OH! Magazine - Australian Version October 2016 | Page 12

( Fitness & Motivation )
MICHELLE
BRIDGES

KICK OFF YOUR SHOES &

RUN BAREFOOT
Michelle Bridges gives you the rundown on barefoot running.
aybe it’s a girl thing, but I just
can’t help myself when it comes to
the latest trend or fashion. Okay, I'll say it
aloud: 'When it comes to fashion, I’m
deeply superficial!'

M

So it’s no surprise that when barefoot
running became the next-big-thang in the
world of exercise, I wasted no time in
checking out the pros and cons of the
latest buzz among the running community.
I should mention here, 'barefoot running'
doesn’t accurately describe the activity,
because it's not necessarily undertaken
without shoe s. This is because most
footwear brands now offer a thin-soled,
lightweight, minimalist training shoe that
is designed to mimic the experience of
running without shoes. Being a fan of my
own Neptune Runners from the MB Active
footwear range in Big W, I can say firsthand, there really is something uniquely
enjoyable about the lightness of these
types of shoes during exercise.
Typically, minimalist trainers range from
thin-soled lightweight running shoes that
resemble the trainers we wore back in the
60s and 70s, right the way through to

those odd looking little numbers that
have separate pockets for each toe (they
look a bit like you're wearing a rubber
glove on your foot!). Despite their
aesthetics, what these shoes all have in
common is that they are specifically
designed to allow a greater sense of
connection with the surface you're
running on, as well as more closely
resemble the experience of walking or
running in bare feet.
Barefoot running itself, is actually not
new, but the debate around it can get
ramped up a gear or two when Harvard
professor Dan Liebman (aka the ‘Barefoot
Professor’), becomes involved.
Professor Liebman has been researching
barefoot running and claims he has been
able to demonstrate that barefoot running
is better than running with shoes, as it
results in a more natural running style
and less injuries. In fact, he has claimed
that barefoot running is 'more natural
than breast feeding', which is particularly
interesting if you’re a bloke!
Jokes aside, his evolutionary theory
makes sense; barefoot running is more

natural because we’ve really only been
running on cushioned soles since the mid
1970s. Prior to this we were running
around the savannah sans shoes, for a
couple of million years!
The principle behind barefoot running is
that the actual running style differs
compared to running on cushioned soles,
which encourages the heel to strike the
ground first, and quite heavily, (hence the
need for impact-absorbing technology). In
contrast, an experienced barefoot runner’s
forefoot or midfoot will typically strike the
ground first, and the body responds by
having its central nervous system
automatically change your landing
strategy.
Most of us have spent a lifetime wearing
cushioned footwear of some kind, so
before you take yourself off for a barefoot
jog around the block, I recommend you
grab yourself some minimalist trainers to
see if you like the change first.
It will probably take some getting used to,
but gradually you should be able to work
up your tolerance, while those previously
unused muscles in your feet and lower leg
become accustomed to this new activity.

Michelle’s Tip
When it comes to barefoot running, podiatrists and health professionals are
starkly divided (as is the running community), and quite frankly researching it
yourself may cause further confusion. My theory when it comes to exercise is to
have an open mind; so I recommend you give it a go, starting by using minimalist
trainers and then progressing to barefoot soft sand running. You may like it, you
may love it - as with everything in this magazine, it's all about finding what works
(and doesn't work) for you.

12

OH! MAGAZINE (OCTOBER 2016)

YOU CAN CONTACT MICHELLE VIA:
Web: michellebridges.com.au
Facebook: Mishy.Bridges
Twitter: @mishbridges
Instagram: @mishbridges