Myth # 8 Shoe flex is bad

We have all heard shoe manufacturers trying to convince us we need stiff shoes for power transfer.  If that is true; then here is a simple question: why don’t marathon runners wear stiff soled shoes? 

The truth is shoe manufacturers just want to sell us shoes.  They can sell us flip flops for $4 or carbon soled shoes for $400.  Guess which is in their best interest!

The answer is simple; runners (and cyclists too, for that matter) need to use all of the muscles in their legs and feet to get the maximum efficiency from their effort.  Once you lock your puppies into rigid shoes you reduce the number of muscles that can help propel you forward.

Looking at the picture above you might think as I do; thank goodness short shorts made a comeback on pretty women. The second thing you notice is that her long supple leg isn’t flexing and straining as she pedals.  This is because she is using all of her muscles.  No one group of muscles has to strain, the legs and foot are able to work in harmony.

If you look at this picture you might second guess the habit of male cyclists shaving their legs because you can’t tell is this leg belongs to a to a guy wearing a skirt of a woman who had a few too many supplements (if you know what I mean by supplements).  If, however, you could manage to stay on topic, you would also notice a leg working well without a rigid shoe.  You might also question the pink on red combination.  Yep, most likely a guy.

Once again I gathered my group of wool clad preppers and asked them about rigid shoes.  Most admitted they only wore shoes in order to hide their malformed feet.  Frank, said his toes were as knotted as tree roots and started to take off his shoes to display his freakishness but I stopped him before he grossed me out.  I think I made my point.