Can I soften the rubber soles of my gym shoes to improve their grip?

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DukeLuke
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I have a pair of gym shoes that I really like, but because I have had them for about a year their bottoms have hardened up. They don't have very much grip anymore, and I'm wondering if there is some way to soften up their rubber soles. Is there something that they could be soaked in that would do this?
 
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Not that I know of, but that doesn't mean the shoes are no good.

You want nice, new tennis shoes for hardwood floors. Too little traction and your feet slip.

You want old, worn tennis shoes something like artificial turf. Too much traction and you put stress on your joints (especially knees).