How Are Running and Training Shoes Different?

July 1, 2021

Visit any sports store or website and you’ll find yourself faced with a huge selection of footwear to choose from. This can be confusing, and unless you’re armed with some knowledge about the differences between types of sports footwear, it can be very difficult to know how to choose the right pair.

When looking at the dizzying array of shoes out there, you’ll quickly see that many are designed for a specific sport, such as tennis or trail running . However, with other kinds of sports shoes, such as running shoes and gym training shoes, the difference isn’t always so clear. So just what is the difference between running and gym training shoes and how can you go about choosing the right footwear for you?

The difference between running and training shoes

Running and gym training shoes often have a similar shape and some of the same materials can be used in their design, such as mesh uppers and lightweight foam soles. The situation can often be made more confusing in general-purpose sports stores, where running and training shoes can be unhelpfully mixed in together.

At a specialist brand like ASICS, our running shoes are made using the latest systems and technologies that support our customers in the specific act of running. In our book, there is a huge difference between running and training shoes and it’s very important to understand this distinction.

What are training shoes used for?

Training shoes can be thought of as all-purpose gym and fitness shoes . They are well suited for use in exercise classes, doing HIIT sessions or plyometrics workouts, on elliptical machines and also for some types of weightlifting. They’re your dependable all-rounders.

Running shoes, as the name suggests, are designed exclusively for running – be that on pavements, tracks, trails or treadmills. Everything about the way the shoes are built focuses on enhancing and supporting your running movements. Running shoes may sometimes be used for training in the gym and they can do a perfectly good job, but they are at their best when they’re providing the grip, stability and comfort that you need to run.

How Are Running and Training Shoes Different - Image 1

The difference between running and training shoes

Running and gym training shoes often have a similar shape and some of the same materials can be used in their design, such as mesh uppers and lightweight foam soles. The situation can often be made more confusing in general-purpose sports stores, where running and training shoes can be unhelpfully mixed in together.

At a specialist brand like ASICS, our running shoes are made using the latest systems and technologies that support our customers in the specific act of running. In our book, there is a huge difference between running and training shoes and it’s very important to understand this distinction.

What are training shoes used for?

Training shoes can be thought of as all-purpose gym and fitness shoes. They are well suited for use in exercise classes, doing HIIT sessions or plyometrics workouts, on elliptical machines and also for some types of weightlifting. They’re your dependable all-rounders.

Running shoes, as the name suggests, are designed exclusively for running – be that on pavements, tracks, trails or treadmills. Everything about the way the shoes are built focuses on enhancing and supporting your running movements. Running shoes may sometimes be used for training in the gym and they can do a perfectly good job, but they are at their best when they’re providing the grip, stability and comfort that you need to run.

Differences in the design of running and training shoes

Cushioning

Running shoes: Have a lot of cushioning that can be focused in the heel or distributed fairly evenly throughout the shoeTraining shoes: Have far less cushioning than a running shoe and what they has is usually distributed throughout the sole.

Shape

Running shoes: Tend to have a larger heel drop – this basically means the shoe is built on a curved last so that the toe is off the groundTraining shoes: Tend to have a lower heel drop and flatter sole - that means more of the sole is in contact with the ground.

Weight

Running shoes: Running shoes are some of the lightest shoes available and may use extra lightweight foam in the solesTraining shoes: Will normally weigh marginally more than running shoes as they need to be more durable to withstand various lateral movements.

Tread

Running shoes: The tread or ‘grip’ part of the shoes is designed to facilitate one-directional movementTraining shoes: The tread is designed to support multi-directional movement.

Support

Running shoes: Except in the case of stability shoes, most support is found under the heel, with more flexible uppersTraining shoes: There’s support in the soles as well as in the outer part of the shoe to help with multi-directional movements.

How Are Running and Training Shoes Different - Image 2

Can training shoes be used for running and vice versa?

Just as you wouldn’t use a golf shoe to play basketball, it’s generally a good idea to wear running shoes for running and training shoes for cross training and gym workouts. Wearing the wrong pair of shoes may put you at a greater risk of injury or discomfort.

As an example, if you wear running shoes in an aerobics class, where there’s lots of side-to-side movement, you may find that the high, softer heel means your ankles aren’t supported, increasing your risk of injury. Alternatively, if you’re lifting weights, then a running shoe’s uneven sole could leave you feeling unsteady.

Similarly, running a marathon in training shoes is likely to result in a lot of pain. Your heels won’t receive enough support for the repetitive striking on tarmac and could result in unpleasant injuries, such as plantar fasciitis . You may also find that the soles of training shoes wear away much faster if you take them on long road-running sessions.

That being said, not everyone has the budget for different shoes for every activity, so it’s most important to consider how you plan to primarily use the shoes. If you’ll mainly be road running along with the occasional gym session, then running shoes are the smart choice. If you’ll be in the gym three days a week and go out for a short, weekly run, then training shoes are probably the sensible way to go.

Of course, if you plan on doing both extensive gym and running workouts, it would be a good idea to buy two pairs of shoes – not least because they won’t wear out so fast.