Springboost B-Train Review

Written by Jack Woodrup for VerticalJumping.com

The Springboost B-Train shoe is a product that really surpised me. I have to admit, I didn't have high expectations when I bought them. This was my first mistake. The second mistake was going straight to Dorsi level 5. Don't have a clue what I am talking about? Well you better read the rest of the review to find out why I love these shoes.

Figure 1: Springboost B-Train's in black.

What Are Springboost B-Trains

Springboost manufacture various sports shoes with what they refer to as dorsiflexion technology. Dorsiflexion is basically the position your feet would be in if you stood on your heels with your toes elevated. The B-Train is the performance training model. On the outside they look like a regular athletic shoe. However inside are special insoles that elevate the front of your feet and lower your heels, effectively putting them in a dorsiflexion position.

According to Springboost the effect that this has on the wearer is that it places the calves in a pre-stretch which changes the posterior chain orientation. This places the muscles in a favorable position to develop greater force. By regularly working out in the B-Train dorsiflexion shoes you can

• Increase in strength and explosive power
• Help you gain in speed and vertical leap
• Improve posture
• Increase muscle fiber recruitment in the specific target zone
• Facilitate efficient use of energy during training and competition

Figure 2: My Red Springboost B-Train's. They may look harmless enough, but they pack a mean training punch.

Our Training Experiences

As you can see in the picture I purchased the red ones. The colors don't make a difference but we have a saying in Australia - "Red makes you go faster". When they arrived they were equipped with the Dorsi 1 insoles. This is the lowest level and is just a few degrees more than your regular trainer. You do however get 2 other insoles, the Dorsi 3 and 5. When I first got them I walked around for a few hours to get used to them before deciding to do a workout. Of course, I decided to do a session not with the Dorsi 1's that I had been walking around in, but with the more intense Dorsi 5's.

This turned out to be rather silly on my behalf. It wasn't long into my workout that I noticed my calves were beginning to tighten up considerably. I had been doing plenty of calf intensive work including some single leg bounding, hopping, as well as regular old box jumps, but nothing more than I might usually do. Needless to say, I could definitely feel them working. The next day I awoke with very sore calves.

Upon closer inspection I realised why Springboost recommend you start of with the Dorsi 1's and work your way up. After starting back at Dorsi level 1, it only took me 2-3 weeks to work up to the Dorsi 5's by which time I had sufficiently adaptated to prevent a recurrence of the initial soreness. Now I generally alternate workouts between the Dorsi level 3 and the Dorsi level 5 depending on which exercises I am doing

My general thoughts on training in them are that they are excellent. Although they look slightly heavier than say your Nike Free's, this is deceiving as they are actually very light and very comfortable. They do provide plenty of shock absorption and I have noticed less inflammation of my joints after wearing them compared to most other shoes I have worn.

When I train in them I definitely notice my calves getting a better workout. The best bit though, is that unlike say Jumpsoles, the effect is comparitively quite subtle. Also unlike Jumpsoles, they are not uncomfortable to wear when running and jumping, nor do they look utterly ridiculous (I actually think my 'go fast' red ones look damn fun).

Do Springboost B-Train Shoes Actually Work?

Ah, the million dollar question. Is it the shoes, or is it the exercise? Here are my observations. Firstly, I can definitely feel my lower legs working harder during my workouts. Secondly, my range of motion in my ankle has clearly improved. I often don't wear shoes when lifting weights (one of the benefits of operating out of a private facility as opposed to a commercial gym), and am noticeably able to more freely go deeper on my squats now. I feel I can attribute this improvement directly to regular training in the Springboosts's.

Can I jump higher? Emphatically yes! But in fairness, this I can't attribute entirely to the B-Trains. I have also had some other variables in my training. I have had them for about 2 months, but for the last 4 weeks I have had broken hand. As a result I haven't been able to play basketball so my weekly workload has been reduced by 2 games per week. This reduction in volume, combined with a greater focus on plyometric work has no doubt made some contribution to my recent gains as well. Having said that, my workouts are noticeably better for wearing the B-Trains, in particular my ability to recover, and the extra focus on the calves and achilles that they provide.

Conclusion

The Springboost B-Train shoes are not magic rocket shoes that will give you a 40 inch vertical overnight, but then again, they they don't claim to be. All Springboost suggest is that by regular training in the B-Trains you will make greater, and faster gains than you would if you trained in regular shoes. To this end, I absolutely agree with them. You will still need to work hard, eat right, and get plenty of rest, but you may well find that by training in a pair of Springboost B-Train shoes you will acheive your goals sooner rather than later.

Next time you are needing to upgrade your trainers I would certainly suggest giving Springboost B-Trains a look. For more information you can visit their website by clicking on the image below: