Under Armour Flow Dynamic Training Shoe review: It’s built to boss all your training – from sled pulls and deadlifts to the treadmill. But can this jack-of-all-trades really master every workout?
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BEST FOR HYBRID TRAINING
Under Armour Flow Dynamic Training Shoe
BUY IT NOW:
$130 / £115, underarmour.co.uk
Pros:
- Great versatility
- Responsive enough for short runs
- Comfortable hugging fit
Cons:
- Lacks stability for heavier lifts
- No protection for rope climbs
Fit: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Performance: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Like the Swiss army knife of gym training shoes, Under Armour says the Flow Dynamic combines the bounce and cushioning of a running shoe with the support and grip of a weightlifting shoe. The aim: to pack enough versatility to handle everything you can throw at it. From the gym floor to the treadmill and beyond.
Under Armour Flow Dynamic features
The Under Armour Flow Dynamic is pretty ambitious. It’s built to be an all-rounder that can handle everything from explosive plyometrics to weights work and all your cardio efforts.
It features a running-friendly one-piece midsole with an 8mm drop made from the same lightweight but durable supercritical Flow foam that you’ll find in Under Armour’s running shoes, the Velociti Wind 2 and Velociti Elite running shoes.
Flow is a little firmer than some super-foams, so it’s a good option for training shoes where you need some stability. But it’s also responsive enough for more dynamic drills, too.
It’s also durable and grippy, so the Flow Dynamic features the same rubberless sole as the Velociti running shoes and the Under Armour SlipSpeed. That saves on weight, helping the Flow Dynamic come in at 9oz / 255g. Pretty mid-weight for a training shoe.
The booty-style mesh uppers are pretty dense and foot-wrapping with big, plush padded heel collars and some lateral TPU overlays for additional support. An internal shank also adds extra underfoot support during explosive movements.
The UA Dynamic Flow excels in plyometrics, sled pushes and HIIT sessions
Under Armour Flow Dynamic performance
In testing, I threw a lot of different challenges at the Flow Dynamics. That included lower-body weighted strength sessions (back squats, deadlifts, weight lunges). I also put them through lots of plyometrics (box jumps, jump lunges), sled pushes plus a few hour-long runs on the treadmill and the tarmac.
If you do a lot of dynamic drills and you need a responsive training shoe, this fits the bill.
It’s more stable than a running shoe but has enough running shoe DNA to be comfortable when you kick into cardio mode. It’ll handle runs up to 10km and is much happier when you’re turning your feet over fast.
The Flow midsole was also pretty good for absorbing landings on the gym floor so it handled jumps and plyometrics well. That soleless grip was also reliable on most surfaces, though I suffered a bit of slipping doing sled pushes on turf. If you’re heaving heavy loads you might need more traction.
When it comes to strength sessions, there is enough stability for lighter lifts, but the stability of the Flow midsole foam has an upper limit when it comes to lifting big weights.
If I had to pick a sweet spot for this shoe, I’d say it’s best for dynamic HIIT workouts and mixed-drill gym classes where you might mash up treadmill intervals with basic lifts and plyometrics. If you’re looking for that kind of all-rounder then it’s a solid option.
