The Nike Motiva Was Made For Walking, Jogging, And Running

The sport of running is the easiest one to begin, but sometimes the hardest with which to stay engaged. Many women athletes fluctuated with their pace during their first workout in the Nike Run Club app, which led designers at the Swoosh think about how to make movement more enjoyable. The answer?: The Nike Motiva shoe for running, jogging, and walking.

Nike designers leveraged data from the NRC app and insights from more than 1,000 interviews with women who run, jog, and walk to develop the Motiva. The Swoosh team found that athletes prefer a wider, roomier shoe to avoid discomfort over farther distances. The Nike Motiva, then, was built on an all-new, data-driven last that delivers a widened forefoot area, as well as arch and toe box. Yet, the sneaker’s biggest innovation comes in the form of an exaggerated rocker.

In studying the aforementioned insights, the team at Nike concluded that many runners strike the ground heel-first at slower paces. Therefore, the design squad developed rocker geometry that aims to help athletes transition forward smoothly: after initial heel impact, an athlete’s foot strike rolls forward into the next step.

“In designing Motiva, we really went after removing distractions,” said Dr. Emily Farina, Principal Researcher in the Nike Sport Research Lab, in an official press release. “The result is a shoe that can help reduce disruptions in your stride to make moving feel smoother — and, we hope, help you want to come back for more.”

Additionally, the Nike Motiva sits atop a full-length Cushlon 3.0 midsole. The chunky cushioning solution helps soften impact as feet hit the ground during workouts or errands. ComfortGroove bumps on the outsole also form part of the Motiva’s equation, providing some energy return to help legs feeling less fatigued. Other comfort-driven details include a soft foam waterfall collar and internal half-bootie.

Enjoy campaign photography of the pair ahead. The latest from the Nike Sport Research Lab launches in May across nike.com and select stores.

For more sneaker news, check out the latest Air Jordan 1 releases.

Photos via Nike News