Trend "Natural Running", the new shoes and what is different!

Blog Shoes vs. Barefoot Shoes ESThe trend of so-called minimalist shoes or barefoot should allow again the natural running. Drop (difference in hight from heel to toe), insole, flexibility are the key words. The following video tries to explain the principle of the barefoot shoe and also shows that it's not that simple and an extended transition period can be required.

Trend "Natural Running", the new shoes and what is different!

Actually, Our feet are made for running without shoes on rather soft natural grounds. But after decades of cushioning and supporting shoes the modern runner should go back cautiously to "barefoot running", to develop a healthier and more efficient running style. We all should constantly run barefoot, because nature has designed our feet for it. Day by day more orthopedists represent this thesis. In prehistoric times, people have run up to 40 kilometers or more per day. And of course, completely without shoes.

Since the last 10,000 years, our development has not yet been reflected in our genetic code, our feet are the same today as it was then. Healthy people are born with feet made for walking barefoot. Little children for example run exactly as it corresponds to the biomechanics of the foot - until they get their first shoes. Until then, they instinctively do not strike with with the heel, but the middle and forefoot.

Children still have a very direct relationship to the body and know that it can hurt when they strike with the heel first. To learn from children means learning to walk barefoot again. In the course of their lives most modern people in industrialized countries have lost the ability to walk instinctively as it would be ideal for their feet. Highly cushioned sports and running shoes support the foot, natural motion and the direct contact to the environment and substrate stimuli is prevented. Stimuli feedback that is needed to optimize reactions and movements.

Whatever minimalist or barefoot shoes one finally chooses, all real runners is recommended a very metered use with these shoes (as with the PaleoBarefoots®). This exactly until the foot has gradually adapted to the different loads of walking barefoot. Especially careful should be runners who previously ran for many years and miles in traditional, well-damped and the foot supporting running shoes. Although they are usually well trained, but because of that have deficits in the foot muscles. Too early attemps to run in barefoot running shoes large distances and on hard surfaces, therefore threaten overloads.

For beginning runners, however barefoot running shoes are recommended almost without restriction if you don't run on exclusively hard and leveled surfaces. All of those who not yet do long and enduring running should make the first attempts with minimalist shoes. With beginners feet and remaining body are in the same (untrained) training status. From the start, you train the foot muscles and all other areas equally, and the movements are coordinated harmoniously.

Most probably, for traditional runners the new barefoot shoes will remain alongside to their traditional sports shoes. And for quiet some time they will remain your second or third running shoes.