Are you looking to take on the Ninja Warrior Training adventure, but you need to find the perfect shoe, so you don’t slip, trip, or fall? You will need to pay attention to the fit, friction, and flexibility of the shoe. Parkour courses require a lightweight shoe that has more surface area, friction, and flexibility. Favorite brands among the Ninja community are Know Obstacle (KO), Asics, and Merrell.

Flat Soles 

Flat soles provide a better sense of the ground and are better for posture and preventing injury. Do not choose the elevated cushioned heels that are common with running shoes because these will hinder your ability to balance and jump. Flat soles allow us to engage more of the muscles in our feet. These muscles are needed to sense when balancing along with the tendons and ligaments in our feet that are necessary for gripping. Our foot muscles grip and adjust to correct our movements and prevent us from falling over.  Years of wearing the elevated cushioned heels cause these muscles to weaken leaving us more prone to injury from even simple drills and obstacle courses.

Rubber Soles

Because of the climbing and the obstacle courses, you need a shoe that has grip.  Ninja obstacles are composed of many different materials. Finding the ultimate rubber soled shoe that works great on a variety of surfaces is the holy grail. The popular lightweight, foam type shoe lacks the grip needed to run up walls, across steps and over balance beams. Traction from rubber soled shoes is necessary for Ninja Warrior Training to prevent slipping. Which rubber soled shoe is the best? Everyone has a favorite, but some rubber soled shoes are better suited to climbing and rougher surfaces and others are more suited to running and smoother surfaces. So where can a Ninja Warrior in training find a shoe with both durability and the capability of handling a variety of surfaces? Vibram has been the ultimate favorite in the Ninja Warrior community.

Low Tops

High Top shoes tend to be heavier, and the extra support around the ankle can potentially hinder flexibility and freedom of movement, which are necessary for balance on the obstacle courses. Therefore, flexible low top shoes are preferred in the Ninja Warrior community.

Fit

Ninja Warrior shoes need to be tighter than your everyday shoes. You don’t want to run the risk of your shoe falling off as you are climbing the wall, or fail the obstacle course because you lost a shoe. In most cases, these shoes should be a whole size smaller than your street shoes. The smaller size will help your shoes feel more secure when doing balance obstacles.  Your shoes will stretch out or break in after a few workouts, so don’t let this concern you.

Breaking in whatever shoes you have and getting used to the equipment is far more important than a brand or type of shoe. Also, it takes time for your body to adjust to a different type of footwear such as flat soled shoes. Start slowly with your new shoe, and take some short walks at first until you break them in.  Move on to some light workouts in your flat soles. If you have been wearing the elevated cushioned heel running shoes for years, you will need to train to get your feet, ankles and legs comfortable with this new style of shoe.

When you are comfortable with your new Ninja Warrior shoes, visit Adrenaline Monkey in Cleveland, Ohio when it opens in Spring 2018. Sign up for our latest news at www.AdrenalineMonkeyFun.com.

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