5 Barefoot Running Hacks
Here are 5 shodless tips to help you on your barefooting journey. Some of these are not for the faint of heart; they will all produce results.
- Run a mile on gravel twice a week. Gravel is one of the most difficult surfaces to traverse barefoot. It requires light and agile steps, coupled with a relaxed attitude that embraces the discomfort. Since running barefoot is all about receiving feedback and making adjustments, an unforgiving surface provides the perfect recipe for maximum results. You may not make the mile the first time, or the second, or perhaps ever — but any time spent receiving such wonderful feedback is worthwhile.
- Travel everywhere barefoot. There was a time when walking barefoot in the store, at school, around the house didn’t even turn a head. In many countries, this is still the case. Unfortunately in most “developed” countries, barefooting makes you come across as a social pariah. If you live in the U.S. like I do, you are in one of the most anti-barefoot places in the world. This complicates the task of traversing your everyday barefoot. There are no laws against going barefoot in stores; unfortunately in the U.S. many stores will set dress codes of their own. Stores who claim their policy is based on Health Department laws are misinformed or simply lying. For example, the state I live in (Michigan) has this to say about being barefoot:
Some Michigan restaurants and supemarkets display the warning sign “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service – by order of the health department.” Although such signs may represent the attitude of store management, the requirement is not based upon any Michigan law. Michigan’s food safety standards address employees involved in food handling and do not regulate the attire of the customer.
In most places, it is also legal to drive barefoot. In Michigan for example, they specifically tell the police:
There is nothing in the Michigan Vehicle Code that prohibits barefoot driving. Careless or reckless driving would really be a stretch, as an argument could be made that a barefoot person has more control over the pedals.
Obviously a lot of my research is U.S. centric, since that’s where I live. I suspect if you do similar research for your area, you will find similar results. Know your rights and exercise them, no one will do it for you.
- Run on as many different surfaces as you can. Your body is built to adapt. Running on sidewalk, blacktop, gravel, dirt trails, rocky trails, grass, the track, etc. are all ways to shock your body into paying attention and adapting to the task it is performing.
- Ditch the transitions. Shodless running means no transition shoes. No Vibram Five Fingers, no sandals, no water shoes. Although I have nothing against these, and think they are useful in some circumstances, the truth is they block feedback. Anything between your soles and the ground is a barrier. Running shoes just happen to provide a huge barrier, whereas transitional shoes provide a limited one. Want to run barefoot? Then do it truly shodless! If the Nike Free is “like running barefoot”, and that’s been their actual motto, how about you save the $85 dollars and don’t buy a solution to a problem you don’t have — consumer culture be damned.
- Explain shodless running to friends and family. Folks can be cruel with things they don’t understand. If you’re a human, you may have noticed this. What better way to examine your barefoot feelings than to explain it to someone else. The next time someone stops you, shouts at you, is exascerbated by your bare feet — stop — and calmly explain things to them. Articulating how and why you feel barefooting is a good idea may open someone’s eyes. Questioning preconceptions is difficult, especially with multi-billion dollar companies cramming conformity onto the public. Knowing barefooting works is one thing, but understanding why being shodless is beneficial can help take your training to a new level.
Great webpage, very informative. Thank you
You are welcome, glad you like it.
Awesome site!
And I’m so happy a fellow barefooter mentions the supidity of “like barefoot barefoot”-shoes. The shoe industry is still clinging on to the lies that “we need protection” and that we live in a unforgiving environment. Unforgiving? Compared to the terrain in our species’ past, today’s flat asphalt and polished smooth floors, trimmed and groomed grass is nothing but slightly pampering for your feet at worst!
Kudos. You have one permanent twitter follower ^^
great post as usual .. thanks .. you just gave me a few more ideas to play with
I actually disagree with Karma…. we do live in an unforgiving environment! I live in a city where it would be dangerous and foolish to walk completely barefoot – think of the broken glass etc that you don’t see that is on the floor when your walking in the dark – this will cause serious damage! Whereas when i’m in my Vibram FiveFingers i feel protected!
rebecca, I removed your link directly to your VFF sales page, you’ll have to excuse me if I’m not thrilled about a link directly to those.
To comment on your actual post, who walks around their house in the dark with broken glass on the floor? If you’re talking about the city… most cities that are crass enough to have broken glass all over the ground are big enough to have street lights. When walking barefoot it is prudent to watch where you step — much as it is with shoes.
VFF won’t protect you from a nail or tack, neither will shoes. What will protect you is not stepping on it!
Rob,
I enjoy this site/blog. I’ve been working on going barefoot, but I have one nagging concern/issue that I haven’t found ANYONE, ANYWHERE address directly: parasites. Let me explain: I live on a farm. Great place for barefooting, right? Well, maybe. We have several cows, horses, dogs, etc., which we routinely have to give shots to “de-worm” them (and, yes, they DO contract worms, because I’ve seen them in these animals feces). I know that a few decades ago (when my parents were children), the part of the US where I live (the South, of course) was rampant with people contracting parasites (hookworms in particular, I believe). Not surprisingly, many people went around everywhere barefoot at this time. With the spread of shoes and modern medicine, this has largely been eliminated. My point is this. I’m a practical individual, but I really feel like going completely barefoot (without my VFFs) will put me at risk to contract parasites. I’ve investigated enough of their biology to know that they CAN penetrate a human foot REGARDLESS of whether a cut exists or not (in other words, they CAN penetrate unblemished skin). Do you know anything about this? Any input? I’m dying to go completely unshod, but I REALLY don’t relish the idea of having to be “de-wormed” myself. I appreciate your time and feedback here.
Mark,
Thank you for the compliments. It sounds like you have done quite a bit of research already, and I would tell you to trust your judgement.
I have found a few other tidbits of information here:
http://www.barefooters.org/best-of/hookworm-ran.txt
I wish I could say that you don’t have anything to worry about, but it sounds like the most pragmatic approach is to be shod around the farm, especially in any type of unsanitary conditions. Your fortune with running unshod in any types of woods, or non-animal grazing fields it probably much better.
Rob,
That’s a VERY useful link, and it filled most all of the gaps in my knowledge. I think I can take it from here. THANK YOU for the quick and thoughtful response. Of course, I hold no one responsible but myself should the unfortunate occur.
Thanks again.
great blog! In answer to Rebecca’s point, I run barefoot in Bethnal Green , London UK and you (very) quickly learn to look where you are running and you don’t step in dog muck, broken bottles or needles.