A few years ago, barefoot running was hip. You read about it everywhere and some took the plunge and ran in running shoes that were as minimalist as possible. The running trend now seems to be heading in the opposite direction.
From minimalism to maximalism Running shoes are allowed to have thick soles again, preferably with a lot of cushioning and materials with special properties in the soles. So maximalism, instead of minimalism as we saw with barefoot running. A popular shoe is the Hoka One One, a shoe with twice as much suspension as an average running shoe. Still, the shoes are super light. It shines as if you are walking on your little clouds and do not touch the ground.
Benefits of maximalism
Proponents of maximalism claim to have fewer injuries since wearing running shoes with more cushioning in the soles. The Hoka brand itself does not make any statements about whether the shoes would help against injuries. There is too little scientific evidence available.
Criticism
Barefoot running advocates don't like maximalism in running shoes at all. We were born to walk without support at our feet.
More similarities than expected?
The trends wouldn't even differ that much, others claim:both trends ensure that you keep your body in the right position while running. Furthermore, every body is different and it is a matter of preference what you walk on comfortably. Do you run a lot of miles? Then it can be nice to walk in different shoes every now and then. Alternating between thick and thin soles can be nice.
Which running shoes do you have?
Hoka's running shoes:
