A squat is a very important exercise for the lower part of your body. Being a complex movement, it works on multiple muscles at once. However, to perform squat, you will have to have good mobility in different parts of your body.
The problem arises when you have poor mobility. Movements like squats are difficult to achieve in such cases…
Then how to squat with poor mobility? In this post, we cover that in detail…
We specifically cover:
How to improve your mobility for squatting?
What variations of squat you can try instead of a squat?
and a lot more…
How to Squat with poor mobility?
How To Squat With Poor Mobility?
To squat with poor mobility one has to improve their mobility first. Simultaneously, one will have to do squat variations to get their body used to squatting and eventually progress to squatting.
Trying to squat with bad mobility may increase your chances of getting injured. So the first step for you in your squatting journey is to improve your mobility.
For that, you first should know what are the muscles that are involved in squatting…
Muscles that are involved in the squat:
Quads (Main muscle)
Hamstring (supporting muscle)
Glutes (supporting muscle)
Knee joint
Hip
All of them work together to make squatting possible.
So, if you have poor mobility, then mostly you have mobility-issue with any of these areas. To improve mobility for your squat, here is a routine that you can do…
Mobility routine to improve squat
Squat Prying
You can do this mobility exercise with a dumbbell or a kettlebell. The weight you can choose as per your strength.
Squat Prying
Steps:
Take a wide stance.
Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and toes pointing slightly outward.
Hold the kettlebell close to your chest.
Now try to sit down completely using your hips and knees simultaneously.
Now start pushing your knees outward with your elbows, as much as possible.
Hold this posture for 30 seconds and return back to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise 3 times.
T-Spine External Rotation
T-Spine External Rotation
Steps
Sit on the ground with your legs folded backward.
Keep your knees near to each other with around 1-2 inches of gap between them
Place your left hand in front of you at an approximately 10-12 inches gap.
Your back should be straight and leaning forward.
Place the palm of your right hand at the back of your head.
Now bring your right elbow to your left elbow joint and then take your right elbow up in such a way that your spine completely rotates to that side.
Do this 10 times with each side and 3 sets.
Wide Stance Rocking
Wide Stance Rocking
Steps:
Sit on the ground with your legs folded backward.
Spread your knees and lean forward.
Place your elbows under your shoulders.
Make a fist of your palms so that you can hold the posture comfortably.
Stay in this pose for 30secs.
Do the exercise 3 times.
Deep Squat Wall Slides
Steps:
Stand with your back on the wall and feet shoulder-width apart toes pointing front.
Gradually slide your back on the wall to go into a squat position.
Go as deep as possible for you.
Hold that pose for 30 secs.
Go back up and repeat.
Do this exercise 3 times.
Rocking Ankle Stretch
Steps:
Start with your toes and palms on the ground. Hip pointing upwards.
Place your left foot on top of the right and start rocking forward and backward with your toes.
You should be able to feel a stretch in your ankle area.
Do this 10 times on each leg for 3 sets.
Bridge
Bridge is one of the most effective mobility workouts for your hips. Here is how you should do it:
Steps:
Lie down on the floor with your back on the floor.
Bend your legs at the knees and place your foot around 10 inches from your glutes.
Now squeeze your glutes and pelvic area and push your hip off the floor as much as possible.
Do this 10 times 3 sets.
Forward Bend
This will stretch your hamstrings effectively.
Steps:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Stretch your arms up.
Now bend from your hip and try to touch your feet.
You should feel a stretch on your hamstring.
Hold the stretch for 30 sec. Do it 3 times.
These mobility exercises should be done every time you are planning to do squats. Do them before your squat so that you will be able to improve your squatting performance.
Now that you have performed your mobility exercises, you can start doing your squatting routine. However, if it is not possible for you to perform a proper squat yet, perform any of these squat variations:
Squat variations for people with poor mobility
Box Squat
Place a plyometric box behind you. The height of the box should be such that, it allows your knees to bend at 90 degrees.
Stand in front of the box with your legs should width apart.
Stretch your arms in the front and make a fist ut of your palms with your thumb sticking out and upwards.
Use your hip to go down gradually until you can touch the box.
Now come up using your hips and glutes and stand up while tightening your hip.
Do this 20 times for 3 sets.
If you find this too easy, you can hold a dumbbell of comfortable weight to increase the difficulty.
Swiss Ball Squat
Place the swiss ball between your back and the wall.
Gradually start sitting down so the the ball rolls with your back.
Go as much deep as possible or until your knees are at 90 degrees.
Hold it for 30 secs.
Go back up.
Repeat 3 times.
Use dumbbells to increase difficulty.
Wall Static Squat
Place your back on the wall.
Your legs should be hip-width apart.
Stretch your arms in front. Your palms should be in a fist with thumbs sticking up.
Gradually slide down the wall until your knees are at 90 degrees.
Hold it for 30 secs.
Go back up.
Repeat 3 times.
Use dumbbells or kettlebells to increase difficulty.
Bench Squat
This is similar to box squat. However, instead of a plyometric box, you will be using a bench.
Stand in front of the bench with legs on the side of the wheels. This will give you more stability with the movement.
Extend your arms forward with your palms in a fist and your thumbs sticking up.
Start sitting down until you touch the bench.
Come up in a swift motion with your hip slightly tilted upwards.
Do this 10 times for 3 sets.
Use a dumbbell or a kettlebell to increase difficulty.
Once you have developed sufficient mobility and have a couple of weeks of modified squatting under your belt, try to do a proper squat. However, before doing the squat, you should always do your mobility routine.
Conclusion
Doing squat with poor mobility can be dangerous. It can create a lot of injuries in the lower part of the body like ankles, calf muscles, etc. However, this can be avoided by improving your mobility with some simple exercises and more. If you regularly do mobility routine, you will be able to see the difference in a couple of weeks.
Also, with mobility, if you perform the modified squats then it will help you to perfect the stance while you are improving your mobility.
How to do squat with bad mobility?
Madhusree Basu (Author, Admin)
Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.
Sourav Sarkar (Reviewer, CPT)
Certified fitness trainer and an ex-professional bodybuilder, he has trained more than 500 fitness enthusiasts and has more than 15 years of on-the-job experience.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and an affiliate for some reputed brands, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost you. I may recieve a commission if you purchase something mentioned in this post. See more details here.
Hoka Clifton and Topo Phantom are both neutral running shoes that have a lot of cushioning, lightness and comfort.
We are today comparing Hoka Clifton 8 and Topo Phantom 2 as these are the latest models of these two shoes currently.
In the sections below, I’ve tried to compare these two shoes in as much detail as possible. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you will be able to choose between Topo Phantom vs Hoka Clifton…
Topo Phanton is heavier than Hoka Clifton. The women’s version of Topo Phanton weighs around 9.1oz or 258g whereas Hoka Clifton’s women’s version weighs around 8.0oz or 226.8g. Topo Phantom’s men’s version weighs around 10.4oz or 295g whereas that of Hoka Clifton’s weighs around 8.9oz or 252.3g.
The heel stack of Hoka Clifton (37mm) is higher than that of Topo Phantom (34mm) by 3mm.
The forefoot stack of Hoka Clifton (32mm) is higher than that of Topo Phantom (29mm) by 5mm.
Hoka Clifton has two toe-box widths available for both the women’s version and the men’s version whereas for Topo Phantom there is only one toe-box width available for both versions.
The latest generation of Hoka Clifton is 8 whereas the current generation of Topo Phantom is 2.
Hoka Clifton and Topo Phantom are neutral running shoes. Both of these shoes are very comfortable and shock-absorbing and will provide you with an excellent ride.
They have excellent breathability and stretch, and the outsole has a proper grip on both wet and dry surfaces. You have lesser chances of tripping and falling while wearing these shoes.
In the following sections, I’ll be providing you with an in-depth comparison of Hoka Clifton and Topo Phantom.
So, let’s proceed…
Topo Phantom 2 Vs Hoka Clifton 8 – Features at a glance
Hoka Clifton Vs. Topo Phantom – A head-to-head comparison
In the above sections, we have provided you with some basic differences and similarities between Topo Phantom and Hoka Clifton.
In the following sections, we will be providing you with more details about these two running shoes.
Outsole
The outsole of Topo Phantom is partly made of the exposed midsole and partly with the midsole covered by durable rubber.
If you observe the presence of the durable rubber on the outsole it is only present in the places where there will be more wear and tear.
It is not present in the other places and in those areas you will have a rubberized midsole which is actually the most part of the outsole.
Also, there are different patterns that are made on the outsole. Most of them are either vertical or horizontal. These are the flex groove patterns that make the outsole flexible.
If you didn’t have that the outsole of Topo Phantom would have been very stiff. Also, there are lug patterns that are present in the durable rubber area.
This improves the grip of the shoe. Also, in general, the rubber that is present in the outsole only improves the grip of the shoe.
The outsole of Hoka Clifton is also similar. It has durable rubber in the high wear and tear areas of the outsole.
For the rest of the places, it has a rubberized exposed midsole. Also, the exposed midsole also has a lot of patterns present.
The most important is what is present in the forefoot as this is related to the flexibility of the shoe. If you observe the forefoot of Hoka Clifton, you will find the durable rubber and the midsole is placed parallelly at an angle and in an alternating pattern.
This actually improves flexibility. If the entire area was covered with rubber then the firmness of the sole would have been too much.
Also, due to the presence of durable rubber in high wear and tear-prone areas, improves the overall lifespan of the shoe.
Midsole
The midsole of Topo Phantom is made from ZIP Foam. This is a lightweight foam that is cushy, comfortable, and responsive. Topo Phantom is already a maximally cushioned running shoe and with Phantom 2, the level of cushioning has increased. Topo Phantom 2 has 3mm more cushioning which makes it, even more, cushier and more comfortable. This is a low-drop running shoe and has a heel-to-toe drop of 5mm. The heel stack of Topo Phantom is around 34mm whereas the forefoot is around 29mm. This is a good shoe for any kind of running especially the long-distance ones. However, I’ll not take them for the speed workout. On the other hand, Hoka Clifton‘s midsole is made from CMEVA. This is compression-molded EVA foam that provides you with exceptional cushioning. Hoka Clifton is not a maximally cushioned running shoe. Instead, it has balanced cushioning which means, it is a mix of responsiveness and cushioning and you can feel the difference when you wear both of these shoes. One of them feels like a pillowy cushion whereas Hoka Clifton feels a lot snappier. The heel-to-toe drop of Hoka Clifton is also 5mm, however, the stack height is different. The forefoot stack is around 32mm and the heel stack is around 37mm. Although the stack height of both the forefoot and the rearfoot is more than that of Topo Phantom, due to the nature of the materials used in these shoes Hoka Clifton feels snappier.
Upper
The upper of Topo Phantom is made of engineered mesh. This is an overlay-free mesh and is very breathable.
Like many other companies, Topo is also shifting towards a more eco-friendly line of products. Topo phantom is one of them.
It has 30% recycled material in its upper. This helps Topo to be more environmentally friendly and reduces its overall carbon footprint.
Unlike Hoka, Topo is still going with the more traditional look for its running shoes and doesn’t have an extended pull tab.
However, the collar that it has is well padded and will provide you with a good amount of comfort.
Combined with the padded tongue, it will provide your ankle with more stability and you will have fewer chances of twisting your ankles.
Also, it has a padded insole that provides you with step-in comfort and good arch support. The external TPU heel keeps your feet firmly grounded on the platform and you will not have to deal with heel slips or such things.
Like Hoka Clifton, Topo Phantom also has flat laces which remain tied while you run.
What I don’t like about Phantom is its look. It looks bulky and not at all stylish. It is very comfortable however, it doesn’t get a lot of points in the looks department.
Also, another thing that I don’t like about this shoe is that it is not available in wide fit. People who have wider foot requirements will not be able to use it.
Like Topo Phantom, Hoka Clifton also has an engineered mesh upper. Also, like Topo Phantom, it is made from recycled material.
This mesh is durable, breathable, and provides you with excellent comfort. It stretches where and when required and still maintains its structure.
The collar area has an extended pull tab for the easy wearing of the shoe. This collar is also decently padded for providing more ankle and Achilles support.
Also, the tongue is anatomically designed and provides you with additional ankle support.
Like Topo Phantom, Hoka Clifton also has flat laces. These laces don’t come undone when you are running.
Also, the inside of the shoe is very smooth and doesn’t rub against your skin. This is important because such friction can create blisters.
I find Hoka Clifton‘s look to be very stylish and it is also available in multiple widths for both genders. This is great for runners like me who have bunions.
Weight
Hoka Clifton is lighter than Topo Phantom for both versions. It is understandable as Topo Athletic Phantom is a maximally cushioned running shoe and Hoka Clifton has a balanced cushioning.
Topo Phantom weighs around 9.1oz /258g for women and 10.4oz/295g for men.
Hoka Clifton weighs around 8.0oz/226.8g for women and 8.9oz/252.3g for men.
Price
The price of Hoka Clifton and Topo Phantom is almost similar. If you check the price difference between the current versions of Clifton and Phantom, you will find a difference of $0.05 or 5 cents.
This difference is negligible and will not affect your decision to pick the one more suitable for you. Also, since the drop of both of these shoes is also the same, this also will not help you decide on the same.
So, I would suggest that you try on both of these shoes and find out which feels more comfortable to you. Some, love the plush cushioning and the others will like the responsiveness.
Based on your comfort and preference pick the shoe for you.
In the above sections, we have tried to provide you with all the differences and similarities between Topo Phantom and Hoka Clifton.
However, we have provided some alternatives to these two running shoes in the below sections. Check them out.
Similar Shoes
Running Shoes Similar To Topo Athletic Phantom 2
Topo Athletic Phantom is a maximal cushioned running shoe. It is excellent with shock absorption and will provide you with a very cushy experience. Also, it is a low-drop running shoe.
A running shoe that will provide you with a similar experience is Hoka Bondi. It is also a maximal cushioned running shoe with a low heel-to-toe drop. Running in Bondi feels like running on the clouds.
Breathable open engineered textile mesh upper with seamless synthetic overlays
Breathable textile lining for abrasion-free wear
Removable textile lined, foam padded insole for cushioning and support
Last update on 2022-06-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Running Shoes Similar To Hoka One One Clifton 8
Hoka Clifton is a lightweight running shoe. It is responsive and will provide you with a cushy ride. It is good for even longer distances.
A running shoe that can provide you with a similar experience is Brooks Trace. It is a lightweight running shoe that will provide you with good responsiveness while providing a good amount of cushioning.
Every running session counts, and the Brooks Trace athletic shoes are designed for the ultimate comfortable run experience!
Cushioning: lightweight, flexible cushioning.
Lightweight, stretch-woven upper comfortably holds the foot and provides excellent breathability.
Last update on 2022-06-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
In the above sections, I have tried to cover almost all the differences and similarities between Hoka Clifton Vs Topo Phantom. However, we liked Topo Phantom a bit more than Hoka Clifton.
Almost everything in Topo Phantom is comparable to Hoka Clifton. However, the amount of cushioning that Topo Phantom has is way more than Hoka Clifton. This is the reason why we chose Topo Phantom over Hoka Clifton.
Madhusree Basu
Author, Admin
Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.
When you compare Saucony vs ASICS sizing, it becomes very interesting.
TBH, I also did not know what exactly are the differences, before I did the research for this article.
When you compare data side by side, the kind of details that pop up is just fascinating…
Did you know ASICS has some odd measurements for some of the sizes and those size numbers actually tally up with Saucony, whose length is again different from ASICS?
Did I confuse you? Well, don’t worry I’ll present the differences between ASICS and Saucony sizing as clearly as possible.
BTW, I did not compare the heel-to-toe drop of Saucony and Asics with each other as I’ve already covered that in this article.
1. For some lengths ASICS lengths increase by 0.25cm and not by cm0.5 like 25.25cm, 28.25cm for men, and 22.75cm, 25cm.75 for women. Such an increase is not present in Saucony.
2. For Saucony women’s size starts from 21.5cm(8.46 in)/5(US)/3(UK)/35.5(EU). For ASICS women’s size starts from 22.75cm (8.96 in)/5.5(US)/3.5(UK)/36(EU).
3. For Saucony men’s size starts from 22.5cm (8.86 in)/4.5(US)/3.5(UK)/37(EU). For ASICS men’s size starts from 22.5cm (8.86 in)/4(US)/3(UK)36(EU).
4. Most of the men’s sizes of Saucony are equivalent to an ASICS number by 0.5 steps. It is the same for women’s except for the bigger sizes.
5. For women’s shoes ASICS has the sizes 5.5(US)/3.5(UK)/36(EU) corresponding to the length of 22.75cm(8.96 in). Such a size is not present in Saucony.
6. For women’s shoes ASICS has the size 9(US)/7(UK)/40.5(EU) corresponding to the length of 25.75cm(10.13 in). Although the same numbers are present in Saucony it represents the length of 25.5cm (10.03 in).
7. For men’s shoes, ASICS has the size 7(US)/6(UK)/40(EU) corresponding to the length of 25.25cm(10.13 in). Although the same numbers are present in Saucony it represents the length of 25cm (9.84 in).
8. For men’s shoes, ASICS has the size 10.5(US)/9.5(UK)/44.5(EU) corresponding to the length of 28.25cm(10.13 in). Although the same numbers are present in Saucony it represents the length of 28.5cm (11.22 in).
9. Saucony has more sizes of men’s shoes for the longer lengths than ASICS.
10. For women’s shoes ASICS has more sizes available than Saucony for longer lengths.
11. For women’s shoes Saucony has more sizes available than Asics for shorter lengths.
No, ASICS doesn’t run bigger or smaller than Saucony as for almost every length of Saucony there is an ASICS running shoe present, except for some of the higher and lower sizes.
However, this misconception arises because the numbers that the shoe represents in both brands are different.
For example, let’s pick the size 6.5(US) of Saucony for the women’s shoes which are 23 cm in length. The same length is represented by ASICS with the number 6(US).
Let’s check another example…
For the length of 26.5 cm of women’s shoes both ASICS and Saucony represent it with the number 10(US).
You can find many such examples where for the same length the number that ASICS uses is bigger than that of Saucony.
So, basically every number that a shoe represents in any of these brands may represent the same or a different length and neither of them runs smaller or bigger than the other.
Madhusree Basu
Author, Admin
Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.
Treadmills are very useful equipment. They help you to get your cardio session in the comfort of your home.
It is a great form of workout if you are trying to lose weight or maintain your cardiovascular health in general. Also, it can be used as a part of your warmup session or as a full-blown workout routine…
But with something as effective as a treadmill, there are a lot of questions and myths surrounding it, the primary being when you should do the treadmill session…
Should you do it before, after, or in-between…
Today, we will be demystifying this question and try to provide you with a straightforward answer and list out the advantages and disadvantages of using a treadmill during various times of workout…
Let’s begin…
Should I Go On The Treadmill Before Or After Workout?
The treadmill can be done before or after a workout or in between different exercises. There is no universal rule about the time when you should run on a treadmill.
Although you can run on the treadmill anytime, there are pros and cons associated with all the methods:
Benefits of running on a treadmill before a workout:
If you run on a treadmill before a workout you are basically doing cardio before your workout. Your heart will start beating fast and your entire body will start heating up.
So, you can have a shorter warm-up session if you are going after a 15 min of treadmill session as all the muscles in your body would have sufficiently warmed up after the treadmill session.
Also, you will burn some extra calories due to this treadmill session. The amount of calories that you will burn depends on the speed, incline, weight, and age (considering a 15 min session).
Disadvantages of running on a treadmill before a workout:
If you are running on a treadmill before a workout, there are some inherent disadvantages to that, the first being that, your performance in your later workout session will decrease.
This is because, once you have done a treadmill session, you have already used up some of your energy. So, you will have lesser energy to spend on the workout session.
This way your workout may get a bit impacted.
A probable solution can be to have some pre-workout drink that will supplement that energy. You can have that, just before you start your workout and not during the treadmill session.
That way, during the time of the workout, the pre-workout drink will take effect and will boost your energy that much. This way, you will be able to continue your workout session without your performance going down.
However, remember, that when the effects of your pre-workout drink wear off, you will feel that your energy is depleting. So the trick is to properly time your pre-workout drink.
Pre-workout drinks
There are different types of pre-workout drinks. Some are good for your body and some are outright bad. Also, you may not be knowing which one to go for and may rely on someone who can guide you.
If that person is trustworthy and is not only looking for their benefit, then by all means go for it.
Otherwise, go for something over which you have control.
I’m not a fan of any health drink. It is my own reservation and also, it is due to the fact that the fitness industry is filled with scammers and untrustworthy products.
My fitness instructor suggested one pre-workout mix that is available in your house…
Before the workout, I drink a cup of black coffee along with a handful of dry fruits. This provides me with sufficient energy to continue my workout session after I’ve done my 15 mins of treadmill
Benefits of running on a treadmill after a workout:
The first benefit of running on a treadmill after a workout is that, you are not using up your precious energy on the treadmill.
This will help you to use that energy on the workout and progress towards your goals faster.
Another benefit of running on a treadmill after a workout is that, you will be burning more calories than if you have done it before your workout.
The thing is, when you have already done your workout, your energy tank is already used up. So, to carry on with another 15 min of treadmill session will take a lot from you. This is the reason that you will burn a lot more calories in an after-workout treadmill session.
Disadvantages of running on a treadmill after a workout:
After the workout session, you may be so tired that, you may want to skip the treadmill session.
If you are under the supervision of an instructor then you may not have to option other than to follow through. However, if you are on your own, chances are you will skip your treadmill session.
That way you may very regularly be skipping your cardio, which may not be good for your overall cardiovascular health.
If you are feeling too tired and you don’t want to continue on your treadmill routine, then try this…
Have some sort of a health drink of BCCA (branched-chained amino acid)…this will give you an energy boost to carry on further with your treadmill routine.
What about doing a treadmill session in between your workout?
You can absolutely do that. As mentioned before there is no hard and fast rule of when you should do a treadmill routine.
If you prefer to do a cardio session in between your workout, then go for it.
Also, when you will be doing the cardio session varies from instructor to instructor. Some prefer to get it over with at the beginning of the session, some prefer to do it after the workout session for a more calorie-burning effect…
For some, they prefer to include the treadmill session both in the beginning and in the end…this way their client will be burning more calories. (this is what my instructor did when I was trying to lose weight).
And there are some who prefer to do this in between a workout session, mostly as part of a circuit training.
But let’s say you don’t want to do a cardio session in the same session when you are working out, then what will you do?
Will you completely skip the cardio and not reap its benefit? Or, is there an alternate solution…
There is actually an alternate solution…
What you can do is, include your cardio session, after you have woken up in the morning, like going for a morning run…
If you are going to do a shorter run, then do it on empty stomach…this way you will be burning more calories. If you are going for a longer run, then have a small snack 20 min prior to the cardio session…
Then you won’t be stopping in between the session due to lack of energy…however, don’t eat too much as you will risk throwing up during your cardio session.
Or,
You can go for a night walk…just after your dinner…
Don’t go running at this time for the above-mentioned reason…
Since our bodies are not used to any kind of heavy work after dinner, they will put in extra effort to sustain this walking session. This way, you will be burning more calories, assuming that weight loss is your goal.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, it really doesn’t matter when you include your treadmill session during a workout. You can easily do it before, after, in-between, or before and after your workout.
What matters is, that you include your treadmill or any other cardio session in your workout routine.
This way, you will be reaping all its benefits and have a more wholesome fitness routine.
Madhusree Basu
Author, Admin
Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.
Certified fitness trainer and an ex-professional bodybuilder, he has trained more than 500 fitness enthusiasts and has more than 15 years of on-the-job experience.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and an affiliate for some reputed brands, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost you. I may recieve a commission if you purchase something mentioned in this post. See more details here.
Blisters are annoying and pop up when you least want them (not that you ever want them, but you get the point…)
They are painful and take days to heal and leave nasty marks in their place of occupancy…
And unfortunately, some of us are more prone to blisters than others and with the hot combination of running shoes, we have to deal with this lingering problem almost every day…
Then what can you do?
There are two options, run barefoot…(still, there are chances of blisters and injuries) or, run wearing shoes that will reduce the chances of getting blisters…
Since you are here, I have a feeling that you like the second option…
If anything, go for Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22. This is a lightweight shoe with 3D print upper. It will not irritate your feet and create hot spots for blisters.
Also, we have selected the 10 best running shoes for blister-prone feet and we have tried to include a lot of different types of shoes to cater to different types of runners.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 is one of my favorite running shoes. It is well constructed and is very comfortable.
Also, it provides you with excellent stability and knee protection.
What makes this good for blister-prone feet is that it has a no-sew construction. This means when you wear this shoe, there are no stitches that will rub against your skin to create hotspots.
This version of the shoe is slightly wider than the previous version. Your feet and toes will not feel cramped or suffocated while using this shoe.
Cramped space inside the toe box is one of the major reasons for blisters, especially on the little toe and the base of the big toe.
And if you have bunions, and have a tendency to get blisters, then wearing a narrower shoe is a sure shot way to get blisters.
However, with Adrenaline GTS, this is not the case. You will not feel that rubbing on the sides of the feet. If it was there may have can caused blisters.
The insole is of premium quality and breathable. The finish of the insole is very smooth and doesn’t have rough patches. Also, it doesn’t have the tendency to bunch up and rub against the sole, especially under the toes.
So, there also, you are safe and may not have to deal with blisters.
Lastly, the ankle region and the heel area. Brooks throughout the years has perfected the shape of the heel and the ankle-cut height.
It is molded with a smooth collar that has a premium finish. Also, the inner area of the heel is also smooth and locks in your heels so that they cannot move around. This minimizes the rubbing and helps you to avoid blisters.
The tongue is also well padded and doesn’t move around while you are running. So, no part of your skin gets rubbed while running.
Also, this shoe doesn’t need breaking-in. A new shoe is many times cause of blisters when fresh out of the box. This is not the case with Brooks Adrenaline…
New Balance has recently released the next version of one of the most popular running shoes, 1080. The current version of New Balance 1080 is v12 and is from what I’m hearing in different forums, it is quickly becoming a very popular shoe.
What sets apart New Balance 1080 from the others is its midsole…
But that really is not the point of this post…
In this post, we are discussing how these shoes will not cause blisters…and is New Balance 1080v12 one of them?
Well, the upper of New Balance 1080 is made from engineered mesh and is 3D printed. In other words, it is a no-sew design. This means there is no stitch or thread to rub against your feet’s skin.
Also, the width of the New Balance 1080 is slightly more than some of the other shoes in its category. So cramping of your toes is out of the question. In that way, you may never have to deal with blisters in your toes and the forefoot.
The breathability of New Balance 1080 is good. If your feet have a tendency to become sweaty, then the ventilation of New Balance 1080 will prove useful. The lesser you sweat, the lesser the chance of getting blisters.
One thing, that was not great in the previous version of 1080 is the heel area. Many of them complained about heel slips. This kind of movement can cause blisters on blister-prone feet.
However, New Balance has changed the design of this version and has gone back to a more traditional heel cup with extended Achilles support.
This has minimized the heel slip and any other heel movement. Also, the well-padded collar area holds your ankle and heels in place and doesn’t let them slide around minimizing the chances of getting a blister.
The same goes for the tongue. It is well-padded and doesn’t slide around. The skin on the top of your feet doesn’t rub with the lacing system due to this and you don’t have to deal with blisters on the top of your feet.
New Balance 880v12 is a good shoe for long miles, intense workouts, or just a casual run. It is excellent at shock absorption and will provide you with a good amount of comfort.
However, will it work for your blister-prone feet?
Let’s find out…
The upper of New Balance 880 is made from jacquard mesh. This is an engineered mesh and doesn’t require any stitching.
This eliminates the chances of rough stitching getting rubbed against your skin. This is why you have minimum chances of getting a blister from this kind of mesh.
Also, the wideish fit of this shoe reduces toe-cramping and hotspots throughout the feet, thus reducing the chances of blisters.
Being made of engineered mesh, this shoe is very breathable, causing you to break less sweat. This also minimizes the chances of blisters and keeps you comfortable throughout the run.
The insole is properly placed in the shoe and doesn’t bunch up. The smooth finish and no-bunching further reduce the chances of blisters under your feet.
The heel area of 880 resembles that of 1080 and functionality-wise, they perform almost similar. They don’t let the heel slip and the heel doesn’t move around to provide you with an uncomfortable feeling.
More importantly, this means, the skin at the back of your heels will not get rubbed with the inner lining of the heel cup and will not get irritated or form blisters.
Pros
Good breathability.
Wideish fit for a no-cramped fit.
Comfortable for long-distance running.
Well-cushioned.
No-sew upper.
Cons
Runs a bit small.
Forefoot is slighty harder than the rest of the shoe.
Brooks Launch 9 is one of the favorite running shoes in the responsive category. It is fast springy and provides you with excellent ride quality.
However, is it good for runners who have frequent issues with blisters?
First of all, the upper of Brooks Launch 9 is made of engineered mesh. It has overlays but they are only on the outer surface of the shoe.
This is good because this way, the inner lining feels smooth against the skin and will not irritate it to form blisters.
One of the main reasons for blisters is the additional heat that gets generated from friction. However, since that is absent, it is highly unlikely that you will have a blister from the upper of Launch 9.
The heel area of Launch 9 has adopted the new style. The heel is extended upwards and provides support to your Achilles area.
This also minimizes the movement of the heels and reduces the friction of the side of your heels with the lining of the heels.
This reduces the chances of your getting blisters in the heel area. Also, the reduction in chances of blisters is also due to the fact that the collar and the tongue are properly padded.
This keeps the sliding of your foot in check and also reduces the chances of blisters to the minimum.
Brooks Hyperion Elite 3 is kind of interesting for me. This is a unisex shoe that seems like being loved by both men and women.
They are comfortable, lightweight, and great for your day-to-day run.
The upper of Brooks Hyperion Elite is made from engineered mesh which is non-sew. This protects your feet from any kind of friction and minimizes the chances of blisters.
Also, it is very breathable which makes your feet sweat less. The reduction of moisture along with a smooth lining, helps you be blister-free.
The heel area cradles your heels properly and doesn’t let them move or slide. This reduces further friction and any chances of blisters.
One thing that I observed may be of some concern…
There is a padded line just along with the opening of the heel cup. This creates a gap between the rest of the heel cup and the collar.
This gap will not hug your heels and if there is some movement like if your heels are on the narrower side, may cause some friction. This creates a possibility of blisters, however, this may be very rare.
Also, just a note, Brooks Hyperion Elite is available only in medium or standard fit. So, if you have a wide foot, please avoid it…if you don’t want to end up with painful blisters.
Probably one of the best running shoes for comfort that is available today. It is supremely shock absorbing and has a toe-spring for easy toe-off.
Also, it has reduced its carbon footprint and now is using a lot of recycled material to create this shoe.
Although there are a lot of thread designs on the outer surface of this, this is not present on the inner side of the shoe. This is great as this will not cause irritation to your skin and cause blisters.
The tongue is an integrated tongue and doesn’t move around. This eliminates additional friction with the top of the feet.
Also, the padding of the tongue is decent and it doesn’t let the laces sink into the feet. This also eliminates any friction of the laces with your skin, which could have resulted in a blister.
The heel has an extended collar that supports the Achilles’ area. Also, the cup is decent and holds the heels in place. No shifting or movement of the heels helps in avoiding blisters in the heel area.
ASICS Gel-Cumulus is a very comfortable running shoe and is great with shock absorption. It has gel cushioning at both the forefoot and the rearfoot and is excellent for any kind of running.
But will it work with your blister-prone feet?
Let’s find out…
The upper of Asics Gel-Cumulus is made from engineered mesh which is non-sew. This means it will not rub with your skin and create blisters.
The toe-box of Cumulus has decent width and your toes will not feel cramped. Also, this ensures that there will be no rubbing against the sides of your feet which is good if you have to tend to get blisters.
The mesh has a lot of holes or perforations to make it breathable. This comes in handy if you have sweaty feet. Also, due to the airflow, the amount of sweat produced is a bit less. Plus the sweat-wicking material of the internal lining absorbs it and dries very quickly.
This means, your feet don’t remain damp for long which is crucial if you want to avoid blisters.
The tongue is thick and padded and sits between the top of the foot and the laces. This ensures that the laces don’t rub with your skin to create blisters.
Also, the heel cup locks in the heels and it doesn’t slide around. This is essential to avoid blisters on the side of the heels.
There is no upward movement also, in the sense of heel slip. This makes sure that you don’t get a blister where the collar touches the skin at the back of the heels.
Asics Gel Venture is a good running shoe for both roads and the trails. However, it will not work on too technical trails.
This shoe seems to be an odd choice as this doesn’t look like a no-sew running shoe and surely it is not.
However, if you step into the shoe and you will be able to feel the smoothness of the lining and the comfort that it brings with it.
The stitches are not exposed and they don’t rub with the skin of your feet. This way, they will not irritate your feet’s skin and cause blisters.
Also, another aspect that will not let blisters to occur is the thick tongue of this shoe. It sits between the skin of the top of your feet and the laces. This protects this skin from getting exposed to the laces and getting rubbed.
This further reduces the chance of getting blisters. Also, the flat laces don’t dig in and create more problems for your skin.
Now comes the heel area. The heel cup locks in the heels and doesn’t let it slip or slide around. This minimizes the movement of the heels and doesn’t cause the skin at the side of the heels to rub against the shoe.
This reduces the occurrence of blisters and is great for keeping them at bay.
One aspect that may be slight of concern is that it is not as breathable as Asics Cumulus. So, if you have sweaty feet, it is best to avoid them.
On Cloudflow is a racing shoe and is good for shorter-distance runs. It is cushy and responsive and provides you with a good energy return.
The upper of this shoe is a mesh construction which is very breathable and stretchable. This is essentially a no-sew construction like most of the other shoes in this list.
Also, the joint that you see near the heel cannot be felt inside the shoe. Essentially, the inner of the shoe is smooth and comfortable and doesn’t irritate your skin.
Same goes for the heel area. It is smooth and the heel cup holds the heels in place and provides you with excellent confort. Also, the heel doesn’t slide around and thus doesn’t rub on your skin.
This helps you to avoid blisters in the heels and around the ankle area.
The thick collar is also a contributor in this aspect.
One thing that concerned me was the flap like tongue of this shoe. I thought, that will cause the laces to dig in and make you uncomfortable.
However, the laces were flat and doesn’t dig in or mark your feet and the tongue doesn’t move around, providing you proper protection against the friction of laces against your top of the foot.
This helps you to avoid the blisters further and is great if you have a blister prone feet.
With all the road running shoes on the list, we didn’t want to leave our trail runners high and dry.
They also have their fair share of experience with blisters and maybe more so if they are used to running in humid or muddy conditions.
How will Speedcross help these runners with their blister situation?
First of all, Salomon SpeedCross like its road running counterparts has a mesh upper that doesn’t have stitches in them.
Sure it has overlays, but they are exposed to the inside and don’t have stitches in them. This means that no part of the mesh rubs against your skin to create blisters.
Also, the thick tongue extends from the base of the toe to just passed the ankle joint. This acts as a protective layer between the skin of the top of the foot and the Quick lacing system.
This ensures that it doesn’t rub on the skin and provides you with a blister-free experience.
The ankle area is also well padded and the heel locking system is also pretty good. You will not run into issues like heel slip or something similar. This ensures that you have minimal chances of getting a blister, if any.
Pros
Great for muddy trails.
No break-in time is needed.
Long-lasting.
Cons
They run a bit large.
Doesn’t come in wide.
FAQ
How to select a running shoe for blister-prone feet?
To select a running shoe for blister prone feet, you should have sufficient space in the toe box, the inner surface of the shoe should be smooth and there should not be any movement in the heel area.
Now let me explain:
Roomy Toe-box
When you don’t have sufficient space in the toe-box, your toes are cramped. This makes it uncomfortable for running, but also generates additional friction and sweat. This gives rise to blisters. It is very important that you have enough space in the toe-box not only when you wear it, but also when you spread the toes during landing and take-off.
Spacious shoe
Not only the toe-box, but the overall shoe should also be spacious enough to not cramp your feet. The reason is the same. You need to avoid additional sweat, heat, and friction to keep blisters at bay.
No or limited inner sewing
Threads and joints have a funny way of getting back at you and many times they will rub against your skin to irritate it.
No matter how smooth it feels, they tend to change their nature when you start running and irritate your skin. So, avoid running shoes with inner sewing.
Proper heel lock-in
The heels should be locked in place. If it moves around or slips, then you have chances of getting blisters either on the side of the heels or on the Achilles.
Tongue
The tongue must be thick. This protects the skin on the top of the feet from friction against the laces and blisters can be avoided.
Also, the tongue itself should not move for the same reason. For this a gusseted tongue is great.
Socks
No matter how careful you are in selecting your running shoes, there will be incidents where you may have missed something or the shoe behaved unexpectedly. In such cases, socks will protect you from blisters.
Also, if some small sand particle or stone gets into the shoe, you will not have to deal with it as the socks will protect you until then.
But wear properly fitting socks that are sweat-wicking else, it will be your primary source of blisters.
How do I prevent blisters from new running shoes?
To prevent blisters from new running shoes, you need to select them properly so that it is overall spacious, has a smooth internal lining, a thick tongue, and collar, and good heel lock-in. Also, you need to break in the running shoe properly.
Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.
The heel drop or heel-to-toe drop is the difference between heel height and the toe height from the ground with both measurements taken vertically. This gives a forward tilt to your shoe.
This difference is generally expressed in mm or millimeters and starts from 0 and goes up to 14mm. What you will not find in a heel-drop is a negative number that will denote a backward tilt.
There is one more term that is often confused with heel drop the stack height. Stack height is basically the amount of sole material that is present on the shoe. You can also think of it as the distance between the ground and your foot. Like heel-to-toe offset, this value is also expressed in mm.
There are two types of stack height in any shoe, the forefoot stack and the heel or rearfoot stack. The differential of these two values is also the offset or drop or heel-to-toe drop.
There are basically four categories of heel drop in running shoes:
Zero drop (0mm): In this kind of drop, the heel stack and the forefoot stack are of the same height. They themselves may have some height, but the overall cushion height of the forefoot and the rearfoot is the same. Minimalist shoes belong to this category.
Low drop (1mm to 4mm): In this type of running shoes, the differential between the heel stack and the forefoot stack ranges from 1mm to 4mm.
Mid or medium drop (5mm to 8mm): In this type of drop, the offset of the heel stack and the forefoot stack varies from 5mm to 8mm. If you have Achilles or Calf issues, this is the drop that you should look at. Most of the Hoka shoes are in this category.
High drop (9-14mm): In this type of drop, the difference between heel stack height and forefoot stack height varies from 9 to 14mm. You will find most of the Brooks and Asics shoes here.
The heel drop that keeps you comfortable throughout your session is best for you. If you are a beginner go with mid drop and as you progress, experiment with it.
Reading so much about heel drop may be confusing, especially if you are a beginner. If you are a beginner I would suggest that you start with a mid drop running shoe, with a drop of 5mm to 8mm.
Once you get comfortable with this, start experimenting with the different running shoes. Below I’ve elaborated some of the details about these shoes, let’s find out…
References
Malisoux, Laurent & Chambon, Nicolas & Urhausen, Axel & Theisen, Daniel. (2017). IS SHOE DROP A KEY FACTOR FOR INJURY PREVENTION IN RUNNING? PART 1: AN RCT ON INJURY RISK. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 51. 10.1136/bjsports-2016-097372.183.
Edward C. Frederick, Nicholas Slavtcheff, Thorsten Sterzing & Joshua Isherwood (2021) A method for reliable measurement of heel-to-toe offset in sports footwear, Footwear Science, 13:sup1, S29-S30, DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2021.1916620
Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.
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