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Barefoot Running

nature.com

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Re: Barefoot Running

#21

Post by dpapathanasiou »

mbrubeck wrote: post #16
baltoo wrote: post #12

I feel that there seems to be a, albeit perhaps weak, correlation between hackers/geeks and some kinds of physical activity. Mostly I'm thinking of running and mountain climbing. While of course I'm biased and base my observations upon the plural of anecdote, I still find this observation to hold true. I could of course hazard some kind of guess to why, but more interestingly, I think, would be if there was any kind…

No less anecdotal, but the classic "Real Programmers Don't Eat Quiche" includes: "Real Programmers don't play tennis, or any other sport which requires a change of clothes. Mountain Climbing is acceptable. Real Programmers wear climbing boots to work in case a mountain should suddenly spring up in the middle of the machine room." http://www.lib.ru/ANEKDOTY/quiche.txt

Not funny if intended as a joke, and ridiculous otherwise. More dumb stereotyping.

Re: Barefoot Running

#22

Post by volare »

ekanes wrote: post #13
karzeem wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's David Attenborough narrating a modern-day persistence hunt. It's fascinating stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUpo_mA5RP8

Wow. That was amazing, thanks for the link. Note that you can see (supposedly) how his feet land as he runs at 3:11

Yes, but it's also interesting that he's chosen to wear modern shoes.

Re: Barefoot Running

#23

Post by sketerpot »

unignorant wrote: post #3
kebaman wrote: post #2

Since high school cross country in the 1970's, we were told the proper distance running form is rolling heal-to-toe, while for the short distance sprinters the form is to land on toes or the balls of the feet. This could be one of those shockers where something I've learned turns out to be false. Still, I'm still finding it hard to imagine running, say, ten miles by landing on the front part of the foot and not the h…

There is a great deal of evidence that humans not only can run long distances, but have evolved to do so. The idea is that before primitive weapons (bow and arrow or whatnot), this is how we caught food -- by simply running it down. From other sources: "Biomechanical research reveals a surprising key to the survival of our species: Humans are built to outrun nearly every other animal on the planet over long distances…

In other words, we are the Terminators of the animal kingdom: we just keep on coming when any reasonable animal would be collapsing of exhaustion.

Re: Barefoot Running

#24

Post by grannyg00se »

I've run with Vibram originals on asphalt and also run sock-footed on a treadmill almost daily. At some point everything clicked, and I felt like all of my lower body joints were built to run this way. There was a fluidity, and an optimization of movement that seemed to kick in. Upper body movement is reduced, posture is improved, and overall strain is reduced.

And yes, the first few times my calves felt like they were going to explode. Very sore and stiff. I would wake up and nearly fall to the ground when I tried to walk. After a few weeks this problem went away.

Re: Barefoot Running

#25

Post by gomer »

teye wrote: post #8

Nature is one of the top scientific journals out there -- awesome to see them covering barefoot. I've been wearing Vibram Five Fingers and running on the fore- and mid-foot for about two years. Running barefoot and landing on your heel jars your entire body (knees in particular) and isn't sustainable for long distances. Cavemen certainly didn't run this way, and we haven't evolved fast enough for our optimal mechanis…

I really want to start running in this barefoot style but I am having trouble knowing if I am using a proper technique. I know it is mostly about landing on your ball or just below it but that is about the extent of my understanding. Could you provide any resources?

Re: Barefoot Running

#26

Post by grannyg00se »

gomer wrote: post #25
teye wrote: post #8

Nature is one of the top scientific journals out there -- awesome to see them covering barefoot. I've been wearing Vibram Five Fingers and running on the fore- and mid-foot for about two years. Running barefoot and landing on your heel jars your entire body (knees in particular) and isn't sustainable for long distances. Cavemen certainly didn't run this way, and we haven't evolved fast enough for our optimal mechanis…

I really want to start running in this barefoot style but I am having trouble knowing if I am using a proper technique. I know it is mostly about landing on your ball or just below it but that is about the extent of my understanding. Could you provide any resources?

The way to get to the proper technique is to continually reduce stress and energy waste.

For example, you start off landing heel first, and realize that when you do that, you can't effectively soften the landing and your heel hurts. So you land on the ball of your big toe. This allows the entire foot-ankle system to act as the initial shock absorber.

After that you realize the ball of your big toe might start hurting, so you adjust your foot so that you land with even pressure across the balls of all toes.

Then you learn to land with knees a little more bent.

Then you learn to reduce unnecessary vertical energy transfer.

Then you learn to balance your upper body in the proper position ...and so on until you can't figure out a way to reduce stress or energy waste any further.

If you've optimized for stress reduction and energy, you'll have nailed the perfect form for your given joint and muscle structure.

I broke my right ankle pretty badly (not from running) many years ago, and for that reason the positioning of my right foot when I land is slightly different than for my left foot. This is because the joint structure is different between both ankles.

Re: Barefoot Running

#27

Post by TrevorJ »

I can best describe running barefoot as feeling very very fleet on your feet. running on the balls of your feet feels fast, very very fast.

edit: grammar.

Re: Barefoot Running

#28

Post by lmkg »

dpapathanasiou wrote: post #21
mbrubeck wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No less anecdotal, but the classic "Real Programmers Don't Eat Quiche" includes: "Real Programmers don't play tennis, or any other sport which requires a change of clothes. Mountain Climbing is acceptable. Real Programmers wear climbing boots to work in case a mountain should suddenly spring up in the middle of the machine room." http://www.lib.ru/ANEKDOTY/quiche.txt

Not funny if intended as a joke, and ridiculous otherwise. More dumb stereotyping.

It's a riff on Real Men Don't Eat Quiche, and if it's in the same spirit, it's self-satirizing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Men_Dont_Eat_Quiche

Re: Barefoot Running

#29

Post by ekanes »

volare wrote: post #22
ekanes wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow. That was amazing, thanks for the link. Note that you can see (supposedly) how his feet land as he runs at 3:11

Yes, but it's also interesting that he's chosen to wear modern shoes.

Agreed. My guess is the shoes broaden his foot and make it easier to run on sandy and unstable surfaces.

Re: Barefoot Running

#30

Post by mapleoin »

mbrubeck wrote: post #16
baltoo wrote: post #12

I feel that there seems to be a, albeit perhaps weak, correlation between hackers/geeks and some kinds of physical activity. Mostly I'm thinking of running and mountain climbing. While of course I'm biased and base my observations upon the plural of anecdote, I still find this observation to hold true. I could of course hazard some kind of guess to why, but more interestingly, I think, would be if there was any kind…

No less anecdotal, but the classic "Real Programmers Don't Eat Quiche" includes: "Real Programmers don't play tennis, or any other sport which requires a change of clothes. Mountain Climbing is acceptable. Real Programmers wear climbing boots to work in case a mountain should suddenly spring up in the middle of the machine room." http://www.lib.ru/ANEKDOTY/quiche.txt

I wear mountain boots all the time for that exact reason!
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