Barefoot Running tips PLEASE!!

Walk every day, whether you run or not.

Get plenty of rest between runs.

Once you are walking a set distance each day, run as much of it as you can and then walk the rest.

Keep increasing the distance you run a little bit each time.

Run as much as you can taking only minimal ten or twenty second walking breaks.

When you can run the entire path without stopping, find a new path.

Spend a few minutes running on a golf course (or other nicely groomed gassy area) or on the treadmill.

As others mentioned, you must ease into it.

Yeah I would get comfortable running with the vibrams first before making the switch. Once you have a comfortable pace there transition slowly to barefoot. It's going to take some time and some muscle soreness don't try to go all out at once because it takes some time to really get comfortable with it

Running barefoot? I never really thought of it. I would have thought the risk of injury would be high due to foreign or sharp objects but perhaps not given some of the other posts. As for me? I'll stick with a good pair of running shoes when my weight is down far enough to run seriously again.

I was new to running (still consider myself a newbie, honestly) and started in vibrams. I thought I was going slowly and easing into it. I'd been walking in them, wearing them to zumba and crossfit, running very short intervals and *still* ended up hurting my ankles. I was training for my first half-marathon and ended up buying some Asics so that I could keep to my training schedule.

I still want to run minimal/barefoot eventually, but am now working my way into it at a snails pace - it's going much better now. And I'm glad I have the Asics to alternate with.

I will say.... the way my calves have reshaped is pretty awesome. :-)

Just go super-duper slow and allow your body to adjust. An ice foot bath will help when you're increasing distances, too.

Run on the front pads of your feet and NOT on the back part.

This is really hard. I've been trying to do this (even in my stabilising joggers) and I feel kind of ridiculous. I'm going to stick with it, but am I the only one who finds this tricky?

Like TrailAddict said, running barefoot forces you to do this because it hurts too much to strike heel first. I thought I was doing pretty good until I started using Vibrams. It helps if your feet are landing just behind or directly underneath your center of gravity.

To the OP, do some research on proper running form. "Chi Running" by Dreyer helped me out a lot. Work on your form first, then add distance, then add speed.

That's a cute dog!

ok dont laugh at me but why are you running barefoot? Does it help with training or something? just curious...

Run on the front pads of your feet and NOT on the back part.

This is really hard. I've been trying to do this (even in my stabilising joggers) and I feel kind of ridiculous. I'm going to stick with it, but am I the only one who finds this tricky?

Yeah it feels silly at first, but you get used to it. I read somewhere to imagine your child has run out into the street and you have to run down the gravelly driveway in your bare feet to rescue him, and it clicks you back into proper stance if you're struggling with it.

I bought myself a pair of Vibram Komodosports (whichever ones have the laces, I'm not sure if that's the LS or not tbh) for a graduation/early birthday present and I've found that wearing them everyday gets you started well. I haven't started running in them yet, but I'm starting c25k monday in them. I wore them all last week doing VBC at my church chasing after 68 k-5th graders and being on my feet from 9-5, mostly standing because I was helping with music. I've found that my toes have spread, the bunion on my right big toe that had been getting worse for the last few years was going away, my ankles are stronger, and the bunions on both my little toes are going away. Also, my toes are straightening out. I did ballet from k-7th grade and spent all of high school doing musicals, and I've been overweight my whole life, so I pretty much LIVED in first position, as well as in flip flops whenever I wasn't in dance shoes or dress shoes. (part of being a floridian) Now I pretty much wear toms and my vibrams unless I have to wear dress shoes for something, and then I bring the shoes with me and only put them on for as long as I have to. Seems to be working out well for me. I'd say don't just run, probably your ankles and outer leg muscles need some attention as well if you're anything like me. Mine were desperately underdeveloped, which caused my whole posture to be out of alignment. Stand on one foot (using something for balance) barefoot or in vibrams for 60 seconds. Your ankle may wobble a bit, just make sure your knee is facing straight ahead, not locked, directly under your hip, ankle should be directly under your knee, foot straight forward. shake that one out and repeat. Also, squats and lunges. Make sure to concentrate on how your knees, ankles and feet are aligned with your hips. You're essentially retraining the muscles that have been overcompensated for to do the crap they should be doing. It's called "body mapping". If you've heard of Alexander Technique (which is very popular in the music world, and oddly related to the pilates world...and modern dance, where they point feet straight forward and not out) it's all about making sure things go where they are naturally designed to go. You may find that your habits want to prevail, because it feels weird, but it will be this odd war, your body wants to do what it should do once it has felt it. (does that make any sense at all?) Basically, don't forget to work the macro muscles in your legs, and the tiny little micro muscles in your ankles outside of your runs and walks. And streeeetch.

but I cannot see how one could run that way on pavement, at least how you could run fast.

Actually it's a lot comfier than you'd think! I'm a Vibram girl, not quite barefoot, but I find that when I run on pavement it forces me to remember to be light on my feet, and focus on lifting my feet as opposed to pounding the ground. I find it more painful to walk than jog on pavement, actually. :-)