Does anyone have experience with the Achilles Speed training shoes. See: www.achillesspeed.com?

The Achilles Speed Dot Com web site offers to "Accept wagers, give odds and challenge any speed training competitior to compare results after 8 weeks." The leverage of their shoes combined with special plyometric drills seem logical. The site claims to make fast and slow twitch muscles react quicker. Slow twitch muscles can't be converted to "fast twitch" muscles. I'm looking for an answer from someone with a kinisology and sports training background. Thanks! Mike S

Does anyone have experience with the Achilles Speed training shoes. See: www.achillesspeed.com?
Achilles shoes/Jumpsoles/all other types of shoes with a platform in the front work by strengthening the calf muscles. In exercises, the shoe forces the calf into a fully stretched position, so when the calf contracts, the range of motion increases. This strengthens the calves more than partial ROM movements.





The problem with this is that most people aren't ready for that kind of stress of their Achilles tendons yet. Most programs start out way to fast (since they claim results fast) and people end up injured and disappointed.





The second problem is that the calves don't contribute that much force in the running stride compared to the hip extensors. Training a small muscle group like the calves will not help as much as training the main power producers (glutes, hamstrings).





Lastly, it isn't the shoes that produce fast twitch muscle fiber transformation (you are right that you can't convert slow twitch to fast twitch, but you can convert the undifferentiated fibers to fast twitch, as well as making the existing fast twitch fibers thicker and stronger), it is the exercises. You can have the same results doing regular plyometric drills, or any exercise that involves a strong muscle contraction at a fairly quick speed.





If you have any more questions, just ask.



C++