Has anyone done any extensive barefoot walking on a treadmill? I am wondering if it would help thicken my feet if i walked 1-2 miles on it a day. I am trying to preperate for the 2007 barefooting season and I am not able to barefoot outside for more than a minute at a time right now. I have tried walking in my basement but its very small and isn't working well for me.
In the midwest or at least for me its sometime in march to early november, I can't handle barefooting in the extreme winter. I don't know where I got that term I have heard it before though.
I walk on the treadmill barefoot all the time and my soles are still pretty soft. Just something about walking around outside that gets'em tough and keeps them tough all season.
Hoosier, it can't hurt. You'll probably have better foot and leg strength so that's good. Your soles will thicken as they get exposed to more and more variety. You'll also lengthen the muscles in the back of the legs which shorten on elevated heels (shoes) many new barefooters find the backs of the legs painful for the first few days due to this stretching. It takes a few years to aclimate to a 12 month BF season, you're on your way. remember: the more you barefoot the better it feels and the better it feels the more you barefoot.
Every surface you walk on helps strenghten the feet. I have barefooed on freinds treadmills and it does help. Unfortunately, I have not had the balls to barefoot on the treadmil at my gym. It is an old line gym and I have fought a few battles there already. So, I pick and choose the ones that I want to fight now.:$
