Running in Vibrams

nicoleat1049
nicoleat1049 Posts: 18 Member
edited October 2 in Fitness and Exercise
I just went running in my Vibrams (komodos) for the 1st time, and I love them. I do okay maintaining a toe strike running pattern, but when I slow down to a brisk walk or jog, I feel myself start to heel strike again. I'm doing c25k so my running is going to involve some walking for awhile. Does anyone have advice on how to train myself to have the proper form at slower speeds?

Replies

  • inertiadriftsc
    inertiadriftsc Posts: 29
    Naturally, walk/slow jog is a different motion than running, the recommended way to do it is run a short distance in vibrams then switch to regular shoes and keep going. However, with C25K you can just walk and then start running again in the vibrams, the form is different for walk vs. run in regular shoes as well so it won't mess up the program :).
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    when you walk, you put your heel down and roll forward on your foot - at least, I do. Its not really heel STRIKING unless you are slamming your heel into the ground. So I wouldn't worry about it while walking - walking is low impact.
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 526 Member
    Yeah - what they said. It is ok to land heal first when walking... just DO NOT do it while running. Lol! How do you like them so far?? I loved my KSO's so much, I went out and got a pair of Jayla. I haven't run in them in a while though. I am palnning to get back to that probably next week.
  • nicoleat1049
    nicoleat1049 Posts: 18 Member
    I just got them, but I love them so far! I've just worn them around the house, but took them out for 1 3/4 miles today, and they were awesome. My toes are a little sore because I'm not used to having to use them when I run.

    Thanks for the advice. It makes sense that as long as I'm not pounding my feet into the ground when I'm walking, a heel strike probably won't hurt anything.
  • jjs22
    jjs22 Posts: 156
    I'm a non-runner just starting to check out barefoot/minimalist running. So far I've run barefoot twice (*very* small doses !) and I've worn my new pair of Vibrams a couple of times while out around town.

    While running, yeah its pretty automatic to not heel strike. It's called pain avoidance ! But for walking, it seems I always contact with my heel first. Landing ball-first feels really weird and unnatural, and probably looks pretty goofy as well.

    Like someone else mentioned, it seems like the main point is to walk with your heel contacting the ground first, but not STRIKING the ground. When you walk, one foot contacts the ground before the other one lifts up. All you need to do is transfer your weight from one foot to the other. And there's no limit to how gently you do this.

    With running, its the other way around : one foot leaves the ground before the other one has landed. You are literally "up in the air" for a moment. You cannot do this in slow motion ! So the big issue is how to "break your fall". The standard approach is to put a lot of padding under your foot and don't worry about it too much. The new (old !) thinking is to be very, very careful about how your foot contacts the ground (gently, gradually) and spreads the contact out over a large area.

    I saw someone ask if walking in VFFs was a good preparation for running in VFFs. Most of the answers were "yes, but not very much." Learning to walk gently is simple. Learning to run gently is a whole new (to us !) ballgame.
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