Super-spikes improve sprint performance. How do Muscle Runners measure

Since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics there has been a proliferation in the use and development of super-spikes. However, the research literature is pretty sparce when it comes to analysing their effectiveness for sprint speed. This is in contrast to the more common research which has been carried out on designed-for-distance running super shoes.

Our highly innovative built-for-sprint speed shoes very much mirror the latest sprint spikes – or should it be the case that the latest super-sprint spikes mirror our Muscle Runners? We have been very much ahead of the pack when it comes to this race.

Put Muscle Runners next to a pair of the latest super-sprint spike offerings from the major brands and it’s impossible not to see how the spikes reflect the Muscle Runner’s unique design.

Put Muscle Runners next to a pair of the latest super-sprint spike offerings from the major brands and it’s impossible not to see how the spikes reflect the Muscle Runner’s unique design

Our Fore Strike® technology is comprised of our Forefoot Gain® & Heel Gain® tech, among other secret sauce, which we'll dive deeper into in later posts.

Our speed shoes incorporate Forefoot Gain® technology - which provides an 8-10mm drop between heel to toe (based on shoe size).

And of course, the latest super-sprint spikes share Antepes pioneering use of carbon fibre plate technology in “flats”.

Our ForeSpring™ inclusion is dual flex. This makes it more flexible in the forefoot and more rigid under the arch and heel.

Muscle Runners are truly “sprint spikes for the road” – minus of course the pins.

Just a note though – you can still use your Antepes on the track. Many track sprinters, jumpers and field and court sport athletes, such as basketball and football players, do just that.

Muscle Runners are also a great interim measure (or measure in their own right) between working out in everyday running shoes and the transition to spikes for track and field (and other) athletes across the training year.

Research

We carried out our own research on just how good Muscle Runners are at improving sprint speed compared to everyday running shoes. And it showed that there was a significant benefit to wearing Muscle Runners and that they were not far behind sprint spikes in terms of ground reaction times and force production and overall sprint end time either. (See previous posts for a more detailed consideration of this research.)

So, the closeness in design of Muscle Runners to super-sprint spikes and their performance against sprint spikes can justify the former’s inclusion in the fledgling research that is coming out on the use of super-spikes.

It seems that super-spikes can improve the horizontal ratio of force velocity when it comes to sprint acceleration (1).

Many users of Antepes (plus, the specific research) report the same outcome. The shoe’s design – which also includes purposely positioned ForeSpring foam™ - throws the body forward over the pivot provided by the ForeFoot™ gain technology.

This better angles the body and better positions the foot in a way which will boost acceleration and allow for superior application of force. That “horizontal force ratio” we previously mentioned.

And in the process Muscle Runners will strengthen the key acceleration and sprint muscles of the foot and lower legs (more on this in future posts).

Carbon fibre plates and advanced sprint shoe design has improved elite sprint athlete performance…

Other recent sports science has shown that super-sprint spikes have significantly improved sprint performance at elite level.

A study was made of the top 20 and 100 lists for the super-fast track and field events - those below and including 400m hurdles (2).

These differences ranged from a 0.40% improvement (men's 100m) to a 1.52% improvement (women's 400m hurdles) according to the researchers.

Thus, given the undeniable similarity between Antepes Muscle Runners and super-sprint spikes it’s very reasonable to suggest that similar improvements will also be made by non-elites when it comes to the use of our super-sprint shoes! And of course, our own very specific research back this up. And because you’re not (yet!) elite in all likelihood, the gains you make will potentially be superior to Olympic athletes as you will have much more headroom to improve upon.

So, add Muscle Runners to your sprint training toolbox and reap the speed boost.