ever popular Puma's H street. Designed and promoted as a lifestyle casual shoe, it actually came out to be a great running shoe, maybe a bit too narrow at the toes for some. Puma Saloh is very similar.

Potential injuries from Newton running shoes: lowback pain, neck pain.
Without getting into the details of how and why, we would like to offer a bit of advice. If you own a pair of Newtons and started to experience any kind of unexpected and new pains, specifically in your lower back and especially your neck, simply try going back to basics and take the shoes off for a real barefoot run and experience the difference.