Barefoot at the gym, treadmill

No, it is not OK--just for basic sanitary reasons.

It's hard to imagine that being acceptable at any gym -- I know it wouldn't be permitted at ours.

The make toe sneakers so their more natural but they have warnings associated. They don't support your ankles like sneakers do. And if not properly stepping Canute cause worst damage

exactly ..i wouldnt want to be using the treadmill behind someone that isnt wearing shoes ..perhaps you can buy a pair of shoes that have the toes looking thingys ..do you know what i mean ....i would ask your gym first before doing that

I agree, but at the same time...I am wearing shoes, so I guess it wouldn't matter if I ran after someone who was barefoot...

Just get some Vibram FiveFingers shoes and you'll be good to go. They are great for strengthening foot muscles and mimic natural walking with the protection of a "shoe". They also help correct biomechanical problems, strengthen knee and lower leg muscles, and prevent injury due to postural and stride irregularities.

Also using a BOSU barefoot is gross, because people use those with their hands and arms, they are not just intended for standing on. Sorry, but it's true. I wouldn't want to be on a BOSU doing an elbow plank after someone stood on it barefoot. Gross gross gross.

lmao, I'm sorry but I can understand for legal reasons but not much else. If you're wearing shoes how in the world would it be a big deal to go after someone that is barefoot? I agree with the toe shoes though, my hubby has a pair of skeletoes and swears they've helped with knee pain. After the responses here I'm positive you would get the same in your gym!

Well, unless you are ONLY walking barefoot on the treadmill (taking your shoes off once you get on it) then it's a sanitary issue. Once you start walking around the gym floor, ESPECIALLY in areas where people stretch and are sitting on the floor, then your foot germs will get on the floor and others who are seated on the floor can pick them up... ick... public pools are different because generally people are in and out of the chlorine, helping minimize germs and whatnot. I know from experience that gym floors are not necessarily sanitized on a regular basis... eew, just the thought of doing a pushup on the floor in someone else's athlete's foot sweat is nasty.

FiveFingers can get smelly quickly (from all the FOOT SWEAT that I would not want to be touching on a BOSU!), but they are so easy to wash -- just run through the machine and sit out to dry. They helped tremendously with my knee issues.

I avoid gyms just for this reason. No way is it OK. Do you walk barefoot into the grocery store too? Read the book Barefoot Running, there are great ways to develop your feet w/o running barefoot on a treadmill. I'd suggest if this is really what you want to do, buy a treadmill at home and do it there.

No, it is not OK--just for basic sanitary reasons.

It's hard to imagine that being acceptable at any gym -- I know it wouldn't be permitted at ours.

This.

there are shoes that you can get that mimic the barefoot feeling. i have the new balance minimus and i love them

It might be a easy way to pick up MRSA and sometimes being careful is not enough..

Being a Personal Trainer, I know that the best way of training and developing muscles properly is going barefoot- I workout like this all the time at home.
It is a difficult thing in the gym because there are going to be a lot of people moan about the hygiene aspect. For this reason I would recommend you get the Vivo barefoot shoes too, they can just be shoved in the wash when they get stinky (what difference is it to trainers getting stinky- I have smelt some right stinkers in disgusting trainers at my gym- and also in that case- it's ok for people to be working out on the mats in their stinky trainers that have potentially trod in dog poo etc.??)
Most decent gyms I have ever been in have disinfectant sprays and tissue paper readily available to wipe down mats and equipment after you use them (if they don't, then ask them to get some)
Definitely keep up with barefoot as much as you can- definitely the way forward- well done!

Try getting those toe-shoes. They aren't exactly cheap ($100 for a mid-tier pair I believe) but they give many of the benefits of bare-foot running without the unnerving the other people who use the equipment.

I use the vibram five fingers because they are good for people who have flat feet. You can buy them here. It is like walking barefoot. You can go here to buy them http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm