Topic: Barefoot running and finger shoes

[hollow-man]

Sh*t Barefoot Runners Say

Whoa ... is that an old Mel Gibson?

[Jolimont]

As a kid I never wanted to wear shoes in the summer and my feet grew skin so tough I could walk on the hot beach and not feel it. Never got a cut or anything. The secret is to acclimatize to going barefoot little by little. I can't imagine doing that any more, I guess I must be getting old, I actually like shoes with a bit of sole for my walks. I looked at such shoes, not for me, I'm sure little rocks slide in, now that's torture.

[khendar]

These folks may be the basis for the marketing hype claim that barefoot running is somehow connected to superhuman abilities:

The Tarahumara - A Hidden Tribe of Superathletes Born to Run

I stopped listening at the point where he said they get all of their energy from beer. New pre-run diet for me !

[Grimner]

Got a pair to try last year.
Pain to walk on man-made surfaces at first (as on paved roads), while even coarse gravel was rather good. Used them only for short walks and got quite a few funny looks and a few comments.
This year my feet took to them right away. Have to walk with slightly bent knees and the weight a little forward for the best feel. Are they light and nice to walk in? Yes. I'll live a note here the day I start running - for me, that in itself would be a superpower

[seaotter]

Just bought some.

[David "Stubb" Oswald]

I think there are 3-5 threads already up about this subject on these forums. Won't link to them but I will discuss a New York Times article on this whole thing.

Yes properly running barefoot decreases knee injuries. It also increases foot and calf injuries. This includes folks who have been running barefoot all their life.

If you switch to running barefoot you will likely injure yourself. While safe when done properly, most folks have been running with shoes on their whole lives. When they put on five fingers or any other shoe they make it about a mile running on their toes before getting lazy and dropping back to the more natural feeling heel. Then they heel strike with no protection.

These are not a magic bullet to fix your running stance or prevent injuries. It is a different way of running but switching to running on your toes isn't as easy as buying these shoes.

[khendar]

[Strudel]

I get heel pains just from hill sprints and stair climbs, I'd fucking die if I ran on my toes all the time.

[Plastique]

Haha, excellent.

[TheLostVertex]

I tried a pair and they dont fit my feet properly.

If you are a person who is use to barefoot movement, shoes that have low heels and thing soles could benefit you. If you are not use to barefoot walking or running and have spent a large amount of your life in shoes, it is unlikely you will be able to adapt to they style of running very easily. The body develops based upon its environment, and in this case its whats on your feet. I seem to walk on the pads of my feet, and so I feel fine shoes or not.

[cole]

I love my five fingers shoes and my minimalist (thin-soled) ones too.  I hate thick soles and I walk a little funny, so being as close to barefoot as possible makes me happy.  While I understand the argument that we evolved running on the Sahara (see Christopher McDougall, he's huge in the movement), it overlooks the obvious fact that we also made shoes for a dern reason.  Ötzi the Iceman's footwear was so nice that folks are pretty sure that 5,000 years ago there were specialized cobblers.

For me, it boils down to the individual's biomechanics and preferences.  I like to be barefoot -- my feet tend to sweat and get calluses all over them in shoes.  Unfortunately society and my wife don't like barefoot people all that much, so I wear flip-flops or my five fingers.  At work I have to wear a close-toe minimalist style shoe.

As far as running barefoot, that's an acquired skill in today's day and age for most of us First Worlders.  I spent 5 years in the army, so I'm used to running (even though I'm soft and a bit of a fatty now, thanks to not having to do PT at 0630 every day anymore) -- but running in my five fingers was a big change for me.  Muscles had been activated that hadn't really been used that much before.  My calves in particular were very sore.  It was a challenge to run differently (I've always been a sloppy runner -- poor form -- and I tear through running shoes).

But hey, as dorky as those toe-shoes are -- I like 'em!  ...even if nobody else does

[lonely moa]

I love my five fingers shoes and my minimalist (thin-soled) ones too.  I hate thick soles and I walk a little funny, so being as close to barefoot as possible makes me happy.  While I understand the argument that we evolved running on the Sahara (see Christopher McDougall, he's huge in the movement), it overlooks the obvious fact that we also made shoes for a dern reason.  Ötzi the Iceman's footwear was so nice that folks are pretty sure that 5,000 years ago there were specialized cobblers.

For me, it boils down to the individual's biomechanics and preferences.  I like to be barefoot -- my feet tend to sweat and get calluses all over them in shoes.  Unfortunately society and my wife don't like barefoot people all that much, so I wear flip-flops or my five fingers.  At work I have to wear a close-toe minimalist style shoe.

As far as running barefoot, that's an acquired skill in today's day and age for most of us First Worlders.  I spent 5 years in the army, so I'm used to running (even though I'm soft and a bit of a fatty now, thanks to not having to do PT at 0630 every day anymore) -- but running in my five fingers was a big change for me.  Muscles had been activated that hadn't really been used that much before.  My calves in particular were very sore.  It was a challenge to run differently (I've always been a sloppy runner -- poor form -- and I tear through running shoes).

But hey, as dorky as those toe-shoes are -- I like 'em!  ...even if nobody else does

try a different forum.  Barefoot running (and toe shoes) is extremely popular.

[cole]

try a different forum.  Barefoot running (and toe shoes) is extremely popular.

I'm confused by your statement.  Are you saying I should go find a different web board because I like minimalist footwear?  lol

[Plastique]

try a different forum.  Barefoot running (and toe shoes) is extremely popular.

I'm confused by your statement.  Are you saying I should go find a different web board because I like minimalist footwear?  lol

I'm just as flummoxed.

[SkeptiKiwi]

Being a fellow countryman to lonely moa I will try and translate.

There are many forums dedicated to the minimalist footwear fad.

If you are feeling no love here for your chosen foot cladding then there are places that will tell you that your consumer decision has made you wiser than Solomon and fleeter of foot than Hermes.

Of course it is possible he may be along any second to say that no I am quite incorrect and he meant you should just piss off with your creepy shoes..