Want stronger, toned calves? Introducing the Muscle Runner

Just when you thought you’d seen it all with performance-enhancing footwear, a company called Antepes has developed an unorthodox-looking shoe to help runners engage “all” their muscles while running. Antepes’ Muscle Runner is the first shoe we’ve seen in a long while with a positive heel-to-toe drop, and it’s designed specifically for forefoot running.

These funky shoes are apparently not only going to help you become a forefoot runner—the company states they can improve your cadence, tone your calves and help you burn more calories during your run.

The founder of Antepes, Shah Behnamian, designed the runners with support and flexibility in mind. “All shoes these days have a hindrance of a thick, bulky heel getting in the way of proper forefoot striking,” says Behnamian. “This shoe is meant for forefoot and midfoot runners, and is also a great training tool for those who do not regularly forefoot run, but want to strengthen their ankles, calves, and quads.”

Like most crazy ideas, this product was designed when Behnamian was down in the dumps, suffering from a heel-striking-related injury. He was told to transition from his heel-striking to landing on his midfoot or forefoot. With a background in engineering, he decided to develop a shoe to make forefoot striking feel natural.

In fact, if you are a heel striker, you will probably find these shoes quite painful since there is nothing to land on at the back, which is a whopping 8 mm lower than the front. (All available evidence suggests that the issue with heel-striking is that it can lead to overstriding, which can lead to injury; heel strikers who are not injured may have no reason to alter their stride, and trying to change what feels natural may cause other issues.)

Muscle Runners incorporate a split carbon fibre plate to give the shoe the extra stability and flexibility needed for forefoot running. The plate supposedly stabilizes the forefoot to distribute weight to the ball of the foot rather than the toes. 

The shoe, by the way, is also extremely eco-friendly. The upper is made of merino wool and eucalyptus tree fibre; the laces are made of recycled PET (plastic bottles) with biodegradable lace tips and Pebax midsole foam (which is made from castor beans). The shoe is available for pre-order on antepes.com and is priced at USD $250.

This is likely not the best shoe choice for your first marathon. But if you’re already a forefoot striker, we’d love to hear your feedback.