Training for performance begins and ends with your feet.
So Why do I advocate training barefoot during a workout?
If your guess was that I am trying to cultivate some kind of modern day hippie commune fitness movement or that I have some kind of foot fetish – you would be wrong, lol!
It’s funny – most people pay little or no attention to our feet as we forge our way through life, let alone realize how important they are when we exercise and seek maximal fitness gains.
If you are like many, you probably don’t bother thinking about the incredibly important role your feet play in your physical success and well-being until you actually have an issue with them.
So give your feet the freedom they desire and learn why it is so important for them to have an unrestricted relationship with good old mother earth in your training and daily activities.
Seven Great Reasons To Train Barefoot
1. Most shoes are over engineered and restrict the natural movements of our feet leading to all kinds of ailments up and down the body’s entire kinetic chain( That’s all areas between your feet and head)
2. Training barefoot lends to better balance, stability and posture. Now who doesn’t need more of this in their life?
3. Losing the shoes while training puts your body into a position of better alignment which means a safer workout
4. Assists the feet in transferring more stimulus to the brain which recruits more muscle fibers to perform better on all your lifts and in turn will burn more calories
5. Allows you to grip and root into the ground better, creating a strong base of support for better performance
6. Training barefoot increases the range of motion, flexibility and mobility of the foot
7. And finally – It just flat -out feels good, unrestricted and liberating!
Check out this sample barefoot workout at the beach:
Wear Minimal Footwear If you Can’t Go Barefoot
While training barefoot has many benefits, there are of course times when wearing socks or footwear may be required depending on the environment, terrain and circumstances you have to deal with.
For example, when training outdoors I will avoid going barefoot if I deem the terrain and temperature detrimental to the happy and safe performance of my valued feet.
But I will often train barefoot outdoors if the conditions are safe and favorable like on sand at the beach, a sand volleyball court, outdoor turf field or a nice plot of grass. Explore my site for many examples of successfully training in this manner as I practice what I preach and teach.
When you need to use footwear go as minimal as possible. Choose something that is flat and low profile with no heel devoid of all the thick foam and filler that interfere with your foot’s ability to transfer vital stimulus information to your brain.
I wear reasonably priced shoes like Converse All Stars Chuck Taylors when I train outside if I am in very rough terrain or there are known hazards like sharp stones, glass and other nasty things.
There are numerous other expensive minimalist shoe and footwear choices on the market that will do the job, but I like the feel and value of my old reliable Converse sneakers and get a lot of versatile use out of them.
Try going barefoot or scale down to minimal footwear the next time you train whether you are doing a total body kettlebell workout, bodyweight exercises, mobility drills, sandbag training or any other fitness activity that will get you meaningful results and drive you to your fitness goals.
Just use your good judgement and common sense to determine whether to go barefoot or slip into some low profile protection for your feet as you don’t want to go overboard with this beneficial concept.
Our bodies are an amazing interconnected piece of organic engineering and a lot of our physical well-being starts where we contact mother earth – Our often neglected feet!
Related Article: Try These Foot Mobility Exercises
Related Article: Sandbag Training For A Powerful Fitness Upgrade
Related Article: Don’t Neglect Balance Training
I’m Mark Mellohusky (Mellow-Husky)
Mellow as in laid back, but Husky like the dog.
An often barefoot eternal student of health and physical culture who will not go quietly into the sunset since I have learned how to age gracefully by adopting sane eating strategies, staying strong and lean, moving well and pain-free and conquering nasty fat.
I am an unapologetic product of my own advice and live a powerfully active and highly capable life physically, mentally and financially through the methods I share and practice
While I share A lot of tips, techniques, fitness and well being philosophy on my site, it is unrealistic to try to adopt it all into your overall life fitness plan as we all have different health and fitness gaps in our programs we need to address.
So take what you need to succeed even if it’s just one concept and fill those fitness gaps, dare to get out of your comfort zone and experience the thrill of doing what works and realizing your worthy life goals!
I Eat T-Bone Steaks, Lift Kettlebell Weights And Pay Attention To My Feet!
Thoughts For Success
At the end of the day, the ONLY person who can persuade you to be a disciplined, happy and productive person in life is YOU!
Be flexible and open minded in your life dealings, but refuse to budge on matters that compromise your integrity
Don’t be the person who thrives on the problem. Be the person who offers solutions to the problem.
You need to lead yourself first before attempting to effectively lead others
Empty wallets never stopped anyone from doing anything. Empty minds have, though!
Seven Stars Fitness