The Importance of Being Barefoot

One of my favorite strength and conditioning authors, Martin Rooney, wrote an article today outline why he believes training barefoot is a great idea. While I'll leave all the particulars to Mr. Rooney, I certainly agree with him.

That article will cover many of the reasons that barefoot training is good for anyone, but for my sport (mixed martial arts) I think it is obviously essential.

Now, you certainly can't go into your local LA Fitness or YMCA completely barefoot and start lifting or running. It is possible to lift in socks, but any small pieces of glass or rocks can be problematic. To combat this, I purchased Vibram Five Fingers (picture above). I've had my Vibrams, as the lingo goes, for 8 months or so. Here's a quick pro/con list for you.

Pros
Feel great on your feet

Allows you to take advantage of the benefits of barefoot training, but provides some protection from injury and the elements.

Great conversation starter

Machine washable

Very versatile (i.e. you can use these for jogging, sprinting, hiking, lifting, jumping, etc. There are different models of shoe to fit your specific needs.)

Seem very durable so far

Cons
You have to be willing to take a step back before enjoying all the advantages of training barefoot.
-To expand on this, if you are used to running 3-5 miles a day, or you do lots of plyometric jumping and training, you will have to lower your volume significantly for awhile to allow your feet to properly condition to being asked to carry the load again. When you wear regular shoes, the high heel, arch support, and thick soles do some of the work your feet will normally do. This naturally de-trains your feet. You will need to work up to running (especially sprinting or long distances) before jumping right into full training

In a related story, you will also have to learn to run properly. Many runners tend to heel strike hard in their gate. The gel, air, or thick insoles in their running shoes allow them to get away with this. When you train barefoot you have to learn to be on the mid-foot/balls of your feet. The good news is, you'll naturally start doing this when you run barefoot. The bad news is, you are probably not conditioned to it. Therefore you'll likely experience a lower level of performance in the short-term. Don't worry, it's all worth it.

Even though they are machine washable, they still stink bad. Trust me.

They have released newer models since I bought mine, but my version of the KSO model doesn't provide good protection at all against stepping on rocks or sticks. This can be annoying because it dictates where you can run.



All in all, I really recommend giving them a shot. Enjoy!