How do spiked shoes make runners faster? It’s obviously counterintuitive but I would have thought extra grip would slow you down.
In: Physics
When you run, your feet are pushing backwards while your body is moving forwards. The more your feet are able to push backwards, the more easily you’re able to run forwards. If your feet *slip* backwards, then you don’t move forwards.
Think of walking on ice vs. walking on a sidewalk – you’re able to move forward more easily on a sidewalk because you’re not slipping backwards on each step. Adding spikes continues to help you move forwards more (as long as you’re running on a surface that the spikes are able to both easily dig in to and easily release from).
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