humans = barefoot runners according to the Philadelphia Inquirer

http://www.newser.com/story/64851/sorry-nike-we-evolved-to-run-barefoot-author.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/health_and_science/20090720_Baring_his_sole.html


slowly but steadily the awareness about the superiority of bare feet over shoe-confined feet is making its way into common sense.

it is self-evident that it is impossible that man, an animal among animals, is the sole and unique retard who can't even walk without exotic gear. i started going barefoot regularly because when a little boy on my long solitary hikes on the hills of tuscany i once removed my shoes and found out that i could barely make a few steps before hollering in pain over rocks , thorns etc and this just seemed weird to me. so i decided to have my feet regain functionality.

now after some wacky items we recently saw making their appearance on the market for our utter amusement like shoes with independent toe slots (below) and other funny absurdities

there is a growing awareness that evolution just couldn't be wrong and if we have the feet we have they are there because they're purpose-efficient . all the shit that shoddies talk about hazards and dirt make sense as much as the adfirmation made some 300 years ago that wigs are essential items for the civilized man.

 

Just because you don't agree with it it doesn't make it absurd. People in this forum want others to accept their points of view, yet some of them are unbelievably narrow-minded when it comes to accepting other people's.

I own three pairs of FiveFingers, and believe me when I say that there is nothing absurd about them. Do you want an example? Try mountain biking barefoot, with those spiked pedals. Then you'll see that some form of protection will not be that bad. I choose the FiveFingers because they give me grip yet make the spikes less bothersome, while still keeping my toes free to move – something that other kinds of footwear don't allow.

Other examples abound.

 

Thanks for the links, jagerhans! Great stuff!

Note, however that the author advocates the Vibram 5-fingers (shown in your photo).

One thing barefooters will need if we're ever to break into the mainstream is the very thing we seek from others: tolerance. I find Christopher McDougall's views very pragmatic and realistic. Barefoot Ted also has a very balanced and realistic view of things. His advocacy or bare feet as the gold standard and minimalist footwear when required is right on the money.

Although extreme athletes are not exactly mainstream, they are looked up to as role models. The goal of increased acceptance of bare feet by the mainstream is well-served by the broad publication of these articles. Furthermore, the validation of the benefits of barefoot running by prestigious physicians is a giant leap in the right direction.

I wear SPD (clipless) sandals while mountain biking. Not for protection, but as a means of firmly attaching my foot to the pedal. Catching 4 feet of air at 56KM/H, while jumping over a meter deep trench really requires an unequivocal attachment to the bike. Not only that, but long, steep climbs up really rocky hills are 10 times easier if you can get power on the upstroke as well as down.

As I stated originally in this post, " bare feet as the gold standard and minimalist footwear when required"

 

i ride it barefoot on a daily basis in town and in woods and find them soft as butter, since they are usually plastic. plus i ride a yamaha XT-600 dirt bike with the nastier, narrower toothed steel footrests you may imagine in your wildest dreams and i stand on them without discomfort. also i ride it on dirt paths and up steep hills in the woods, barefoot.

 

Well then, good for you. Just consider that not everybody is ready or willing to do the things you do (and, guess what?, someone may consider them "absurd," even), so what I'm saying is that anything that brings everyday people to understand the freedom of being barefoot should be welcome. And let me tell you, the FiveFingers do that. In my experience, they don't substitute barefooting: they are a way to "get away with it" when it would otherwise be impractical.

My mountain biking is not that intensive, but I can definitely relate.

 

An interesting discussion (pissing contest?) about when footwear was necessary was held in this thread a while back. It seems relevant here...

 

Hah. I seriously want no pissing contests. If there's one reason why I left the SBL (twice, even) that's one. Ultimately, I think everyone is and should be free to decide when and why it's time to use footwear. And also what kind of footwear to use.

And the good thing about a forum like this is that we should be able to bring each our own reasons and experiences to the table and understand everyone else's.

 

I often ride my mountain bike barefoot, but i don't do a lot of off-roading.

 

in fact I did nothing but answering you. and i agree that sometimes it is useful to have foot protections. if one gets serious about cross country motorcycling it is assumed that he needs boots and more. but if you can afford to go at a relaxed pace without pushing hard being barefoot you take that extra attention that saves you from a lot of accidents and falls. i don't know what's sillier, going out in full sporting gear with helmet boots and vest, running hard and ruining your legs, knee articulations and even the spine like a lot of guys in the neighborhood or taking it easy and at worst stubbing the big toe on the ground. thats why i chose a 'thumper', the enormous single cylinder upgraded to 690cc. and short gears pack enough torque to get you on top of most slopes without having to run like hell like when i rode a 50cc. lol. and besides, i'd never be so silly to kick-start a two stroke engine in bare feet. just in case you don't know, when a 125 cc or even a 50 cc backfires it delivers a hard blow to the start pedal that is like taking a vicious stick blow on your sole. it hurts like hell even through a thick vibram boot sole... in fact when i ride barefoot both on road and dirt i pay lots of extra attention even though i can occasionally plough the gravel with my foot without damages while running just to play or show off . it is like walking, you gotta watch your path. but since you described the mtb pedals as prohibitive surfaces then i just pointed out that they really aren't that harsh.

your second objection regarding the public that may perceive as absurd my behavior is common to most barefooters thus insignificant. someone who fears the public judgement does not take barefooting into consideration in the first place unless of course he/she lives in some happy place like seohsreven. but show me someone really concerned about it and i'll show you someone who is misplaced on the hipforums, of course if «HIP FORUMS» still means something. ps: being misplaced does not mean being not welcome. here!

 

I would avoid sprinting if you're barefoot. If you don't keep your technique very sound and stay on your toes the impact of the back of your foot on the ground will do serious damage to your heels. I know my left one is a little permanently damaged from only a few barefoot sprints.

 

I don't often sprint bf, but i do jog a couple of miles now and then, and you're right, it is important to avoid heel strike.
People like Ken Saxton run a barefoot marathon every month, so it can be safe.

 

Ken Bob Saxton runs barefoot running clinics here in Southern California about once a month. Here's a link to a recent article in the Orange County Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/running-shoes-barefoot-2501777-foot-saxton

Anyone who lives in the area might want to check out the next one scheduled for Saturday, 8/15/09.

 

I posted about Vibram some time ago and Vibrams were in fact on CBS morning show Wednesday (22july09) and of course a good deal of fun was made on these things: " I've got two toes in the same spot hehehe" "I can't get my toes in them hehehe", "is there a left and right hehehe"these "shoes" do have their place, I wouldn't were them out to dinner or movies or some such, but riding a bike or white water rafting very much so yes.

 

yet you gave me a good idea just in case someone mandatorily requires me to wear shoes for some formal occasion or ceremony. imagine the disappointment . fivefinger vibrams and a fish-shaped tie. :biggrinjester:

 

That's the spirit. In that case, I don't recommend buying them in Italy, because last time I checked they go for 120 euro a pop. (As opposed to the United States, where given the favorable exchange rate I got them for half as much.)