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The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

runningshoescore.com

91–100 of 211 posts

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#91
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you need an explanation of why the touch of another human would be obviously beneficial? I find walking on bare dirt or earth to be similar. I think experiencing is believing.

I think the need for an explanation/citation scales relative to how common a given anecdotal experience is. I’ve spent plenty of time walking barefoot outside but apparently have not experienced what people here are claiming. Not saying no one can/does, but at the very least the experience doesn’t seem to be universal.

Definitely there are studies about that, for example: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11211751/

>but apparently have not experienced what people here are claiming

Or you did have experience it just did not notice. The problem with experiential comparisons is that different people have different levels of sensitivity and attention. So just because you didn't feel it consciously doesn't mean you did not benefit from it.

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#92

The article is not telling what happened after the hysteria. This movement settled and manifested to a "natural running" idea. We now have Altra, Topo Athletic, Hoka, Invo8 and others, offering shoes with more or less flat soles. Encouraging you to run with a natural running pose. This does not mean cushioning wouldn't be allowed.

This. Shoes are meaningless, pose, stride, biomechanical process.

If this were the case why don't we see more Olympians running in vibrams?

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#93
post #83

Seems we've attracted all the barefoot runners in this thread and none of the common-footed people... Anyways, I'll add my experience with barefoot running: - Forefoot/midfoot strike is the most important takeaway. Heel strikes are for walking (slow, low-impact), not running (faster, higher-impact). - I used to get shin splints from sports like soccer and basketball. But as long as I do some barefoot jogging (1-2x/we…

I'm in a very similar boat. I never went in for the full-on barefoot running, but did jump in on the Vibram 5 fingers bandwagon (still love them), and even today prefer minimalist shoes.

The switch to forefoot striking helped me a lot with pain in my knees, with my tendons getting inflamed. The trade-off was inflamed Achilles tendons, and occasionally the plantar fascia. It was a great trade-off.

Running in VFF's is awesome - so light, free, etc. Better on grass than pavement for sure. Because of my stride, I'm prone to blisters on my pads behind my pinky toes, so I would really burn through the VFF's in ways I don't with minimalist shoes, hence the switch. VFF's are also stinky, even when you've got lots of toe socks to help with moisture. (Those socks would develop holes even faster than the shoes)

All in all, I thought the toe shoes were awesome. If I was still super into running, I'd probably only wear them on race days.

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#94
post #13

i started and ran a barefoot running club back then. it doesn't make your foot stronger. but you do learn to put up with pain. i did real no shoe barefoot running and pushed most people to try that. it did have an effect; no more twisted ankles. i got them quite often and never after 3 months of no shoes. there was a kid who eventually played d1 ball who joined because he had 'bad ankles' and still credits me for sol…

I argue that doing any sport would help with the bad ankles. For me it worked, for kid it worked, so I have two data points to offer. Of course if you have them and want to get into real performance sports you'll still need ankle support, but for the daily life this got us fixed.

> any sport would help with the bad ankles

Futsal will destroy them.

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#96

If you were a red-blooded progressive maker-type of person in 2010, and you read Born to Run and didn't immediately go out and buy a pair of Vibram 5 Fingers, I really have to wonder if we're going to get along. Never use the shoes anymore but that book has made me a healthier human for sure.

What a wild take.

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#97
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a couple of years, there was this barefoot guy who commuted on the same train as me to work. No matter the season, always barefoot. I must say, purely from a hygiene perspective, it felt uncomfortable looking at his feet. They were dirty and dusty in the same way shoes would pick up dirt. What do your feet look like today ? Honest question.

I agree it shocks at first, but shoes are even dirtier as people don't wash them daily as they would with their feet.

That's one of the reasons why you generally don't go to bed with shoes on (and why most people take off their shoes when coming home). If you don't use shoes however, I guess you probably have to wash your feet when you come home?

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#98

I read Born to Run and loved it. I never did the barefoot running thing. I just started running. That was four years ago. Weight is down. BP is down. A1C in the middle of normal. It’s done wonders. There’s a passage in there about how humans have evolved to run that’s fascinating. Made me realize maybe we are naturals at running.

Was is David Attenborough's "Planet Earth"? There was a bit about a tribe that hunt antelope or some other kind of herd animal. After separating one from the herd, the human eventually "outruns" it. Not in speed but just tenacity, endurance — the animal eventually collapses. Blew my mind that we could do that.

It's possible it's in both places. In the book there is a passage, "if you can run six miles on a summer day then you, my friend, are a lethal weapon in the animal kingdom. We can dump heat on the run, but animals can’t pant while they gallop."

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#99
post #57

The article is not telling what happened after the hysteria. This movement settled and manifested to a "natural running" idea. We now have Altra, Topo Athletic, Hoka, Invo8 and others, offering shoes with more or less flat soles. Encouraging you to run with a natural running pose. This does not mean cushioning wouldn't be allowed.

a really high percentage of the runners i see out i the street are forefoot striking in zero drops - clearly that's not barefoot but i'd also question whether you can call it 'short lived'

My impression is that most women strike well forward on the foot, no matter what shoes they wear.

Re: The Great Barefoot Running Hysteria of 2010

#100
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree it shocks at first, but shoes are even dirtier as people don't wash them daily as they would with their feet.

yes, but you probably also won't wash your feet several times a day going in / out?

You do. Most barefoot folk I know thoroughly scrub their feet first thing when they get home in the evening.
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