Trying out Xero’s HFS II shoe was my first foray into the barefoot shoe movement. Barefoot shoes are characterized by minimalist design and a zero heel drop. This means there’s no difference in the sole height between the heel and forefoot, which simulates running barefoot.
The average heel drop for a running shoe is 10mm, with the heel being higher than the forefoot. These may sound like running nerd details, but if you try zero heel drop shoes, you will immediately become more aware of the ground beneath your feet.
Xerohas patented a sole called FeelTrue, which “lets you safely Feel The World, protecting your foot while giving your brain the feedback and stimulation your brain wants,” according to its website. The idea is that you’ll have a more natural running gait and strengthen your feet, which makes you less prone to running injuries.
Photo courtesy of Xero
Xero materials and fit
The first thing I noticed about the Xero HFS II was its cuteness. I tried the ombre green and blue Reflecting Pool color. I like the shoe’s flat silhouette, without a big cushy wedge.
Next, I noticed it was the lightest weight running shoe I’ve ever tried. Without that padding, it weighs almost nothing. The sole is also extremely flexible. A wide toe box lets your toes splay out naturally — like running barefoot. The grippy soles are based on tire treads. And many of Xero’s running shoes are made from vegan materials.
The HFS II were comfortable as soon as I put them on. My first time out in the HFS II, I ran three miles. Yes, I could really feel the ground. Maybe more than I wanted.
Photo courtesy of Xero
Transition period
After my first run in the HFS II, I researched zero drop shoes and learned that running experts advise a transition period. People are split on the pros and cons of zero drop shoes. Depending on who you ask, this type of shoe can be life-changing. Read more about the pros and cons here.
If you decide to try zero drop shoes, experts say you should start with a very short run (about half a mile) and slowly work up. Since I am training for longer runs, I wasn’t willing to do this right now. Apparently, this is a common problem with changing over to zero drop.
According to fitness trainer Eric Plevin of Fulcrum Fitness in Portland, Oregon, “Given the need for a phased adaptation period, individuals unwilling to patiently revise their training regimen may encounter discomfort or injury risks.” So you’ll have the most success if you patiently increase your distance little by little.
Photo courtesy of Xero
Other uses of Xero HFS II
Despite my unwillingness to commit to being a zero drop runner, at least for now, I’ve been wearing the HFS II a lot for other activities. They’ve become my favorite shoes for the gym. Without all the padding, they make me feel nimbler for doing lateral moves, agility ladders, and box jumps. I also liked them for my first try at pickleball.
Overall, the Xero HFS II is a very attractive and comfortable shoe. If you’re ready to venture into the zero drop world, these are a good place to start. And they come with a 5,000-mile sole warranty!
Photo courtesy of Xero
Writer received a free sample from Xero for review.
What can you expect from Kokolu’s new athleisure wear sneakers? If you’re a color freak like me, you’ll find the bright designs so dang cheerful. The yellow Comfort Knit Sneakers I tried featured shiny knit uppers, purple laces, and bright green soles. Even better? They’re made from recycled and natural materials. Here’s what runners, walkers, hikers, and style-conscious athleisure fans should know about this eco-conscious shoe.
Let’s explore the materials that go into these stylish sneakers. The uppers are made out of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and we all know the world needs a good use for those. Each pair of laces takes care of another recycled plastic bottle. The outsoles are crafted from recycled rubber, and the insoles are made from corn starch and recycled foam. Kokolu also employs a process called dope-dying, which uses less water than other methods.
When you’ve worn out these shoes, they’re 100% recyclable. And so is the cardboard packaging they come in.
Photo courtesy of Kokolu
Testing out Kokolu’s athleisure wear sneakers
Styling these shoes was a bit of a challenge with their unusual color scheme. Even so, I was determined to make these Kokolu athleisure wear sneakers the only pair I wore on a recent trip to San Diego (except for my running shoes). So, I packed an all purple, black, yellow, and green wardrobe and spent three days walking around San Diego in these sneakers. My feet stayed comfortable the whole time. And I got lots of compliments on my shiny yellow shoes.
At first, I had trouble getting them on and off. I thought the gold zipper was just for decoration. Turns out the zipper is practical, and the purple laces are for show. Once I figured that out, things got easier.
Photo courtesy of Kokolu
Kokolu’s impact
Founded in 2018, Kokolu is a certified B Corporation, which means it meets high social and environmental performance standards. Kokolu’s 2022 Green Report documented recycling 227,014 plastic bottles and 13,345 kilograms of rubber. The company also planted 1,100 trees in British Columbia and reduced water waste by 75%.
These shoes feel good, and you can feel good about buying them. I just wish they’d bring back the sustainable purple velvet sneakers I had my eye on before they took them off the market. The world needs this mix of eco-consciousness and fun style.
Photo courtesy of Kokolu
Writer received a free sample from Kokolu for review.
CrossFit is expanding its fitness missions into more schools. The company announced plans to offer 50 $10,000 CrossFit Foundation School Fund Grants in the first half of 2024.
The CrossFit Foundation, CrossFit, LLC’s charitable arm, will facilitate the grants. Domestic and international schools will use the grants to form nonprofit CrossFit affiliates for students. CrossFit has already awarded 57 grants to K-12 schools since 2019 and has a total of 407 school affiliates currently operating.
“Change happens at a local level, and these grants are helping schools introduce the concept of fitness for a lifetime to one child at a time,” Don Faul, CEO of CrossFit, said in a statement. “As a result, kids across the world are developing a lifelong love of fitness, gaining confidence, and becoming part of a supportive community at a critical age.”
Athletic directors and educators run the CrossFit school affiliates. Some of them are already avid CrossFit members who want to share their zeal with the younger generation. The program has proved popular; some schools have long waiting lists for kids who want to swing kettlebells, jump on boxes, and spring into a few dozen burpees.
The CrossFit Foundation works with public school districts, individual schools, and teachers. It provides both training and equipment grants to set up gyms, plus ongoing support for teachers and administrators.
“We live in a contradictory moment where people are obsessed with health, but almost everything on tap from the mainstream is detrimental to health, in turn creating disease, disempowerment, and disconnection,” Nicole Carroll, CrossFit’s chief brand officer, said in a statement. “At a time when the world is in a physical, mental, and social health crisis, we want to empower the next generation to take on anything that comes their way, whether adversity or adventure.”
Interested in a CrossFit grant for a school near you? You can find more information about the CrossFit Foundation here.
This week, Golfweek’s fitness guru and long driver Averee Dovsek and Bradley Borne from Lab 18 are in the gym demonstrating a quick and easy dynamic warm up that can be done anywhere with just a golf club. This exercise is great for extension and rotation.
This week, Golfweek’s fitness guru and long driver Averee Dovsek and Bradley Borne from Lab 18, are in the gym demonstrating how to improve shoulder mobility and rotation. This exercise is great for golf because you are getting external and core rotation.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Scottie yet, for sure.”
As the two-time defending champion of the WM Phoenix Open, Scottie Scheffler has a chance to do something only one golfer has done before in the long and illustrious history of this tournament: three-peat.
Arnold Palmer did it from 1961-63 when the event was played at Phoenix Country Club. Since the tournament moved to TPC Scottsdale in 1987, only Hideki Matsuyama (2016-17) had won back-to-back Phoenix Opens before Scheffler’s current run.
But it was Scheffler’s failure to earn his first PGA Tour title at the 2021 WM Phoenix Open, a year before his winning ways began, that may have been the turning point in his career. That’s when Scheffler realized he needed to take his fitness to the next level.
Scheffler played in the final group in 2021 and closed in 1-under 70 but got passed by Brooks Koepka’s 65 and settled for a T-7 finish.
“We found out he didn’t have the cardiovascular endurance,” said Troy Van Biezen, a chiropractor whose stable of players won 12 majors and more than 100 tournaments while under his care. “He had some fatigue on the back nine. I worked with Tiger when he won the 2019 Masters and he told me I want to be as physically, emotionally and mentally strong when I tee off on Thursday as when I’m going down the back nine on Sunday. That always stuck in my head.”
Scottie Scheffler plays his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 2021 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic)
So, after falling short at TPC Scottsdale, Van Biezen sat down with Scheffler and constructed a new exercise regime built around stability, mobility and flexibility but that also included everything from nutrition to hydration and recovery, taxing the body with sled pushes and finishing sessions with burners or hits.
“I told him, ‘I’m going to beat the crap out of you,’ ” Van Biezen recalled. “We’re going to do a lot of high intensity aerobic work, build up your aerobic capacity and your endurance.’ Let’s make sure we control the controllables.”
Scheffler made endurance training a point of emphasis that off-season so he’d never feel gassed again. Not only did he return to the Valley of the Sun and notched his maiden Tour title in a playoff over then-reigning FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay in 2022, but he went on to have a remarkable year, winning the Masters among four victories and being named PGA Tour Player of the Year.
He reached No. 1 in the world and followed up his breakthrough season by holding off Jon Rahm and Nick Taylor to defend his WM title, adding the Players Championship a month later and producing one of the most consistent seasons in memory – in 23 starts, Scheffler recorded 13 top-fives and 17 top-10s, both high marks for any player in a single season on Tour since 2005 – to repeat as 2022-23 PGA Tour Player of the Year. In doing so, Scheffler became the first player since Tiger Woods to win the Jack Nicklaus Award in back-to-back seasons since he captured the award three straight years from 2005-07.
Golf at the highest level has become a power game played by a collection of the most physically fit athletes to play the game. Van Biezen spent 21 years on the PGA Tour, providing consistent chiropractic care while witnessing the evolution in how pro golfers care for their bodies. (He recently took a full-time post with the NHL’s Dallas Stars as director of sports performance and science, but still works with Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and other Dallas-based clients when they are in town but no longer is available to them on the road for 200 days a year.)
“Back in the day, after a round, the guys were having a smoke and a beer. Now it’s a protein shake, recovery bike ride or a flush on the table, cryotherapy, Normatec (leg compression) boots. They’re athletes now, so you’ve got to treat them that way,” Van Biezen said.
Initially, Scheffler didn’t take the off-course training seriously. That is until his back, which troubled him during his final two years at University of Texas, forced him to pull out of a tournament due to injury during his senior season. When Van Biezen received a phone call from Texas men’s golf coach John Fields asking for his guidance, he told Scheffler, who he began training at age 14, that if he wanted to be the best golfer in the world someday he needed to take better care of his body. Scheffler finally bought in and the synergy between Randy Smith, Scheffler’s longtime swing instructor, and Van Biezen has been a key ingredient to his success.
Scottie Scheffler and his caddie celebrate a birdie on the 17th hole during the third round of the 2022 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Arizona Republic)
“They love working together and it’s been pretty easy for me just to kind of follow their ideas,” Scheffler said. “Randy’s always been the swing guy and a lot of the imbalances I had in my body were causing my swing to become a certain way, so when Randy wanted to change my swing a little bit and make little changes, it’s pretty easy for us just to go to Troy and say hey, ‘My right hips been a little bit tight, it’s hard for me to get in my right side,’ and that’s something that we can work on in the gym very easily.”
Van Biezen tries to reverse engineer movement patterns in the gym to train Scheffler’s nervous system to move properly so he can go on the golf course and execute more consistently. For Scheffler that’s included an emphasis on loading into his trail hip and building the core strength needed to stay in Smith’s preferred positions for maximum efficiency.
Van Biezen considers Scheffler to be the equivalent of a Formula 1 race car and he’s the pit crew chief.
“I’m the guy looking under the hood seeing how the engine is running,” Van Biezen said. “My goal with Scottie is injury prevention, make sure he’s mobile and pliable but still get him strong, fast and powerful. It’s been a methodical process intended to avoid the body breaking down and includes a lot of soft tissue work. I can always generate a really big engine to generate a lot of power but you’ve got to make sure that the chassis can handle the torque that the engine can provide.”
Regular golfers can benefit from Scheffler’s workout programs via Golf Forever, an app-based exercise and pain relief program with a proprietary trainer, which he began using the week before winning at TPC Scottsdale for this first time in 2022. Several tour pros have followed suit as well as more than 40 college golf programs. The trainer is sold at more than 400 retail stores, allowing any golfer to follow virtually the same workout routine as the two-time defending WM Phoenix Open champion. To hear Van Biezen tell it, the 27-year-old Scheffler hasn’t tapped his potential yet.
“He plays the game because he loves it. He wants to get better and he’s a huge competitor,” Van Biezen said. “I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Scottie yet, for sure.”
Mobility can be a great place to start in your training.
As most of the country is beginning to defrost after a long winter, your body may not be used to playing long rounds of golf or even practicing.
In preparation to swinging a club in the cold weather, many golfers fail to properly warm-up for a range session or their round and that can be a recipe for injury.
Common injuries among golfers affect the back, knees, wrists, shoulders and more. The back is not designed to rotate for a golf swing, so mobility can be a great place to start in your training.
Members of the NYU Langone Health Sports Performance Center team spoke to Golfweek’s fitness guru Averee Dovsek and gave some helpful tips on preventing injuries for golfers.
