Comments on: Maximalist Running Shoes: Some Thoughts on the New “Trend” in Running

By: Bartosz

Bartosz — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 16:46:27 +0000

In reply to Peter Larson. It does, I land on side and so far transcend allowed me to run painless. My problem with hem is they are too narrow so searching for alternatives.

By: jeff

jeff — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 01:31:33 +0000

In reply to Kris. Run in POSE

By: jeff

jeff — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 01:30:45 +0000

Omg!!! great piece and so so so correct. I critically reviewed the Asics 33 on RW Website. Only truly the Hoka can be considered a Max shoe. So blurred I feel like I’m in a snow storm. Go to CO and enter an Ultra race and you will see over 50% of the competitors in Hoka. True story. I love the concept of these shoes. Minimal taken to the marketing extreme has common core principals that were necessary for the development of shoe technology in the 90’s when at that time everything was bulky, stiff and heavy. I run in POSE, a technique that goes hand in hand with any shoe that has a low drop. But too much negative energy from minimal shoes is like a Nascar car running into a non safer barrier wall and straight into cement. In turn the negative vibration, energy ultimately causes fatigue. straight from the ground right up to the body. You will at some point be injured. You certainly don’t see marathoners running in Vibrams now do you. Pete, I remember when you were critical of the Hoka shoe in your first experience with the brand and I applaud you on being very diplomatic in your read, but lets face it. Your wife, injury free for 9 months, even running faster and more efficiently I’m sure, is a testament that minimal shoes are a blown out marketing mess. Thats WHY the Hoka shoe came onto the scene. Take the principals of natural running, low drops, use correct technique and you can run in ANY shoe but the Hoka has saved peoples lives!!!! It did mine. In the first week I wore Hokas I ran 15 extra miles with no extra recovery time and I never looked back. I was injured from running in Newtons and had nasty shin problems that required a year of ART and Graston. Yeah Newtons, Energy Return System, They don’t tell you that “energy” is gonna F you up. None the less I see you’re coming around and I really liked what you said. Mis categorized for sure and clouded to say the least by the industry.

By: JD

JD — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 04:16:56 +0000

Was surfing around and saw this and while I may be late to the party…..

The Hokka Conquest is a great sneaker. With getting older the body just does not instantly recover/heal like it used too. The Conquest has been the great for me. I have had knee surgery, heel spurs , a torn Achilles and plantar facilities on both feet, just too mention the lower body injuries. I could never go more than a few miles before the Conquest. I just did a half marathon and know for a fact that I never could have gotten thru the training and the race without the Hokkas.

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 21:04:46 +0000

In reply to Peter Larson. No problem, thanks for the feedback. No easy answers for this type of injury.

By: Peter Larson

Peter Larson — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 20:20:34 +0000

In reply to Kris. Unfortunately there's not a lot of data to point to one type of shoe vs. the other for hip issues. There is some data that suggests that a shorter, quicker stride might help reduce hip loading, and a more minimal shoe might encourage that, but I actually find that running in Hokas somewhat paradoxically makes run in a way that feels similar to running in a more minimal shoe. Best you can probably do is try both and see which feels better, sorry I don't have a better answer!

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:50:32 +0000

I’ve recently had surgery on both hips to repair torn labrums. I can’t run for a while, but in looking towards the future…do these thicker soled shoes actually reduce or absorb the pounding? Part of me thinks that lower profile (which I used before the surgeries) would be better since it would help with better form. But part of me thinks the thicker soles would help protect my hips. Any thoughts?

By: Peter Larson

Peter Larson — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:27:12 +0000

In reply to Laurie. Have not heard anything specifically in reference to them helping shin splints. Is the pain in the front of your shin or on the inside above the ankle?

By: Laurie

Laurie — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 15:14:07 +0000

Have you heard anything about the “maximalist” shoes helping people who suffer from reoccurring shin splints? I keep getting shin splints every time I try to build mileage, despite trying to do it slowly and carefully. I’m in recovery right now and since I’ll have to start back up slowly it seems like a great time to try new shoes. I can’t decide if I want to try to go minimalist or try something like the Hoka One One. I know I over pronate and I’ve been incorporating foot, ankle and hip strengthening exercises to try to remedy the issue. The stability shoes that I was previously fitted for at a local running store have done nothing to help prevent my shin splints.

By: Chad Smith

Chad Smith — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:09:09 +0000

In reply to Peter Larson. no worries

By: Hoka Running Shoes: Maximalism and The Rapa Nui 2 Review

Hoka Running Shoes: Maximalism and The Rapa Nui 2 Review — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 17:45:43 +0000

[…] Pete Larson wrote about the maximalist trend and […]

By: Peter Larson

Peter Larson — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 00:17:04 +0000

In reply to Chad Smith. Could be that Hoka is reporting measurements without the insole. I still need to take a look at your gait videos, totally forgot! Sorry, been crazy busy lately.