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Fitness Shoes Biography

Source:- Google.com.pk

Altra Zero Drop Footwear also known as ALTRA Footwear or Altra, is an American company engaged in the design, development, marketing and selling of road running, trail running, and general minimalist footwear.

Brian Beckstead, Jeremy Howlett and Golden Harper began cutting up and altering different brands of running shoes to come up with a better performing shoe, which they named "zero drop" The name refers to the height differential between the shoe's heel and toe area.

Harper and Beckstead demonstrated their new design with various footwear companies with little success, so they partnered with Pulse Labs at Brigham Young University, an engineering firm, and contract manufacturers in Asia to start a company called Altra Footwear in 2009.

The compny was acquired in March 2011 by ICON Health & Fitness, a manufacturer and distributor of fitness related products.

Design[edit]

The idea for Altra came about when Golden Harper, the founder of the company, analyzed the strides of barefoot runners and compared them to the stride and gait of runners wearing more traditional running shoes. Harper noticed that the natural mechanics and stride of the runners changed whenever they changed from running barefoot to running with shoes.

His analysis concluded that the heel of most running shoes were more padded than the mid-foot or toe of the shoe. At this time, Harper was working at his father's shoe store called "Runner's Corner", in Orem, Utah and he began modifying traditional running shoes by cutting them open, removing padding out from the heel, and then using a toaster oven and glue to put the shoes back together.

Harper recruited local runners and store employees to test out prototypes of the shoes where the thickness of the sole which featured a heel that was less than a half inch in height, allowing the forefoot and heel to be the same distance from the ground. Harper noticed that the decrease in the ratio from heel to toe allowed for a more natural running experience in which footfalls are in the mid to forefoot area instead of the unfavorable heel strike.

An Altra athletic shoe on display

An Altra brand athletic shoe.

Harper called this differential of the heel and ball of the forefoot being exactly the same height off the ground "Zero Drop". The word spread about these hacked shoes among the local running community and Harper began selling them from the store. Harper then took the idea for the shoe to venture capitalists and former Nike designers. The shoe quickly went from a back room operation to an established brand with international production.

Altra shoes are also designed with a larger than average toe box that allows for more freedom of movement and a natural feel of running barefoot, but the feel of having a full shoe underfoot.

Growth[edit]

Altra first entered in a few markets in North America and gained attention when their first shoe on the market won the Runner's World Magazine's Editor's Choice Best Debut award. Altra Zero Drop Footwear is currently at 300 percent annual growth rate and opening in 25 to 30 new markets in 2013. Altra is also working on expanding into the European running and trail shoe market.

Features[edit]

Altra shoes most notable feature is the foot-shaped wider-than-average toe box which allows a runners toes to spread out as they would without shoes. All Altra designs are also "zero drop", which features a heel that is less than a half inch in height, allowing the forefoot and heel to be the same distance from the ground. This ratio allows for more natural running experience in which footfalls are in the mid to forefoot area instead of the unfavorable heel strike. Altra's shoes also include an a greater than average amount of cushioning compared to traditional running footwear.

Invented in 1999 by Robert Fliri, a design student from Vinschgau who wanted to "figure out a way to move around in nature better." Vibram FiveFingers were developed and introduced in 2005.

Purpose[edit]

Vibram FiveFingers were originally targeted to yacht racers to maintain grip on slippery decks without compromising the barefoot experience. Their potential use as a minimalist running shoe was suggested to the Vibram CEO by Ted McDonald, a runner who earned the nickname "Barefoot Ted" for his unshod feet and successful career as a barefoot running coach.[citation needed] The purpose of these shoes as outlined by the manufacturers is to provide footwear to be mainly used for fitness, running, water sports, yoga, trekking and travelling, and other sports.

Design[edit]

Styles[edit]

FiveFingers KSO Trek

Vibram FiveFingers come in a variety of styles and sizes including FiveFingers KMD Sport, KMD Sport LS, Classic, Sprint, Flow, KSO (the most popular), TrekSport, KSO Trek, Bikila (named for Abebe Bikila), Bikila LS, Speed and also men's styles FiveFingers Spyridon, Trek LS and Bormio and women's styles FiveFingers Jaya and Jaya LR. Children's KSO, Sprint and Speed styles are available.

Sizing[edit]

Unlike traditional footwear, Vibram FiveFingers do not follow the typical US or UK shoe-sizing scales.[citation needed] They require precise foot length measurement with accuracy down to 1/8" and conversion to the FiveFingers sizing chart. This ranges from 38–50 for men, 34–42 for women, and 29–36 for children. As a result, the shoe sizing more closely mirrors the EU system. However, minor discrepancies exist between the women's and men's sizing, so (for example) a 39 women's does not equal a 39 men's.

Materials[edit]

Vibram FiveFingers comprise many different materials that vary depending on the style of shoe. The most common components are Vibram TC-1 performance rubber, which makes up the sole of these shoes, a thin stretch polyamide comprising the frame of the shoe that molds to the contours of the user's foot, and an antimicrobial microfiber footbed.[citation needed]

Minimalist shoes[edit]

In a report on an article in Nature, co-author Daniel E. Lieberman stated that "People who wear conventional running shoes tend to run with a significantly different strike than those who run in minimalist shoes or barefoot. By landing on the middle or front of the foot, barefoot runners have almost no impact collision." Lieberman et al.'s study was an experiment that involved 5 groups of runners from Kenya and the United States. The two American groups were adult athletes who had run with shoes since childhood, and those who habitually ran barefoot or with minimal footwear such as Vibram FiveFingers (mentioned by name in the study). The three Kenyan groups were adults who had never run in shoes until late adolescence, as well as two teenage groups: those that habitually wore shoes and those that always ran barefoot. The runners were instructed to run over a force plate that was embedded in a 25 meter track, and were recorded during the run using a three-dimensional infrared kinematic system. These measurements were used to assess the pattern with which the foot strikes the ground and how forcibly it does so.

Health effects[edit]

Barefoot running, which is similar to running with FiveFingers on, appears to decrease the risk of ankle sprain and plantar fasciitis.

If not conditioned slowly enough, the sole of the foot or plantar fascia can become inflamed or damaged with activity. Also due to over-training or incorrect form, runners may experience Achilles tendonitis or metatarsal inflammation and fractures. Over-striding in Vibram FiveFingers, that is, landing with the foot too far in front of one's hips, adds extra unnecessary stress to the calf muscles, Achilles tendon, and the arch of the foot, which can lead to serious health problems if not addressed.

One study found a greater number of new wearers of FiveFingers showed an increase in bone marrow edema than those in the study's control group. It recommended transition to use of the shoe be very slow and gradual.When Vibram founder, Vitale Bramani, invented the first rubber soles for mountaineering boots in 1935, it was the beginning of a revolution. Now 75 years later, Vibram is still known around the world as the undisputed leader in soling technology for a wide range of quality performance footwear products. Vibram manufactures more than 34 million soles annually for more than 1,000 premium footwear brands worldwide.

FiveFingers is the latest example of the relentless commitment to research and product innovation at Vibram. Industrial Designer, Robert Fliri, first proposed the idea of FiveFingers footwear to Marco Bramani, grandson of Vibram founder Vitale Bramani, who immediately embraced the concept.Bramani and Fliri developed the first barefoot shoes then showed the concept to Vibram USA president & CEO, Tony Post. As a former collegiate runner, Post quickly became a firm believer in the benefits of natural running* and fitness training. He discovered that Vibram FiveFingers were the unique solution to the knee pain and soreness he was experiencing when running.

Soon, they collaborated with the full Vibram team to position Vibram FiveFingers® as a performance product for running, fitness and outdoor sports. FiveFingers not only encouraged a more natural forefoot strike during running, but also allowed the foot to move and work in a completely natural way, while providing grip and protection over a variety of surfaces.And while we do love our Vibram FiveFingers®, we don’t believe it is the only footwear you will ever need. There are many times when you need the protection and security of a shoe or boot. Like all things in life, there is a balance, and Vibram FiveFingers® provides a healthy alternative to traditional footwear. Wearing FiveFingers for fitness training, running, water sports or just for fun will make your feet stronger and healthier—naturally.

*Running in Vibram FiveFingers requires a significant increase in lower leg and foot strength. A gradual transition is critical to avoid overuse injuries. For more information on making a safe transition please refer to our Barefoot Running page.

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