Cushioned Cross Trainer for HIIT: Honest Review
Six weeks of burpees, box jumps, and one very sweaty Thursday convinced me that the Ryka Women’s Influence Cross Trainer might be the most underrated shoe in my entire rotation.
The gym smells like rubber mats and ambition at 6 a.m., which is exactly the hour I first laced up the Ryka Women’s Influence Cross Trainer and stepped onto a platform for a plyometric circuit that had no business starting before sunrise. Box jumps, lateral shuffles, a kettlebell finisher that left my forearms humming. The shoes held through all of it without a single blister, without a single moment where I thought, “these need to come off.” That first session was enough to make me swap out my previous go-to cross-trainers entirely. Not out of impulse, but out of quiet, undeniable proof.
The First Time I Wore It
I found the Ryka Influence scrolling through a cross-training shoe roundup on a Sunday night when I was supposed to be meal-prepping. Something about the silhouette stopped me, not because it was flashy, but because it wasn’t. The construction looked purposeful without being overdone, and the multi-colorway option I landed on had just enough contrast to feel like a deliberate choice rather than an accident. I have a weakness for a shoe that looks like it was designed by someone who actually trains.
I ordered them without much ceremony, fully expecting them to be fine. What I didn’t expect was for “fine” to feel like an understatement by the end of week one. The real story started the moment lateral movement entered the picture.
How It Actually Fits in Training
The first thing you notice about the Influence as a HIIT cross-training shoe is how planted it makes you feel during lateral movement. Side-to-side shuffles, skater hops, the kind of cutting drills that expose a weak outsole immediately, all of it felt controlled in a way that made me trust the shoe rather than fight it. The mesh upper is breathable enough that my feet didn’t turn into steam ovens during a 45-minute cardio circuit, which, if you’ve ever worn the wrong shoe for that kind of session, you know is not a given. The cushioning is responsive without being so thick that you lose ground contact during lifting sets.
“Lateral support this reliable in a shoe this lightweight is the kind of thing that makes you reconsider every cross-trainer you’ve worn before.”
That said, the toe box runs slightly narrow compared to some of the wider-cut trainers I’ve tested. If you’re a wide-foot wearer or you tend to swell during longer sessions, that’s worth noting before you commit. For average to narrow feet, though, the fit is secure without feeling punishing. According to Runner’s World’s gear coverage on training footwear, lateral containment in the upper is one of the top factors separating true cross-trainers from repurposed running shoes, and the Influence earns that distinction honestly.
The Sessions I Actually Wore It For
Session 1: Thursday HIIT Circuit, 6 a.m.
I wore the Influence with a ribbed training bra, a fitted tank, and my usual moisture-wicking leggings, the kind of low-drama kit you put on when your brain isn’t awake yet but your alarm was. The session was 40 minutes of alternating power and conditioning: jump squats, battle ropes, agility ladder, wall balls. The rubber outsole gripped the turf floor without any slipping, which matters more than people realize until they’ve skidded sideways mid-rep. I finished the session with dry-enough feet and no hot spots. That’s a win by any metric.
Session 2: Saturday Lifting Day, Mixed Compound Movements
Deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, goblet squats, and a superset finisher, this is the kind of session that exposes overly cushioned shoes immediately. Too much foam under a heavy barbell and you feel unstable, like you’re lifting off a mattress. The Influence kept things grounded. The low-profile cushioning platform held steady under load, and I didn’t feel the need to switch into a flat shoe the way I sometimes do mid-session. For general lifting days that also include conditioning work, this shoe bridges the gap better than most. Browse our other HIIT shoe picks if you’re building out a full training rotation and want to compare options.
Session 3: Friday Lunchtime Cardio, Treadmill and Bodyweight Burnout
This was the session where I really tested the breathability claim. Twenty-five minutes on the treadmill at a tempo pace, followed by a bodyweight circuit that included burpees, mountain climbers, and push-up variations. The mesh upper held up to the sweat without feeling waterlogged, and the synthetic overlays kept the structure intact even when the session got sloppy in the best possible way. The Influence cross-trainer performed across three distinct training formats without a single compromise I couldn’t live with. That flexibility is rarer than it sounds.
What Other People Are Saying
With over 10,000 reviews and a 4.3-star average, the Influence has clearly found its audience well beyond early adopters. The recurring themes across that review pool point to the same strengths I found: consistent lateral support, reliable grip, and a fit that holds through high-impact sessions without breaking down. The narrow toe box criticism appears in a small but vocal slice of reviews, which tracks with my own experience.
What the consensus really tells me is that Ryka built this shoe for a specific kind of training and didn’t try to make it everything to everyone. That kind of product discipline usually means the people it’s built for are very happy, and the review numbers suggest that’s exactly what’s happening here. If you’re exploring how cross-training footwear fits into a complete training kit, the Influence belongs on that conversation.
Who Should Skip It
If your primary training is distance running, this is not your shoe. The Influence is built for multidirectional movement, not the repetitive forward stride of a 10K, and the cushioning profile reflects that. Wide-footed athletes may find the fit uncomfortable enough to affect performance, particularly during longer sessions where foot swell becomes a factor. Dedicated powerlifters who prefer a raised heel for squat mechanics will also want to look elsewhere, since the flat-ish platform is neutral rather than angled. And if you’re someone who needs maximum arch support or orthotic compatibility, the fit may not accommodate a full-size insert comfortably. Check out our guides across HIIT shorts and HIIT sports bras to round out your kit regardless of what shoe you land on.
What It Replaces in My Kit Bag
I had been rotating between a dedicated running shoe and a general-purpose gym trainer for cross-training days, an awkward compromise that left me switching footwear between sessions more than I wanted to. The Influence replaced the general trainer entirely. It handles the transition from plyometrics to lifting to treadmill intervals without asking me to think about my feet, which is exactly what a cross-training shoe is supposed to do. The synthetic upper has shown no signs of breaking down after six weeks of consistent use, and the outsole still grips the same way it did on day one.
It also replaced a slightly more expensive trainer that I’d been holding onto out of loyalty more than performance. That loyalty was misplaced. For more picks across the cross-training category, explore our editor’s top activewear recommendations or check the full HIIT training gear archive for shoe, apparel, and accessories coverage.
FAQ
Does the Ryka Influence run true to size?
Generally yes, though reviewers with wider feet recommend going up a half size. If you’re between sizes, size up rather than down given the slightly narrower toe box.
Is the mesh upper durable enough for daily training?
After six weeks of near-daily use across turf, rubber gym floors, and treadmill belts, the mesh has held its structure without pilling or separation at the overlays. It’s a functional material, not a decorative one.
Can I wear the Influence for outdoor workouts or just the gym?
The rubber outsole handles light outdoor surfaces, a track, a paved parking lot workout, reasonably well. It’s not a trail shoe, but it’s not fragile indoors-only footwear either.
Does the build quality match what you’d expect at this price point?
The finish quality reads above what you’d typically expect in this tier. The overlays are cleanly bonded, the outsole shows no early signs of delamination, and the midsole hasn’t compressed noticeably after consistent use. For what you’re paying, the durability holds up well against more premium-positioned competitors.
What’s the return policy if the fit doesn’t work?
Return policies vary by retailer, so check the specific seller’s terms at checkout. Ryka’s official site offers a standard return window for unworn merchandise, and most major sporting goods retailers offer similar flexibility.
The Verdict
Next Thursday I’ll lace the Influence back up for another pre-dawn HIIT circuit, and I won’t think twice about the shoe choice. That’s the clearest sign of a cross-trainer doing its job: it disappears into the session rather than creating friction with it. The lateral support holds, the cushioning stays responsive across mixed training formats, and the mesh construction breathes well enough that the shoe never becomes the problem. If you’re looking for the best cross-training shoe for HIIT and lifting days and you want something that doesn’t demand a premium tier price to deliver real performance, the Ryka Influence Women’s Cross Trainer belongs at the top of your list. It’s not trying to be a fashion piece or a marathon shoe. It’s trying to be a reliable, well-built training tool, and it is exactly that. The Influence earns its place in serious kit bags by delivering consistent, honest performance without the noise.
If you’re building out the rest of your training wardrobe, the Women’s Health fitness gear coverage and Shape’s workout gear roundups are worth bookmarking alongside your shoe research. And for gifting seasons, the Influence makes a strong case on our editor-curated gift ideas list for the serious training-obsessed person in your life.
Every Angle
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