Nike Metcon CrossFit Shoe 2021 – Top Nike Shoes Reviews

Why Nike Metcon 1 CrossFit Shoe?

CrossFit has gotten more and more popular in recent years, and this trend is set to continue, as it is a program that is so much better than any standard gym lifting regimen. CrossFit is a program designed on a certain philosophy and 9 fundamental movements/lifts.

The CrossFit workouts are constantly varied to ensure that the athlete gets the most robust workout possible and that his/her body becomes as fit and adaptable as possible. All workouts are done for short intervals at a high intensity.

What is CrossFit Training ?

CrossFit improves fitness so athletes, martial artists, firemen, police officers, army cadets and regular people all improve their fitness/health. Because the CrossFit philosophy is that fitness is not related to any one sport or activity but is used to denote an independent variable which can be used across a range of sports and activities. Due to this philosophy, CrossFit utilizes core exercises, calisthenics, weightlifting, running, jumping, burpees, cycling, rowing, sprinting, gymnastics, and kettlebells to ensure the 10 elements of fitness are maximized. A typical athlete may beat a CrossFit athlete at a particular sport, but when the range of sports increases the CrossFit athlete will always win across the board. This is due to the wider variety of muscles engaged across a larger range of exercises, thus ensuring a more robust system overall.

What Shoes for CrossFit? – Characteristics of Good CrossFit shoes

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There are certain characteristics that are fundamental to all sports shoes. Certain characteristics make a shoe good for one activity, and most likely bad for another. Because CrossFit encompasses such a wide range of activities, an appropriate balance has to be found between them all. One of the most important characteristics of a CrossFit shoe is the drop (heel to toe drop). The drop is the difference between the height of the heel and the height of the forefoot. A shoe with a 10-mm heel and 10 mm forefoot will have a drop of 0 mm.

Most shoes can now be categorized by the drop. A 0-mm drop is a flat shoe, and the whole foot hits the ground at the same time. In contrast, a shoe with a thicker heel requires the runner to run on the heels, as they hit the ground first. CrossFit shoes are usually in the range of 4 mm. This provides the ideal balance between weightlifting and running, with a slight hint of padding for running and a slight elevation for lifting weights. Most running shoes have a drop of around 8-12 mm.

Another important consideration for CrossFit shoes is the weight. A heavy shoe will be costly in CrossFit because every time the foot is lifted on a heavy shoe precious nanoseconds are lost, compared to a lighter model. Box jumps, burpees, and running are all areas where a heavy shoe leads to lost time. Breathability is also important. When sweat builds up in the shoe it starts to stink, as well as make the shoe heavier due to moisture retention.

This can feel uncomfortable and also lead to a loss of confidence and performance if the athlete is aware of the smell and can’t really do anything about it in the middle of a workout. Support is probably the second most important factor aside from the drop. Support really refers to a firm midsole and firm heel counter. The shoe should not bend or twist as the wearer walks. Minimalist shoes offer a little less support than CrossFit and running shoes.

Durability is another crucial component of a good CrossFit shoe. The shoe has to be able to last through the many strenuous exercises of CrossFit and last for many months. It also has to be able to withstand abrasions from ropes.

Despite all the different characteristics of CrossFit shoes, the most important consideration is the athlete. The shoe design is a unique characteristic, and as such, the athlete should choose something he/she thinks looks good, as this will have a positive feedback loop and improve confidence and performance. For others, looks may not matter and they may choose plain shoes but it will not matter to them.

Other personal considerations include the gait of the athlete, and any injuries to the knee, calf, hip or ankle. These will have a more substantial effect on the shoe chosen than the standard considerations of drop, durability, cost, breathability, weight and flexibility. Some athletes have wide feet, meaning a wide shoe is better for them specifically, and the arch of the foot is different for many people, meaning the shoes have to be tried on personally to see how they fit.

Buying Guide for Nike Metcon 1 CrossFit Training Shoe

The Metcons were Nikes first foray into the CrossFit market, in an effort to displace Reebok, the official brand of CrossFit until 2021. It does seem to be a battle, and there is a choice between Reebok or Nike. As Nike training shoes, they have two trademark characteristics. They feel great and look good, two very important characteristics of a CrossFit shoe. After the initial break into the CrossFit market, it is fair to say that the Metcons did a good job against their nemesis the Reebok Nanos.

While the Nanos were not displaced and are still the most popular CrossFit shoe, Nike did take a share of the CrossFit market with the entrance of the Metcons. They feature a standard 4 mm drop and the upper layer of the shoe is made from rubber with a synthetic mesh. It does not feature the famous Nano Kevlar which offers supreme protection against rope abrasion. The area where the Metcon 1 scores highest is in comfort, with a spacious toe box and a thick inner sole.

The wide toe box was actually first introduced to the CrossFit shoe market by the Metcon and has since been “stolen” by other brands, including later models of the Reebok Nano. Adding to the comfort of the shoe is their superb breathability, as it would not do to have a Nike shoe that smelled bad. Everything about Nike is style and comfort, and the Metcons definitely reflect this, giving a shoe that looks well, feels great and can be worn as an everyday shoe, as a gym shoe or as a CrossFit shoe.

The light outer mesh on the shoe is not too thick with rubber webbing like other CrossFit shoes, which adds to grip but reduces breathability of the shoe. Even the tongue of the shoe is designed to be breathable. The Metcon is good for those with high arches, and like most CrossFit shoes run a half size small. The shoes are surprisingly durable, and last quite a while, which has been a problem with a lot of Nike shoes.

Nike also provides a number of reebok Womens lifters. The best Nike shoes for CrossFit are probably the more modern version of the Metcons, the Metcon 3, or else the Nike Romaleos, which are perfect for weightlifting (indeed, possibly the best shoe on the market for Olympic lifts). There are also Nike climbing shoes. Nike provides a wide range of shoes, including Nike climbing shoes, Nike pumps, and 5.0 Nike shoes. It also offers a selection of Nike CrossFit shoes womens. To choose a good pair of womens shoes, it is best to look at some womens Nike cross training shoes reviews online.

One of the main criticisms of the Metcons is in the weightlifting department. Not that they are terrible, perhaps just a little under average. And their rivals the Nanos easily beat them in this department. The shoe heel is not sturdy enough to get a good lift. When the shoe compresses it really takes away the energy from the movement. This is not a good feeling when one is trying to lift heavy weights, as the energy drains into the squishy heel, like weightlifting on quicksand. They do better for dynamic movements but are not ideal for squats.

Thus, the comfort of the Metcon has taken a lot away from the weightlifting aspect. Though in many respects it is usually a tradeoff. The shoes perform adequately at running short distances. Like the vast majority of CrossFit shoes, they are not designed for longer distances. The sole of the shoe is rigid and for distances longer than 2 miles the shock will be felt, and cramps or blisters will appear.

Final Thoughts About Metcon Nike CrossFit Training Shoe

The Metcons are a good and well-rounded CrossFit shoe. They do a decent job at movement based exercises, lifting and running. They look stylish and are amazingly comfortable. However, it does seem that the reebok Nano 3.0 mens perform a little better in all functional specifications.

The Nanos are a little better for running, a little better for lifting and a little better for movements such as burpees, rope climbing, and box jumps. Thus, the only reason people would pick the Metcons would really be because of the style and comfort elements. Not that these are not a factor, however for serious CrossFit enthusiasts there does not seem to be a real reason to choose the Metcons over other alternatives. For functional requirements, there are better alternatives, but it is not a bad shoe all in all.

Another pair of good Shoes for Crossfit is Reebok Nano 5.0 .Check out our reviews in this article.There is a huge amount of information you will need to know about Reebok Nano Shoes .