The Warrior Dojo training shoe is helping pro athletes like lacrosse legend Paul Rabil and NHL pro Adam Henrique set personal and league records.
“I’ve been training in the Warrior Dojos throughout the 2012 season, and I just broke the all-time MLL points record,” says Rabil. “I’ve noticed and enjoyed the light weight of the boot more than anything. The tongue technology has really allowed me to continue multiple workouts at a rapid pace. My recovery rate has been better this season than it’s ever been, and I feel my overall athleticism has benefited.”
The newest shoe in Warrior’s training lineup is designed for “training perfection and street-savvy style.” Among its unique features are a Turf Bone outsole with flex grooves, to grip everything from side-to-side drills to a 10K run; a seamless lightweight upper; and an adaptable compression tongue to accelerate muscle recovery.
New Jersey Devils center Adam Henrique was most impressed by the adaptable tongue. “The compression sock molds and hugs your foot for more support and a better fit. They feel like custom-made shoes,” he says.
According to Warrior designer Chris Davis, the company wanted the Dojo to be a shoe “for the athlete, by the athlete,” so the team got feedback from athletes at all levels, from the pros to high schoolers. He says, “Aside from receiving design cues from the Warrior Players Club, we conducted focus groups with high school and collegiate athletes.”
To find out how the Dojo lives up to its training claims, STACK asked Rabil and Henrique how they’ve been using the shoe.
“The Dojos have allowed my body to push the limits without any restraints,” says Rabil. “The light boot helps my feet move quicker, and the traction allows me to cut harder. I do tons of high-intensity training with my strength and conditioning coach, Jay Dyer. We spend a full day on agilities and sprints, another day on resistance running and a day for circuit training that includes the first two, plus lifting.  The Dojos worked great for me in high-intensity skill and agility training [and] directly on lacrosse-type movements, sprints and hills.”
Henrique reported similar workout results but offered an additional benefit from training in the Dojos—one that even hours in a gym can’t build. He says, “The better the gear, the more confidently I can train. Comfort and confidence are so important, because I spend so much time in skates. My feet need the right fit, traction and support. I know I can count on the Dojos to perform, so I can focus on working out and improving my speed, strength, stamina and agility. Really, it’s about the comfort and confidence I have while working out. Mentally I know they will perform, and they feel great, so I can concentrate more on my workout.”
The Warrior Dojo is labeled as a lacrosse trainer, but it’s suitable for athletes in any sport, since it’s designed to perform just as well during a hardcore run as during an agility drill.
“The Dojo was actually not designed as a product specifically targeted for lacrosse, but more of an overall, lightweight, running-inspired training shoe,” says Davis, “It’s versatility has really attracted all of Warrior’s endorsed athletes, including numerous NHL players such as Henrik Zetterberg and Zdeno Chara, as well as athletes on the Liverpool Football Club in England.”
Visit Warrior.com to order your own pair of Warrior Dojos for $80. Lace them up and find out just how much further a shoe designed by athletes can take your workouts.