You might not recognize the name Marc Morisset, but guys like Shaun White are household names today because of pioneers like Marc, who was a pro snowboarder from 1992 to 1999. These days, though, the name that Morisset would like you to remember isnt his own or the Flying Tomatos, its Str/ke Mvmnt, his almost two-year-old athletic apparel company.
What does an ex-pro snowboarder know about developing athletic apparel for the CrossFit contingent? Quite a bit, actually. In the 90s snowboarding was in its adolescence, and Morisset and his peers were commissioned by the industrys biggest brands of the time (names such as Sessions, Sims, Special Blend, in Marcs case) to test the capabilities of then-fledgling equipment in conditions that looked nothing like the beautifully groomed snowboard parks you see in places like Whistler today. Theyd push snowboards, bindings and outerwear to the point of failure, then report back to the company on how to make them better. Now tack on about 15 years spent in the marketing and distribution side of board sports, and the fact Morisset is now a devotee of interval training (as evident in his buff physique). Finally, consider that hes not the first in the action sports industry the category that snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing, BMX and such fit into to make the leap to athletics.
Morisset cites popular Californian brands Vans and DC as examples of his contemporaries who have recently branched out from their original market to tap the larger one. Athletics is trending everywhere, Morisset points out. We even see it in fashion.
Fashion, by the way or at least elegant design is something else Morisset seems to know a lot about. Google him and youll stumble across a piece in The New York Times magazine about the architectural masterpiece he built, some seven years ago, in Whistler. So when he tells me that the look of Str/ke Mvmnt apparel harking back to the best of retro workout gear, I believe hes probably onto something.
Throwback athletics had nice aesthetics, but today all the shoes out there look like fishing lures, all flashy, he says, pulling from a box a relatively non-descript, black shoe, which I notice is the same as the well-worn pair on his own feet. I comment on its incredibly flat sole. Its for front foot strike running; no heel. If youre heels are involved in your running cycle then youre essentially slowing yourself downyoure breaking half way through your cycle. Shoes should allow ankles to do what theyre designed to do, and be as little distraction as possible to natural mechanics, Morisset explains.
Tom Highmore of CrossFit 604 (one of Vancouvers newest CrossFit gyms) is an ex-competitive soccer player, weight lifter and personal trainer whos been practising CrossFit since 2007. He affirms that most shoes dont have the versatility required to properly handle the CrossFit agenda, which is a mix of weightlifting exercises, as well as running, jumping and gymnastics. (You gotta admit, its a tall order.) But Str/ke Mvmnts Interval sneaker, says Highmore, continues to perform no matter how hard I train in it.
The breaks in the sole of each Str/ke Mvmnt shoe lends to a minimalist mid-foot strike, while the flatness provides stability, and theres no point on the outsole that will deteriorate or crush when you lift weight. Near the toe of the shoe, Morisset has left extra room for when your foot expands as you push down into it. Its design has been informed through trial and error, he says exactly as he did, once upon a time, with snowboard gear.
CrossFit 604s Highmore, meanwhile, also extols the virtues of Str/ke Mvmnts clothing, commending the ability of pieces to make the leap from the gym to the street thanks to slick design and subtle logos, as well as the fact it doesnt hold bad odours like some other materials Ive trained in.
Morisset says he was looking for clothing that let him push personal physical boundaries, but without gimmicks. Brands keep wanting to talk this tech story, but someone whos training knows a dry-fit top doesnt make you run faster.
This isnt to say Str/ke Mvmnt lacks technology or style; those elements are just subtly incorporated. The Interval shoe is unisex, though at this point Str/ke Mvmnts clothing is geared at men. The line includes basics such the Jian tank, the Classic Crew sweatshirt and a Henley without buttons (they get in the way when youre lifting, says Morisset).
You wont be seeing pieces from us that look anything like Lululemon, Morisset quips. Our clothes let the body do the talking.
Strike-Mvmnt.com
CrossFit604.com.
