How To Transition into Vibram Five Fingers

Over time, your Five Fingers can help you become the strong, efficient, healthy and fast runner you were born to be. But to transition safely, you need to first feel the ground by going fully barefoot. If you take the time to feel the ground, build your feet, and develop your stride, you greatly diminish your chances of injury when it comes time to slipping on your Five Fingers.

The Challenges of Barefoot Running on Treadmills

So, it’s the dead of Winter. The air temperature has finally climbed into the 40’s, but the ground’s still as cold as ice. Plus, it looks like snow is in the forecast this week. “Wait, I’m not ready for barefoot running in snow!” you exclaim. The fact of the matter is we can’t always go barefoot when we want to, especially as beginners. And, that’s when you start eyeing that trusty treadmill.

Can you run barefoot on a treadmill? The answer is, “Yes,” and it’s not a bad idea if it’s the only way you can get barefoot running. But, please, please, please proceed with caution and consider the issues below before you get started.

Barefoot Runner’s Yoga

~ By Vincent Gerbino
All runners can benefit from practicing Yoga; these articles are written with minimalist runners in mind-specifically, those who run barefoot. Runners who are considering ditching their shoes will find Yoga can help with the transition and with keeping conditioned after making the change. Those who already have will find Yoga’s benefits are [...]

5 Things They Forgot to Tell You… About Getting into Barefoot Running

5 things they forgot to tell you when starting out on your barefoot path:
1. Start out on a smooth, hard surface.
A soft surface is great for a little form work in the beginning, but it’s a hard surface that helps you feel the ground, find your balance, and learn to step light. Smooth surfaces are [...]

5 Tips to Building Strong, Healthy Pads for Barefoot Running

 
1. Raw Food = Great! Raw Feet = Not so Great!
Don’t run until your feet are raw. Bring your shoes (I call them hand weights) and put them on, or return home once your feet get sensitive.
2. Never go until you blister.
3. Resting. It’s not being lazy. It’s being smart.
Between workouts, give a day of [...]

So You Want to Get into Barefoot Running…

Here are 5 things to expect on your path to running barefoot:
1. Skin will be soft and tender. If you run or walk every-other day, the skin has a chance to grow back STRONG.
2. Your arches will fatigue. Try toe scrunches or working with a golf ball (grabbing it with your feet) to strengthen the arches. [...]

Preparing for the Cold

Michael Sandler running barefoot in Boulder, Colorado at the start of an April 2009 snowstorm.

When you run barefoot in the cold, your muscles are forced to do the work to support your feet that shoes or over-supportive boots used to do. Before, when you ran in the cold, your body shunted blood AWAY from your [...]