When it comes to running, having the right shoes for your gait, style and foot shape is essential. Get it wrong and you’ll soon find that you’re hobbling your way through plantar fasciitis, shin splints, sore hips and more. But what about wearing running shoes when you’re weight training? If you’ve forked out for a new pair of runners, you might object to spending yet more on gym-specific shoes. So, can you wear the same pair across both exercises or is that a one-way path to injury?

DIFFERENT SPORT, DIFFERENT SHOES

The main difference between running and weight training shoes is the kind of support they offer:

• Running shoes are cushioned and comfy, designed to support you to move all over for a sustained period of time – and mainly in the sagittal plane (back to front).
• Weight training shoes are solid. They’ve got a hard sole and are designed to keep you stable as you move in all directions, particularly laterally (side to side).

There’s nothing like running in a pair of Saucony shoes. They’re light, padded and ultra bouncy, meaning that your feet feel supported and comfy whether you’re running 5K or 40K. Despite how lovely they are to run in, however, they’re the last things that you’d want to lift heavy in. While thick, bouncy shoes might be omnipresent at races, you’re more likely to see a pair of Nike Metcons than Air Zooms in the gym, and that’s because running shoes don’t offer the support you need when weight training.