Y'all can stop training now

[offense74]

Someone made the discovery the the Masai people in Kenya don't have back problems, cellulites and have good posture. They're also barfoot. So someone designed a shoe. Here's a link explaining:

It all makes sense now. I've seen the light.

 

Alot of celebreties wear them, amongst others Teri Hatcher and Madonna who in my humble amateur opinion seem to have healthy butts. Celebreties really have it all figured out, don't they?

[Gaia]

And how does this compare to Earth's negative heel technology?

(Earth shoes have only one designed workout shoe)

[Last of the Sane]

People are weird.

[9nines]

It might work, just as free weights work stablity muscles more than set arc weight machines do.

[Kathryn]

'“Masai Barefoot Technology”, or MBT, is the first physiological

footwear - that is footwear that has a positive effect on the

whole body.'

 

When people make up terminology (physiological footwear?) to sell something, it always sounds suspicious to me.

 

These shoes actually look like they might cause knee problems to me.

[Guest]

Don't know about those soles but I can vouch for Earth Shoes...I'd never wanna workout in a pair is it would kill your calves. They are great for walking and standing...I got mine from VEGANESSENTIALS at the AR conferance and loved them. I've always hated casual wear shoes but now these are the most comfy shoes I own by far.

[markc7]

I don't get it. If you want the benefits of walking or running or whatever barefoot, why not just go barefoot? I run barefoot from time to time, and after the first couple minutes your foot-eye coordination is good enough that you automaticall avoid any potentially pointy objects on the ground. I guess in the winter it makes sense to wear something on the foot.

[Guest]

Actually barefoot runners get far fewer injuries than runners that wear shoes...problem is they don't run as fast. I've only heard of one person ever breaking 2:45 in a marathon and I've seen a barefoot runner(in his early 40s) run a but under 5minute mile...all respectable but you'll never make a living running like that.

[Richard]

Wow I would never have guessed that you get more strain on the knee from wearing shoes. I have knee probz, and this never crossed my stink-infested brain which is in my head. I must try to go without shoez more often

[Guest]

There is supposed to be a nerve in your foot that tells you how to plant your feet every step you take. If you wear shoes this nerve is never stimulated...thus causing foot, ankle, knee and back problems...if you wanna get used to it I suggest running in grass barefoot first. My high school track coach made our runners do a 3/4mile cool down in the inside of the track at the end of every practice. Sometimes I took part. It feels really good and after you do that for a bit you get much more comfortable doing it on something harder

[Odidnetne]

I used to walk around school barefoot when it was warm last spring and jog on the grass. A couple people would look at me funny, but then I'd just say "I wasn't born without shoes anyway."

[Guest]

It was nice growing up in Hawaii since you can go barefoot pretty much everywhere...I don't see broken glass on the ground too often. In elementary school we could go barefoot too unless you were in a science class...same went for my sister and her husband when they went there for college

[markc7]

Actually barefoot runners get far fewer injuries than runners that wear shoes...problem is they don't run as fast. I've only heard of one person ever breaking 2:45 in a marathon and I've seen a barefoot runner(in his early 40s) run a but under 5minute mile...all respectable but you'll never make a living running like that.

 

This is an interesting point. You're right that few if any elite runners run barefoot. I wonder if this is due to some real ergogenic property of footwear, or if there are economic factors as well. I have heard (forget the reference, sorry) that the career path of many talented young African runner is something like this: Run barefoot throughout your childhood and teens, compete barefoot in international cross country races, sign a lucrative shoes contract and switch to road running to make the big bucks.

 

I have also found, being a back/mid-packer myself, that I speed up considerably when I run barefoot. Running barefoot forces me into a toe striking running form, which is similar to how the fastest runners run. If I were to try for a 5k PR, I'd probably do it barefoot. Any longer than that, though, and I'd have to train longer distances without shoes.

[Guest]

Thats true about the majority of the African runners but some from tribes with really successful runners get free shoes now which is how they get new 17yr olds every year running 3:45 miles and sub 2:15 marathoners. As for running faster shoes lessen the impact on your legs and let you push yourself more...it also stiffens your foot which gives an extra mechanical advantage...you do lose a bit of an advantage with padding though...its a place that absorbs your energy which is why sprinters have shoes that have nearly no flex or padding(the races aren't long enough to get painful feet and they train in running shoes without spikes) and a lot of cyclists have shoes made of carbon fiber that don't flex unless you put over 1000lbs of pressure on them.