![](/uploads/1/2/5/4/125458308/128855862.jpg)
Shop the best cross training shoes at DICK'S Sporting Goods. Shop top-rated cross training shoes from brands like Nike and Reebok. Free Shipping Over $49. The best training shoes of 2019 have 4 or 5 stars, as rated by customers like you. Shop top-rated training shoes at DICK’S Sporting Goods, including. Nov 2, 2018 - Shop the best cross-training shoes for women for weight-lifting, fitness classes, and more.
Cross-training is a valuable and often neglected component of endurance training. Consider a 2017 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology that showed introducing well-trained ultramarathon runners to explosive plyometric workouts for just 12 weeks was enough to see a 4 percent increase in running economy. In other words, the runners showed a 4 percent decrease in the amount of energy and oxygen required to maintain race pace.
Cross-training works because running the same miles for months is monotonous for our legs. Our muscles adapt to the work, become more adept at managing stress, and, because they’re never pushed beyond the limit they’ve already reached, strength increases taper. Progress plateaus soon after. When injected into the middle of our running calendar, cross-training targets disused muscle groups more directly and makes novel demands on our already conditioned muscles. In the off-season, cross-training is active recovery: a way to build strength while the major muscles we’ve taxed and tired are rebuilding.
If you plan to swap one of your short- or mid-distance runs for a plyo circuit, a bootcamp-style workout class, or even some boulder hopping, consider picking up a training shoe designed for various training demands. That means targeted support for lateral movements, a cushioned but flexible midsole for impact absorption and agility, and grippy outsoles for secure ground contact. These shoes have all these qualities and a few extra. Happy training.
Men’s Under Armour UA TR96
Under Armour $70.00
underarmour.com
The right shoe for: Anything
The Under Armour UA TR96 is a throwback and an update to dependable all-purpose trainers. The upper is a basic lightweight mesh with synthetic overlays for lateral support at the midfoot and protection across the toe. The EVA foam midsole makes for a sturdy, cushioned base and lateral grooves let the rubber outsole flex where it needs to flex. This shoe works for the gym, the track, a pickup game, or an aerobic grocery run. If this is all one day, don’t forget to hydrate. Women wanting something similar should look at Under Armour’s new UA Aura.
NoBull SuperFabric Trainer
NOBULL
The right shoe for: Punishing workouts
NoBull is a growing brand designing trainers and running shoes capable of withstanding the physicality of cross-fit-style workouts. Their Trainer features a tight-fitting mesh upper wrapped in SuperFabric, a lightweight abrasion- and slash-resistant specialty tech material. The rugged construction proves less flexible than something like a woven upper, but these break in to become more comfortable over time. The outsole is patterned for flexibility (an advantage over other cross-fit specialty shoes) and a neutral 4mm heel drop helps the shoe transition from weights to running. Most helpful in the gym, though, are NoBull’s inventive colorways, like this one with ice cream sprinkles.
Nike Epic React Flyknit 2
Nike $149.95
roadrunnersports.com
The right shoe for: Bouncy plyometrics
The Epic React Flyknit 2 is Nike’s latest attempt at marrying weightless construction with a cushioned feel and superior energy return. Here Nike features their relatively new React TPE foam (a springier, more durable upgrade from EVA foam) that’s been mapped and molded in the midsole to cushion hotspots receiving the most downward force, and then return that energy during push-off. These things have bounce—and because the TPE foam in the first-generation Epic React Flyknit proved it wouldn’t break down even after a season of pavement pounding, they’re likely to keep it. Try these if your off days see you hopping through plyometrics.
Nike Free x Metcon
Nike $120.00
zappos.com
The right shoe for: Workouts with movement and weight
Nike’s Free x Metcon (available in unisex sizing) is a true hybrid, a fusion of the Nike Free’s grooved, malleable outsole with the Nike Metcon’s durable upper and sturdy midsole. The outsole, an innovative design that’s as popular as it is flexible, bends, twists, and expands to allow natural movement in the forefoot as it plants and pushes off. The upper mimics the Metcon with reinforced textured mesh and a rope-gripping rubberized arch. With two types of tactfully placed foam—one soft, one supportive—the midsole both absorbs repeated impacts during HIIT workouts and enables the heel to stand up to weight training. This Free x Metcon combination will carry you on your fastest and heaviest days.
On Cloud X
On![Best Cross Training Shoes Best Cross Training Shoes](/uploads/1/2/5/4/125458308/682895745.jpg)
$139.99
zappos.com
The right shoe for: Plyometrics and fast-paced tempo runs
On, a Swiss running company with arguably the most strategically designed running gear on the market, recently released their Cloud X shoe, which has adequate cushioning for being a lightweight. This adaptive cross-trainer leverages On’s unique CloudTec sole, a flexible grid of hollow “Zero-Gravity” foam pods that cushion against both the horizontal and vertical forces joints are subjected to during plyo-heavy circuits and workouts with quick lateral movement . On also uses proprietary “speedboards” to control the midsole’s flex and twist. The Cloud X’s speedboard runs slightly firm, making for a crisp, responsive ride. Try a pair of these if you’re planning a lot of fast-twitch work and explosive circuits in your offseason.
Reebok Crossfit Nano 8 Flexweave
Reebok $130.00
The right shoe for: HIIT workouts in a hot gym
Solid knit uppers are lightweight, breathable, and comfortable – they fit, feel, and move like a pair of socks. Unfortunately, this lack of structure means they’re also likely to feel baggy and unsupportive during vigorous workouts. Reebok’s Flexweave technology firms up the open knit in the Crossfit Nano 8 using a new “figure 8” weave that takes advantage of the high tensile strength of bundled fibers. This newly secure upper is combined with a heel-hugging bootie and a grooved, bendable gum rubber outsole. Try these if you like the comfort and breathability of soft uppers but want more support.
Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 V2
Inov-8 $110.00
zappos.com
The right shoe for: Injecting new stress into any workout
The Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 V2 is a true minimalist shoe, with zero heel drop, a wide toe box, a flat, 3mm outsole, and only 7.5 ounces of material. In addition to these features, other minimalist shoes are most often made unobtrusive by stripping their design to feature a simple mesh upper over a flat rubber outsole; running won’t stress the bare-bones construction, but add any variance to your movements and you’ll find they disintegrate. The Bare-XF 210 V2 toughens up the category by wrapping a rubber bumper up and around the toe and covering the inner and outer quarter panels in their protective rubber “Rope-Tec.” Incorporate these into any workout to inject helpful new stressors for muscles and joints otherwise coddled by robust midsole and outsole cushioning. If you’ve never trained in minimalist shoes, first read up on how to introduce them without injury.
New Balance Minimus 40 Trainer
New Balance $119.95
zappos.com
The right shoe for: CrossFit
The Minimus 40 Trainer is a minimalist running shoe with enough added bulk to make it a versatile, multi-sport hybrid. To accomplish this, New Balance layered a rugged Vibram rubber outsole on top of its energetic Rapid Rebound foam and, in the heel, its lightweight but stable REVlite foam compound. Minimalist purists will like the low heel drop—only 4 millimeters—and, for CrossFit fans who want a secure fit, a reinforced heel wraps around and hugs the Achilles. These have gained favor with weightlifters and the bootcamp-style training crowd, but could just as easily transition to a high-intensity stair workout.
Adidas Alphabounce Beyond
Adidas $90.00
zappos.com
The right shoe for: Agility drills and pickup ultimate
Adidas’s Alphabounce Beyond is made for maintaining control during multi-directional movement. The bounce comes from the cushioned midsole that flexes and responds to every step. A solid-piece, mesh upper wraps around the foot with selectively supportive and stretchable zones that secure the foot during lateral motion. Additional stability is gained from the broad forefoot and heel, and the Continental rubber outsole, a collaboration with rubber experts at Continental Tires, grips the ground while allowing for “rotational freedom” to move. As a bonus, these are comfortable enough to wear casually, should you need some exceptional ground security while squeezing tomatoes.
Asics Conviction X 2
Asics
The right shoe for: Dynamic weight days
The Asics Conviction X 2 toughens up the popular Conviction X. The redesign carries over the RynoSkin quarter panels from the first generation and adds a separate synthetic skin over most of the mesh in the upper, and Asics’s High Abrasion Resistance rubber, a material twice as durable as its conventional rubber, is used again for the outsole. A firm heel withstands weight days without feeling rigid, and a perforated sock liner keeps airflow moving around the entire foot. Asics has also added a tongue pocket (the company calls it a Lace Garage) that keeps your laces stashed while you’re moving. This shoe runs a bit long, so you might consider stepping down a half size.
Self-Massage Tools
Hyperice Hypervolt
Works like a power tool
$350 | REI
Works like a power tool
$350 | REI
TriggerPoint GRID
Pain means it’s working
$40 | Amazon
Pain means it’s working
$40 | Amazon
The Stick
A packable, travel-size standby
$25 | Amazon
A packable, travel-size standby
$25 | Amazon
Pro-Tec Spiky Ball
Roll to relieve achy arches
$10 | Amazon
Roll to relieve achy arches
$10 | Amazon
Merrell Agility Synthesis Flex
Merrell $110.00
zappos.com
The right shoe for: Technical trail running
Merrell’s Agility Synthesis Flex is a rugged trail runner that’s been stripped to the essentials in pursuit of agility. The mesh upper is lightweight and breathable (the shoe weighs only 9 ounces), and, like a traditional cross-trainer, the midsole is designed for cushion and rebound, and the heel is stabilized with a long poly plastic band. The Agility Synthesis Flex differs in its readiness for rugged terrain. A hard toe cap protects against errant obstacles, the midsole is designed to flex in two directions, maximizing ground contact, and the traction on the tacky rubber outsole is designed to function like the bones in the foot. Maybe you should consider some boulder hopping in the off-season.
Women’s Reebok Speed Her TR
Reebok $60.00
zappos.com
The right shoe for: Bootcamp-style training with a running circuit
The Speed Her TR’s noticeable support up top comes from a seamless, woven upper exterior and, on the inside, Reebok’s Duracage heel clip. The heel actually has its own neoprene collar inset from the woven exterior, and the added stability means the shoe’s low ankle—a plus for mobility—doesn’t come at the cost of security. This is thoroughly a CrossFit shoe (the arch of the outsole is designed to aid in rope climbing), but many have noted how comfortable the Speed Her TR is while running. So, if your cross-training still has you covering considerable ground, this might be the hybrid you need.
![](/uploads/1/2/5/4/125458308/128855862.jpg)