At first going barefoot may remind us that we have lost one of our senses. That we must get back in touch with our natural biomechanics. Over time we are able to correct the muscular imbalances that form over a lifetime of wearing shoes and help reestablish a proper alignment and gait. As bipedal creatures, we have traversed this earth without the use of modern shoes for millenia. It is time that we nurture that primal part of ourselves. Overall, our health would be better off for it.
Being barefoot is a liberating experience — perhaps a little silly, but that’s the fun part. For example; if it is raining outside and you happen to step in a puddle it’s not that shitty of an experience. There are few things worse in the world than a pair of wet socks! In the journey to becoming a proficient barefoot runner you are unlearning old habits and getting back to the basics. These basic principles help build your fitness with a more solid foundation so that your development in running and other athletic endeavors can grow to new heights.
How can we start going barefoot without getting discouraged about the pain we may experience at first? A little context is important. Let us imagine a hypothetical scenario of a broken arm. In order to heal, our arm is placed in a cast to protect and immobilize the injury. After the injury has healed, if I were to visit my local gym and start lifting weights as if my arm was never broken I would experience all kinds of hell in the form of extreme delayed onset muscle soreness and an inability to use my arm for a week.
In much the same way our feet are placed in a cast for most of our lives in the form of shoes. If we want to continue running, walking, or even standing like we have without the artificial support of footwear. We should expect to experience a whole host of consequences when taking this cast off. Like with any new adventure we have to start slow, until we can build up a tolerance to the stimulation.
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