Back Squats!

Every minute, on the minute, for 15 minutes, complete:
3 Back Squats @ Bodyweight
3 Handstand Push Ups (HSPU)

Penalty for any uncompleted rounds is 5 Pull Ups, to be completed post-workout.

Result: 25mins (Back Squat @ 50kg)
*Opted for a longer duration to further test the shoes.


Great workout!


I decided to use my brand new Reebok ZigTech shoes for this workout as I wanted to test it's physical prowess and suitability for Squats and Handstand Push Ups (HSPU). Both exercises required a straight line of action, hence stability and control was crucial to a effective workout.

First of all, the shoes were snugly fit and held the mid foot well. The first few reps were tough as they got me off balance and I took a while to adjust to the imbalance (lateral and horizontally). Unfortunately, mid-workout, my foot started sliding forward because the weight from the back squats pushed the weight into the toes which affected my balance and stability that a few times I had to refocus my energy to re-centralize the center of gravity. This is not favorable as in weightlifting as in Physics : the fastest way to travel from one point to another is in one straight line.


Each rep was a challenge. Descending into the squat was tough. I had to constantly remind my body to sit (even more) backwards than usual. The weight was sinking into the shoes and this meant, ascending would take more effort, energy and control from the body to get thru that rep, compared to regular shoes. Think about well-inflated vs lesser-filled car tires going over a hump. The lesser filled ones needs more power to move and accelerate the vehicle. It was physically and mentally tiring!

Because of the imbalance, the bar movement was wobbly. If you tried to draw a straight line of the bar's movement, you'd see a wavy zigzag sorta line. In weightlifting terms - inefficient. Luckily it was only bodyweight weights on the bar. If it were a heavier weight, I doubt I'd be able to complete 15minutes! My legs and back would've collapsed!

For the HSPU, the shoes were light and gave it a comfortable feel when feet was resting on wall. Shoes' weight does make a difference! Again, on descent, the drag on the wall was terrible. The heels were literally cleaning the wall at every rep, like a window wiper. Tried to keep just one heel on the wall to minimize the drag. And that worked well. Other than that, the shoes gave a good "kick up" onto the wall! :)

In conclusion, I would recommend these shoes for walking, running or bouncing. For weightlifting, I would wear a flatter & harder soled shoe for stability purposes.

Looking forward to try more exercises in my ZigTechs! :)


Rate: 3/10
Pros: Mid-foot support, slight focus on core stability
Cons: Minimal stability, not suitable for weightlifting(low balance/stability)

On descent, weight coming off heels into toes.
Newbies: Do not squat like this!