Every day, more and more research is saying that being barefoot may be better for your body and mind. And it makes sense considering that humans were barefoot or in minimal footwear for a LOOOONG time. The modern running shoe is a 40 year old idea.
But, the barefoot and minimalist running world is FULL of mythology and even outright lies. Some are innocently made by people whose lives were changed by getting out of their shoes, and others are crafted by multi-national companies who are trying to capitalize on the fastest growing trend in footwear.
I hope you’ll pardon my ranting for a moment, but after my years in the footwear business, I’m just shocked by what I’ve seen and saddened at the number of people who’ve been misled.
For example, does this look like a “barefoot shoe” to you, with it’s thick padding, elevated heel, and toes an inch in the air?
Me either.
But Nike has spent a ton of money to convince you that it is so that you would give them your hard earned money (and they’ve been successful!). And many other companies will try to tell you that their shoes are just like being barefoot when most of them are about as barefoot as a pair of stilts, and even the good ones are still un-barefoot enough to rob you of the benefits of true minimalism.
Here’s something that another billion dollar “minimalist shoe company”, and even lots of barefoot running teachers will tell you:
“If you run barefoot, you should run at 180 steps per minute”
Is that true?
Actually, the research says, No. The correct cadence is something totally different than this (and something we’ll tell you in our free e-course).
How ’bout this one:
“If you’ve been wearing padded, motion-controlled running shoes, you need to transition to barefoot by starting with a slightly lower shoe, then a lower one, then an even flatter one, then run on soft ground, then…”
or…
“If you have flat feet, or high arches, or plantar fasciitis, you need support, probably orthotics.”
Both of those may sound reasonable but, again, they couldn’t be further from the truth.
How do I know this?
Well, for one, I wore orthotics and motion-controlled shoes for over 30 years. But I was injured all the time anyway. I’m also someone who used to believe all of the statements above… until I put them to the test by taking off my shoes and learning to run barefoot. Now I’m a Masters All-American sprinter (I’m one of the fastest guys over the age of 50 in America).
I’ve made a career out of separating truth from “common-wisdom,” and discovering the fastest and easiest ways to teach otherwise complex topics and skills. I’ve taught everything from running, to gymnastics, to Zen Archery, to physics, to cognitive psychology, to magic (I’m leaving out a few). And now, as the developer of Xero Shoes, I’ve gotten to teach thousands of people how to enjoy being barefoot or minimalist… end even when NOT to be! (Yes, there are times when being barefoot is NOT your best choice, and I’ll share those with you, too.)
Whether you’re brand new to barefoot running (and walking, and hiking, and anything else you can do barefoot), or whether you’ve been running marathons without shoes for years, I guarantee you’ll have at least a handful of AHA! moments when you read the free e-course I’ve put together: Feel The World — How to enjoy the fun and benefits of being barefoot.
Sign up now and here’s what you’ll receive:
- Our Free 7-day e-course: “Feel The World”
- Special offers and savings on Xero Shoes products
- Our monthly newsletter with the latest info, research, and tips about enjoying barefoot or minimalist running, walking, hiking, camping, yoga, Crossfit…
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