Anyone into barefoot running?

brandonbaker

brandonbaker

Member
Jan 10, 2011
576
3
18
New York City
So this video pretty much sold me:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jrnj-7YKZE"]The Barefoot Professor: by Nature Video - YouTube[/ame]


Short version:

Harvard professor runs research study showing that barefoot runners' mechanics are physiologically superior to shoe'd runners due to front-foot (soft) landing vs. heel (hard) landing.

I'm heavily considered buying a pair of these:

kso-2.jpg


I've always wanted to be a runner but constant pains have always held me back. My general heuristic regarding matters of health is "what would a caveman do?" so this fits in nicely.

Anyone with any experience with barefoot running? I'd run barefoot, but I live in NYC and I don't wish to step on any bloody needles, thank you. :)
 


Surely theres parks and grass you can run round that are clean?

I run barefoot - but only / always along beaches - sand is also really good for you, theres none of the impact like hitting concrete has on the joints (concrete worst, then grass is good, then sand is best), and it is harder to pull out from and is much harder to run 1m on sand than on grass - more intense, it builds strength in the legs
 
brandonbaker said:
So this video pretty much sold me:

The Barefoot Professor: by Nature Video - YouTube


Short version:

Harvard professor runs research study showing that barefoot runners' mechanics are physiologically superior to shoe'd runners due to front-foot (soft) landing vs. heel (hard) landing.

I'm heavily considered buying a pair of these:

kso-2.jpg


I've always wanted to be a runner but constant pains have always held me back. My general heuristic regarding matters of health is "what would a caveman do?" so this fits in nicely.

Anyone with any experience with barefoot running? I'd run barefoot, but I live in NYC and I don't wish to step on any bloody needles, thank you. :)
Click to expand...


There's a couple guys I know who have those shoes, but I just thought they were trying to be ninjas.
 
When did our barefoot ancestors ever run across large spans of hard concrete?

Running barefoot is great if you live in the jungle though.

Also, when you've spent your entire life wearing shoes, your feet will NOT be able to handle the forces involved in running barefoot. You'll get injured quickly (at least 99% of the population).
 
lschmidt said:
When did our barefoot ancestors ever run across large spans of hard concrete?

Running barefoot is great if you live in the jungle though.

Also, when you've spent your entire life wearing shoes, your feet will NOT be able to handle the forces involved in running barefoot. You'll get injured quickly (at least 99% of the population).
Click to expand...

That's why you don't just buy a pair of barefoot shoes and carry on running as normal like a fool. You need to relearn to run from scratch.

I've been running with VFFs for 3 years now. I always had problems with shoes, don't have them now. On the advice of the place I bought them from, the first time I wore them, I did a very gentle jog for 1/4 a mile.

The next day, my achilles tendons were so sore I could hardly walk up stairs. I then increased my distance and intensity very gradually, and now run my normal distances (normally 8-10 miles). I avoid road running if I can because it bores the shit out of me, but I find I have less knee impact than I did with shoes.

The reason for this is that padded shoes stop you from feeling your feet, so you can heel slam into the ground sending a massive shockwave through your legs. If you wear VFFs or go barefoot, hitting the ground hard hurts your feet, so you run with a lighter step.

tldr; they are awesome, but if you buy them, you'll need to relearn to run properly with them and allow time for your connective tissue to strengthen (6-12 months). Running safely barefoot is a lot more than just buying some fancy VFFs/throwing your shoes away.
 
I have been wearing vff's all day for over a year now and love them. I am on my feet all day and normal shoes give me major knee problems but with vffs I am completely pain free.
 
Bought some a few years ago. They make your feet smell like ass. I still prefer total barefoot but for roads/hot pavement, these will do the trick. Obviously if you run 5-10+ miles a week you shouldn't just switch cold turkey to barefoot. If you don't like Vibrams, there is also Terra Plana which look slightly more normal and are around the same thickness. Both aren't bad for lifting either, but a pair of chucks is still a solid option and would be cheaper too.
 
When I was a kid I'd actually go barefoot everywhere. I'd even walk / run through pastures barefoot. I still don't really like wearing shoes, but I've been wearing them so long that my feet are soft now and I can't really do it like I use too. I never really thought about it, but that's probably why I run a little different than most people.
 
I have a pair of VFF's (Classics), but keep getting irritations on my Achilles tendon when I'm using them for a week or two. It gets so bad that I can't walk in them for just a few meters. I've read a lot about it and it seems I'm not alone. I think they're just bad design or not the right size for my feet. I'm thinking of getting another type of VFF, because it seems to be limited to the Classics. I really enjoy running with my VFF's before the pain starts, it feels great.
 
Dont do barefoot but love minimalist shoes which bring quite a few benefits. I used to have a lot of stress pain in my shin but it went away in my first 4 mile run with Saucony's Hatorri shoes.

Check them out, they are crazy light and feel almost like running barefoot with a bit of padding. It's like running on of those thin cushy foot beds, but laced up.

Recommend.


Saucony Men's Hattori Minimalist Running Shoe

20126-2_1_490x300.jpg
 
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