FitEgg.com Multisport Reviews
If you’re a runner and haven’t heard the hype and discussion about natural running or barefoot running in the past few years, you must be living under quite a rock. Many people are extolling the virtues of barefoot or natural running as an alternative to the bulky shoes you might be used to. Today, we’re going to review the Lady Isaac Neutral Guidance Trainer, a women’s shoe made by Newton, one of the leaders in natural running products.
Background on Natural Running:
Here at FitEgg, we’re triathletes and ultra runners, not doctors, so we’ll save you any of the medical support or opposition to barefoot or natural running. But, as a refresher, natural running is a movement centered around returning to our running roots as hunters. The basic idea is that modern running shoes have so much padding and support that they encourage poor running form by interfering with the feedback, or pain, that your body would normally provide if you’re stride is off. Standard shoes allow most runners to heel strike, which increases the chances of injury. Minimal, natural, or barefoot running, forces you to forefoot or midfoot strike, as those are much less painful when you don’t have modern shoes to pad your feet.
Our recommendation is to approach any significant changes in your running carefully. Discuss things with your doctor or PT and don’t make sudden changes. If you’re interested in transitioning to natural running, you might want to check out Newton’s own “10 Laws of Natural Running” before embarking on your journey.
About the Lady Isaac Neutral Guidance Trainers:
Newton offers many different natural running shoe options for men and women, including neutral and stability designs for almost any athlete. Our tester selected the Lady Isaac Guidance based on Newton’s fitting recommendations.
The Lady Isaac Guidance Trainers offer what Newton calls ‘intelligent control’, not a pure neutral trainer. According to Newton, the main differences are in the beveled heel and toe and the beveled lugs, which guide your foot into the mid/forefoot strike. The Lady Isaac Guidance Trainers also have a wider mid and forefoot and more support and stability in the midfoot.
Here are the construction details, directly from Newton
UPPER
- Highly breathable, closed mesh
- Slip-proof laces with heel-securing double eyelets
- Lightweight ergonomic support strapping
- Metatarsal stretch panels for foot adjustment
- Reflective logo and heel tab
MIDSOLE
- Single-density, high rebound EVA
- Second generation Action/Reaction Technology™ forefoot and heel
- Midfoot support chassis for added stability
- Beveled heel and toe
- Met-flex enhanced forefoot flexibility
- Enhanced sock-liner that increases energy return and protection
- Accommodates orthotics
OUTERSOLE
- Second generation durable, high traction actuator lugs
- Increased toe spring
- Pronounced heel rocker
- High-wear carbon rubber with traction tread
GREEN FEATURES
- 100% recycled laces, webbing, insole top cover
- 100% recycled PET upper mesh
- 100% recycled box, packaging
- 10% recycled outersole rubber
Initial Impressions of the Lady Isaac Neutral Guidance Trainers:
After Two Weeks:
We’ve been using the shoes for both running short easy runs as well as cardio at the gym. Per Newton’s website recommendations, we’re slowly increasing my mileage to adapt to the shoe. Thus far, we really like the shoe. We’ve noticed in order to get the “full” affect if you will, our stride has shortened and our stance is more upright. We feel as though in the past we tended to lean forward a bit more. Overall, we enjoy the slight differences in our stride and gait and definitely love the bounce we get from the lugs.
Our Next Review Update:
In about three weeks, we’re going to provide an update on our testing. This update will be a midpoint review and our final review will follow a few weeks after the midpoint. Stay tuned for our next review.
