When you get invited to work out with Rich Froning and Annie Thorisdottir, the only logical reaction is a mixture of excitement and utter terror. The two world-class CrossFit athletes boast a total of six titles combined, so you can only imagine what an “average” routine might look like for them.
But sometimes your worst fears are totally unjustified, and such proved to be the case here. The workout of the day (or WOD, in CrossFit parlance), which took place last month at Solace New York, was definitely challenging but hardly deadly. The two main reasons? Froning and Thorisdottir are cool AF, and we media hacks were well heeled thanks to the new Reebok Nano 9s on our feet.
The event served as a great sneak preview for the latest edition of the iconic workout shoes, which drop today. I got to test their versatility handling several rounds of rowing, burpees, dumbbell cleans, pushups and air squats. What stood out to me about the shoes is that I hardly thought about them, which is almost always a good thing.
The biggest improvements over earlier editions include an all-new flexweave upper, added midsole cushioning for running and a midsole protection wrap. Each feature makes CrossFitting just a bit more comfortable. The breathable upper keeps your feet cool when you’re sweating through extended rounds. The midsole cushioning makes the landings involved with burpees and other jumping moves painless. And the protection wrap — that big hunk of translucent white material — provides stability during the kind of explosive lifts that pop up in many a WOD.
Since that day with the CrossFit champs, the Nano 9s have become my go-to daily workout shoes, standing up to dozens of tough routines. So far, so good.
Reebok provided product for this review.
