How to Get Primal with Your Fitness Plan

There is certain footwear that was designed to help your feet move naturally. Similarly, there are certain movement patterns that your body was designed to do. These are called the “primal movement patterns.” The primal movement patterns should form the basis for your fitness plan if you want to move better, achieve better sports performance, […]

Xero Shoes compared to “Big Shoe”

On Friday, at their national conference, the American College of Sports Medicine hosted a panel discussion about the Science and Biomechanics of Footwear featuring representatives from Adidas, Brooks, Topo Athletic and then, me, Steven, from Xero Shoes. The room was PACKED — the highest turnout of any event at the conference. I don’t want to […]

Single Leg Exercises for Foot and Leg Strength

Any time you balance on one leg, you activate muscles in the foot that may otherwise remain underutilized. In fact, standing on one leg can be quite challenging if you’re not accustomed to it, especially when you’re barefoot. Don’t believe me? Give it a shot for yourself right now and see how long you can […]

A man and a woman running side by side on a dirt road.

DO NOT “TRANSITION SLOWLY” TO BAREFOOT RUNNING

The more time you spend researching barefoot running and minimalist running — the more articles, interviews with doctors or runners, news stories, and research you dive into — the more you’ll hear one particular warning. Transition to barefoot running SLOWLY. If you make the transition too quickly, you’ll get hurt. Actually, if the piece supports […]

Why Barefoot Running?

While barefoot running isn’t new, it’s popularity has been going through the roof since Christopher McDougall’s book, Born To Run, became popular in 2009. Ironically, Born To Run isn’t really about barefoot running. It’s about the Tarahumara Indians in the Copper Canyon of Mexico and how they’re able to run pain-free and injury free for […]

What’s the WORST surface for running barefoot?

When I tell people that I run barefoot (or when they see me out running without any shoes), the first response I get is: “Oh, so you run on the grass?” Or when I suggest to people that they might want to try running barefoot, the first thing they say is, “With my feet/knees/ankles/eyelashes, I’d […]

4 Exercises to Strengthen Your Feet

4 Exercises to Strengthen Your Feet (And Ankles) This article was recently updated on April 10, 2023 I’ve always been a fan of shoes as a fashion statement. However, when looking cool or sexy becomes the priority over feeling good, we have a problem. It is no secret nowadays that the health of our body […]

Lydiard Training Plan for Runners

Arthur Lydiard was one of the most accomplished running coaches of all time and his training methods revolutionized the sport. The Lydiard Foundation is carrying on Arthur’s teachings, led by Lorraine Moller, a 4-time Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon, and Nobby Hashizume. If you’re looking for a distance running training program, the […]

Water? Rocks? Running? Bring it on.

We last left you hanging wondering which model of Xero Shoe we pack along for our different adventures. We often take multiple shoes when we travel, but the Xero Z-Trek sandal always makes the cut due to its versatility, low maintenance and extreme light weight. The Z-Trek is a fantastic sandal for river and water […]

Become a Better Runner — 3 Free Chi Running Lessons

If you want to become a better runner… or start running enjoyably, then you’ll like this video introduction to Chi Running. But, more, you’ll like the 3 Free Lessons you get from Danny Dreyer, creator of Chi Running, when you CLICK HERE