going barefoot
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If there's the possibility that I'm going to be treading on a snake, I'll be wearing footwear.
I wouldn't fancy going out collecting chestnuts barefoot either.
Over the past few years with all the walking I do I have had to stop wearing shoes.
I have found the more I walk in shoes the more problem I have with my feet.
Now the only times I wear shoes is going out somewhere fancy, work or when its too bloody cold.
I have found the more I walk in shoes the more problem I have with my feet.
Now the only times I wear shoes is going out somewhere fancy, work or when its too bloody cold.
Not always the Roman soldier cold/wet weather shoe was the sandle with sock. I think the weather might have played a part, but did they not just stop in the winter. The old ant, and the grasshopper story.
Also what about the clog? They were in England and would seem to make sense from this point of view.
Completly with you on this, never belive the hype.
The two biggest problems in Martial Arts are the language issues, and the 'bad habits'. I know a lot of people with issues because of things their instructor did. Mainly down to weird and wonderful press ups. Have a look at some of the breaking stories, they are brillant.
The reason why kettle bells are better is simple, they make use of the smaller muscles. The ones that in the real world get used but not so much in the gym.
Yes, and no, there is a lot involved. One of the big problems is in who advertises these systems.
That is were the body/kettlebell movement is coming from. Due to the rise of lifting machines especially, it is very easy to gain a lot of strength without the back up, or protection needed to use it.
Like anything it is what advice you get in how to use something. A lot of bad kettlebell experiences seem to come from people picking up ones the same weight as their normal dumbbell.
One of the big problems in this is what the floor is made of? Concrete actual has a health and safety thing about standing on it for long periods.
Best post ever.
Indeed - most Brits who go barefoot outside do end up on all fours
I've gone barefoot a lot as a kid, done it a lot as an adult too, mostly on folk festival campsites, coz when I was younger I was a morris dancer, and theres nothing feels quite as great as finishing a days dancing and walking back to your tent barefoot......I used to terrify my mates by grinding fag-ends out with my bare feet, but then I am a sick-puppy :sulkoff:
Hi, I'm a bit of a lurker here, but thought that I'd chip as barefoot running is something I've been doing increasingly more of. I've always had flat feet and since the age of about 14 (I'm now 25) I've had to wear insoles as my feet would hurt without them. However, last Christmas I bought a pair of vibram fivefingers (shoes with toes that are more or less a glove for your foot) and started walking and running in them. I haven't worn my insoles since and haven't had any problems with my feet, my muscles are definitely getting stronger, the only exception being if I'm carrying weight, e.g. when backpacking, my arch muscles aren't strong enough yet so my foot flattens and it causes my ankles to hurt.
Recently I've been doing a fair bit of completely barefoot running, and I haven't had any problems with shin splints which I used to get when running in trainers. It does take a little while to build up strength in your achillies tendon and calf muscles, your running style changes so you no longer smash heel first into the ground, and you tend to be a bit more aware where you're putting your feet in order to avoid sharp things on the ground, but I definitely wouldn't go back. If any of you are interested 'Born to Run' by Christopher McDougall is a really interesting book on running barefoot. It's a true story about a guy who was always getting hurt running and in search of answer as to why this is he set off to find the world's greatest runners, the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's Copper Canyons. It's a novel, but also contains a good quantity of scientific information on the evolution of humans and biological traits that indicate that we are actually evolved to run.
Ben
Recently I've been doing a fair bit of completely barefoot running, and I haven't had any problems with shin splints which I used to get when running in trainers. It does take a little while to build up strength in your achillies tendon and calf muscles, your running style changes so you no longer smash heel first into the ground, and you tend to be a bit more aware where you're putting your feet in order to avoid sharp things on the ground, but I definitely wouldn't go back. If any of you are interested 'Born to Run' by Christopher McDougall is a really interesting book on running barefoot. It's a true story about a guy who was always getting hurt running and in search of answer as to why this is he set off to find the world's greatest runners, the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's Copper Canyons. It's a novel, but also contains a good quantity of scientific information on the evolution of humans and biological traits that indicate that we are actually evolved to run.
Ben
Ben, I agree completely on the fivefingers. I've now been wearing them exclusively for the last 6 weeks (I always went barefoot a lot, so my conversion was immediate) and between the fivefingers and my other barefoot experiments, I've never been happier walking and running.
I'm going to post a longer review of them sometime soon.
This is a really fascinating thread!
I've been walking barefoot on and off for as long as I can remember, in the summer at least. On our annual family camping holidays in Wales I almost never wore shoes. Me and a friend would compete to see who could walk the furthest along the gravel roads in the campsite before retiring in pain. After a few years it became rather pointless though because we found it never got too painful.
One thing no one seems to have mentioned is the amount of wildlife you see while walking barefoot. Specially in woodland because of avoiding twigs and sticks (because they are uncomfortable) you end up making hardly any noise. Animals and birds just don't hear you coming. I also think when walking barefoot you have a different, more fluid, stride to someone walking in shoes so the animals don't see you as readily.
As for carrying wait I once carried a 15kg ash log home barefoot after finding a beautiful strait tree the counsel had kindly bulldozed. I didn't have to carry it that far, a half mile or so, but that was mostly along a gravel cycle rout and tarmac. I didn't find it that bad although the funny looks I normally get for walking barefoot were compounded slightly while carrying a five foot long log over my shoulder .
I would say though that a good precaution when walking barefoot, if you don't wont to shell out for a fancy Vibram or the like, is a pare of cheep sandals hanging from your belt. It can really help when you come across a path strewn with broken glass or brambles.
I've been walking barefoot on and off for as long as I can remember, in the summer at least. On our annual family camping holidays in Wales I almost never wore shoes. Me and a friend would compete to see who could walk the furthest along the gravel roads in the campsite before retiring in pain. After a few years it became rather pointless though because we found it never got too painful.
One thing no one seems to have mentioned is the amount of wildlife you see while walking barefoot. Specially in woodland because of avoiding twigs and sticks (because they are uncomfortable) you end up making hardly any noise. Animals and birds just don't hear you coming. I also think when walking barefoot you have a different, more fluid, stride to someone walking in shoes so the animals don't see you as readily.
As for carrying wait I once carried a 15kg ash log home barefoot after finding a beautiful strait tree the counsel had kindly bulldozed. I didn't have to carry it that far, a half mile or so, but that was mostly along a gravel cycle rout and tarmac. I didn't find it that bad although the funny looks I normally get for walking barefoot were compounded slightly while carrying a five foot long log over my shoulder
.I would say though that a good precaution when walking barefoot, if you don't wont to shell out for a fancy Vibram or the like, is a pare of cheep sandals hanging from your belt. It can really help when you come across a path strewn with broken glass or brambles.
Great post WhichDoctor, thanks for sharing it.
In particular I think the advice above is good -- especially for people just returning to being barefoot.
I hike barefoot most of the time from april to late september (in Sweden). I have yet to have any injuries. You do need to be careful and not shffle or drag your feet and be specially careful near "civilization" since there is more barbed wire, nails, metal crap, dog**** or whatever there. I carry with me a pair of light shoes to wear when needed.
Check out http://www.barefooters.org/hikers/ for howto's and why's.
Check out http://www.barefooters.org/hikers/ for howto's and why's.
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