Barefoot Running
Discussion
While nursing a sprained ankle I've been reading Born To Run and had a "oh, my God" moment.
At 6ft6 and powerfully built I've always been told I was too big to run and "the body wasnt designed for it"...as such I've given Nike £££££££ over the years and always jogged in the latest AirMax. In fact, I did my ankle playing ball in Nike LeBron 8 PS - the "best" training you can get.
And now I wonder if all I've done is softened my ankles with over supportive shoes, ruined my knees with heel strike running style and wrecked my ankle playing in a shoe with a giant ball of air in the heel that I'm supposed to land on and stay upright!
So....should I get some five fingers for running and old converse for balling?
If I was alive in cave man times I'd be a hunting monster (bigger is always better) so it makes sense that I should be able to do a marathon with ease?
Barefoot.....thoughts?
At 6ft6 and powerfully built I've always been told I was too big to run and "the body wasnt designed for it"...as such I've given Nike £££££££ over the years and always jogged in the latest AirMax. In fact, I did my ankle playing ball in Nike LeBron 8 PS - the "best" training you can get.
And now I wonder if all I've done is softened my ankles with over supportive shoes, ruined my knees with heel strike running style and wrecked my ankle playing in a shoe with a giant ball of air in the heel that I'm supposed to land on and stay upright!
So....should I get some five fingers for running and old converse for balling?
If I was alive in cave man times I'd be a hunting monster (bigger is always better) so it makes sense that I should be able to do a marathon with ease?
Barefoot.....thoughts?
There's an article in The Times today about this.
Personal opinion - be very careful about a sudden transition from cushioned shoes to minimalist. It will put different strains on your feet and legs. You'll need to re-evaluate your running style to take account of current muscle strengths/weaknesses as you transition to a barefoot/minimalist style.
Personal opinion - be very careful about a sudden transition from cushioned shoes to minimalist. It will put different strains on your feet and legs. You'll need to re-evaluate your running style to take account of current muscle strengths/weaknesses as you transition to a barefoot/minimalist style.
I'm very aware I use a long stride and a heel strike - I always thought (as a big lump) reducing the strides would lessen the impact on my legs over a long run.....now, this seems as stupid as you can get!
just putting a foot out in front of me resting on my heel shows how daft a landing that is....in fact, if you told someone to think of a good way to slow yourself down, you'd pick sticking out your foot like that!
I'm going to look at the merrel trail glove and start with VERY short runs and build up....also doing lots of wobble board work to rehab my ankle so be interesting to see how it goes.
just putting a foot out in front of me resting on my heel shows how daft a landing that is....in fact, if you told someone to think of a good way to slow yourself down, you'd pick sticking out your foot like that!
I'm going to look at the merrel trail glove and start with VERY short runs and build up....also doing lots of wobble board work to rehab my ankle so be interesting to see how it goes.
Ideally the foot strike should be with the foot flat and directly below the centre of gravity. Of course a lot of it depends how fast you're going: If I'm walking I heel-strike, running it's mid-foot and sprinting a 400m rep I'll be fore-foot/toes all the way.
A lot of people like the POSE method (Google it
); I haven't looked into it myself.
One thing I would definitely recommend from personal experience of mileage in minimalist racing shoes and spikes (no cushioning at all in spikes
) is to work on your calf strength. Lots of heel raises off the edge of the stairs and single leg squats. Your heels and calves aren't used to the extra extension from minimalist shoes so need extra work to avoid problems.
A lot of people like the POSE method (Google it
); I haven't looked into it myself.One thing I would definitely recommend from personal experience of mileage in minimalist racing shoes and spikes (no cushioning at all in spikes
) is to work on your calf strength. Lots of heel raises off the edge of the stairs and single leg squats. Your heels and calves aren't used to the extra extension from minimalist shoes so need extra work to avoid problems.I'm no giant Tiggsy (5ft 11) but I've always had various problems with running although I think I gained a lot of them in the military.
I've also tried barefoot running and loved to run on the grass although my experience ended prematurely due to my own clumsiness. I managed to break a toe stumbling somehow and decided with my level of clumsiness it was best to wear shoes.
I've also tried barefoot running and loved to run on the grass although my experience ended prematurely due to my own clumsiness. I managed to break a toe stumbling somehow and decided with my level of clumsiness it was best to wear shoes.
The more I read on this the more obvious it gets. Given my 17 stone hitting the floor is a huge weight multiple I have two options. Land mid foot and use my calf to absorb the shock as I lower the heel along with a flattening of the arch to act as a leaf spring (a system designed over millions of years) or land on my heel and hope the 1" air pad will deal with all the shock before it hits my knees and hip (a system designed over 30 years and cost me £120 a pair!
When I upped my mileage to train for a marathon, I basically wrecked my shins, had some very very painful shinsplints. Eventually I went to a proper running specialist who video'd me and suchlike. I too was a heel striker but worse, I was using the tendon in my big toe as the "pick up" for my foot - I essentially had no foot muscles, I couldn't consciously pull my foot up (with the heel staying on the floor) without using my toe tendons.
Took about 12 weeks to re learn to run, and a whole bunch of nightly workouts to build the muscles up, now I am a mid foot striker who runs in minimalist shoes, NOT the massive cushions ones I had previously.
Don't need to go barefoot, that is quite extreme, some good uncushioned shoes out there, I am in a pair of adidas Kanadia, which are good for me.
I did try barefoot a couple of times (on the beach on holiday) very liberating, just doesn't work for me on the local trails, far too many fir cones
Took about 12 weeks to re learn to run, and a whole bunch of nightly workouts to build the muscles up, now I am a mid foot striker who runs in minimalist shoes, NOT the massive cushions ones I had previously.
Don't need to go barefoot, that is quite extreme, some good uncushioned shoes out there, I am in a pair of adidas Kanadia, which are good for me.
I did try barefoot a couple of times (on the beach on holiday) very liberating, just doesn't work for me on the local trails, far too many fir cones
I'm an addicted barefoot runner, been through two pairs of Vibram Five Fingers (one real one fake, the fake ones lasted longer...) and onto a pair of Innov8 EvoSkins now.
I'm not out to break any records or be the fastest chap on my block but I love the feeling of running "barefoot", it feels natural to me. I started of small and built up. I complete my first half marathon three weeks ago in a pair of VFF. I used to always damage myself running in normal shoes but bar one tow vs rock incident I've not done any other damage.
As you can probably tell I'm an advocate, but do start slowly it is completely different to heel first running.
I'm not out to break any records or be the fastest chap on my block but I love the feeling of running "barefoot", it feels natural to me. I started of small and built up. I complete my first half marathon three weeks ago in a pair of VFF. I used to always damage myself running in normal shoes but bar one tow vs rock incident I've not done any other damage.
As you can probably tell I'm an advocate, but do start slowly it is completely different to heel first running.
It's all nonsense in my opinion. As an example, Theres a study of people being asked to try the POSE style of running - after learning it and the muscle adaptation, they ran faster - but their rate of injury dramatically increased.
Then if you look at professional runners I think its about 20% are actually 'ideal' strikers with their feet - the vast majority are heel strikers. The overriding factor is that it doesnt matter where you land your feet so long as your weight remains relatively central.
Then if you look at professional runners I think its about 20% are actually 'ideal' strikers with their feet - the vast majority are heel strikers. The overriding factor is that it doesnt matter where you land your feet so long as your weight remains relatively central.
I think it depends on where you are now and what your goals are.
If you aren't getting injury niggles with your current running style but want to go faster, train more/harder/better before looking at your bio-mechanics.
If you are getting injury niggles now despite intelligent training and rest, then look at your bio-mechanics. This could be changing trainers to one more suited to your natural style, working specific muscles to remove a weakness, getting orthotics fitted, etc. Changing your physical bio-mechanical motion is difficult, adapting your training/kit to your current motion is much easier.
If you aren't getting injury niggles with your current running style but want to go faster, train more/harder/better before looking at your bio-mechanics.
If you are getting injury niggles now despite intelligent training and rest, then look at your bio-mechanics. This could be changing trainers to one more suited to your natural style, working specific muscles to remove a weakness, getting orthotics fitted, etc. Changing your physical bio-mechanical motion is difficult, adapting your training/kit to your current motion is much easier.
I'd be sceptical about going straight to barefoot running. There's a lot of b
ks talked by both sides of the barefoot vs shoes arguments.
http://www.runningbarefootisbad.com/ This guy is very biased one way, but some of his arguments make sense (especially the diabetes point). There's no shortage of people advocating barefoot running on the web.
It's very possible to run on your toes in an efficient in regular trainers. I do all my steady runs in a pair of Nike Pegasus and always strike on the forefoot or midfoot, so it may be worth trying to alter your running style in your current style of shoes. If going to a forefoot striking action I'd advocate doing some strengthening exercises on your calves, as these will hurt a lot afterwards, I remember after my first time in spikes barely being able to walk.
P.S Patrick Mackau (the current marathon world record holder) heel strikes, so it obviously works for some guys
ks talked by both sides of the barefoot vs shoes arguments.http://www.runningbarefootisbad.com/ This guy is very biased one way, but some of his arguments make sense (especially the diabetes point). There's no shortage of people advocating barefoot running on the web.
It's very possible to run on your toes in an efficient in regular trainers. I do all my steady runs in a pair of Nike Pegasus and always strike on the forefoot or midfoot, so it may be worth trying to alter your running style in your current style of shoes. If going to a forefoot striking action I'd advocate doing some strengthening exercises on your calves, as these will hurt a lot afterwards, I remember after my first time in spikes barely being able to walk.
P.S Patrick Mackau (the current marathon world record holder) heel strikes, so it obviously works for some guys
I switched to vibram five fingers after a serious achilles injury, which happened after spending hard earned cash at a 'specialist' running centre, having gait analysis etc and fancy trainers.
I've (touches wood) not had any problems since switching, and although I don't run any long distances anymore, I do run a mile after my weights sessions 3 times a week, just to tick over.
The first few times my calves were sore, but that's purely because you have to run differently otherwise it's uncomfortable, and your muscles adapt (very quickly)
I've become a bit obsessed by them to be honest, I even wear them on hikes etc, when friends are wearing their Scarpers/Brashers etc, there's me in a pair of foot gloves
Just take it easy the first few times, you'll soon get used to them.
cookie118 said:
I'd be sceptical about going straight to barefoot running. There's a lot of bks talked by both sides of the barefoot vs shoes arguments.
http://www.runningbarefootisbad.com/ This guy is very biased one way, but some of his arguments make sense (especially the diabetes point). There's no shortage of people advocating barefoot running on the web.
It's very possible to run on your toes in an efficient in regular trainers. I do all my steady runs in a pair of Nike Pegasus and always strike on the forefoot or midfoot, so it may be worth trying to alter your running style in your current style of shoes. If going to a forefoot striking action I'd advocate doing some strengthening exercises on your calves, as these will hurt a lot afterwards, I remember after my first time in spikes barely being able to walk.
P.S Patrick Mackau (the current marathon world record holder) heel strikes, so it obviously works for some guys
I'm not sure the fact most pro runners heel strike is a guide to much. Soft trainers have been around since the 70's so any pro athlete today is going to have grown up with them.....and many of them spend a good time with injury. The typical marathon runner is also very light so can prob get away with it, stick 50kg on Mackua's back and ask him to heel strike for 24 miles!ks talked by both sides of the barefoot vs shoes arguments.http://www.runningbarefootisbad.com/ This guy is very biased one way, but some of his arguments make sense (especially the diabetes point). There's no shortage of people advocating barefoot running on the web.
It's very possible to run on your toes in an efficient in regular trainers. I do all my steady runs in a pair of Nike Pegasus and always strike on the forefoot or midfoot, so it may be worth trying to alter your running style in your current style of shoes. If going to a forefoot striking action I'd advocate doing some strengthening exercises on your calves, as these will hurt a lot afterwards, I remember after my first time in spikes barely being able to walk.
P.S Patrick Mackau (the current marathon world record holder) heel strikes, so it obviously works for some guys
I've tried adjusting my strike in my Asics Gel's but the heel raise is so high its impossible to drop the forefoot first without reaching down with my toes!
I could be wrong but i would be suprised if the marathon world record holder heel strikes as once your moving above a certain speed you automatically move onto your forefoot anyway. Plus you don't have to wear minimalist shoes to run in a barefoot manner, i have always landed on my forefoot regardless of what speed i am running and i just wear good quality neutral lightweight shoes.
bales said:
I could be wrong but i would be suprised if the marathon world record holder heel strikes as once your moving above a certain speed you automatically move onto your forefoot anyway. Plus you don't have to wear minimalist shoes to run in a barefoot manner, i have always landed on my forefoot regardless of what speed i am running and i just wear good quality neutral lightweight shoes.
it does appear that he is...however: just because he's the best at that distance doesnt mean he has the most efficient technique that we should all copy and in built up shoes it's hard not to heel strike.....and he's tiny so could prob heel strike all day long and not do himself much damage.Great bit of video (c1 minute in) showing the difference between the foot landing in normal trainers vs 'barefoot'
http://www.wired.com/video/hot-summer-gear-vibram-...
http://www.wired.com/video/hot-summer-gear-vibram-...
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