Learning to run barefoot isn’t hard.
Find a nice smooth, hard surface. Take off your shoes. Go for a short run. See how you feel the next day. If it hurts, let yourself recover and then the next time you go out, do something different until you’re having fun. Then add distance slowly, using comfort and fun as your guide.
That said, it is helpful to get a little guidance from someone who’s been down the path before. That can speed up the learning curve.
And that’s why, in this 10 part video series, I’ll be addressing the myths, lies, and TRUTH about making a comfortable and enjoyable transition to running, walking, and hiking barefoot.
I hope it helps you get out and Feel The Freedom, Feel The Fun, and Feel The World.
Enjoy!
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #1 – TOUGHEN YOUR FEET
CLEARLY, if you’re going to run in bare feet, you need thick, calloused feet… right? Well… watch and find out.
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #2 – YOUR CALVES WILL GET SORE
So, you’ve taken off your shoes to run barefooted. Obviously, you’re using different muscles… so obviously, you’re going to get sore… so, OBVIOUSLY, you need to strengthen your calves and Achilles tendons. Or so you might think 😉
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #3 – PREPARE TO RUN BAREFOOT
You can’t just START running barefoot without some sort of preparation. Stretching. Strengthening. Something. Right?
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #4 – WALK BEFORE YOU RUN
Before you try running in bare feet you should walk in bare feet. That’ll prepare your feet. Or will it?
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #5 – IT’S FRUSTRATING TO LEARN
If learning barefoot running is frustrating, then it’s clearly not for you… that is, unless you understand the VALUE of frustration. And how long should it really take to learn
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #6 – LENGTHEN YOUR ACHILLES TENDON
If you’ve been wearing shoes that are not zero-drop (that have heels higher than the ball of your foot), your Achilles Tendon has shortened. Before you can run barefoot successfully, you’ll have to lengthen that Achilles… At least, that’s what a lot of people will tell you. Is it true?
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #7 – USE TRANSITION SHOES
It seems obvious that if you’ve been wearing high-heeled running shoes (or just high-heels), that you’ll want to transition slowly to barefoot by switching to a shoe with a lower heel… then lower… then lower… then lower, until you can handle barefoot. But, not surprisingly, what “seems obvious” isn’t always what it seems.
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #8 – BE BAREFOOT EVERYWHERE
Once you’ve gotten the hang of barefoot walking or running or hiking, you should go everywhere and do everything barefoot. It’s only natural, right? Sure, but so are uranium, hemlock, and cow poop 😉
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #9 – BAREFOOT AND MINIMALIST SHOES
Shoes that are advertised as “barefoot” or “minimalist shoes” are the same as being barefoot, right? I mean, multi-billion dollar companies wouldn’t lie to us just to sell product, would they? 😉
BAREFOOT RUNNING MYTH #10 – YOU CAN’T DO IT
Look, some people are good at math and some people aren’t. It must be the same with barefoot running. Some can; some can’t. Really? Do you need to have perfect biomechanics, and super-human feet to run without shoes?
And I’d REALLY love it if you shared it with others who might enjoy it.
