Vibram fivefingers

I have plenty of friends who use them to run and workout in. I am tempted to get some myself but they are sinfully ugly to me..

My boyfriend wears them constantly and runs in them all the time... He absolutely LOVES them!! The only small complaint I have even heard him say is that on longer runs it hurts a bit because of no padding but he'll run 10+ miles without batting an eye...


Good luck to you@

I really want to get a pair!! I think they are super cute! plus I've heard they help with posture & mine is the worst!

Have you read "Born To Run"? If not, it might answer some of your questions. The author of that book has since changed his opinion a little bit. He was formerly more of a proponent of 5-finger shoes but has since converted completely to barefoot running. There's interesting information out there about it. Some of it is pretty convincing. I haven't run long distances in my Vibrams. But I have noticed that when I do run in them, my knees hurt less than when I run in my running shoes. So, that makes me feel good about continuing to wear them.

it's not so much the looks of the "shoe" it's the fact that there is no padding that freaks me out! OUch! They look like they would hurt to run in!

There have been people having issues with them for half and full marathons because you're running on concrete. I'm going to see if I can find the article where a runner told some of the issues he had.

YAY! didn't think I would find it that quick.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2011/01/09/youre_crazy/

Even the Kenyans thought he was nuts

I use them for jogging. It's all I've been wearing for working out since I started at the end of March. I'll be doing my first 5k in two weeks and first 10k at the end of Aug wearing them.

I am still trying to work out my technique since I believe landing on your heel is not the best with these on. I'm working on landing further up my foot.

I absolutely love my Vibrams!

Whether they're a good idea or not depends largely on medical conditions. For most people without foot conditions in which being barefoot is detrimental (high arches, fallen arches, etc), then it's not recommended, at least without consulting a doctor.

If you don't have a medical condition that prevents you from walking barefoot, then Vibrams are just fine! The key is to make sure your running/walking form is correct. If you walk like you're in padded tennis shoes, then you're going to be hurting really quickly. However, if you walk like you're supposed to (soft, mid-foot strike), then you should be fine. So many people run barefoot or in Vibrans like they do in other shoes (hard, heel strike) and then wonder why they're in pain.

It can also take a while to build the muscles and endurance, so you also can't slap on a pair of Vibrams after a lifetime of running in thick running shoes and expect to run the same distance at the same speed right away.

I absolutely love my Vibrams!

Whether they're a good idea or not depends largely on medical conditions. For most people without foot conditions in which being barefoot is detrimental (high arches, fallen arches, etc), then it's not recommended, at least without consulting a doctor.

If you don't have a medical condition that prevents you from walking barefoot, then Vibrams are just fine! The key is to make sure your running/walking form is correct. If you walk like you're in padded tennis shoes, then you're going to be hurting really quickly. However, if you walk like you're supposed to (soft, mid-foot strike), then you should be fine. So many people run barefoot or in Vibrans like they do in other shoes (hard, heel strike) and then wonder why they're in pain.

It can also take a while to build the muscles and endurance, so you also can't slap on a pair of Vibrams after a lifetime of running in thick running shoes and expect to run the same distance at the same speed right away.

haha this wasnt posted yet when I started my reply.. good to know though. Thanks

I absolutely love my Vibrams!

Whether they're a good idea or not depends largely on medical conditions. For most people without foot conditions in which being barefoot is detrimental (high arches, fallen arches, etc), then it's not recommended, at least without consulting a doctor.

If you don't have a medical condition that prevents you from walking barefoot, then Vibrams are just fine! The key is to make sure your running/walking form is correct. If you walk like you're in padded tennis shoes, then you're going to be hurting really quickly. However, if you walk like you're supposed to (soft, mid-foot strike), then you should be fine. So many people run barefoot or in Vibrans like they do in other shoes (hard, heel strike) and then wonder why they're in pain.

It can also take a while to build the muscles and endurance, so you also can't slap on a pair of Vibrams after a lifetime of running in thick running shoes and expect to run the same distance at the same speed right away.

haha this wasnt posted yet when I started my reply.. good to know though. Thanks

Honestly, I've seen stuff from both sides. Some people say it's helped with the arch problems (it forces you to strengthen parts of your feet that don't get used in other shoes), while others say it makes them worse. Ultimately, you're probably best off talking to a doctor (or three) and gauging by how you do walking around barefoot around the house.

i want them so badly! so many of my crew teammates have them and love them, im just saving up the money now!

There have been people having issues with them for half and full marathons because you're running on concrete. I'm going to see if I can find the article where a runner told some of the issues he had.

YAY! didn't think I would find it that quick.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2011/01/09/youre_crazy/

Even the Kenyans thought he was nuts

Honestly, it sounds like the author ignored an injury that had been forming for some time. Had he not, things may have turned out differently. It's not really much different than getting a stress fracture in any other footwear.

The author also doesn't mention how long he trained and whether he did so properly. As I mentioned before, so many people seem to think they can just put them on and run the distance, speed, and (most important...and detrimental of all) way they did in other shoes, when you simply can't do that, and I think that's the main problem with this "rash" of injuries associated with the shoes.

I think his mindset reflect that attitude ("I can just put these on and I'll be golden, even without proper training.") when he complained about the issues he had with the rocks and other ground clutter. Part of running barefoot or in minimalist shoes is being aware of your environment and knowing where, and on what, your feet are going to land.

I have a pair and I'm in the process of breaking my in. I guess I'm in the "keep pushing" phase, because right now after I run for awhile, my shins start BURNING. I don't say that to scare anyone away, but I think I'm still learning how to run correctly (form wise).

I'm going to keep with it though. I will say that I have significantly decreased my run time.

Selena

How far and how fast are you running? If you're trying to go the distance and speed that you did in your old shoes, you're more likely to hurt yourself, especially if your form is wrong.

Remember -start out slower and for shorter distances and slowly build your way back up. You're using a lot of muscles that haven't been used before (or haven't been used the way they are now), you also have a lot less cushioning than what you had before, so poor form will be more likely to hurt you.

I can't wait to get some... I've been running barefoot for a few weeks, and I love it. I'll keep going fully barefoot, but I want them for trail races and for when it starts getting too chilly to go without something on my feet.