WHY GO BAREFOOT RUNNING
Barefoot Running The Three Reasons
The main debate only discusses whether we should wear trainers or not,
however, this totally misses the point. There are three fundamental reasons why
barefoot running is so important and they are discussed here, Starting with the
most important which is proprioception
1 Proprioception
2 Earthing (A bi-product of Barefoot Running)
3 Natural running is Barefoot Running
Proprioceptions This Is Why This Elephant Can Do This
The
proprioceptive system (or 6th sense) is a series of contact points
in our joints, muscles, tissue and skin that send feedback to our brain about
what we are doing and where we are. With this information the brain produces a
body pattern that is perfect for our situation.
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Many of these
points are in our feet, which is obviously the main body part touching the
ground. If for any reason incorrect signals are sent back to the brain, then
the movement pattern produced by the brain would be different from what is
required.
You can see
why wearing thick shock absorbing soles would totally distort the feedback to
the brain which would result in a pattern that could cause potential injury to
the body, and that is the reason why more injuries occur with runners wearing
trainers.
CLICK HERE For Correct Barefoot Running Technique
Our feet have developed into an incredible instrument which has a vital job in helping the brain produce the right movement patterns so that we can function efficiently and without injury
CLICK HERE For Correct Barefoot Running Technique
Our feet have developed into an incredible instrument which has a vital job in helping the brain produce the right movement patterns so that we can function efficiently and without injury
The reason
are bodies can jump, skip, run, throw, sit down and stand up, without us even
thinking about it is because of proprioception, which is our body knowing its
balance, movement and position without us even being involved.
As the foot
is such a vital part in the body’s sensory protection system, why were shoes
ever used?
The reason is
that in its soft state it cannot cope with the natural terrain without a
covering.
The surfaces
in deserts and forests and with extreme temperatures meant that protective
covers were required, i.e leather and fur etc. This has developed into the
shoe, so in fact it was evolution.
When one
thinks about it, all animals that run have also developed foot protection,
either pads or hooves. However we were
designed to hold and climb and have the proprioceptors, glands and skin that
are soft. So barefoot activity is incredibly important.
It is true
that it is not necessary to run, any form of barefoot contact is important.
However, with barefoot running you have the opportunity to benefit from all the
three reasons mentioned in this article.
It would be very difficult to transition directly to
barefoot, that is why minimalist shoes are an important option
.
The
Affect If Your Feet Are Restricted, I would be surprised if anybody did not
agree with the following statement:
That running barefoot helps your feet become stronger and is the natural running method. Running in cushioning, motion-controlled footwear is like having your neck in in plaster for a month — when you take the plaster off, your throat muscles would be weak. The effect of movement restriction on your feet affects all your lower limbs and joints. No wonder all kinds of injuries are recorded
Earthing
Connection
To The Earth
I was aware that the Tree Stance in Chi Kung was considered to be the most important basis for the whole practice of Chi Kung and is also a key part in Tai Chi.Additionally, the mountain pose in Yoga is a very important linking exercise between the asanas. So for thousands of years it has been a known fact that connecting with the earth was essential for increasing the well being and performance of the human body.
I knew this to be the case, however, it was with great delight that I discovered that western science is now certain of the tremendous health benefits of barefoot activity for the human body. When one walks barefoot in the grass or by the sea you feel really good and that is because you are making a direct connection with the earth. But in our daily lives it seems very difficult to make this barefoot connection.
There are very clear physical and scientific reasons why we feel good and science has clearly confirmed this. We have a powerful electrical connection to the Earth and you will be amazed how this affects every aspect of your well being. There is more information on how you can benefit at
I was aware that the Tree Stance in Chi Kung was considered to be the most important basis for the whole practice of Chi Kung and is also a key part in Tai Chi.Additionally, the mountain pose in Yoga is a very important linking exercise between the asanas. So for thousands of years it has been a known fact that connecting with the earth was essential for increasing the well being and performance of the human body.
I knew this to be the case, however, it was with great delight that I discovered that western science is now certain of the tremendous health benefits of barefoot activity for the human body. When one walks barefoot in the grass or by the sea you feel really good and that is because you are making a direct connection with the earth. But in our daily lives it seems very difficult to make this barefoot connection.
There are very clear physical and scientific reasons why we feel good and science has clearly confirmed this. We have a powerful electrical connection to the Earth and you will be amazed how this affects every aspect of your well being. There is more information on how you can benefit at
For you Marathon runners out there the Tour de France
is far and away the toughest sporting event on earth, comparable to running 3
marathons a day for 22 days, I am sure you would be interested to see how
important earthing is to the doctors and riders involved in the tour de france This
video show that advanced sports scientist recognize how valuable the earthing
connection is, and this video shows it in use on the riders in the Tour de
France
This final video is from an eminent heart surgeon how
clearly explains the tremendous experiences he has had using the earthing
technology
Natural
Running
Barefoot Running Those Against
It appears to me that those against barefoot running have two main
Issues
The first is that to transition too quickly from normal trainers either
to barefoot running or minimalist shoes could cause you problems. I think they
are perfectly correct, and I do not know any barefoot running supporters who
would think otherwise.
The second point is that an uncovered foot is prone to injury from
objects on the ground. I think that is also correct, but the fact is that the
very act of barefoot running, means you will naturally concentrate far more on
the ground, so you would avoid anything that might damage your foot, see
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Another major factor is that until someone has fully transitioned to barefoot running they would not be receiving all the benefits of barefoot running.
So I think the main question to be asked is, how many barefoot runners who have transitioned , wish to go back to running in trainers ? and the answer to that is that I have never heard of anyone !!
7 Benefits of Barefoot
Running
1.)
Increased circulation and blood flow.
Problems with
varicose veins? When your blood is flowing more efficiently it balances your
temperature and helps out with blood related problems such as varicose veins.
Your feet would be warmer in the winter and keep cool in summer. Your foot is
totally restricted inside a shoe. It cannot rotate, flex or bend. When not in a
shoe your foot move more three dimensionally and are having a great workout. As
your feet move more and get stronger they need more blood and that is received
from the body. Also by becoming stronger
they can obviously cure any foot condition that have been causing problems.
We
have a much better connection to the ground when barefoot or in minimalist
shoes, This means with proprioception the brain is receiving the right stimuli
to handle our run and any challenges such as cracks or potholes in the road.I
am sure we’ve all been caught out by pebbles or the odd pothole, especially in
grass. So better balance is vital When were
barefoot our increased awareness means the connection between our feet and
brain works well, just as it should.To trip or fall could be dangerous, i.e you
could twist an ankle and I am sure we are all concerned about that, but with
this extra awareness the risk is much lessened.
3.)
Decreased impact.
Increased contact
with the ground means you won’t strike with heels but with the balls of your
feet, this will reduce the impact on your joints and muscles. All you need to
do is walk down the street with shoes and then take them off and walk, you will
notice a massive immediate difference. When we feel the ground we naturally
step lighter, this once again reduces impact on our joints. I have not run in
shoes for years, but the latest stats show that running in shoes with a heel
strike massively increases the pressure on joints but with barefoot running
that pressure is not their at all
.
4.)
Increased muscle tone.
Without shoes
your body has to balance itself, to do this it uses your core muscles your abs
and back. This action will strengthen the whole of your midsection. Your legs
will have to support you rather than shoes. This extra work will give you
symmetrical strength and better tone and your balance will improve. Also your calves will improve dramatically
because of the amount of work needed for barefoot running
5.)
Healing injuries.
We have heard
many times how people had so many injury problems their running was very
difficult or even that they had stopped.
It was the same for me. Many now
run pain free and without injury after going barefoot.
People have had
shin problems, weak ankles, problems with plantar fasciitis, ACL tears in the
knee, yet they are now running ok without these problems, It would seem that
barefoot running is a must if this is the result.
6.) Stronger feet.
Any form of
barefoot activity will strengthen the muscles in your lower legs and feet.
Barefoot Running will also straighten out your toes and reduce aching in the
evening after a long day. The feet will gradually reform as they were meant to
be, before all those years in a restrictive box.(shoe) Your foot will change
into the healthy pain free version it was meant to be. The result of all this
is that you will have better posture
7.)
Feel Great
Many studies
have shown that regular exercise reduces anxiety, depression and stress, while
at the same time making you feel much brighter and increasing your self esteem,
this is commonly known as runners high! It has been quite clearly proven that
barefoot activity can reduce your blood pressure and stress hormones (cortisol) However, I don’t think we really needed
science to show us this, every runner feels the benefits every time they run.
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