Quickest way to hit the ground running (barefoot)?

[Ghiddy]

I want to start running barefoot. Well, to start I'll probably use Vibram Five Fingers (or a similar "shoe", let me know if there are alternatives to VFF's I should be looking at).

I have a very busy schedule and I tend to get very in depth and spend WAY too much time reading and researching stuff once I first get into it. I don't want to do that with the barefoot running. Can anyone recommend a learning regimen that won't take more than .5 - 1 hour to get up to speed on the proper techniques, and anything else I need to do in order to avoid injury? Basically I'm looking for a recommendation on the best online tutorial, or ideally, the best free Youtube video I can watch to learn the stuff.

I'm naturally athletic and my weight OK, with bf around 12%. I currently look fit but consider myself out of shape since I haven't been working out the past few months.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Start here - http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/barefoot-running

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I want to start running barefoot. Well, to start I'll probably use Vibram Five Fingers (or a similar "shoe", let me know if there are alternatives to VFF's I should be looking at).

I have a very busy schedule and I tend to get very in depth and spend WAY too much time reading and researching stuff once I first get into it. I don't want to do that with the barefoot running. Can anyone recommend a learning regimen that won't take more than .5 - 1 hour to get up to speed on the proper techniques, and anything else I need to do in order to avoid injury? Basically I'm looking for a recommendation on the best online tutorial, or ideally, the best free Youtube video I can watch to learn the stuff.

I'm naturally athletic and my weight OK, with bf around 12%. I currently look fit but consider myself out of shape since I haven't been working out the past few months.

As with everything else, it's going to honestly take you thousands of repetitions to get down - so half hour to an hour isn't realistic. You can read into it as much as you want - you just need to strike with your forefoot first or at the same time as your rear foot. Don't toe-run, which means don't just run on the balls of your feet. Your heel has to touch the ground each and every rep, but don't run heel-to-toe. This is something you do need to read up on so your normal regimen of researching things should be applied here.

 

[killster1]

when i run with out shoes daaaaaaaaamn my feet get so bruised.. but im really heavy, good luck

 

[Ghiddy]

SociallyChallenged, I know it will take weeks before I'm up to speed in running with correct form. I know I'll have to practice a lot, that part I'm fine with and expect. The 30-60 minutes was only in regards to the amount of reading I wanted to do before going out and starting.

I normally spend dozens - 100's of hours looking up articles and reading ENTIRE message boards on topics of interest. I'm not looking to do anything like that. I want to avoid digging through all the different sources and just pick one highly recommended reference source (recommended by you folks) and start right away.

I think I can pick it up no problem with just some practice. I ran barefoot a lot when I was younger. A habit I got from living in a 3rd world country until I was 6yo. I had pads on my feet thick enough to let me run & sprint on pretty rough asphalt on my street (lived in a cul-de-sac, hence being able to run in the street w/o getting run over).

 

[kamper]

I can only offer my own experiences, but VFFs are the best minimal shoes that I've tried. When I have a suitable surface available (my sidewalk in warm weather is fine for short runs) I try to do supplementary barefoot running as it makes me much more careful about my form and leaves my feet feeling less sore than minimalist shoes often do.

Aside from the obvious advice of "don't land on your heels", the major thing that everyone seems to agree on is to start slow. You may be at an advantage from past experiences, but a lot of people (myself included) hurt themselves by not easing into it. For me, easing into it has meant months of slow increases and I'm still nowhere near the distances I can do in fully padded trainers.

 

[Ghiddy]

OK so i got the Vibrams and ran in them on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. It's now Saturday night and my calves are still really sore. I only did about .4 or .5 miles. Interesting that it's not the big meaty part of the calves that's sore, it's like the muscle or tendon that's deeper inside, as well as the Achilles tendon that's sore.

The run itself was pretty easy and I'm very comfortable running barefoot (or more accurately, in "minimalist" shoes). I'm looking forward to the next run, will probably do two runs next week of similar distance. I was hoping to do my next one Sunday, but I will delay it till Monday, when I'm hopefully not as sore.

 

[silverpig]

It's a natural motion with a very strong feedback if you aren't doing it right. Just start slow and you'll just learn.

 

[mcveigh]

I've been doing it a few months.....still can't run far without massive DOM pain the next day. I do more runs in some indoor soccer shoes and have gone from a heel striker to more of a mid-foot stiker at least.
just go slow and don't expect results over night

 

[Ghiddy]

I've been doing it a few months.....still can't run far without massive DOM pain the next day. I do more runs in some indoor soccer shoes and have gone from a heel striker to more of a mid-foot stiker at least.
just go slow and don't expect results over night

Wow, I didn't think the DOM soreness would last that long. Can you describe the routine you've used up to this point? I realize you may not have used any "official" or published routine. Just want to get an idea of how much distance you started with, how much you increased mileage by each week, stuff like that. It would be nice to hear from you as well as others here on how long it took to ease into barefoot running.

Ultimately I don't care how long it takes. It seems like adjusting will take a lot longer than I initially thought so I may need to adopt one or more alternate forms of exercise while I adjust to barefoot. I'd like to start up basketball again but I'd rather not do anything that involves running with sneakers until I'm a lot more comfortable barefoot.

 

[rocadelpunk]

It took me about 6months - year to adjust to barefoot/minimalist running.

Technique isn't what's difficult. I would love to run just barefoot, but it's hot in Phoenix so that's where the Vibrams help.

If you're worried about technique I'd read up at runners world + some videos like chi running.

You have to be so so careful with overdoing it. All my injuries (top of foot pain, ITB, soreness) have been from overdoing it.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

OK so i got the Vibrams and ran in them on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. It's now Saturday night and my calves are still really sore. I only did about .4 or .5 miles. Interesting that it's not the big meaty part of the calves that's sore, it's like the muscle or tendon that's deeper inside, as well as the Achilles tendon that's sore.

The run itself was pretty easy and I'm very comfortable running barefoot (or more accurately, in "minimalist" shoes). I'm looking forward to the next run, will probably do two runs next week of similar distance. I was hoping to do my next one Sunday, but I will delay it till Monday, when I'm hopefully not as sore.

Honestly, with barefoot running, you shouldn't actually run for several weeks. You should walk around barefoot for at least two weeks before running. Many people just starting running because they're comfortable with larger distances. Honestly though, this is something that takes months of adaptation. If you run half a mile twice next week, I guarantee the soreness will make you hate your life.

 

[mcveigh]

Wow, I didn't think the DOM soreness would last that long. Can you describe the routine you've used up to this point? I realize you may not have used any "official" or published routine. Just want to get an idea of how much distance you started with, how much you increased mileage by each week, stuff like that. It would be nice to hear from you as well as others here on how long it took to ease into barefoot running.

Ultimately I don't care how long it takes. It seems like adjusting will take a lot longer than I initially thought so I may need to adopt one or more alternate forms of exercise while I adjust to barefoot. I'd like to start up basketball again but I'd rather not do anything that involves running with sneakers until I'm a lot more comfortable barefoot.

Just little runs, so far the longest in vibrams has been a about 2.5 miles. for longer runs I've been using my soccer shoes instead of normal running shoes
Did some intervals last week sprinting up a ramp. that hurt a lot.

 

[Ghiddy]

Honestly, with barefoot running, you shouldn't actually run for several weeks. You should walk around barefoot for at least two weeks before running. Many people just starting running because they're comfortable with larger distances. Honestly though, this is something that takes months of adaptation. If you run half a mile twice next week, I guarantee the soreness will make you hate your life.

Would it be OK to run just a few blocks (like .2-ish miles) 2-3 times next week then? Or should I just get over feeling like an elderly for walking?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Would it be OK to run just a few blocks (like .2-ish miles) 2-3 times next week then? Or should I just get over feeling like an elderly for walking?

Just walk in them first. That will be the best decision you can make before you run in them. Walk barefoot before you run barefoot. Everytime someone asks me about barefoot running, I say walk in them for two weeks before even thinking about running. I do this from both personal experience and the experience of others. It will save you a lot of pain down the line.

 

[silverpig]

Just walk in them first. That will be the best decision you can make before you run in them. Walk barefoot before you run barefoot. Everytime someone asks me about barefoot running, I say walk in them for two weeks before even thinking about running. I do this from both personal experience and the experience of others. It will save you a lot of pain down the line.

That's a bit slow IMO. Walking doesn't use the same strike or motion as running so it doesn't really help. Don't you walk around barefoot/in socks at home anyways?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

That's a bit slow IMO. Walking doesn't use the same strike or motion as running so it doesn't really help. Don't you walk around barefoot/in socks at home anyways?

No, but it does use the same intrinsic and extrinsic foot musculature as is required by barefoot running. The weakest part about shod feet is the tendons and ligaments. The muscles may be able to produce enough force to resist the forces of barefoot running, but the tendons and ligaments tend to fail very quickly. Increasing the volume with which the foot is active barefoot increases the tensile strength of both in a manner that will reduce future injury. I'm saying work the way up to walking around barefoot all day, whenever you're up.

 

[Capt Caveman]

That's a bit slow IMO. Walking doesn't use the same strike or motion as running so it doesn't really help. Don't you walk around barefoot/in socks at home anyways?

If you're new to barefoot running, even walking in VFFs for a couple of miles will leave your feet/calves sore.

 

[silverpig]

Walking around in flip-flops (not thick cushioned ones of course) probably helps too.

I never noticed a big deal with having to walk around in vibrams before I got comfortable running in them. I do wear thin flip flops in the summer, and my casual everyday runners are thin flats, so maybe that helped. I dunno.