Thread: Barefoot Running

I use to run barefoot ever so often till I found the vibram kso. They may look funny as hell, but they are about as close as you can get to barefoot without the worries of glass, gravel, etc.

I need to get those.

yahoo home page yesterday or today just did a pro/con article about it

I barefoot run and shod run(vibram KSO also). I use the KSO for the gym on all my workouts too.

Amazon.com: The Barefoot Running Book Second Edition: A Practical Guide to the Art and Science of Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe Running (9780615376882): Jason Robillard, Dirk Wierenga: Books

This is a pretty good read on getting into it without hurting yourself.

Born to Run is a damn good read that makes you want to sign up for a 100mi race.

Yes KSO's and toe shoes in general are a god send!

Thanks for the info guys. I have been wanting to seriously get involved with barefoot running. Being a severe overpronator and having to use orthotics with MC shoes really is starting to become a burden

Would this bare-foot show be beneficial for those who have flat feet?

I don't see why not. If you strengthen all the tendons and muscles in the feet, having flat feet might even be better because of the larger area covered. More foot that makes impact, the more muscle activation, which equals more power and strength.

(Don't quote me, I'm just trying to make an educated guess)

I might just start doing these exercises, as they may have some "massage" type properties as well. Lord knows my feet ache after a long run or a 10-12 hour shift.

I find them to be comfortable even for long periods of time, my local shop just got in the komodo sports which will be my next purchase...I am near flatfooted and these "shoes" fit my foot perfectly. You can get the sprints which only have a 1mm sole if I'm not mistaken which should have limited affect on any arch however they aren't very comfortable compared to others imo.

Anyone else remember being a kid and running around barefoot 24/7? Never stepped on broken glass or rusty nails, but wasn't fond of crabgrass.

Things definitely change as we age. I also remember taking the stairs three at a time. I still have the strength to take those steps at bounds, but the next day I'll wake up feeling like there's broken glass where my knees should be.

i met a orthopedic foot doc. on a hunt in canada and talked for hours about shoes and boots that are made today. he is from oregon and has developed a pad that goes under the ball of your foot to help splay your toes out., he also has a spacer to go between your toes to correct the inward turn of your big toe caused by the exagerated narrowing of the running shoes and boots on the market today. he has these remedies and tips to help give you a more solid foundation to your running or hikeing. one tip is to unlace your shoes and or boots and start relacing from the second or third set of holes on your shoes to help give more room to your foot. i tried this in both my running shoes and my hunting boots and not only did my knee and back pain go away but my feet were warmer(better circulation in my feet) in my hunting boots. i will try to find his website and post it here but i can tell you he researched most of the african marathon runners that ran barefoot and came up with these remedies to a nagging problem. for the record if he runs on rocky areas he runs in crocs, wow.

my trainer has me run barefoot after every tempo/sprints in grass as a cool down.

I was actually thinking of asking this for a couple weeks now, just never got around to it.

Because I train in my basement, I basically do it in socks. I figure there is plenty positive to come from this in terms of stability, use of muscles you might not use in shoes. Is there any negative though?

Originally Posted by Muscle_Girl

I was actually thinking of asking this for a couple weeks now, just never got around to it.

Because I train in my basement, I basically do it in socks. I figure there is plenty positive to come from this in terms of stability, use of muscles you might not use in shoes. Is there any negative though?

I honestly do NOT see any negative that could come from it. I mean, anatomically speaking, we as human were designed to not have shoes on our feet 24/7. We have basically "weakened" our feet by using overly cushioned, MC-type bricks. The one thing that a "barefooter" has to worry about is the horrible road conditions with debris, broken glass, etc.

It could be looked at in the same light as weight lifting. If the muscles are not used, eventually they become weak and atrophy. Our feet are made up of numerous muscles, tendons and nerves. The only thing I would recommend is start out SLOW. You are basically shocking muscles that are not used to being worked extensively.

Originally Posted by djlance

I honestly do NOT see any negative that could come from it. I mean, anatomically speaking, we as human were designed to not have shoes on our feet 24/7. We have basically "weakened" our feet by using overly cushioned, MC-type bricks. The one thing that a "barefooter" has to worry about is the horrible road conditions with debris, broken glass, etc.

It could be looked at in the same light as weight lifting. If the muscles are not used, eventually they become weak and atrophy. Our feet are made up of numerous muscles, tendons and nerves. The only thing I would recommend is start out SLOW. You are basically shocking muscles that are not used to being worked extensively.

That is exactly how I see it. I went to a seminar by the "ANGRY PODIATRIST" as labeled by Christopher Mcdougall in this book born to run and he blasted barefoot running. All this science and my only concern was, Why do my arches of my flat feet feel better having switched to vibrams for running and working out?

I don't know how many of you run on your heels but it's far better for your joints and muscles to run on the ball of your foot. I run like that anyways. I dont understand why anyone would run heel to toe. So much slamming and you lose momentum. When you run on the ball of your feet you cushion the landing and allow more spring in your step.

I have a middle distance running background and I have always been a midfoot/front foot striker. The transition to run in vibrams wasn't as bad as many because my calves were used to similar movements all their lives. There is still a damn big learning curve for these shoes.

Originally Posted by TJTJ

I don't know how many of you run on your heels but it's far better for your joints and muscles to run on the ball of your foot. I run like that anyways. I dont understand why anyone would run heel to toe. So much slamming and you lose momentum. When you run on the ball of your feet you cushion the landing and allow more spring in your step.

For years I did this. Unfortunately, I never researched how to run properly nor was I trained. It wasn't until I started to watch a friend and former XC runner that I began to question why he "ran like that?"

I started to experience major knee, ankle and back pain after 6+ years of running heal-to-toe. I finally got fed up and started to research "proper running techniques" and came across the chi and pose methods.

Once I started to adjust my cadence and strike to a more outer-forefoot strike with an inward roll to push off, I immediately began to see more power, greater endurance and less fatigue

good article!

I have vibram kso as well and I love them for running. Not only am I able to run faster, but it doesnt take it out of me like running used to. I purchased them after a friend of mine ran a 5k in them and placed 3rd, and at his previous 5k he placed closer to 50th. They changed how he ran which helped him.