I came across the video below via a Twitter post by Ian Griffiths:
Now Mizuno are at it: bit.ly/UCSmuqSome bold claims here about performance improvement and muscle activation... Evidence please...?
— Ian Griffiths (@Sports_Pod) October 10, 2012
In the video, Mizuno claims that the new Mizuno Be shoe is designed to "increase activation" of the flexor digitorum longus and flexor hallucis longus while walking, thus incresing the stregth of these muscles. I'm all for innovation in shoe design and attempts to do unique things with footwear that might benefit people by strengthening muscles, but when it's claimed that a shoe strengthens specific muscles when not running to improve performance while running, my respone would be show me the peer-reviewed, published data supporting this claim. Have we not learned from claims made by other shoe companies that such claims need to be backed up by independent testing? Perhaps the studies are done and not published yet, but until they are, I'll take theses claims with a huge grain of salt. Well-said Ian!
:.