Shoes or Barefoot?

[ScoobyPixie]

Cathe, I was wondering if there is a benefit in wearing shoes during workouts. I workout at home on carpet and don't wear shoes inside my house which is why I workout barefoot. But would wearing shoes have any benefit?

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Kandace! Oh most definitely! Shoes provide your feet with proper protection per activity. They also provide a slip proof environment. I highly recommend shoes to work out in at all times(unless the workout calls for barefeet ie: yoga). It will help reduce the risk of injury, help support your arches and help keep you from over or under pronating. Please lace up soon

 

[Marie1120]

You have Cathe's answer but just wanted to add that trying to exercise barefoot was how I ended up with plantar fasciitis and then no exercise at all for months. Even walking was painful. Better safe than sorry.

 

[benvonwojo]

I have worked out barefoot for 20 years now. I feel the most comfortable in bare feet. I can feel the step and know that my foot is planted firmly on it or not. I run outside in barefeet, and I lift weights with bare feet. When I go to a gym I wear shoes in respect of my exersizers and I feel fine in shoes. I must say I have never had any foot problems either.

 

[BrianneD]

I workout barefoot when I do upper body, abs or kickboxing. When I took kickboxing at a martial arts studio we wore barefeet and we used the wavemasters so we weren't kicking air. I'm much more comfortable with barefeet unless I'm doing lower body weights, then I feel that shoes help stabilize my feet and ankles.Sue

 

[kathryn]

You are very lucky or very genetically gifted to have feet and knees and hips that can stand the impact of barefoot exercise.

I personally only do yoga and stretching, and some low-impact kickboxing, barefoot and would never think of doing other workouts barefoot. I've stubbed my toe too often on weights while I WASN'T working out to risk doing so when I was.

 

[fab40]

Being the klutz that I am, I 'm sure I would have to seek the emergency room if I did Cathe's workouts barefoot. I would think this very bad for your feet with all that impact. Yikes! It might be fine now, but what about 10 to 20 years from now? But to each his own.

 

[mogambo]

I've read about more than one person who can run barefooted for miles and live to tell about it. I do think some people have very well-formed and strong feet. Maybe she is also very light in weight. I worked out at first barefooted, doing Karen Voight's Energy Sprint and The Firm. In fact, I did The Firm for years without shoes. Eventually, even though nothing hurt, I got shoes just "to be safe", but for all I know, I've wasted hundreds of dollars!

I always use them for running though, that's for sure. It's those rocks, sweet gum balls, broken glass, roots, dog poop, etc. x(

 

[ScoobyPixie]

Thanks for everyone's input.

I might go out and buy a pair of shoes just to use indoors. We just put in new carpet and issued a "no shoes in the house" rule especially for our new baby that will be crawling soon. We don't want to bring all the dirt outside in.

I don't run or walk outside yet because I would need to bring my daughter along and she has a rare skin condition. The summer heat would be devistating to her. But I would definately wear shoes if I were to.

Thanks again