Barefoot/Minimalist Running
OldAssDude
Posts: 1,436 Member
Has anyone tried this?
I find it very interesting, and want to slowly integrate this into my training.
I find it very interesting, and want to slowly integrate this into my training.
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Replies
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I trail run in minimalist shoes. Can't do it on asphalt though. I would suggest starting out very slowly, 1-2 minutes at a time, after your regular runs, on grass at first. Gradually adding an extra minute per week. Transition to the track and then asphalt.4
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I hurt both of my Achilles running and working out in minimalistic shoes. It took forever for them to heal. I loved the freedom of no socks in the summer and how lightweight they are. Now, they are my river shoes ONLY. : (4
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OldAssDude wrote: »Has anyone tried this?
I find it very interesting, and want to slowly integrate this into my training.
What are you hoping to gain from trying it?
Do you mean minimal protection or zero drop shoes? Barefoot/ minimal can mean a range of different things.1 -
I tried barefoot once on paved road, it hurts.
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Roadrunner sports has custom insoles. When I started running a while back I used those at first. I have been told minimalist shoes are not good for people with high arches or particularly flat feet...2
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YES!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!2
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I have a dream to run a 5k barefoot on lush grass...5
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Sounds good on a beach.
On hard surfaces I'm not sure.6 -
I did it for a while to fix my overstride. I was having a lot of hip and knee pain. I ran barefoot for a while, but kept stubbing my toes, so switched to minimalist — just a rubber outsole, no padding. Now that my new stride is habitual and the pain is gone, I’ve increased to a zero-lift shoe with just a little padding.
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I just read the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, and I’m thinking about it. But first I know I need to relearn how I’m using my legs and feet; training with incline to walk on the balls of my feet and occasionally running with that in mind. But all in my same old shoes; as my feet and calves get conditioned, my shoes will slowly lose cushioning which will provide a slow transition. My arches are already getting higher, I’ve always had flat feet, and I can run faster than I ever could before. It feels more natural than the heavy heel strike type running that I’ve done for too long.7
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »OldAssDude wrote: »Has anyone tried this?
I find it very interesting, and want to slowly integrate this into my training.
What are you hoping to gain from trying it?
Do you mean minimal protection or zero drop shoes? Barefoot/ minimal can mean a range of different things.
This.
I've transitioned to minimalist footwear for almost everything I do. Most of my shoes are zero drop and minimal to no cushioning. I do have some trail shoes that are cushioned a little and up to a 3mm drop. With respect to my form, the transition was rather easy as I wasn't much of a heel striker. I did need to build up the small muscles and tendons etc of my foot and lower leg. That took time and I didn't rush things. It's been about 5-6 years since I've made the switch.4 -
I tried it and eased into it as instructed but ended up with injuries to both ankles -- one healed very quickly the other took months and I did Bikram yoga for most of a year to get it back into shape. I've discovered that I tend to run better in cushioned footwear (Hoka's) vs. minimalist types.2
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »OldAssDude wrote: »Has anyone tried this?
I find it very interesting, and want to slowly integrate this into my training.
What are you hoping to gain from trying it?
Do you mean minimal protection or zero drop shoes? Barefoot/ minimal can mean a range of different things.
Well, I'm old (60), and was obese and at a very poor fitness level 3 years ago. I started walking every day, then started power walking. i did that for a couple years but started finding that i could not get my heart rate up enough just from power walking any more so i started adding run intervals into my power walks. Could only run for about 30 seconds to start, and over the past year can run about 5 miles at a slow pace.
I am pretty much a heel striker, so i have many pairs of quality running shoes to try and prevent injuries. I have not injured myself yet, and my joints feel a lot stronger than they used to, but on the other hand i do feel the stress in all my joints when running with a heel strike. I do work on my form and recently had an evaluation done at a running store. They said i was fine and am suited for neutral shoes (which i kinda knew).
I have been reading about barefoot/minimal running for a while now, and yesterday i decided to add it into my power walk. I did 1 minute running (forefoot strike) and 3 minute walk intervals over a distance of 3 miles. I wore my Alta Escalante's (0 drop, fairly minimal) for this. during the run intervals i focused on short strides, forefoot strike without feeling like i was sliding forward in the shoe, and letting the muscles in my lower legs & feet do the work or absorbing the impact rather than my joints. I did not seem to feel the stress on my joints that i normally felt, but i could really feel the muscles.
What i am hoping to gain from this is to slowly transition into minimal 0 drop shoes and a forefoot strike form of running. Don't know if i want to go as extreme as barefoot running, but i do feel that this style of running has some serious merit.
I plan on taking the same approach as i did when i started running. starting at minute intervals and increasing as i develop.
I have a pair of Merrell Trail Glove 3's, and have just ordered a pair of Xero Prio's.
As i said, i have not injured myself yet, but i can feel the stress on my joints and even though i feel my joints are getting stronger, i still wonder about the long term effects.
I know that you know a lot about running, so any tips would be greatly appreciated.4 -
You should really talk to an podiatrist if you have issues with your feet. I personally think running barefoot is pretty stupid and a GREAT way to hurt yourself.14
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You don't need to run barefoot or in minimalist shoes to transition to mid or forefoot running, especially if you need some stability correction in your gait. Cushioned footwear can compensate for stride faults but it won't get in the way if you want to make changes.
Keep in mind that you don't really need to transition away from heel striking at all if overstriding isn't an issue for you. Where you land on your foot doesn't matter, what matters is where your foot lands relative to the rest of your body and how you absorb the impact of landing with the big muscles in your legs.1 -
I've done 0 drop for years now (both on trail and road) but they have some cushion. While my wife does minimalist I personally can't handle it. I tried it out for a few months and could never get used to the transition so I went back to my 0 drops. I made the change to correct overstriding issues and it really helped me out, it also helped with toe grip/strength which I didn't even know I needed to work on.
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Only serious injury I ever had from running was when I tried to transition to a minimalist shoe. Maybe I went too fast, but it scared me off.
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I've done 0 drop for years now (both on trail and road) but they have some cushion. While my wife does minimalist I personally can't handle it. I tried it out for a few months and could never get used to the transition so I went back to my 0 drops. I made the change to correct overstriding issues and it really helped me out, it also helped with toe grip/strength which I didn't even know I needed to work on.
I was going to make a similar point.
Zero/low drop shoes are pretty common, and you don't need to go full-on minimal to get them. Zero drop + a little cushion could be a good happy medium for you, at least while you transition.3 -
The author of "Born to Run" is a big pusher of barefoot running, but almost everything he did was trail running (and that seems supported by the comments here).
I would consider it for trail or cross-country, not for pavement, although I always see a handful of people in my races running barefoot on pavement, even in a half marathon.3 -
My "fitted in the running store" shoes were highly-cushioned and had about 10mm drop. I hated them. I bought some Merrell Bare Access Arc 3's (sadly discontinued) and declared that they were Magic Shoes. I am still overweight, I probably heel-strike, and I wear those minimally padded, zero-drop shoes even for marathons. On pavement. Last year, I decided it would be nice to try some cushioned shoes, and the running store fitted me in some Brooks Glycerins (12's, I think) that are ok for short runs, but after about 6 miles they shred my ankles where I rub when the cushioning does it's job. I gave up. I wear those for walking. I don't know what I'll do when my Merrell's wear out - thankfully, since they don't really do cushioning, will be when the rubber is all worn off the soles.2
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OldAssDude wrote: »
What i am hoping to gain from this is to slowly transition into minimal 0 drop shoes and a forefoot strike form of running. Don't know if i want to go as extreme as barefoot running, but i do feel that this style of running has some serious merit.
I plan on taking the same approach as i did when i started running. starting at minute intervals and increasing as i develop.
That's clear, thank you. It sounds like it's more the forefoot gait aspect, than minimalist shoes?
Much of what I've read on the subject is inconclusive on the value. A forefoot or midfoot gait can help alleviate shin pain, but it can transfer the stresses to the Achilles, increasing the risk of tendonopathy, or calf tears. I'd also highlight that some work, albeit with a small sample size, suggests that most people heel strike when fatigued, regardless of how they start.
Notwithstanding that, you've got the right approach. Build up to it using an interval approach, but be very conscious of how the back of your lower leg is responding.
Fwiw I'm comfortable up to marathon in a 4mm shoe with either no, or negligible, cushioning. Zero drop leaves me with Achilles sensitivity. Going beyond marathon is generally wear something with a little more cushioning, but sticking with the 4mm. As I largely trail run that means I've got far more control of the run, and good ground feel.
Personally I found most value concentrating on where I plant my foot, rather than how. Concentrating on high cadence and landing under my centre of mass tended to lead to a more forward footstrike.
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thank you all for the great responses.
my take so far is that i feel there is a great deal of merit to this. it just makes a lot of sense to me, and i can definitely feel the difference between the joint stress of heel striking and the muscular stress of forefoot striking. Also being able to feel the ground, and my brain being able to interpret that and adjust my form better.
i think that people who have tried this and injured themselves did too much too fast, and then just chalked it up to another fad that don't work.
don't know if i will go to the extreme of running barefoot on asphalt, but i am definitely going to slowly work my way into minimal and forefoot strike. it's kinda like starting over again, but i think it will pay off in the long run.
get it?
long run?
i did my second run today and did 1/4 x 11 over a 3.85 mile distance. the run intervals where about a 10:00/mi. pace.
i feel no joint stress as i do heel striking, but i do feel the muscular stress. just knowing that the mechanics of the foot pivoting and allowing them to take the shock rather than sending it up through the joints should make enough sense to realize that his is a real thing. I would even go as far as to say it could rehabilitate the foot.
JMHO4 -
I ran barefoot for a while about 18 years ago. I really loved the minimal shock to the joints, and the lighter than air feeling. I tried to ease into it, but wound up injured from doing barefoot speed work at the track (duh). That was a tendon injury that took quite a while to heal. I'd had flat feet to begin with, and this tendon was located in (or attached to?) the arch.
I never really went back to barefoot running, but did some in minimalist shoes. Now, I'm back to regular running shoes. But, I will say that after doing a LOT of barefoot walking on my treadmill desk, my arches are now more in the normal range, such that I'm no longer flat footed. I can wear lighter running shoes with less support (was using Brooks Ariel at one point).
I think the bottom line is--our feet have gotten used to many years of walking/running with support and heel striking. Switching to barefoot/minimalist running requires a very gradual increase, and lots of caution. Over time, your feet should adjust, just take it slooow. That's been my experience, anyway. Good luck!2 -
I run barefoot, trail and pavement. I tried it out of desperation because I got terrible shin splints when I ran in shoes. I figured if my ancestors could run that way, then I could too. I mean, there was life before Nike, right? It worked... no more shin splints! Been running barefoot for over 3 years now (probably closer to 4 years) and I find it so fun that I’ll never give it up. If conditions are not ideal, I wear 4mm zero drop Xero sandals. I’ve put over 2,000 miles on a single pair of sandals and they are STILL going (yes, that’s 2,000). Actually my least favorite surface to run on is grass because of the lack of visibility, foot placement can be an issue. I’ve had some of the same problems as runners in shoes. I’ve had tendonitis, overuse injuries, ankle sprains, etc. I have NOT had black-toenails, knee or hip pain or any more shin splints. People tend to think that just because running barefoot is “natural” that it should come easily and have no complications to overcome. On the contrary, the feet you are starting out with have been atrophied from years of shoe-wearing so it will take much longer to adapt to what SHOULD have come naturally. It will take time to adapt, just like any new exercise. No one starts out simply picking up 500 pound weights, they have to build up to it gradually over time. Same thing with barefooting. I’d say it took me about a year to really grasp it, and I started out sedentary and flat footed (after a year I developed a strong arch which I attribute to strengthening the connective tissues through barefoot running and hiking). It’s like anything in life, there are benefits and risks. For me, the benefits outweigh the risks... I feel I’ve gained better stability on my feet in general, my posture has improved immensely, I save a ton of money on shoes since I hear that regular running shoes need to be retired after a few hundred miles and best of all I find it extremely FUN! I feel like a kid again! It may not be for everyone but it’s really worked for me and I’ve actually helped 3 other people I know transition to barefooting
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No, and I never will. And yes, I do have a slight heel strike and no I don't give a rat's *kitten*. I like to have my achillies in one piece, thank you.
If you have no issues now, why introduce something that has the potential to cause issues????5 -
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I’m happy that the whole barefoot/minimalist fad has died down. Lawsuits have a way of dampening overenthusiasm. Running gait is something that has a lot of moving parts (pun intended). There is no one style that is suitable for everyone. Thankfully, most of those who find this type of running comfortable and helpful have found their stride, so to speak, and those who don’t have recovered from their injuries and moved on to what it best for them.
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OldAssDude wrote: »thank you all for the great responses.
my take so far is that i feel there is a great deal of merit to this. it just makes a lot of sense to me, and i can definitely feel the difference between the joint stress of heel striking and the muscular stress of forefoot striking. Also being able to feel the ground, and my brain being able to interpret that and adjust my form better.
i think that people who have tried this and injured themselves did too much too fast, and then just chalked it up to another fad that don't work.
don't know if i will go to the extreme of running barefoot on asphalt, but i am definitely going to slowly work my way into minimal and forefoot strike. it's kinda like starting over again, but i think it will pay off in the long run.
get it?
long run?
i did my second run today and did 1/4 x 11 over a 3.85 mile distance. the run intervals where about a 10:00/mi. pace.
i feel no joint stress as i do heel striking, but i do feel the muscular stress. just knowing that the mechanics of the foot pivoting and allowing them to take the shock rather than sending it up through the joints should make enough sense to realize that his is a real thing. I would even go as far as to say it could rehabilitate the foot.
JMHO
Just to be clear - heel vs. mid. vs. front is not the issue. The issue is your stride length. You are absolutely fine to heel strike as long as do not overstride. Heck, it's still very possible to overstride with fore or mid front running. The only difference would be where the injury shows up (knee vs. achilles).
Without arguing the necessity of the change, you are approaching it the right way. Just be careful with the switch. Dismissing those who got injured trying to change as "they weren't smart about how they did it" is dangerous and foolish.5 -
OldAssDude wrote: »thank you all for the great responses.
my take so far is that i feel there is a great deal of merit to this. it just makes a lot of sense to me, and i can definitely feel the difference between the joint stress of heel striking and the muscular stress of forefoot striking. Also being able to feel the ground, and my brain being able to interpret that and adjust my form better.
i think that people who have tried this and injured themselves did too much too fast, and then just chalked it up to another fad that don't work.
don't know if i will go to the extreme of running barefoot on asphalt, but i am definitely going to slowly work my way into minimal and forefoot strike. it's kinda like starting over again, but i think it will pay off in the long run.
get it?
long run?
i did my second run today and did 1/4 x 11 over a 3.85 mile distance. the run intervals where about a 10:00/mi. pace.
i feel no joint stress as i do heel striking, but i do feel the muscular stress. just knowing that the mechanics of the foot pivoting and allowing them to take the shock rather than sending it up through the joints should make enough sense to realize that his is a real thing. I would even go as far as to say it could rehabilitate the foot.
JMHO
Just to be clear - heel vs. mid. vs. front is not the issue. The issue is your stride length. You are absolutely fine to heel strike as long as do not overstride. Heck, it's still very possible to overstride with fore or mid front running. The only difference would be where the injury shows up (knee vs. achilles).
Without arguing the necessity of the change, you are approaching it the right way. Just be careful with the switch. Dismissing those who got injured trying to change as "they weren't smart about how they did it" is dangerous and foolish.
Has a kind of "the shoe didn't fail the runner, the runner failed the shoe!" ring to it.
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So, this has me curious. The shoes I've been using are Asics GT-1000, so pretty high stability and a 10mm drop.
What would be a comparable shoe, but maybe a mid drop? And what could the benefit be?1
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