One foot in front of the other. That’s how progress has been made for centuries in the sport of running. While innovations like carbon plates and footstrike-specific silhouettes have advanced our experiences and shortened splits, when you boil it down, it’s always back to this simple left foot, right foot cadence.
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Now, it appears even that motion is getting an overhaul, thanks to the innovations packed into the latest release from global sporting goods brand, Adidas. The all-new 4DFWD 2 is the latest silhouette from the brand’s 4D lineup and is designed to transform your energy into non-stop, smooth-flowing forward motion. Utilizing a 3D-printed midsole with an industry-first bowtie-shaped lattice design, this new runner is set to take your strides far into the future.
The Adidas 4DFWD 2’s Innovation is Backed by 18 Years of Real-World Analytics
To create the “running shoe of the future,” Adidas did its homework when constructing the 4DFWD 2’s 3D-printed midsole. Combing through 18 years of real-world athlete data, five million midsole variations and backed by support from partnerships with the MIT Sports Lab and University of Calgary Biomechanics, the brand eventually landed on a profile that improves cushioning by 23% — when compared to previous 4D iterations — with technology housing a scientifically-proven forward motion benefit.
“When humans run, our forward motion is interrupted every time our foot hits the ground, leading to a subtle stop-start motion between strides, says Anette (Peko) Hosoi, Neal and Jane Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. “This is true for all runners — no matter your ability. At the MIT Sports Lab, we are developing innovative technologies that offer a direct solution for overcoming that intrinsic challenge. And the new 4DFWD does just that.”
The 4DFWD 2’s industry-first bowtie-shaped lattice midsole works by compressing forward instead of vertically, reducing braking forces and transforming the impact energy into forward motion. While this isn’t the first sneaker to target energy return in an innovative fashion, the end result should be a smooth, continuous ride that doesn’t have that choppy, pavement-pounding feel. At least, that’s what we’re hoping for — at 12.3 ounces, this is one of the heavier running shoes on the market, so any help will be much appreciated.
