Are running shoes and training shoes the same? Many of us often get stumbled upon this point. Since both look similar, it is natural for us to get confused. Some of us even use them interchangeably.
Wearing the right kind of footwear is important. Whether you are hitting the gym for some workouts and exercises or running, you need the right shoe. It helps you perform your best, eliminates any discomfort, and even reduces the risk of injury.
For that, you need to understand what shoe to use and when to use it. You may say, does that even matter! Of course, yes.
Here we are with this article to break down the ultimate differences between running shoes and training shoes. We will also learn what are these shoes best for.
Let us walk into the discussion.
Before that, let us learn what are running shoes and training shoes are.
Table of Contents
What Are Running Shoes?
The running shoes come with a higher heel drop that provides more cushioning and support. These shoes offer heel-to-toe movement and allow the runner to move forward more efficiently.
Running shoes are lightweight, and offer great support to your foot when you consistently land on the track, pavement, or grass.
What Are The Key Features Of Running Shoes?
Running shoes have several characteristic features that are not only unique but also distinguish them from the training shoes. The significance of these features may however vary from brand to brand and the type of running shoes. Let us have a look at the key features that you exclusively find only in the running shoes:
- Additional cushioning and support
- Bigger heel drop
- Less traction
- Lightweight design
What Are Running Shoes Best For?
As the name says, the running shoes are ideal for running. They help you with the forward movement and provide more cushioning and support to your feet. These shoes have a higher heel drop that gives you great comfort during long runs and assists with shock abruption.
What Are Training Shoes?
Training shoes come with a comfortable upper and flexible midsole that offers multi-directional movement. They have a lower heel drop that helps in putting you closer to the ground.
Training shoes are lightweight, versatile, and guarantee easy and efficient movement. You can consider these shoes as all-in-one gym shoes.
What Are The Key Features Of Training Shoes?
Training shoes feature a distinctive design that aids in providing support for different exercises and multiple movements. These are the key aspects you notice in the training shoes and not in the running shoes. Below are those special characteristics:
- Additional side support​
- Flatter sole
- Wider sole
- More traction
- Heavier weight
What Are Training Shoes Best For?
Training shoes are versatile and are suitable for different kinds of workouts. You can wear these shoes for several workouts like lifting weights, aerobics, training, high-impact gym workouts, and even running distances on a treadmill.
What Are The Main Differences Between Running And Training Shoes?
Here is a comparative analysis of the characteristic features of running and training shoes. This table should help you gain a better understanding of both types of shoes.
| Parameters | Running Shoes | Training Shoes |
| Construction | The running shoes come specifically tailored to your foot with respect to providing support and cushioning. | The training shoes are specially designed to be all-in-one gym shoes for all kinds of workouts. |
| Support | The running shoes provide more cushioning and support. | The training shoes provide additional side support. |
| Heel Drop | The running shoes come with a higher heel drop. | The training shoes have a lower heel drop. |
| Sole Flexibility or Movement | These shoes offer heel-to-toe movement and allow the runner to move forward more efficiently. | Training shoes come with a flexible midsole that offers multi-directional movement. |
| Traction | The running shoes provide less traction when compared to the training shoes. | Training shoes provide more traction than running shoes. |
| Uppers | Running shoes come with lightweight and breathable uppers. | Training shoes come with more robust and comfortable uppers. |
| Midsoles | The midsoles of running shoes have soft cushioning and offer added support. | Training shoes come with flexible midsoles and offer multiple directional movements and motions. |
| Weight | The running shoes are lightweight in design. | The training shoes are heavier than the running shoes. |
| Suitable For | These running shoes are suitable for running only. | The training shoes are suitable for different kinds of workouts. |
Let us discuss in detail about the differences between running and training shoes.
ConstructionÂ
We all know that running is a high-impact exercise. When running, your feet hit the ground continuously, and they require a certain level of protection. The running shoes come specifically tailored to your foot that offer required support and cushioning.
The training shoes are for all kinds of workouts and exercises. You can consider them as all-in-one gym shoes.
Cushioning and Support   Â
When you land on the track, pavement, or terrain, your feet require extra protection. The running shoes help you with the forward movement and provide more cushioning and support to your feet. Furthermore, they assist your feet with shock abruption.
Training shoes have wider and flatter soles that help in providing a more stable platform to your feet. As a result, they offer additional side support and lateral movement that are essential for any sport and other gym workouts and exercises.
Heel Drop   Â
Heel drop is nothing but the difference between the heel height and the toe height. The running shoes come with a higher heel drop than the training shoes. That means they have a thicker heel, which is about 8mm to 10mm.
Whereas, the training shoes have a lower heel drop, which may be around 0mm to 8mm. The small heel drop is essential, especially when transitioning from the squat position to the standing position. It helps in providing more support and less stress when performing such activities as weight lifting and doing squats.
Sole Flexibility or MovementÂ
If we talk about sole flexibility, the running shoes offer heel-to-toe movement and allow the runner to move forward more efficiently.
Training shoes come with a flexible midsole that offers multi-directional movement, especially side-to-side movement. Comparatively, the sole of the training shoe has more flexibility, as it allows a wide range of movement in all directions.
Traction    Â
The running shoes provide less traction in comparison to the training shoes. Despite this, they still offer the traction required to support your feet from slipping on wet surfaces. However, you do not require traction when running on straight paths.
Training shoes provide more traction than running shoes. When you are performing certain activities or exercises, you need a better grip that extends beyond the soles and to the sides of the shoe.
UppersÂ
Let us move to the next significant difference between the running shoes and training shoes. The running shoes come with lightweight and breathable uppers, which allow maximum comfort to the wearer.
On the other hand, training shoes come with more robust and comfortable uppers. They are typically made from leather for high stability and sustainability.
Midsoles    Â
The midsole is yet another crucial distinguishing factor between the running shoes and the training shoes. If we consider running shoes, they have a soft cushioning midsole that offers added support to the foot in case of any misalignment.
On the other hand, training shoes come with midsoles that are more flexible than running shoes. They offer multiple directional movements and motions.
Weight
The running shoes are lightweight in design, and it helps in the easy and efficient forward movement of the runner.
The training shoes are heavier than the running shoes. This extra weight helps in providing support and stability to the shoes.
Suitable For
These running shoes are suitable for running only. The additional cushioning underfoot helps the runners to run for long distances.
The training shoes are suitable for different kinds of workouts that are dynamic. They come specially designed to support and stabilize the feet, ankles, and knees of the wearers when performing dynamic movements in the gym.
What Are The Risks Of Using The Wrong Shoes For Your Workout?
Using the right shoe always matters. While many may neglect this fact, it is a thumb rule to follow. Here are some after-effects that you may face if you use the wrong shoes for your workout.
Discomfort
Discomfort is the sheer effect of wearing incompatible shoes for your regular workouts. As a result, you may experience blisters, pains, or soreness in the feet. When you feel uncomfortable wearing your shoes and notice any of the symptoms, it is a clear sign that you are probably using the wrong ones.
The best ones will, however, give you all the comfort and support that you will hardly notice any effects.
Lowered Performance
Yet another consequence of wearing the wrong type of shoe for the right exercise is the lowered performance. It can hamper your performance and will keep you from performing the way you should. In the end, you will not want your shoes to hold you back when you are working hard to become the better version of yourself.
Let us say you have been using your running shoe for training. This will reduce the traction and stability when performing intense workouts. Similarly, using training shoes for running can affect your stride and hold you back from peak performance.
Injuries
Running and training shoes are both uniquely designed to support several movements that each workout requires. They assist in providing specific types of support, further preventing injuries. Let us take a look at some of the ways the incompatible shoes are going to cause you injuries during the workouts:
- Using running shoes for lateral movement increases the chances of ankle sprains.
Are you using running shoes for performing workouts that involve lateral or side-by-side movement? We know that the lower heel in the training shoes supports the lateral movement. But the higher heel drop in running shoes may not provide the required flexibility during the lateral movement. Furthermore, it will increase the chances of ankle sprains.
- Using running shoes for plyometric workouts higher the chances of ankle or knee injury.
Plyometric workouts involve jumping, kicking, reverse lunge knee-ups, squats, etc. These kinds of exercises need different speeds, quickness, and movements. That said, you require additional support when transitioning from one position to another.
The high heel drop of the running shoes may prevent you from landing properly. As a result, you may hurt your ankle or knee.
- Using training shoes for running will increase the chances of getting plantar fasciitis.
Let us say you are running in your training shoes. These shoes do not provide you with the required cushioning and support that your running shoes offer. Consequently, you are prone to getting plantar fasciitis.
- Not running in running shoes may lead to stress fractures.
Not running with proper support may result in stress fractures. Running shoes are exclusively for running that is tailored to provide proper cushioning and support for this high-impact workout. If you are using shoes that lack cushioning and shock absorption, you are subject to stress fractures and injuries.
- Wearing the wrong type of running shoes may not give you proper support for your pronation type.
Choosing the right running shoes is very crucial for runners. Depending on your pronation type, you will have to select the comfortable shoe that helps you with optimal support and cushioning.
If you are an under pronator, you require cushioning running shoes. Similarly, neutral and overpronators need neutral running shoes and stability running shoes, respectively.
When you wear the wrong type of running shoes, you are susceptible to shock-related injuries like stress fractures and other injuries like an ankle sprain, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, etc.
- Lifting weights in cushioned running shoes do not support the natural movement of your feet.
When lifting weights, you need shoes with a less cushioning and lower heel drop. This will provide the flexibility required for natural movements. Moreover, you need to be careful when choosing a shoe with the size and width for your comfort. If you try to fit into a size different than yours, it will obstruct the natural movement. Additionally, it will cause swelling in your feet during the workouts.
How to Decide Between Training Shoes and Running Shoes?
Although deciding between training and running shoes might be a clear scenario for some, others may find it a little challenging. Those people who run a lot will definitely go towards the running shoes. Others, who love to hit the gym for some regular workouts and exercises, appreciate using training shoes. The real challenge arises for people who do both running and go to the gym. They will have trouble finding the right pair of shoes.
Are you someone struggling to decide between running shoes and training shoes? You need to take up this assessment that will help you in choosing what you need the most:
- How often do you run in a week? Is it more than three times?
- What is the distance you cover when you run? Is it more than 5km at one time?
- Is running your primary form of exercise?
- How much cushioning and padding do you need underfoot? Is it a lot of cushioning?
If your answer for most of these questions is yes, the chances are high that you need running shoes. They are the best option for your requirements.
Alternatively, if your answer for most of these questions is no, then you probably need training shoes. That said, you have a varied workout routine, and training shoes are the ideal choice for your requirements.
Conclusion
Both running shoes and training shoes are for different purposes and to support different movements. Running in training shoes or vice versa will hold you back from performing your best. I hope this article gave you complete insights into what running and training shoes are used for. You must now be able to determine which shoes you will need to continue in your fitness journey.
If you have any queries or need more information, please let us know in the comments section below. Feel free to add your inputs to this article and share your suggestions with us. We would welcome your feedback and love to hear from you.
May you continue to stay fit and focused.
Stay healthy and stay safe!!!
