Getting Started With Barefoot Running Shoes
One of the hottest trends among runners is the idea that running barefoot is a healthier, more natural, and preferable way to run than wearing traditional running shoes. If you've decided to give barefoot running shoes a try, there are several things you'll want to keep in mind in order to prevent injury and reap the rewards that a barefoot style can provide.
1. Get a pair of barefoot running shoes. One of the main obstacles to barefoot running is that, unlike our ancestors, we find ourselves running on hard concrete or asphalt surfaces. Often times, these surfaces are littered with potentially harmful debris such as glass, pebbles, and various other foot-unfriendly materials.
Several manufacturers have created barefoot running shoes with hard protective soles that help protect the feet of barefoot runners. The most popular of these are the Vibram Five Fingers, Nike Free and the Merrell Glove.
2. Start slow. Barefoot running requires that you have a different stride and gait than modern heel-first running. When you begin, you will notice soreness in your calf muscles and Achilles tendon due to them being stretched further than you are used to stretching them. Additionally, because you are now using your arch as the natural spring it was designed, you may notice some strain until your arch muscles strengthen. It is recommended that you keep your barefoot running sessions to under a mile until your body adjusts. Then slowly increase your sessions.
3. Focus on changing your stride. The benefits of barefoot running are derived from moving from heel to toe then pushing off to another stride on the balls of your feet. This action utilizes the natural spring action of your arch; resulting in reduced impact on the body's joints and muscles. At first this will be a bit awkward.
Take it slow and focus on landing on the balls of your feet. This is the way your body ‘wants' to run, and in my experience, this will become a habit more quickly than you think.
4. Above all, be safe. Don't do anything that might cause injury while retraining your body. Refrain from pushing through pain or injury. If you have Diabetes or conditions that can make it difficult to feel your feet, you should refrain from barefoot running as you might cause serious foot injury.
1. Get a pair of barefoot running shoes. One of the main obstacles to barefoot running is that, unlike our ancestors, we find ourselves running on hard concrete or asphalt surfaces. Often times, these surfaces are littered with potentially harmful debris such as glass, pebbles, and various other foot-unfriendly materials.
Several manufacturers have created barefoot running shoes with hard protective soles that help protect the feet of barefoot runners. The most popular of these are the Vibram Five Fingers, Nike Free and the Merrell Glove.
2. Start slow. Barefoot running requires that you have a different stride and gait than modern heel-first running. When you begin, you will notice soreness in your calf muscles and Achilles tendon due to them being stretched further than you are used to stretching them. Additionally, because you are now using your arch as the natural spring it was designed, you may notice some strain until your arch muscles strengthen. It is recommended that you keep your barefoot running sessions to under a mile until your body adjusts. Then slowly increase your sessions.
3. Focus on changing your stride. The benefits of barefoot running are derived from moving from heel to toe then pushing off to another stride on the balls of your feet. This action utilizes the natural spring action of your arch; resulting in reduced impact on the body's joints and muscles. At first this will be a bit awkward.
Take it slow and focus on landing on the balls of your feet. This is the way your body ‘wants' to run, and in my experience, this will become a habit more quickly than you think.
4. Above all, be safe. Don't do anything that might cause injury while retraining your body. Refrain from pushing through pain or injury. If you have Diabetes or conditions that can make it difficult to feel your feet, you should refrain from barefoot running as you might cause serious foot injury.
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