Comments on: Barefoot Running – The Real Deal or Just a Fad?

By: Amelia

Amelia — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:42:15 +0000

I am a cross country runner for my college. I have had knee issues since I started running about four years ago, so when I heard about Vibram Five Fingers I wanted to try it out. I have started out slow with them, but I can already tell a difference in not only my running but also my posture when walking. I have been able to run more consecutive workouts with my team than I have in two and a half years. I hope this continues to improve and I know my coach is happy to see it too Thank you for the website, it has alot of useful information.

Thanks,
Amelia

By: 35 Ways to Become a Better Runner | MadeToRun

35 Ways to Become a Better Runner | MadeToRun — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:26:11 +0000

[...] shoes. The rule of thumb should be whatever works for you. As was pointed out in this article about barefoot running, the concept of a running shoe can vary widely from person to person. Bottom line though is that [...]

By: Andy Johns

Andy Johns — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:01:50 +0000

Personally I would recommend building a base fitness level first. Start running with shoes and begin with 2-3 mile runs 2-3 times per week. Once that gets relatively easy to do, then I would scale that up slowly each week until you can do two 5 mile runs per week and 1 longer run (say, about 8-10 miles).

At that point I feel you would have a solid foundation to start experimenting with. If you want to try barefoot I would begin on a soft surface such as a smooth grass field. At first you should try running a few hundred meters at a time and get used to the barefoot feeling. Naturally your stride should align itself a bit better because you’ll organically start forefoot striking instead of heel striking. Focus on keeping your back and hips upright, landing gently and quickly on the ball of the foot, and with a high cadence (at least 90-120 rotations/minute). Over time try stretching out the distance you run barefoot and vary the surfaces as well.

The best advice I can give is start slow and listen to your body. If your feet start to hurt, then stop and go back to shoes. If they ache a bit but otherwise recover quickly then keep at it and follow the natural progression that your body indicates you should follow. Some runners transition to barefoot in a couple of weeks. Others it may take a year or more.

By: Brady

Brady — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:43:59 +0000

When do you think it is appropriate to start barefoot running? Should I first get in good shape and then transition?

I’ve had problems with my bio-mechanics and wonder if getting back into shape via barefoot running may work for me.

By: Andy Johns

Andy Johns — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:49:56 +0000

Thanks for the feedback David. I’d be happy to try out some of your products once they are available to the public and write reviews on them. Barefooting is a very interesting subject so I plan on talking about it more on this site in the future!

By: David

David — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:46:33 +0000

Hi Andy,

Great post on barefoot/natural running on the 18th. Fantastic blog and writing!

I too suffered from an IT band injury which served as my catalyst in discovering barefooting back in 2002. Barefoot is best, but not always practical. Welcome, Skora (translates to ’skin’ or ‘leather’ in Polish)

I’m boostrapping this startup with the single mission of helping runners stay healthy and injury-free. Skora footwear intends to shift the paradigm of what constitutes running shoe design and use.

Thanks for mentioning Skora, and let’s stay in touch.

Regards,

David Sypniewski

Owner/Editor, barefootrunner.com | http://www.barefootrunner.com
Founder, Skora Athletics, LLC | http://www.skorashop.com