The Barefoot Philosopher - The Lifestyle Behind Bare Feet Running Shoes

Christopher McDougall And Bare Feet Running

2011-11-20T13:39:00.001-08:00

I just recently came across and article on the new york times articles website that talks about bare feet running and the secret to it. This is not something new but isn't really worked on by as many athletes that run on a consistent basis as there probably should be. I don't think it is because they just don't want to, I think it's because most people just don't really know how bad modern day running shoes are on our feet.

Bare Feet Running Shoes

As you've probably already read up on if you've come to my blog is that bare feet running shoes are one of those things that are becoming more and more relevant as running footwear from vibram five fingers to one of my favorite brand of running shoes vivobarefoot. They suprisingly do not offer much arch support and here is the reasoning. For a foot to become stronger, you must have stronger archers and in not having that support, allows your feet to strengthen in this area. By having stronger arches, you will inevitably have stronger leg structure. When someone choose to put a lot of cushion in the middle of their arches it atrophies the muscle and therefore weakens the foot which can cause more leg and foot injuries.

Bare Feet Running Technique

Finally, I want to share with you guys a resource which I found useful in starting your bare feet running technique with Christopher McDougall, the writer of Born to Run. I've went ahead and posted the video below for your viewing pleasure, enjoy!

Running in Bare Feet Running Shoes - The trendless

2011-09-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

image via Allen Chiu

It's no surprise to me that people are now starting to turn towards a more natural way of running when for so long people have been fooled into believe that pain and running go hand in hand. This by the way is not true, and can be negated through good training (which is actually re-training the way we run.) It has come from what is now known as either Chi running or what vivo barefoot is now teaching their very valuable enthusiasts through Lee Saxby who has spent the better part of 20 years studying biomechanics, nutrition, athletic training, evolutionary biology and functional medicine. Vivo barefoot now has a more innovative way of training individuals how to run the correct way (and there is a correct way otherwise we wouldn't have as many injuries when we run.)

The bare feet running shoes are important

I mean it when I say that the shoes are important. It isn't about how much cushion goes under your foot to dull the "impact" of the foot, in fact its quite the opposite. Its distributing the impact across the whole body rather than just your feet when you're running. For this to happen you have to fall more on a forefoot/midstrike rather than the heel strike which puts all of the impact on your legs, which I'm sure for many have seen from experience causes a lot of problems when you start running longer distances. Now I'm no expert but I am very mindful of my strides to know that the forefoot midstrike has gotten me through some pretty unforgiving terrain and has allowed my feet to recover quicker, made me stronger as a running individual, and has straightened out my bodies posture all on its own.

I could not of done this without my bare feet running shoes though. Right now I'm currently running on a bare minimum, which are called a Harauche running sandal which I customly made from materials gathered through Invisible Shoe. I am however waiting on a new pair of vivo barefoots sweet line of bare feet running shoes called the Ultimate in the mail which I can't wait to give a review for.

So why bare feet running shoes?

The answer is simple, less cushion, leads to more mindful strides. The more mindful the stride, the more you pay attention to your body. The arches of our feet are meant to be our support, not cushion under our arches. Look at the cushion being more like a cast in which goes around a broken arm. It prevents movement and therefore atrophies the muscles and bones. Well the same thing is true with the cushioning and surrounding that most shoes provide. You take that away and you force your feet to strengthen themselves back up. However, there is nothing saying that this process isn't going to leave your feet feeling immediately better. Just like any type of rehabilitation practice, it takes time to strengthen the muscles in your feet. So take it slow and recover your feets' strength with a nice pair of bare feet running shoes.

Bare Feet Running Storefront

2011-09-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Today, I got the news I really wanted through an e-mail. Thanks to Olan Rogers I was able to find out what his storefront was made from as one of my goals for this blog is to get my readers quality bare feet running shoes at reasonable prices. In order to do that I needed to find something that was going to be quick and easy to maintain. Alas, I believe I've found it and through big cartels creative storefronts I was able to achieve just that.

What does that mean for the blog?

This means that my barefoot philosopher storefront is in the process of being structured from the ground up and will continue to take shape as I get more viewers. My hope is that I'll be able to eventually be able to cut the ties with my old shoe store on eBay and to solemnly supply you guys with quality bare feet running shoes. You can also find my storefront on the top menu where there will continue to be an adding more and more goodies to the bare foot philsophy.

Interested in Selling Me Bare Feet Running Shoes?

I'm interested in carrying your product in my storefront! Please contact me here where I'll be able to answer all of your questions personally in regards to carrying stock or taking stock off your hands. There is only one restriction and that is that the shoes must be deemed bare feet running shoe worthy. If you would even like to send a pair over for me to review please feel free to contact me as well.

From Desk Geek to Bare Feet Running Shoes Enthusiast

2011-09-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

Today is a post on where I came from and what gave me the motivation to become a bare feet running shoes kind of guy. To give you some background on who I am, is that not only am I a computer geek that loves his share of video games, but I'm just head over heels over various philosophies that practicably can be applied to my life. It isn't enough for me to just be healthy physically, because what is physical health when it comes to inward health. So me in a nutshell is that I spend a lot of time at my computer desk, either studying philosophy, playing video games and in my other times I go out with good company and enjoy nights out. My story may be very similar to a lot of other bare feet running junkies as the common question of wanting to feel that utter freedom of self-contentment and it may be something that may be coming up from the depths of your noggins as well.
I will say this though, is that I went from 165lbs and over the course of a year and half of living behind the desk as a desk geek (and having a girlfriend) I exceed my goal weight of 175lbs. I totally passed it up and hit 185lbs. It was shocking to me that it could happen in such a flash. It turns out my general health was being neglected both physically and mentally. This is where I turned to bare feet running to help me pick myself back up. See, being a computer desk geek doesn't mean that you have to be unhealthy (the misconception of us geeks is that we are fat slobs, and that just isn't true right guys?!)
So I picked myself back up and bought a pair of Harauche Sandals from InvisibleShoe.com and began my endeavor in recovering from the lull of my life back into freedom. Every run was filled with suprises in my new bare feet running shoes and slowly my body began to take shape again. This began to motivate me more as my posture began to correct itself, I began to also consume better foods, and drink healthier drink such as Bolthouse Farms fast variety of deliciously healthy drinks that I replaced instead of drinking soda (I used the protein based ones to take within 30 minutes after waking up for metabolic starting reasons, and the fruit and veggie ones for fillers so i wouldn't feel as hungry throughout the day). There was also one other things that I chose over soda which came after my runs for recovery purposes and I truly feel it help my body get back to more of its natural state which was the secret bare feet running tribe Tarahumara chia seed drink.

One more thing that got me to where I am today is a very small workout that I learned from Tim Ferris which was the kettle bell swing workout which minimum effective dose was twice a week and having enough weight to get to 75 swings without stopping. Once I would get to 75 swings I would up the weight and continue until I could reach 75 swings consecutive again. This workout is as minimal as it gets to get good results and works out your core and lower back... and well pretty much everything. The best thing about this work out is that it literally takes 5-10 minutes of physically intensive work and you're good to go! Now I sit here blogging to all you desk geeks out there, that there are things in which take a little change in lifestyle, and not even a huge difference in time management that can get you to your happy place. For me, within a month reached my target weight that I had always wanted to be which is 175lbs and am stable and happy there. My goal was to be happy with myself and this is what came out of it, and I cherish every moment I live in my life and take advantage of the opportunities that I have whether its being able to run in a nice pair of bare feet running shoes or whether its playing games or hanging out with friends. I no longer have to worry about those feelings of being un happy and unhealthy because I know that I'm truly not and that all my content-ness is within and no one can take that away from me. To finish this post off I will give you the lifestyle changes I made from being an un-healthy desk geek, to a super human desk geek below for your convenience:

One last thing I want to leave you with is that I am currently waiting on vivobarefoots bare feet running shoes model Ultra to come in the mail in order to test them out and do a review on them and am pretty stoked about that. I was very pleased with my dharma bare feet running shoes.

image courtesy vivobarefoot

Vivobarefoot - Dharma Bare Feet Running Shoes

2011-08-24T15:16:00.000-07:00

Some of the most comfortable bare feet running shoes that I have ever run in. The ones I'm reviewing is a very successful model that have been sold year after year by an up and running and quickly becoming a very popular bare feet shoe company called vivobarefoot. From the link you can actually grab a pair of these for $120.00. I actually came across these after seeing a video by Tim Ferris where he was wearing a pair of them, so i checked them out. I immediately fell in love with their beautiful bare feet running shoes and decided to make the leap and buy a pair for myself.

The first thing that I noticed was that I made the right choice with the canvas version of this model as I'm very preferential to canvas over leather. They are a very aesthetically pleasing bare feet running shoe and have a beautiful design for the sole of the shoe with latex rubber. This is what sells anything, is that image of being able to pull it off in public which is why I loved these so much.

Review

First impressions were very good with these bare feet running shoes so when putting these on only increased my loyalty to this company. So much so that my next pair of bare feet running shoes are going to be another pair of vivobarefoot. One thing I did notice though when wearing these (I wore without socks at first) was that there was a small imperfection in the fabric at the ankle of them which scratched at my heel slightly. I feel this isn't a fair con though because any shoe can have this due to its machining process, and it wasn't something that couldn't be fixed with a thin layer sock. In all reality, these bare feet running shoes have not only become something that I really enjoy having runs in and have also become my everyday shoe for over two years. They fit my lifestyle and they allow me to be as close to the ground as possible without being bare foot. They have definitely strengthened my feet in a way that any other cushioned shoe would have hindered my bones growth. I even enjoyed a trip to Disneyland with my ex-girlfriend where I was walking over 10 hours in these puppies and boy were my feet sore. The next day though, my feet had recovered fully over a good nights sleep.

One great quality about these shoes is vivobarefoots' fully removable and washable foam insole. This allows your feet the flexibility of still being free to contour to the environment around you but still offer some comfort.

Finally, durability of these bare feet running shoes are phenomenal. They are like that pair of rainbow sandals that last you six years and you just can't seem to find the heart to let them go, because it would leave a hole in your heart eight miles wide (thats me *hint hint*). These shoes have lasted me over two years and have really no signs of breaking down still, so I plan to wear these until they fall off my feet literally. I love these bare feet running shoes and suggest this company if you're planning on buying a nice quality bare feet running shoe that will last you a long time.

One last thing about these shoes that I really enjoyed is that their carbon foot print. They put these shoes through a process in which takes minimal steps to create the shoe itself and minimal resources (and most recycled materials).

Cons about the Dharma

What I didn't realize is that these shoes sole actually is more about abrasion resistance then traction. Playing a few games of tennis made this apparent, but the shoes again were not built specifically for traction. The traction I would say is about a 6/10 as opposed to other cushioned running shoes but when running on a trail, I haven't had the need for much traction but one might want to consider one of vivobarefoots other shoes with more traction (and they do have quite a wide selection).

Zen Foot Philosopher - Bare Feet Running and Loving It.

2011-08-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

There are a million and one different ways to have a bare feet running session. There can be tons of different goals in mind whether its health, competition, length of run, distance ran, etc. I've observed that the mental game of bare feet running can cause a lot of stress to the runner causing them to not being able to enjoy their experience as much as they could be enjoying it. I just wanted to give a little background on what I do to stay present when running. As a lot of people that bare feet run know, that when you plug yourself into the world, most times it isn't really about the run itself (sometimes it definitely is) but the ability to enjoy the trail, to see new sites, or things that you may of not picked up last time on the trail that you enjoy running when you go out. When I first started running trails in my home town, it was only about the health and competition aspect and I always timed my runs and tried to beat them, which gave a small flake of accomplishment but it felt almost painful to go through this process. I was so caught up in trying to do better that I was never able to fully enjoy everything that goes into bare feet running. That's when I changed my view on what bare feet running means to me that saved me.

Mind over Matter

I learned more and more it wasn't the run itself that was bothering me, but the need to reach some goal. Having my watch there timing me as well as trying to track how far I've run seemed to really distract me from what was physically going on around me. This is where I picked up the philosophy of, "why not just run to run, no goal set in stone." I guess of course you can argue that in itself is a goal, but my stresses began to melt away. The less I was worried about how long I had to run or how far I had to run, the more I could enjoy the different beauties of the run itself: the aesthetics of the trail, the movements of the body and being more in tune with it, and also in my case the wonderful music I filled my mp3 with.

image courtesy of austin360.com

By dropping the other goals, I was able to see other things which lightened my runs up tenfold. It also allowed me to just let those thoughts of, "you can't do this." wither and die. We have to keep in mind that those things are only thoughts, it has nothing to do with the bodies ability to do or not do, and having picked up a better sense of the body allows you to check with reality if it can actually do it rather than having to be troubled by thoughts.

Staying Present When Bare Feet Running

Now its not magic like what Merlin the sorcerer would do so you don't need your wizards hat and wand. All it takes is a willingness to just relax into the running. This means focus on the things that are enjoyable with running. Bare feet running is a very enjoyable thing as it is and being present is one of my key tools I use to fully enjoy my runs. There is so much going on if you're paying attention to what you're doing, seeing, feeling, hearing, that it would be impossible for that monkey mind to give you those little thoughts saying you can't do it or that the experience is boring. In reality its not boring at all, its just that when we don't pay attention to what we're doing at the moment the mind has sort of a chance to escape reality it other mind fantasy like the magician that shows children that a rabbit can be pulled from his hat! See the child will then start to imagine where that rabbit even came from rather than looking to see that the rabbit really just exists inside the hat of the magician (sorry for all the kids dreams I crushed. :().

Here are some of the things I'm seeing when I run that keeps me present:

The in and out stomach breathing.
Beautiful nature of the trail or area.
Staying focused on "Light" on my forefoot/midstrike.
Sensations of the body.
All my favorite beats that I have on my mp3 player.

As you might see there is not a lot of room for the mind to chatter as there is so much to be taken in during a bare feet run if you are staying focused on the present moment. So staying in the moment is just as important with bare feet running then the actual run itself, and as long as you keep these suggestions in mind, hopefully you wont miss something like this.

If you guys would like to share experiences, or give some insights on some tools you use while bare feet running, feel free to comment! I would love to hear from you! :)

Quick Recovery for Bare Feet Running

2011-08-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

I've often found that recovery from a long bare foot running is just as important than the run itself. I mean who wouldn't want to recover more quickly so that we can get back out there in the world to do the thing that we love doing for ourselves. This is where I've learned about quicker recoveries. Now I'm nowhere near a running professional but if its one main thing that I've learned is that water is one of your most important assets when it comes to running with bare feet. Not only during the run but also days after bare feet running is it still just as important. Getting oxygen to your muscles is important and water is one of the most important assets in accomplishing this task. Now of course this is common sense, but many people neglect it even in everyday life and choose by their own will to drink other things that may actually impose on the bodies ability to get oxygen to the muscles.

There are other means in which I use when I'm running bare foot and that is making sure to get the right nutrients into my body as well. Usually make sure a good source of protein in the morning and throughout the day and a myriad of vitamins... now I don't suggest everyone supplement vitamins as the sole nutrient and it's definitely going to be different for each individual but I find that a good multi-vitamin, a b-complex, and a good E,C, and D capsule is always a good shot at recovering your muscles quicker.

One more tip for bare feet running that I have used since my runs tend to extend longer then I initally think they will last is after the run, I tend to do a stretch which requires one to have your legs up straight against the wall to let the acids circulate back through the blood to allow some dissipation. This is crucial for me as I know its taken affect at the point in which my legs will tend to go numb for a short while and then get their feeling back. Here is an example, image of it courtesy of realityyoga.com

Here is where it gets good for all you bare feet running group and that is dating back to the Tarahumara tribe and what they use to help them recover quicker. There is something specific they use and it is all thanks to a book that I recently read called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall which really sinks into the heart of the bare feet running lifestyle. It is a book of what it means to know life and to live it to its fullest. You can read more about the philosophy behind the book and what I got out of it from my other blog Atomic Potential. Anyway what I wanted to get at is what is referred to in the book as a major energy booster which comes from the Chia Seed drink. This drink is relatively simple to make and it is said while running that it will lift the spirits of even the most exhausted of bare feet runners, and I can attest to this. I always drink this after I go bare feet running and I would have to say that it has helped me feel almost completely energized every single time.

What is Chia Seed?

You've probably guessed it but Chia seed is exactly what you think it is... you know, those Chia pets that you can water and boom! Out grows these little green grass like things. Those are Chia seeds with their magical properties to the left. They are a seed that is native to Mexico and Guatemala which makes a lot of sense as to why the Tarahumara, a Mexican tribe has found this wonderful remedy of recovery. This drink helps not only in overall health, but also in strength and vitality (which is why one would feel more energy after its consumption.)

Not only this but its also a great source of fiber and which may also give one the feeling of fuller longer throughout the day so if you're looking to getting fitter quicker, then this is an essential to recovery and health. The reason why I usually drink this after a run is because of these seeds ability to drastically reduce free radicals in the body which means it helps dissipate those running acids that build up in the legs after a nice long enjoyable bare feet running session. One other thing that these seem to accomplish that other sources may not is the fact that this drink through the seed is chalked full of Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) which according to vitacost.com's description of the seed are "good" fats. They are essential for good health and are something everyone needs but are not naturally produced by the body.

Finally the icing on the cake is that these particular seeds in the link above are gluten free which means that they will not spike your insulin levels which store fat instead of turning it into muscle.

How do you make the Chia Seed drink?!

Its actually extremely easy, given you have the seeds of course. They are relatively inexpesive to purchase a 1lb container of them, and are well worth it for your health. Heres my method to making it which is followed as closely as I know how to the Tarahumara bare feet running tribe which is mixing 1 scoop of chia seed into 8oz. of water and stirring for 1 minute (usually these containers have scoops in them). The container says to let it sit for 5 minutes to let it get its consistency and to do its magic, and then as to not let everything sit at the bottom of the cup I stir after the five minutes while I drink. One last final touch before drinking is that I add a slice of freshly cut lemon or lime as this adds to the health of the body and drink it on down. It doesn't really taste like anything aside from the lemon or lime but the consistency will be much like a more liquidy jello which really isn't bad at all. You might want to follow up with one more cup of 8ozs of water just to get the rest of the seeds out of the cup and that's it! You'll feel recharged in no time and on your way to recovery!

Now slap on those bare feet running shoes and get to running good ladies and gentle sirs!!

Vibram KSO

2011-08-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

The first review that I'm going to do are on the first pair of bare feet running shoes that I every owned. They are known as the Vibram Five Fingers KSO (Keep Stuff Out). These were an exciting new endeavor for me when I first started running bare foot and it was all thanks to a video that I saw from Tim Ferris' blog. He was wearing these slightly goofy looking shoes and was talking about how they strengthen the bones in your feet and legs and well... pretty much your whole posture given you were them often.

Image courtesy of Vibram FiveFingers.

I put these bare feet running shoes to the test not by first running but by walking around my college campus in them. My pair were blue at the time and they got looks and questions but they seemed to be working. My feet got sore but not without reason, they were strengthening my toes and legs and my arches became more arch worthy. I wore them out needless to say as I wore these awesome bare feet running shoes out within several months and here are some things to look for when looking at these:

Review

I wore these bare feet running shoes out within several months mainly for the fact that although they fit my foot like a glove, the seems tended to break apart after a extended amount of use. I think that its also because I did end up washing them a few times for the fact that running bare foot in these can get them pretty dirty from sweat. I will say that toe socks for these might be a little on the pricey side which is why I didn't go for them and might make your feet feel a little too snug. I did follow the instructions on washing them but that didn't seem to save them too much durability. At the time it was a big purchase for me but it looks like you would be able to get a pair of your own for only around $85.00

On the mesh side of things, they do have some mesh to keep moisture from totally bombarding your foot but for me in particular it didn't stop my feet from getting the shoes a bit slippery from the inside but the gripping on the outside was still a nice plus. If you're looking for a nice first pare of bare feet running shoes but don't want to spend a whole lot of money, I would say this is a good shoe to go with (of course if you don't mind the five finger look.)

These have very little support, but what do you expect from bare feet running shoes. They boast the 3.5mm Vibram TC1 Rubber outsole. They are not a shoe you want if you're looking for arch support as these actually strengthen your feet AND arches. These shoes are quite stretchy and they are used for a number of different activities such as of course bare feet running, other fitness, water sports, traveling, yoga/pilates, trekking, etc.

Finally on the toe sockets themselves. It takes some getting used to in terms of getting your feet into a toe like groove especially with people that wear shoes pretty much their whole life. To me it felt like forcing your foot into a position it wasn't used to but it wasn't painful by any means and once the toes were in place, it felt exactly like an extension of my own foot. They are a very comfortable shoe.

That's all I have for today on our bare feet running shoe reviews. If you would like me to elaborate on anything, or add anything to the review that might be of importance, please feel free to leave a comment or contact me and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Barefooting and Minimalism

2011-08-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Barefoot Philosopher experience. I hope you've become comfortable in your nice comfy chair while reading this. I'm going to make my purpose short and sweet, and give you my best intentions in the next couple of paragraphs for this first post. Firstly I want to thank you for visiting, you are obviously here for a reason, whether you were looking for some feedback on the barefeet shoes of your choice, life suggestions, or perhaps just for the pure enjoyment of the content that I have and will continue to have up on this blog. All of these are splendid reasons for why you've come. My intentions are going to be simple:

Freedom Starts With Mastering the Mind

Now this is the philosophy part of it, first everything inside needs to be freed up to see with the utmost clarity. Some people call the mind the monkey mind because it always seems to be going. There is no way in which we can control these thoughts from happening as their job is to compete for attention through circumstance and reaction. Their reason for existence is to dominate their world, their reality. So to free this space up is to have no-mind which I think we can agree on to some extent. This doesn't mean to veg out and not do anything, if anything it is freeing. It frees you up to not be carried along by the demands of the thoughts. Let us face it, thoughts are like parasites, there are what could be considered good or bad thought but given that a competing thought is endagered of losing its dominance it will have no qualms with causing damage to the host (thats you) and thats where fear comes in and restricts us in life. It keeps many people from rising up over their fears and doing what they honestly love doing and creating their own name instead of walking in the shadows of other great minds. Why not be your own light and walk in your own light where shadow cannot pray and control your every move? WHY NOT? It first comes like releasing an addiction from your body, and it isn't easy, its almost like erasing everything that you've come to learn about yourself to see that all of that stuff wasn't really true, and to find out what you really are and always have been; A beacon of light.

Start Slow, Bare Feet Running

This is the next part of the goal that you want. This goal actually comes with no goal. You can't seek running barefoot to gain something or you wont enjoy life for what it is. Running barefoot is one of those things where every part of your being goes into the enjoyment of the way that your body naturally does when running. We are running creatures by nature but it takes some practice and un learning of all the damage that our modern day shoes have done to our body structure. So pick up a pair of Vibrams, Terra Plana, Saucony, Nike, New Balance bare feet running shoes and start with little runs. Nothing too extravagant so that you can get use to the no rythm that your feet will partake in. We are going for light and when I say light, we are looking for more of a mid to forefoot step but nothing too hard. Try to let the motion be as fluid as possible and let what your body is telling you be your guide. If you feel you need to walk on your run, then walk. If you feel you want to run then run. I would make a suggestion and that is, if you are starting this or trying it to see if their is a change in emotional state, it will happen, just give it time but you cant let all those other obstacles get in your way. When i refer to obstacles, I'm referring to tracking your progress, or timing yourself. These things get in the way of naturally enjoying a barefoot run and hinder the minds emptying process. I think one more suggestion I've found to be pleasant is focusing on either a nice soundtrack of songs on your mp3 player, focusing on the gentleness of your breathing (and in the same token, making sure you breathe through your belly as this is what gives oxygen to your muscles.), or just the beauty of the nature around you.

Barefoot Philosophy is an Art and I hope I've given you a little insight into my world, and I hope that this site will become of use as I update it more with quality information on barefeet running and bare feet running shoes, and techniques that will help the philosophy along the way. Let your feet be your ultimate guide!