Barefoot Running? Anyone Else Try it?

jred321 said:
so stupid question. if running barefoot is better because you run on the ball of your foot and lay off the heel why not just run on the ball of your foot with a shoe on?


or alternately run in a non-cleated sprinting shoe?
Click to expand...


You have to chose your shoes wisely. Everyone's feet are shaped differently. For me, Adidas turf soccer shoes are great for running. The arch is just right and they shoes feel like extensions of my feet rather than claudhoppers.


It also helps to train yourself to run on your forefoot before you try out different running shoes. That way you know what aspect you are looking for.
 
LinuxRacr said:
Exactly!

One thing that I have noticed is that going barefoot has made me a lot more aware of my surroundings, and what I am stepping on. Since you walk differently barefoot, you don't put all the weight on the front foot before your body catches up, so if you feel something, you have time to make a fast balance adjustment. Plus you generally are more inclined to watch where the hell you are stepping as well... I also notice just walking with my wife that she has a hard time keeping up with me, even though my strides are now shorter, and she is breathing hard, when I am not. She still hasn't tried the barefoot thing yet...
Click to expand...


LOL, yeah, my wife yells at me for walking too fast when we go walking. I also walk fast when I go to the grocery. She gets all pissy telling me to slow down because she shouldn't be out of breath in a grocery store. LOLOL My jog is more of a run and my run is a sprint. I played soccer for 12 years and ran cross country and track. I crave the endorphins!
 
anyone have info on how running barefoot effects your knees/hips? if you stick to grass or sand there probably isn't much difference but i have to imagine if you run on pavement barefoot your knees are going to take a lot more impact than if you were wearing shoes which act as a cushion


also found these as a hybrid perhaps http://www.eastbay.com/catalog/productdetail/model_nbr--94891/sku--200131/cm--TnDdTrackTrackFlats/. track shoes are generally thin and light and these even have the shape of a foot on the outsole :)
 
jred321 said:
anyone have info on how running barefoot effects your knees/hips? if you stick to grass or sand there probably isn't much difference but i have to imagine if you run on pavement barefoot your knees are going to take a lot more impact than if you were wearing shoes which act as a cushion


also found these as a hybrid perhaps http://www.eastbay.com/catalog/productdetail/model_nbr--94891/sku--200131/cm--TnDdTrackTrackFlats/. track shoes are generally thin and light and these even have the shape of a foot on the outsole :)
Click to expand...

Take a look at what happens when you run barefoot instead of shod:

http://www.newtonrunning.com/run-better
 
LinuxRacr said:
Take a look at what happens when you run barefoot instead of shod:

http://www.newtonrunning.com/run-better
Click to expand...
i saw that before but realize 1) it's on a site who is trying to sell you their product, and 2) the guy on the bottom is an exaggerated run which looks like he's actually almost lunging with every step. the motion of the two runs is the difference between a traditional sprinting run and a distance run. sprinting = on toes, shorter strides, distance = heel then toe, longer strides. the philosophy between both those shoes and how barefoot running is described here is to take a traditional sprinting running motion and apply it to distance running

my question was relating to the fact that if you're barefoot you have no padding between you and the ground. that means every impact is fully absorbed by your joints, regardless of which running style you choose to run with. this is worse on pavement than on a soft surface like grass. won't that be bad for your joints in the long run?
 
I just ran 45 mins on the treadmill barefoot, not gunna try outdoors yet if ever. I better see an increase in my football performance
 
haha well i currently run cross country...our coach says that the occasional running of barefoot is good for the body in general...but he goes on to say that all the time...like on trails is not good for the feet or legs..which makes sense...if u are doing flat running on a field or on a normal surmace that is smooth then go ahead and go barefoot. personally i enjoy barefoot running a lot. after 50 or so miles a week it is nice to let the feet stretch out of the shoe and hit the ground by themselves...nothing like it
 
jred321 said:
i saw that before but realize 1) it's on a site who is trying to sell you their product, and 2) the guy on the bottom is an exaggerated run which looks like he's actually almost lunging with every step. the motion of the two runs is the difference between a traditional sprinting run and a distance run. sprinting = on toes, shorter strides, distance = heel then toe, longer strides. the philosophy between both those shoes and how barefoot running is described here is to take a traditional sprinting running motion and apply it to distance running

my question was relating to the fact that if you're barefoot you have no padding between you and the ground. that means every impact is fully absorbed by your joints, regardless of which running style you choose to run with. this is worse on pavement than on a soft surface like grass. won't that be bad for your joints in the long run?
Click to expand...

This is why you build the muscles to support you. The muscles are what we lack from not using them all our lives. Also, just like with anything else, if you overdo it, you will hurt yourself.

Check out the adventures of this guy: Barefoot Ted
 
There is some evidence that running with shoes compromises the intrinsic muscles of the foot and ankle, leading to long-term problems. Running barefoot strengthens these muscles and increases innate stability of the foot/ankle complex.

Thank you. Come again.
 
Ive trained for a few marathons over the past couple years here in florida and at my college I have seen a few people run around the track (grass field part) barefoot. It hurts me to see this. Im sure there are a few benifits but the dangers far outweight them. Im not sure how much knowlege / experience you have about running but technique and posture are EXTREMELY important. Shoes are also very important. If you ask any experienced runner what type of foot strike he has . . . he should know immediatly. If you run barefoot you obviosly cant wear shoes that correct your particular foot strike. Unless your one of the lucky few who has the "perfect foot" then running barefoot is really not a good idea. It puts unecessary stress on your bones and muscles. Running is a very stressfull excersize for your bones and joints. I learned this the hard way when I got a stress fracture in my left leg while running an easy (moderate / light pace) 20 mile run preparing for a marathon. Now I cant run for an entire year and it kills me. Sorry for going off on that tangent but I wouldnt want you to make the same mistake I did. If you havent noticed already all of the succesful barefoot runners are coming from developing countries like kenya / south africa / etc. Why?? The same reason many champion runners have come from jamaica / africa. Not to bring religion into any of this but . . . thats evolution at work. For centuries africans have had to . . . run . . . for all sorts of reasons. Their bodies are suited for this type of stress. I would wait a little longer and allow for more research to be done before you risk injuring yourself.

Essentially, dont run barefoot. Try running with shoes on grass if you really want a challenge but I really dont advise that either. Find a nice running path with some hills. That should wear you out! I know there is a lot of new research saying that running barefoot is great but what I have written here is what I belive. I have some seroius pronation in my footstrike so I know running barefoot will murder me. Everyone is different though. Good Luck out there
 
Last edited:
Now that the weather is changing I am going to start sprints instead of distance, see if I can't get those 200bpm going.
 
Sprints are awesome. When i was training for marathons I would run 5 times a week. One "run" would just be a short 10 minute stop and start sprint HILT training. Key to success is balance. Whether you weightlift, run, or play video games, gotta do a little bit of everything to reach the top.
 
Well, we tend to do a lot of 2-3 mile "self-paced" runs. I consistently run a 1.5 mile in 11 minutes and I can keep that pace up to the 3 miles if I need too but I found that doesn't help improve my time.

Sometimes we run sprints, but it's not timed and people tend to slow down after each run.

What I am going to do is when we do those 2-3 mile runs I am going to sprint on and off and try and finish in the same time that I would if I was keeping a constant pace.

During sprints I am going to start timing them and try and get them faster.

Also, I was going to start training in a swimming pool but they shut down the one that I have access too and I am still working on getting the hookup at another private pool.

On top of that I've been rope jumping for about 3 weeks now, definitely takes time to get good at.
 
Sounds good dead generation. Just find what works for you. I tried slowly upping my mileage but once I hit about 15 miles I really started struggling keeping my 7.5 min pace. I started balancing my runs every week. My 1st run would be a brisk 15 mile at about 7 min. 2nd would be a moderate 20 mile run at about 8 min a mile. 3rd run would be a really light 23 mile run. Like 9 or 10 min mile keep my HR really low. 4rth I started doing HILT training. Sprint at like 85% HR 4 times for 20 seconds. Then finish at 100% 2 or 3 times for 20 sec. Leaving 20 sec rest in between sets. Killer workout right there and only takes about 8 min. Last run would be an interval 20 mile run (fast slow fast slow). I found the sprints really helped me increase my mileage / stamina. Im not sure what your goal is but you should try those sprints. Whether you are training for a marathon, sport, trying to cut after a bulking season, or just trying to lose weight doing a little bit of each type of run is by far the most benificial in most cases. As far as the sprints go. Start off going lighter. Dont blast out at 100% immediately or you might hurt urself and your going to get too tired too fast. You are going to slow down by the 5th or 6th spring no doubt but what is important is that you maintain the same rest intervals and keep elevating that HR. Im not sure what your goal is but it seems like you want to increase your distance a bit. Try incorporating a few types of these runs into your schedule: Light and far / normal run / interval run / sprints. Before i knew better i just thought running more often was the only key to slowly increasing my stamina but thats not true at all at least for me. Swimming is awesome too. Thats what I do since I cant run with this damn stress fracture. Swimming also takes time to get used to /: Breathing is obviosly very different and I was in pretty good shape and still had to catch my breath after like 8 laps.
 
Last edited:
This thread makes me want to start running consistently again. Awesome.
 
Please log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

sm1ke
    • Like
PSA regarding the JB4: Don't get the Bluetooth module wet!
Replies
2
Views
2K
Antoine
Antoine
GTXT23
    • Like
Turbo "Truths / Myths" dispelled
Replies
15
Views
2K
Odrapnew
O
Ninja_Matt
    • Like
Auto Ninjas - Hello Mazdas247! New Authorized Vendor
Replies
2
Views
690
ADS-B
ADS-B

Latest posts

Back