Barefoot Running Improves Running Mechanics - My Hypothesis

I am a big fan of training barefoot.  All the athletes I coach train barefoot when strength training.

They squat, dead lift, even do jumps and Olympic lifting all barefoot.

But back to my hypothesis, I believe that running barefoot automatically mimics bio-mechanically correct running and therefore barefoot running can be used to improve ones running mechanics by simply running barefoot.  It is really a quite simple and beautiful approach to coaching because the coach really does very little, just have the athlete run barefoot and they will almost automatically begin running with good running mechanics. 

Here is why, or at least why I think it works.  When you look at research on the bio-mechanics of running, particularly sprinting, you will see that the most efficient technique is to land on the ball of your foot with the contact with the ground being directly below your center of gravity.  When you run barefoot you must land on the balls of the feet because the other option of landing heal first will cause pain (which can be masked by wearing a running shoe).  It becomes an issue of pain avoidance but for a good reason.  If you land on the balls of the feet but the foot contacts the ground in front of your center of gravity, then this also will cause some discomfort but probably not as much as landing with a heal strike.

The same principle works for doing jumping exercises.  When landing, you always want to land on the balls of your feet first and you also want to be relatively quite and quick off the floor.  If you land poorly with a flat foot you will make lots of noise and it will be painful, plus you will be slower to get off the ground.

How do you work this into a training program?

• Do NOT start doing your entire running and jumping program barefoot.  You must start gradually with this.  Doing your weightlifting barefoot is a good start and just walking around the house barefoot if you don't already can ease your feet back into function.
• When running start slow, try to do 5 minutes of a medium speed jog while focusing on your technique.
• For jumping exercises, start with ankle hops or skipping rope.  After a few weeks start to add small box jumps and change of direction jumps.
• There should NEVER be any pain when doing any drills barefoot.
• Be aware of your environment.  I would suggest an indoor gym floor that is clean and free of small stones and other debris that could damage the barefoot.

There is even more to this story then what I have eluded to here but I will save that for another day.

Be Well,

Mike Reid

References:

Novacheck TF.  The biomechanics of running.  MotionGait and Posture 7 (1998) 77–95

Barefoot Training.  http://michaelreid.typepad.com/michaelreid/2007/10/bare-foot-train.html

Comments

[Alston - barefoot Insurance agent]

The more I read about barefoot running the more it makes sense. Here is an article about the rate of injuries with and without running shoes:

http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm

Unfortunately I'm unable to actually run right now. I'm rehabbing an injury that was probably caused by wearing running shoes.

I'm able to swim and bike without any problems, but I look forward to running barefoot as soon as my rehab is over.

[christian louboutin]

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