Barefoot Running

For years running has been heralded as one of the most affordable sports. “All you need is a pair of good running shoes, and the willingness to train, and you’re on your way!” This is in contrast to other sports that require far more equipment and more complex training facilities.
These days, we see an exaggeration away from the simplicity of the good ole days, and, in fact, the exaggeration goes in both directions. In one direction running has spiraled into a complex mathematical hyper-equation to be solved with GPS wrist watches, online mapping programs, and race chips to track your time. It’s only natural that the minimalists among us would scoff at all this excess stuff, reminding everyone to “just get out and run…..just grab your shoes and…..wait a minute….what’s that….don’t even grab the shoes….just…..get out…..and……run???” You don't need a fancy watch, heart rate monitor or online map....you don't even need SHOES!
What I’m speaking about here is the new trend of barefoot running, which has been gaining incredible momentum after the release of Christopher Mcdouggall’s popular book “Born to Run,” which chronicles his time spent running with tarahumara indians, a tribe of super runners who wear nothing but thin sandals while running 100s of miles at a time.
The goal of the Sisu Project is to support you running safely and efficiently so you can achieve things you never thought possible. This post is the first of many that will provide sensible information for you regarding proper footwear.
First we will begin with a look at both sides of the argument (and it is becoming quite the heated debate!)

Claims made by shoe companies, doctors, coaches etc. as to why you need shoes may include but not be limited to:
Protection from glass, rocks, and otherwise sharp objects
Cushioning
Pronation control/Stability
Protection from weather

Claims made by barefooters as to why you need to run barefoot may include but not be limited to:
Shoes change your gait and will cause injury
Running in shoes is not natural
You will automatically run in proper form if you run barefoot
Wearing shoes will cause your feet to atrophy
Running barefoot will increase your feel of the ground creating better mind/body connection

I’m going to assume that the majority of readers are currently running the majority of their mileage in shoes. If you are currently injured or not running to your potential, there are many factors you should look at before throwing away your running shoes. I would like to put out a word of caution that going barefoot can lead to a world of pain and trouble.
As a ChiRunning and Yoga instructor I am all about finding balance. I do not find it sensible for the majority of runners to throw away their running shoes and do all of their running barefoot. There are, however, some decent points brought up by the barefoot community. Is it possible to have the best of both worlds?

If you take the time to learn and practice ChiRunning and Yoga you can get the same benefits of barefoot running without the high risk of pain and injury.

“Shoes change your gait and cause injury”
Shoes don’t change your gait. Shoes ALLOW you to change your gait. One major flaw in the barefoot messaging is their inability to take personal accountability for the hardships they suffered while running in shoes. Cushioned shoes allow you to swing your legs in front of you and land with your heel in front of your hips. This is one of the first things ChiRunning aims to correct. I have seen hundreds of ChiRunners running in shoes, landing with their foot directly under their hips. Shoes don’t cause you to do anything, they allow you to change your gait (whether you are aware of it or not is another story.)

“You will automatically run in proper form if you run barefoot”
This again, is not true, and reveals another huge flaw in the barefoot messaging. Most of the articles and blog posts on the issue make the claim that barefoot running will automatically have you running in proper form, yet the authors go on to suggest many elements of foot strike and form, most of which are very similar to ChiRunning (slight forward lean, peeling the foot of the ground, relaxed lower legs, foot strike under hips.) It is true that most people will probably not overstride while running barefoot but to say they will automatically run in proper form is a huge stretch. If you want to learn proper form, learn ChiRunning and practice the form focuses diligently.

“Wearing shoes will cause the muscles of your feet to atrophy”
This is true, and the tighter the shoe, the more the muscles will weaken over time. It is also true that walking and running barefoot will strengthen the muscles of the feet, however, as stated above, this comes with extreme risk and a reduction in training. If you want to strengthen the muscles of you feet safely, I recommend doing Yoga, specifically balance postures. If you want to really strengthen the feet, get a stability disc and do balance postures and lunges on it. It really is as simple as that.

"Running barefoot will increase your feel of the ground, creating better mind/body connection"
You don't need to go barefoot to increase your mind/body connection as ChiRunning offers many form focuses that will provide the same result; increased body awareness. If you want to really go deep into your body, a good Yoga, Tai Chi, and/or meditation practice will complement your ChiRunning even further. While running barefoot will increase your feeling of the ground, for some of us this is not going to be pleasant, just like grabbing a hot pan from the oven without a mitt will increase your awareness of the heat, stepping on a rock barefoot will increase your awareness of jagged objects.

This is a very brief introduction to this vast topic. Post any comments or questions you may have or email me at SteezSP@yahoo.com
I will be posting a guide to finding the right shoe soon so stay tuned for that, and in the meantime run smart.