Bare feet

Zozo

Zozo

Cathlete
Is it really okay to exercise (cardio) barefoot?
I have been looking at the Vibram five fingers.. and I'm intrigued. However, there is no way I can afford them. I was just wondering... who does cardio barefooted? Is it okay? I always thought it was bad for your joints. I am really suffering with an old injury, because of the way that my shoes press on the old 'sore' spot. I am really intrigued as to who does cardio (cathe cardio) bare footed....
If it IS okay... are there benefits?
And is even step okay?

:S I'm very confused....
 
Zozo said:
Is it really okay to exercise (cardio) barefoot?
I have been looking at the Vibram five fingers.. and I'm intrigued. However, there is no way I can afford them. I was just wondering... who does cardio barefooted? Is it okay? I always thought it was bad for your joints. I am really suffering with an old injury, because of the way that my shoes press on the old 'sore' spot. I am really intrigued as to who does cardio (cathe cardio) bare footed....
If it IS okay... are there benefits?
And is even step okay?

:S I'm very confused....
Click to expand...

I say do what is right for you. I would never do a Cathe workout barefoot, . .for fear of dropping a dumbell on my foot. I also have PF so my feet need the support. The only workout that I do barefeet is ballet, and yoga.
 
I typically do my cardio (even step) barefoot, even Cathe's like Imax2. Shoes just feel so heavy and they tend to drag on the carpet.
 
I recently got the vibram five fingers and was just going to wear them doing certain Cathe workouts and the weight work outs...Then I posted on here and found out that people were using them for all of their workouts...SO I tried them with step and so far they have been great. So now I am using them for all of my workouts! I really feel very balanced and connected to the floor. Like a previous poster said you should do what feels right for you. It does not hurt to try working out in your bare feet just to see how it suits you. If you do not like it you can go right back to working out in shoes the next day!:D
 
I've only heard of runners using the vibrams. I dont' know about the Cathe workouts. Check out pheddipidations, Steve Runner has a few podcasts on the subject. I don't know if you run or not.
 
The Vibram FF shoes have completely resolved my PF! Shoes tend to shorten and tighten the tendons in your feet because they don't allow for natural, full stretching as we are meant to function. I use mine for everything - running, weight lifting, step, kickboxing, etc.
 
I've been doing all my cardio (step, kickboxing, running, kettlebells, etc) either barefoot or in Fivefingers for several months and I'm fine. I kind of eased into it to give my feet a little time to adjust. No more knee issues, and I like feeling liberated from shoes!
 
These sound so intriguing! I am scared to try them as I have knee issues and have just got better from having PF for the last spring and summer. I would really like to try them!!

Do you guys even do Hiit in them??

Thanks
Heather?
 
I do all my indoor workouts barefoot - I have carpet and a thin rubbery mat in my workout space, so I don't need the extra grippiness the Vibram FFs provide. I do HiiT barefoot.

The key is, whether you're in shoes or barefoot or in FFs or whatever, to land carefully. Barefoot, I really focus on the way my foot and leg muscles naturally act as shock absorbers, and I feel the muscles in my feet working when I'm doing jumping moves (tuck jumps, etc).

I'd suggest starting out by doing just warm-ups and cool-downs barefoot. Walk around barefoot more. Gradually do more and more of your workout barefoot.

For weight training (or, in my case, kettlebells), a big concern is dropping weights on feet. But unless you're wearing steel-toed boots for your workout, your shoes aren't much protection, anyway. Doing your weight work barefoot is another good way to start - there's less jumping, but you will feel your feet learning to balance without shoes.

Suddenly switching to barefoot after years of wearing shoes really involves your Achilles tendon and calves in new and interesting ways - you do NOT want to aggravate your Achilles tendon! Give it time to get used to being fully extended! :D
 
I, too, love working out barefoot and have done it for years. I do wear shoes to do step, but those shoes are flimsy track shoes with no "support" built in at all. Although now, I'm going to try step barefoot after seeing other posters that do it.

I stopped wearing those thick "supportive" workout shoes when I developed PF years ago. As soon as I stopped wearing them, my PF resolved itself and I haven't had an issue since!

Working out barefoot is very freeing to me, I highly recommend it!
 
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