Barefoot Running
You may have seen our Personal Trainer Matt Finch in his Vibram 5 finger (toes) trainers and wondered why he wears
them.
Picture by Living Spirit Photography
The trainers are reputed to be the closest thing you can get to running barefoot. The advantages of wearing such footwear include making you more mind full of your running as you feel the ground more. Matt explained to me that these types of trainers help to strengthen your ligaments and tendons as well as developing your calf muscles, there is less impact on the knees and the risk of injury is lower. They allow the feet and toes to move more naturally whilst improving your balance and agility as well as posture.
They are not just for outdoors in fact you are more stable if squatting or doing dead lifts with these on than in conventional trainers.
If you do buy a pair it would be prudent to build up the amount of time that you spend in them to allow your legs and feet to adapt. Always make sure you stretch your legs afterwards and do use a foam roller for some stretching.
Matt has only worn them for road running so far so we will have to let you know how he gets on off road.
Would you run barefoot?
