Cushy shoe for plyo

[bubbles76]

Thanks for this thread! I'm also looking for shoes for plyo and step. My problem is also finding shoes that are wide. Oh, and half sizes. Depending on the shoe, I wear a 7 1/5 or 8 1/2 wide. Very hard to find shoes in that size. I will also check out the Asics.

[A-Bot]

hoka one are specifically running shoes though, right? not cross trainers?

[acescholar]

After reading this thread, I recently bought a pair Hoka One Ones, and I wanted to give a little feed back. First, thanks for the thread and for the recommendation!

I actually contacted the Hoka One One website, and I asked if they had any model that was good for step aerobics and bootcamp/plyo workouts.

The cs rep suggested two pairs: the Mafate and the Stinson ATR. Acc to the rep, both are amongst their highest rated in cushioning and stability. "The Stinson ATR is a lighter shoe then the Mafate, it also has a better rating in the footstriking aspect of the shoe." TheH Mafate is one of their widest shoes.

I ended up getting the Stinson, both because my foot is slightly narrow (at least visavis most athletic shoes) and because I was looking for good foot strike. I will say, even the Stinson runs just a tad wide -- the lace eyes are kissing when I'm finished pulling them. [I'm not used to the type of lace they use; they are a type of lock laces rather than tie laces--and I'm still getting used to pulling them tight enough.]

I might add some extra arch support; I have very high arches, and I didn't feel there was quite enough of a bump in the arch area. If any of you who wear these shoes add extra support or have tricks for lacing, let me know! I'd also be interested in knowing what socks you wear with these.

Last night I did a Cathe Hiit double header (40/20+30/30), and the shoes were great--the front strike was heavenly. Both of these workouts have lateral moves on the step, and I felt the stability was good. I always add 24 box jumps (at 16 inches) to my Hiit workouts, and I must say I had to heave myself a little higher to accommodate the extra height from the cushioning lol! The night before I tested them on Dreambody (which included gliding, plyo and lunges), and they worked really well. They feel so good on the ball of the foot. Tomorrow I will test them on Tonique--but I'm guessing they will be great for all the forefoot strikes in curtsey lunges!

So, they work beautifully for simple step choreo and great for plyo moves. I haven't yet tested them on more intricate step work. I do Cathe's Imax3 a lot, and I'm hoping they do well on the pivots--I'll report back in a few days on this.

I actually got my shoes via Onlineshoes; they had the style I wanted on sale--it must have been a flash sale, because they are back to full price. But, here's the link for the two models that the rep recommended from their website.

http://www.hokaoneone.com/womens-tra...d=womens-trail

http://www.hokaoneone.com/womens-tra.../20109030.html

[cataddict]

Originally Posted by acescholar

After reading this thread, I recently bought a pair Hoka One Ones, and I wanted to give a little feed back. First, thanks for the thread and for the recommendation!

I actually contacted the Hoka One One website, and I asked if they had any model that was good for step aerobics and bootcamp/plyo workouts.

The cs rep suggested two pairs: the Mafate and the Stinson ATR. Acc to the rep, both are amongst their highest rated in cushioning and stability. "The Stinson ATR is a lighter shoe then the Mafate, it also has a better rating in the footstriking aspect of the shoe." TheH Mafate is one of their widest shoes.

I ended up getting the Stinson, both because my foot is slightly narrow (at least visavis most athletic shoes) and because I was looking for good foot strike. I will say, even the Stinson runs just a tad wide -- the lace eyes are kissing when I'm finished pulling them. [I'm not used to the type of lace they use; they are a type of lock laces rather than tie laces--and I'm still getting used to pulling them tight enough.]

I might add some extra arch support; I have very high arches, and I didn't feel there was quite enough of a bump in the arch area. If any of you who wear these shoes add extra support or have tricks for lacing, let me know! I'd also be interested in knowing what socks you wear with these.

Last night I did a Cathe Hiit double header (40/20+30/30), and the shoes were great--the front strike was heavenly. Both of these workouts have lateral moves on the step, and I felt the stability was good. I always add 24 box jumps (at 16 inches) to my Hiit workouts, and I must say I had to heave myself a little higher to accommodate the extra height from the cushioning lol! The night before I tested them on Dreambody (which included gliding, plyo and lunges), and they worked really well. They feel so good on the ball of the foot. Tomorrow I will test them on Tonique--but I'm guessing they will be great for all the forefoot strikes in curtsey lunges!

So, they work beautifully for simple step choreo and great for plyo moves. I haven't yet tested them on more intricate step work. I do Cathe's Imax3 a lot, and I'm hoping they do well on the pivots--I'll report back in a few days on this.

I actually got my shoes via Onlineshoes; they had the style I wanted on sale--it must have been a flash sale, because they are back to full price. But, here's the link for the two models that the rep recommended from their website.

http://www.hokaoneone.com/womens-tra...d=womens-trail

http://www.hokaoneone.com/womens-tra.../20109030.html

THANKS so much for the info and review! When I checked these out I had no idea which models to look at. I have a bony narrow foot so the mafate may be too wide for me in its design. I would be interested in how the Stinson did for the pivots---have you tried it yet?

[acescholar]

Last night I used the Stinson ATR's for Imax 3 and the night before for Tonique (BTM).

I will probably keep using these shoes for Imax 3, but I am not sure I would recommend them for all step workouts. They do feel great on the forefoot and for all the plyo moves (pile jumps were incredible!), but there is "pluck" on the step and on my puzzle mats. The tread of the shoes catches a bit. I know Imax3 so well that I can be really careful, and so much of the workout is plyo. But, I don't think the shoes would do well for constant motion and turning on the step.

As for Tonique, I'm not sure these are the best shoes. Again, they provide great forefoot strike, and the burpees felt a.maz.ing! But, the added height made the bent over moves more awkward and added even more balance challenge. I ended up using my P90X Power Stands instead of hand weights for the bent over moves. I actually think this gets the glutes better, even though it lessens the upper body work. But, I felt a little disconnected from my feet. I think, though, that I will try again with other Tonique workouts.

I did put in a new insole, and that solved the wideness problem. The lateral support seems pretty good and better than the shoes that are made with mesh type material. I bought the Ryka's that Cathe uses in CrossFire (Transpire), and I found the lateral support terrible. I also have the Asics Cumulus, and although I love the fit, they do not have quite the lateral support I was hoping for (but they are a running shoe).

So, I love love love these shoes for plyo and all kinds of basic high impact moves, but I will have to experiment with various workouts a little more before I decide on how versatile they are.

[deineira]

Thanks off the detailed reviews. I guess I really should invest in a pair of these. I was also thinking about getting a pair ok kangoos. I think those might limit the king of moves I can do, bug they seem like a ton of fun. Eventually I'll probably bet both, but the HOKA's are probably more all-purpose. I'll b looking for a sale though, since they're kind of steep. I just bought a new pair of New Balance that are nice, but they're not as cushy as I ideally want.

[Vantreesta]

Running Warehouse currently is having a 50% off sale on select styles of Hokas if anyone is interested. I don't know how long the sale will last. I've never ordered from them.

[cmiyachi]

Thank you so much for posting. This is an excellent price! I wouldn't have seen this otherwise.

[Vantreesta]

I think the sale ends today. Use code FB15D for an extra 15% off. I ordered two pair for $108 and change!

[cataddict]

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

I think the sale ends today. Use code FB15D for an extra 15% off. I ordered two pair for $108 and change!

The code is still good---I also got two pairs for $108, cheaper than what I would normally pay for Asics! Thanks for the heads up!!!