Discussion
Tiggsy said:
Garym85 said:
Trolling are we? Im sure your smart enough to name one or two...
I can't think of anything where the human body does it fine and we add stuff to it. It would be like fitting sharper teeth because dentist said ours didn't cut food properly.
bigandclever said:
Tiggsy said:
Garym85 said:
Trolling are we? Im sure your smart enough to name one or two...
I can't think of anything where the human body does it fine and we add stuff to it. It would be like fitting sharper teeth because dentist said ours didn't cut food properly.Are we to believe that the vast majority of humans feet fail (in their prime) to work as they should? If people were sold hearing aids in the same number as they are sold "supportive" shoes...it would be an issue!
theshrew said:
We will all have a different running style. Some will run like a god some will run like a total spaz.
I get what your saying about changing your style so its correct form etc i kinda agree. The trouble is i dont think its possible. Yes everyone could improve it with a few tweeks. You cant change the natrual way your body moves ( or not a lot ) The majority of people will be miles away from perfect form which is why the shoes are a good idea for some people.
But you can. Take a kid (any kid, just grab one) and watch them run barefoot - they wont land on their heel. The reason people land on their heels is because they have gel and air and god knows what under them and it "feels" ok. To switch back is a few weeks effort at most, I did it at 38 and am the least "runner" type i know!I get what your saying about changing your style so its correct form etc i kinda agree. The trouble is i dont think its possible. Yes everyone could improve it with a few tweeks. You cant change the natrual way your body moves ( or not a lot ) The majority of people will be miles away from perfect form which is why the shoes are a good idea for some people.
And i say "feels" ok because it isnt ok...the idea that a gel pocket can deal with thousands of repetitions of bodyweight X 2/3/4 landing on the heel and going straight to shin/knee/hip is mad - hence the huge number of runners problems (it's just a pity the industry has spotted that and come up with gait anaylis and more gel as the solution)
Tiggsy said:
All those are to correct faults with body parts that fail......and in most of those cases fail long after the part evolved to last for. The human body didnt develop with the intention that it's ears should work at 80!
Are we to believe that the vast majority of humans feet fail (in their prime) to work as they should? If people were sold hearing aids in the same number as they are sold "supportive" shoes...it would be an issue!
My eyes started to fail at about 8 years old. My hypermobile joints and flat feet I have had since birth. Running barefoot won't fix my feet - it will ruin my joints and leave me in agony - this isn't internet conjecture, this is from the numerous doctors who sorted me out with orthotics and the thousands of miles I have put in over the years.Are we to believe that the vast majority of humans feet fail (in their prime) to work as they should? If people were sold hearing aids in the same number as they are sold "supportive" shoes...it would be an issue!
What I don't get is why people keep saying that we are evolved to run - how do you work that out - I doubt many cavemen ran marathons all on hard tarmac... The first guy who ran a marathon did it in barefoot shoes and he died. If he had a pair of Nikes, he would have lived. FACT.
Whatever works for you, works for you. But please do not try to tell people that running shoes are just a marketing exercise - it all comes across as a bit tin foil hat.
Parsnip said:
Tiggsy said:
All those are to correct faults with body parts that fail......and in most of those cases fail long after the part evolved to last for. The human body didnt develop with the intention that it's ears should work at 80!
Are we to believe that the vast majority of humans feet fail (in their prime) to work as they should? If people were sold hearing aids in the same number as they are sold "supportive" shoes...it would be an issue!
My eyes started to fail at about 8 years old. My hypermobile joints and flat feet I have had since birth. Running barefoot won't fix my feet - it will ruin my joints and leave me in agony - this isn't internet conjecture, this is from the numerous doctors who sorted me out with orthotics and the thousands of miles I have put in over the years.Are we to believe that the vast majority of humans feet fail (in their prime) to work as they should? If people were sold hearing aids in the same number as they are sold "supportive" shoes...it would be an issue!
What I don't get is why people keep saying that we are evolved to run - how do you work that out - I doubt many cavemen ran marathons all on hard tarmac... The first guy who ran a marathon did it in barefoot shoes and he died. If he had a pair of Nikes, he would have lived. FACT.
Whatever works for you, works for you. But please do not try to tell people that running shoes are just a marketing exercise - it all comes across as a bit tin foil hat.
Did cavemen run marathons? I doubt it - but I bet they ran a 4/5/6 miles with ease on a regular basis chasing down food across the desert - why is it Joe Bloggs doing 3 mile runs twice a week gets shin splints in his £100 shoes?
Hey, I'm well aware that my body is a disaster, but I'll take tall and skinny with broken eyes and legs over short, fat and bald any day
The point I guess I am trying to make is that gait analysis will never hurt - if you find out you have a pretty foot strike and a fairly natural foot, then going for a barefoot shoe might very well work for you. If you find out you are a heavy overpronator/supinator then you know that they probably wont. "what trainers" is an impossible question to ask - everyone is different.
Adidas - I don't like the way the tongue and lacing sits
Mizuno - Loved them, ran in them for years until they changed the shoe I liked so that it blistered my feet to buggery.
New Balance - Don't feel too strongly either way - tend to fit my foot well, first "proper" running shoe I tried
Nike - Never really tried them
Brooks - Current brand of choice - have done a couple of marathons in them and my feet were as fresh as daisys.
Newtons - Actually quite liked them for short stuff, but they were pretty uncomfortable on anything but smooth tarmac and I only got 300ish miles out of them before they needed replacement so at 130 quid a pop, that wasn't going to happen.
Even within that, I will be generally aiming for the lightweight support shoes from any one of those brands - so very similar shoes designed for a similar foot type, but not all will work for me.
Will everyone have the same opinions as me? Not even slightly - loads of people will run in Adidas and love them whereas I just have to look at a pair before my feet start to hurt.
My recommendation - get a gait analysis done to narrow down your choices. Try on shoes from several brands in the type you are aiming for (thrown in some barefoot ones if they look like they will work for you) - lace them up tight and have a quick jog about in them - you won't be able to tell if they are perfect for you, but at least you will get an idea. Ignore what they look like (because eventually they will be a shade of grey/brown). GO RUN.
The point I guess I am trying to make is that gait analysis will never hurt - if you find out you have a pretty foot strike and a fairly natural foot, then going for a barefoot shoe might very well work for you. If you find out you are a heavy overpronator/supinator then you know that they probably wont. "what trainers" is an impossible question to ask - everyone is different.
Adidas - I don't like the way the tongue and lacing sits
Mizuno - Loved them, ran in them for years until they changed the shoe I liked so that it blistered my feet to buggery.
New Balance - Don't feel too strongly either way - tend to fit my foot well, first "proper" running shoe I tried
Nike - Never really tried them
Brooks - Current brand of choice - have done a couple of marathons in them and my feet were as fresh as daisys.
Newtons - Actually quite liked them for short stuff, but they were pretty uncomfortable on anything but smooth tarmac and I only got 300ish miles out of them before they needed replacement so at 130 quid a pop, that wasn't going to happen.
Even within that, I will be generally aiming for the lightweight support shoes from any one of those brands - so very similar shoes designed for a similar foot type, but not all will work for me.
Will everyone have the same opinions as me? Not even slightly - loads of people will run in Adidas and love them whereas I just have to look at a pair before my feet start to hurt.
My recommendation - get a gait analysis done to narrow down your choices. Try on shoes from several brands in the type you are aiming for (thrown in some barefoot ones if they look like they will work for you) - lace them up tight and have a quick jog about in them - you won't be able to tell if they are perfect for you, but at least you will get an idea. Ignore what they look like (because eventually they will be a shade of grey/brown). GO RUN.
But how many people have "issues" with their feet that would go with more reliance on the foot getting better?
If I went to gym and an expert anaylis of my bench press showed my shoulders were weak and holding me back you wouldnt expect to be prescribe some sort of shoulder support...or be told to cheat the movement to rely more heavily on chest - you sort out your shoulders.
I used to have flat ish feet that rolled a little - and were very prone to roll overs during sports - I now have great arches and far stronger feet/ankles due to use of barefoot running and a wobble board!
If I went to gym and an expert anaylis of my bench press showed my shoulders were weak and holding me back you wouldnt expect to be prescribe some sort of shoulder support...or be told to cheat the movement to rely more heavily on chest - you sort out your shoulders.
I used to have flat ish feet that rolled a little - and were very prone to roll overs during sports - I now have great arches and far stronger feet/ankles due to use of barefoot running and a wobble board!
Parsnip said:
Hey, I'm well aware that my body is a disaster, but I'll take tall and skinny with broken eyes and legs over short, fat and bald any day
The point I guess I am trying to make is that gait analysis will never hurt - if you find out you have a pretty foot strike and a fairly natural foot, then going for a barefoot shoe might very well work for you. If you find out you are a heavy overpronator/supinator then you know that they probably wont. "what trainers" is an impossible question to ask - everyone is different.
Adidas - I don't like the way the tongue and lacing sits
Mizuno - Loved them, ran in them for years until they changed the shoe I liked so that it blistered my feet to buggery.
New Balance - Don't feel too strongly either way - tend to fit my foot well, first "proper" running shoe I tried
Nike - Never really tried them
Brooks - Current brand of choice - have done a couple of marathons in them and my feet were as fresh as daisys.
Newtons - Actually quite liked them for short stuff, but they were pretty uncomfortable on anything but smooth tarmac and I only got 300ish miles out of them before they needed replacement so at 130 quid a pop, that wasn't going to happen.
Even within that, I will be generally aiming for the lightweight support shoes from any one of those brands - so very similar shoes designed for a similar foot type, but not all will work for me.
Will everyone have the same opinions as me? Not even slightly - loads of people will run in Adidas and love them whereas I just have to look at a pair before my feet start to hurt.
My recommendation - get a gait analysis done to narrow down your choices. Try on shoes from several brands in the type you are aiming for (thrown in some barefoot ones if they look like they will work for you) - lace them up tight and have a quick jog about in them - you won't be able to tell if they are perfect for you, but at least you will get an idea. Ignore what they look like (because eventually they will be a shade of grey/brown). GO RUN.
Thanks for the decent response mate. The point I guess I am trying to make is that gait analysis will never hurt - if you find out you have a pretty foot strike and a fairly natural foot, then going for a barefoot shoe might very well work for you. If you find out you are a heavy overpronator/supinator then you know that they probably wont. "what trainers" is an impossible question to ask - everyone is different.
Adidas - I don't like the way the tongue and lacing sits
Mizuno - Loved them, ran in them for years until they changed the shoe I liked so that it blistered my feet to buggery.
New Balance - Don't feel too strongly either way - tend to fit my foot well, first "proper" running shoe I tried
Nike - Never really tried them
Brooks - Current brand of choice - have done a couple of marathons in them and my feet were as fresh as daisys.
Newtons - Actually quite liked them for short stuff, but they were pretty uncomfortable on anything but smooth tarmac and I only got 300ish miles out of them before they needed replacement so at 130 quid a pop, that wasn't going to happen.
Even within that, I will be generally aiming for the lightweight support shoes from any one of those brands - so very similar shoes designed for a similar foot type, but not all will work for me.
Will everyone have the same opinions as me? Not even slightly - loads of people will run in Adidas and love them whereas I just have to look at a pair before my feet start to hurt.
My recommendation - get a gait analysis done to narrow down your choices. Try on shoes from several brands in the type you are aiming for (thrown in some barefoot ones if they look like they will work for you) - lace them up tight and have a quick jog about in them - you won't be able to tell if they are perfect for you, but at least you will get an idea. Ignore what they look like (because eventually they will be a shade of grey/brown). GO RUN.
Tiggsy said:
But you can. Take a kid (any kid, just grab one) and watch them run barefoot - they wont land on their heel. The reason people land on their heels is because they have gel and air and god knows what under them and it "feels" ok. To switch back is a few weeks effort at most, I did it at 38 and am the least "runner" type i know!
And i say "feels" ok because it isnt ok...the idea that a gel pocket can deal with thousands of repetitions of bodyweight X 2/3/4 landing on the heel and going straight to shin/knee/hip is mad - hence the huge number of runners problems (it's just a pity the industry has spotted that and come up with gait anaylis and more gel as the solution)
You cant possibly belive people think 'right ive got my Nike Airs on im going to start running smashing my heel into the ground first'. And i say "feels" ok because it isnt ok...the idea that a gel pocket can deal with thousands of repetitions of bodyweight X 2/3/4 landing on the heel and going straight to shin/knee/hip is mad - hence the huge number of runners problems (it's just a pity the industry has spotted that and come up with gait anaylis and more gel as the solution)
I run the same no matter what footwear i have on - work shoes, boots, trainers, running trainers, football boots or even bare foot. Just because thats whe way i run.
theshrew said:
Tiggsy said:
But you can. Take a kid (any kid, just grab one) and watch them run barefoot - they wont land on their heel. The reason people land on their heels is because they have gel and air and god knows what under them and it "feels" ok. To switch back is a few weeks effort at most, I did it at 38 and am the least "runner" type i know!
And i say "feels" ok because it isnt ok...the idea that a gel pocket can deal with thousands of repetitions of bodyweight X 2/3/4 landing on the heel and going straight to shin/knee/hip is mad - hence the huge number of runners problems (it's just a pity the industry has spotted that and come up with gait anaylis and more gel as the solution)
You cant possibly belive people think 'right ive got my Nike Airs on im going to start running smashing my heel into the ground first'. And i say "feels" ok because it isnt ok...the idea that a gel pocket can deal with thousands of repetitions of bodyweight X 2/3/4 landing on the heel and going straight to shin/knee/hip is mad - hence the huge number of runners problems (it's just a pity the industry has spotted that and come up with gait anaylis and more gel as the solution)
I run the same no matter what footwear i have on - work shoes, boots, trainers, running trainers, football boots or even bare foot. Just because thats whe way i run.
If you land on your heel, and most do in Nike, etc and then run barefoot you will change the way you run....or not walk the next day.
Tigsy, I respect your views on things but live and let live. Your views are idealistic, unfortunately we don't live in an idealistic world.
Do you shave? I'm pretty sure we werent born with a Gillette in our hands.
Is your eyesight fine without need for correction? My eyesight got bad when I was around 12...now I literally can't see 20 feet away without glasses or contact lenses.
Have you ever had someone be diagnosed with an illness? I'm sure you would want them to take medication to correct it.
the point I make is- our ancestors weren't born with a gym around the corner where they could head for a quick 10k on treadmill...they probably weren't born with the ability to use better footwear that protects the feet and as it goes- can prevent injuries.
Do yourself and us all a favour and respect other people may find a benefit of using some good footwear.
Do you shave? I'm pretty sure we werent born with a Gillette in our hands.
Is your eyesight fine without need for correction? My eyesight got bad when I was around 12...now I literally can't see 20 feet away without glasses or contact lenses.
Have you ever had someone be diagnosed with an illness? I'm sure you would want them to take medication to correct it.
the point I make is- our ancestors weren't born with a gym around the corner where they could head for a quick 10k on treadmill...they probably weren't born with the ability to use better footwear that protects the feet and as it goes- can prevent injuries.
Do yourself and us all a favour and respect other people may find a benefit of using some good footwear.
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