Running Barefoot? Well, Almost.

[John Peterson]

Hey Friends,

Back in 1937, Bernarr Mac Fadden's Physical Culture magazine featured an article on Charles Atlas in which Mr. Atlas stated that he developed his perfect physique using the same kind of non-apparatus methods that we teach. He also stated that he ran 10 miles earlier that morning in just 59 minutes while barefoot. Since the first time I read that article, I wanted to run barefoot but could never find anyplace really safe enough to do it consistently. Not only that but living in the northern climate of Minnesota makes that an impossibility for at least four if not five months each year. BUT ever since Joe Justiice brought up "Vibram Five Fingers" on our forum many months ago, I have gradually switched my running to them and have finally made the complete transition and am running totally strong and injury free in them. Granted, it was unbelievably hard for me to adjust after so many years of running in ASICS Kayano's but now that I have made the transition I absolutely love running in this "closest thing to barefoot" style. I use my VFF for all of my runs that are 5 miles or less. I'll keep you updated with my experiences with VFF.

---John Peterson

P.S. If you decide to give VFF a try, don't make the mistake that I did. Allow yourself to break in very gradually. Otherwise you will experience some serious tendonitis issues.

[TejasT]

This is a question for John (and anyone else that's tried the Vibram shoes) . . .

Did you all get them fitted somewhere, or buy them online? I was just curious if you found the sizes to run big, small, etc.

[stingray]

John,

I read the book "Born to Run" last year and was inspired to try barefoot running. I've tried a few runs but found that I couldn't push it too hard because it does work the muscles in a different way. I love the idea of trying the Vibram F.F. I have heard other people say that they love them. I have heard that the sizing is tricky due to the way they are supposed to fit the runners foot. Love to hear more about your experiences in running with these.

[duff]

If you decide to give VFF a try, don't make the mistake that I did. Allow yourself to break in very gradually. Otherwise you will experience some serious tendonitis issues.

I've heard this from just about everyone that is trying barefoot running. The tendons, ligaments and bones in the feet and ankles can take many months to strengthen, even after the muscles can handle it, so easy does it!

I'm looking forward to trying this barefoot running myself sometime soon.

[John Peterson]

Hey TejasT,

I went to Midwest Mountaineering to purchase mine and tried them on right there. In fact, I just discovered that there are special socks that are now available specifically for Vibram Five Fingers. Not only that, but I was also told at MM that one can run in VFF even in the winter which I must say I find very difficult to believe due to the thinness of the sole. But then again, Lord willing and I'm still here when winter arrives, I will give it a go. Hopefully, they are right because I love running in these things.

---John Peterson

[shamus23]

I too hope you are still here when the winter comes :)

[b38]

Curiosity question for you barefooters and near barefooter - Does this style of running take off and land on the ball of the foot? Or is it the same heel strike as the foot lands and then rolls up through the front of the foot?


Thanks in Advance.

Bill

[stingray]

Bill,

It is not a heel strike. Proponents of barefoot running say that it is only because of running with cushioning that we can run with a heel strike. If you take off your shoes and run across the lawn, I think that you will find that your natural tendency is to run on the balls of your feet. It makes sense from a mechanical point of view that the heel wasn't designed for the heavy impact. Also, people tend to take longer strides when running with cushioned soles because you can overstride and land on your heels. If you are not wearing shoes or have minimal cushioning you will probably strike closer to the ball of the foot. Hope this helps.

[John Peterson]

Great Explanation Ray,

In fact, due to the change from striking heel first to the ball of the foot there is a complete change in the bio-mechanics of running and it actually exercises the entire body in a different way. One friend of mine that I used to run Ultra-marathons with, loved running and did nothing but run long distances for years and years. He was sidelined with low back pain. He asked me for help. I got him doing Pull-Ups, Atlas III's, my ab-course, and running in VFF. Now he is pain free. Granted, His runs are only two miles these days. But he strength trains before he runs and as a direct result gets far more out of each run. He went from one set of three Pull-Ups 4-months ago to 5 X5 each and every day. I believe in gradual build-up strength training on a daily basis as Charles Atlas taught. To me this is the key that causes the body to more quickly adapt to it's strength to body weight demands. And for this reason Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats and Ab work can and should be done daily at least in my case. Then on some days certain body parts can be exercised far more intensively like my friend Jack King advocates. In fact, when it comes to body weight exercises you will do better training reasonably on a daily basis than you will on alternate days.At least that is how it has always worked for me. Especially on Pull-Ups. Too much rest costs too much enduring strength in my case.

---John Peterson

[KulaShaker]

Curiosity question for you barefooters and near barefooter - Does this style of running take off and land on the ball of the foot? Or is it the same heel strike as the foot lands and then rolls up through the front of the foot?


Thanks in Advance.

Bill

Heel-striking not recommended in VFFs!

In fact, if you do it, you'll get instant feedback in the form of pain and you'll naturally shift onto the balls of your feet.

That doesn't mean your heel doesn't ever touch the ground though. When I run in VFFs, my heels "pat" the ground ever so lightly, but I'm touching down first on the ball of my foot with each step.

Kula

[Pizzaman]

Regarding sizing of VFFs, different models can run slightly differently. There is a great web site devoted to VFFs that has sizing charts for each model. Check out birthdayshoes dot com for more info on VFF than you could imagine existed.

Also, there are lots of companies coming out with so-called "minimalist" running shoes now. I just got a pair of RunAmocs, which are moccasins designed for running. They are super comfy. They are even coming out with a fur-lined version for cold-weather running. John, you might want to check into those for those Minnesota winters!

[Paul Smith]

John,

A question that I have--and have not seen thoroughly addresed here is--what, exactly, is the benefit or advantage of barefoot running?

Here, and elsewhere, I have seen vague references to it being "the way nature intended" and "strengthening the muscles in a different way" but I still am unclear about it?

Thoughts?

Paul

[John Peterson]

Hey Paul,

You ask some excellent questions.

"A question that I have--and have not seen thoroughly addresed here is--what, exactly, is the benefit or advantage of barefoot running?"

"Here, and elsewhere, I have seen vague references to it being "the way nature intended" and "strengthening the muscles in a different way" but I still am unclear about it?"

First off, I don't believe for one moment that running totally "barefoot" like some of those people were doing in the video clip is all advantage and no disadvantage. Regardless of what is being hyped the very real possibility of stepping on a piece of broken glass, or even a small, sharp stone is all too real. Not to mention exposure to certain types of bacteria and micro-organisms that are not friendly to the human body.

Now as far as Vibram Five Fingers and other shoes of that type that are now being manufactured with the so called "minimalist" cushioning and design is concerned it will be interesting to see if injury rates go down considerably as a result. After all that is what these shoes are being promoted as preventing. Personally, I think that there is a certain amount of truth to it. In my case, it actually brought on an injury I had never before had which was 'Achilles tendinitis'. However, it was not caused by the shoe. It was caused by my own stupidity in trying to run too far before my lower legs were accommodated to it.

In terms of "strengthening the muscles in a different way" that is absolutely true. I think that just about everyone that tries them will feel a difference in their 'calves' almost immediately. And this is due to a distinct shift in the body's alignment while running. So does it really strengthen the body in a different way? in my case it certainly did but lets not forget that I'm a triangular shaped person. Someone with a completely different somatotype and weight distribution may be effected in a completely different way.

---John Peterson

[Pizzaman]

The main advantage of barefoot or minimalist running does not actually come from being barefoot or wearing minimal shoes. It is the result of the change in running technique that is required in order to run barefoot.

Wearing standard running shoes it is very difficult not to land heel first, usually with a straight leg. This exerts a tremendous amount of force on your body with each stride. If you run this way barefoot or with minimalist shoes, you will become injured in very short order. Instead, you must change your technique to land on the balls of your feet, with bent knee and with your foot landing underneath your center gravity. The result of this change in technique is a 50% reduction in ground reaction force.

Other advantages of barefoot/minimalist running are strengthening of the foot muscles, and better perception of the ground. Better perception allows your body to react more quickly to unexpected things like rocks, uneven surfaces, etc.

Until 5.5 years ago I ran using beefy motion control shoes, and was still injured most of the time. Since switching to minimalist running, I have had no running-related injuries (and I have run 2 marathons in that time and am training for a third).

[Paul Smith]

This article appeared in today's online edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

http://postgazette.com/pg/10227/1079831-140.stm