Is Running In Minimalist Shoes A Good Idea?

                                                               



When you read books on running the subject of minimalist shoes often comes up.As the term implies this means running either barefoot or with the minimum foot protection possible. Is it a good idea? Well obviously there is the possibility of injury when your feet which have been supported and protected by full running shoes are suddenly without any support or protection. Here is a quote from  Runners World  and written by  Jenny Hadfield on the subject:


Shoes are like cars. They are a convenience and provide comfort, style (in most cases), and efficient travel from point A to B without having to think about every single step or worry about the elements along the way.
And like cars, there are a variety of shoes that run along a continuum from the least amount of protection (shoes that look like gloves for your feet) to the most protection (heavy stability shoe).
The more minimal the shoe, the more the foot, ankle, and lower leg actively supports and stabilizes your body in motion. The bulkier the shoe, the more the shoe does the work for us. It's very much like driving a stick shift car versus an automatic. Neither are bad, both are driving, and both have unique benefits.
Newsflash: We are born into the world barefoot. From there we learn to crawl, then walk barefoot, and then we go through the awkward transition to walking in shoes. Eventually that leads to running in shoes and wearing high heels and other fun foot accessories.
If you start with the premise that we were all made to move from one place to the next shoe-free, you'll begin to see how shoes come into our lives for the benefits mentioned above. Although it may look and feel weird to run in less underfoot, it is a very natural skill.
But, does that mean every runner should switch to minimalist shoes? It depends.
It depends what type of shoes your body is used to running in now—the more support, typically the longer the transition time to running with less. Be cautious. If you switch from a supportive shoe to a minimalist shoe and keep running like nothing has changed, you're likely to get hurt. Taking it slowly in the minimalist world means starting with just seconds of running at a time, and spending months, if not years, transitioning. The benefits are incredible, but it isn't a free ride—you have to earn the strength to support your body to run in less.
The above material was published in Runners World
Running without shoes or with minimal shoes is a very interesting possibility for many runners. Always consider however the type of surface you are running on and what dangers there may be to bare feet. Anywhere that broken glass or sharp rocks may be encountered is not the place for this type of running. A sandy beach or a running track would be the best place to try it out.You can find out more about running and jogging in our ebook:  http://www.amazon.com/Running-Jogging-Health-Fitness-ebook/dp/B007MFTLS8/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333752729&sr=1-2
You can also view an interesting video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMlsZyAh2LY