Asics made an inroad into natural running (running as a human was meant to run) and this is a great example of a MAXIMUM CUSHIONED shoe that let your foot move as nature intended.
This shoe has a heel to toe drop of 6mm making it more natural to the way we as humand should be using our feet and limbs. The Lyte 33 is the lightest version of their 33 series shoes which has been stripped back and would work well as a race shoe for first time racing flat users.
You'll be amazed at how local roads you know so well will feel in the Lyte 33. It's a totally different running style to add to your training schedule, with a thinner midsole between your foot and the road enough to keep you protected, of course.
You'll be making your lower legs and feet stronger with every run, and you'll start seeing results when you go back to your everyday cushioned running shoes.
Great shoe for natural running, providing the base to build strength and speed.
The Solyte midsole is a proprietary cushioning material that provides an exceptionally lightweight midsole with excellent bounce-back and durability.
FluidAxis is made up of anatomically correct deep flex grooves have been aligned to the joints of the foot. This innovative construction enables the shoe to recognize, adapt, and respond to the exact load and positional change from first impact to toe-off.
A solid rubber outsole provides comfort, cushioning and traction underfoot.
Material
• Synthetic Material
• Waterproof Breathable Membrane
California Slip Lasting
For stability and comfort. Upper is stitched around a canvas or EVA board and directly attached to the midsole.
Removable sockliner that provides cushioning performance and anti-microbial properties for a cooler, dryer, healthier environment.
A lighter weight midsole compound than ASICS' standard EVA and SpEVA®. Also fetures enhanced cushioning and durability.
Reflective material produced by 3M company, for night safety.
The use of seamless materials reduces the potential for irritation and friction caused by traditional; stitches and seams.
Provides enhanced durability and traction.
New blown AHAR outsole material. Delivers enhanced cushioning, durability and ride to the foot.
Anatomically correct deep flex grooves have been aligned to the joints of the foot. This innovative construction enables the shoe to recognize, adapt, and respond to the athlete's exact load and positional change from first impact to toe-off.
If you need some help starting out, in natural barefoot running, my movie is on youtube if you type "Back To The Future Of running" into google it comes up as first hit, enjoy and learn from this 10min teaching extravaganza. Or follow the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVxY8Wh8I90
The 4 Cornerstones of Natural Running
1. Posture Stand tall. Feet straight ahead. Knees soft (not locked). Relaxed arms to sides at a 90-degree angle. Relaxed shoulders. Use compact arm swings. Avoid crossing the body centre line. Lead with your chest. Push your hips forward (don't sit).
2. Foot Landing
Contact the ground with your midfoot first. The entire foot should land softly underneath the hip line with a bent knee. Run light, avoid pounding - focus on the quick turnover of the feet. Landing on the midfoot makes the best use of your body's natural cushioning anatomy and spring energy.
3. Forward Lean
Lean from the ankles without bending at the waist. Use gravity to help create forward momentum. With correct forward lean you can focus on just lifting your foot and quick feet turnover, instead of pushing propulsion.
4. Cadence
Target 180 steps per minute. A quick turnover of the feet increases efficiency and reduces ground reactive forces. Aim for the same cadence jogging as running at faster speed, just adapt the stride length. Please Note: Stride length expands backwards, not forwards! You should never land in front of the body, thereby activating a break force that sends shockwaves through the knees, hip area and lower back, all the way up to the brain.
Natural Cushioning Anatomy
With a midfoot strike under the body's centre of gravity, your body's own cushioning properties can be utilised to a full extent with minimal energy loss. This engages the body's natural spring mechanism - over 50% of the mechanic energy at footstrike is stored and released by the arch and Achilles tendon alone.
Balanced with Gravity
A low drop from heel to toe gets you balanced with gravity and facilitates a correct foot landing. An elevated heel makes you unbalanced.
Running Gait
Your foot should strike the ground midfoot or at the ball of the foot under the centre mass, so you can start a new stride by lifting the leg instead of pushing off. This makes it easier to run with a quick turnover of your feet, less impact, less rotational force and less use of propulsive muscular force. This is in opposition to the Walking Gait, in which you strike the ground with your heel first and roll your foot to the toes and push propulsion.