You have heard of the myriad benefits of barefoot running and have seen the merits of shifting from your conventional shoes to minimalist shoes. You tried it out for yourself and have discovered the reasons why people are making the big leap to this novel idea in running and walking. Now you are embarking on taking it all the way in barefoot running by turning in your old sneakers in exchange for any of these minimalist shoes.
You had been convinced to make the big transition, how would you convince your family and friends to do the same? What are the reasons why minimalist shoes beat your old sneakers anytime? Barely-there shoes are barely-there or nothing at all, thus exposing your feet to all kinds of elements that can bring on harm. For all the seemingly frail and delicate form of these new breed of shoes, what are the reasons why it got the edge over your traditional shoes hands down?
- Your old sneakers may be very well-padded and cushioned, however it has imprisoned your feet, causing it to abridge and cramped up all those muscles and bones. Wearing your minimalist shoes will enable your feet to develop these sleeping muscles and bones, strengthening them in the process. Your minimalist shoes will actually strengthen your feet in the long run, improve your gait and help you develop a more appropriate running form. This can be achieved by letting you achieve the perfect form for running. That is, letting your mid-foot strike the ground first, instead of your heel.
- Running wearing your traditional shoes has also misled you to running much too hard causing undue pressure to your joints and cartilages. Wearing your minimalist shoes when running is much better because it places you in much direct contact with the ground, of feeling united with the ground under your feet and with the freedom to lightly thread these surfaces on your almost barefooted feet. See this page for more explanation on this subject. Minimalist shoes give your feet and yourself freedom which you cannot simply achieve while your feet is closely encased and supported in your old sneakers.
- Minimalist shoes have a flatter heel than your old sneakers. Shoes with higher heels actually injure your feet in the long run. Thus, minimalist shoes will give you a better posture and better running form since you would be able to correctly land on your mid-foot when running, instead of your heel. It will also improve your gait or stride since continuous heel-strike-first when running causes injury to your spine which will affect your posture. Since traditional shoes will only allow you to use the heel-strike-first system of running, you would be causing more harm to your spine and future with the continuous use of your conventional shoes.
Minimalist shoes might prove costly at the outset however it is cost-effective in the long run when you ponder on it. The harm that your old sneakers may have heaped upon your feet, legs and spine will definitely cost you a lot when the effects of such infringement on your feet’s freedom are calculated. Just don’t be hasty with your transition to avoid harm to your feet. Remember the rule: take it slow yet with determination to achieve your goal, which is to a full-pledge barefoot runner.
Picture by: panic switch 13
