Reebok Workout Plus

Reebok Workout Plus History

Physical fitness was a concept born within the depths of humanity’s DNA. It was an essential tool for mankind’s survival since these so-called bipeds learned to harvest and search for food and other necessities for living. As the centuries progressed and the basic thinking drew complex thought, fitness regimens also complied. Eventually, the world had been stretching the body’s threshold, and numerous activities for body beautification shook the world by storm.

The most overworked part of the human body during these strenuous maneuvers is, of course, the feet. Strapping down comfortable footwear is the quintessential hack for keeping metabolic processes functional thus extending the capacity to perform these actions for anatomical beautification. Though the mid-20th century was the cornerstone for sports, shoe companies disregarded society’s other half which incidentally is into this so-called aerobics. That is when Reebok had the consumer market on a leash.

Reebok and aerobics almost came hand-in-hand whenever someone from the 80s sparks a conversation. It was the go-to equipment whenever one takes a trip down to the gym or strolling down the park in a light but brisk manner. Of course, almost all of these Reebok fanatics during the early 80s were women. The monopoly in feminine footwear was what brought Reebok up the ranks.

It all started with the Freestyle, a women-bound sneaker assembled with garment leather and terry cloth lining for comfort and hard-wearing construction. The ladies loved it as it was the first instance that sports companies paid notice to their growing under-appreciation regarding athletic foot clothing. The massive sales surge brought in heaps of revenue for the brand hence leading it to expand to other enterprises aside from keeping the body fit.

The release of the Freestyle in 1982 was succeeded by several iterations including the Reebok Classic Leather, Classic Nylon, and the Ex-O-Fit. This time, these editions of footwear were giving all genders the opportunity to wear the Reebok prestige. The Classic Leather was initially created to tackle the harsh environment of running while the Ex-O-Fit was the counterpart of the coveted Freestyle. The iconic bunch was launched in 1983, a year after Freestyle’s reign.

The same thing happened with the 1983 release. The follow-ups were proven to be a hit, though the three combined cannot add up to the Freestyle’s whopping million-dollar success. With a sneaker design momentum at hand, Reebok continued to offer high-end versions of garment-leather drenched shoes. One sneaker, in particular, takes on the utility of the Freestyle and Ex-O-Fit and enhances its stability via an accessory at the vamp. In 1984, Reebok introduced the Reebok Workout.

  The Birth of the Workout Plus

The Reebok Workout was created as multi-purpose gym wear. It was the answer to the more challenging fitness programs developing in the 80s as body-building and CrossFit prevailed the market. It came in mid and low forms with a unique shoe technology found at the vamp which employs a brilliant stabilizing action. The H-strap was invented by Edward Lussier’s team to harness a customized fit for the wearer as well as individuality.

More gym silhouettes came over the years, and it was in 1987 that the Reebok Workout Plus was first released and became one of the brand’s classic silhouettes. The origin of the shoe was the brand’s other classic shoe called the Reebok Workout. Administering a few tweaks on the Reebok Workout silhouette produced the birth of the Reebok Workout Plus sneaker.

In 2011, the Reebok brand released a Vintage Collection which included the Reebok Workout Plus, Reebok Ex-O-Fit Hi, and the Reebok Classic Leather. The all-white collection showcased a white leather upper with some hints of grey. Each of the three silhouettes presented a vintage detailing on them which included bits of yellow throughout the shoes giving off that “old-school’ vibe.

By 2012, on the Workout Plus silhouette’s 25th anniversary, the Reebok brand teamed up with the Swedish denim label, Cheap Monday, and both worked on giving the Reebok Workout Plus a fresh look. The shoe shows a two-tone denim upper construction with both black and grey sections. Hints of white complement the new look of the shoe and they can be observed on the tongue branding, side logo, and on the sole.

Also that same year, another collaborative release was done by the brand as a part of the Reebok Workout Plus silhouette’s 25th-anniversary edition. It was the Reebok Workout Plus x Titolo. The shoe is covered in a brown suede upper with some hints of blue and cream. The blue and yellow laces, D-ring eyelets, and some flecks of blue on the white sole complement the shoe.

By 2013, Reebok released their Keith Haring collection with a set of sneakers that included the Reebok Classic Leather Mid, Reebok Freestyle Hi, and the Reebok Workout Plus. Each of the shoes shows the iconic design of hand drawings on the leather upper of the shoe.

Reebok teamed up with Kendrick Lamar in 2015 along with a couple of UFC Superstars. This particular release of the “Premium Wearability” series features two colorways of Rush Red and Collegiate Royal for the Reebok Classic Leather and Flat Grey and Black for the Reebok Workout Plus. A high-end ripstop Condura, pigskin nubuck overlays, and flow molded logo treatments cover the upper of the shoe. A white sole complements the whole look of the shoe.

By 2016, Reebok teamed up with Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy. The four different collaborative footwear released under this Gosha Rubchinskiy x Reebok collection mostly focused on the Reebok Workout Plus and Reebok Ex-o-fit High. Two pairs of each of the silhouettes were released showing a tonal colorway in either black or white in a premium tumbled leather construction. On the side panels of the shoe, the PACCBET branding can be observed, and the traditional Reebok branding can be seen on the tongue of the shoe. The matching tonal laces and rubber midsole finish the look.