For the beginner, you might look at shoes the same way you look at potatoes. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. But Crossfit shoes are different. Read on to find out why they’re different from your gym shoes and why you should use both of them.

Are you really better off with a Crossfit pair of shoes or are your old kicks good enough for the job? The question itself begs a little more explanation on how shoes affect your performance as a Crossfit practitioner.

Why Are the Shoes Important?

Although Crossfit promotes minimalistic footwear in order to get the kind of workout you deserve, you can’t avoid making sure that your footwear is up for the job. Take note that you’ll be engaged in a wide variety of exercises that will have you sprinting, jumping, sprinting and then jumping and then something completely different. Your standard running shoes may not be up for the job.

Specialized Crossfit shoes are built for comfort, durability and versatility. You can sprint in them, lift in them, push with them and practically everything in between. They’re also breathable to make sure that your feet stay fresh even with all those buckets of sweat you’ll be making.

So is a pair of specialized Crossfit shoes better than your normal gym shoes? Not Necessarily.

Are Regular Gym Shoes OK?

Part of finding the right kind of Crossfit shoe is making sure it’s a perfect fit for you. You should be able to twist those ankles, squat ‘till you drop, lift like there’s no tomorrow and run like there’s a homicidal maniac after you. And a shoe that can do all of that with you needs to be special.

Your regular gym shoes make a good fit for that. Since you’ve already worked in them and loosened the stitches a bit, it has probably adjusted to the contour of your foot as of the moment. The insides of those gym shoes of yours might have already adapted to the mould of your foot, giving you the most comfortable stance ever. And that’s something you can’t expect from a brand new pair of shoes right off the shelf.

So What it is Really?

The best thing you can do (especially if you’re a beginner) is to try Crossfit in your regular running shoes first. But you’re not doing that because you’ve already made up your mind. You’re doing this to see if those shoes are already good enough for the job. It’s like putting your shoes through the test to see if they can go the distance with you.

During the time, try to notice if you’re having a hard time positioning yourself for lifts. See if you still fumble with your footing for sprints. Also check to see if you can move around well in those shoes.

If you can, then by all means, stick to your guns. There’s no need for a new pair if the one you’ve already got is up for the task. That means your shoes were meant for you and you should stick with them a little while longer.

On the other hand, if you find that you ha e difficulty keeping up with the group because of your shoes, then it’s time to find a new pair. Take your notes from your first time and start hunting for a new pair. Having trouble making quick turns or sprints with your old gym shoes? Try something lighter that gives more ankle room. Need to adjust your feet often when lifting? A wider sole with more surface area to the ground is a better pick.

Essentially, your first time with your gym shoes should act as a data gathering session for you to find out what you’re looking for in a shoe. Sometimes, what you’ve got is good enough and other times, you’ll find your regular shoes wanting. It’s all about trying things out first.