the elusive form

I just hit the six-o and started running BF about six months ago. Prior to that, I was not a runner but worked out regularly. Reasonably healthy, 5'9", medium/trim build. Conditioning my legs has taken roughly six months as my calves, feet and ankles have gotten used to the mechanics of BF running. I've enjoyed being barefoot outdoors while running. Basically recapturing or re-experiencing the child-like freedom of barefootedness. Yes. It is different to understand and want to be a barefooted runner and a different thing to be a barefooted runner. I was never an athlete as a young person so I did not appreciate or understand my body in that way. It has been a learning process. Cardio activities require a greater intellectual and physical focus than strength training; especially if you don't have history. Take it slow. Have fun.
 
As a recent convert to barefoot running (hell, running at all), A quick question for all.. Is it common to 'feel" like you've intellectually grasped the whole proper form thing, then go out and feel like,,nope, I don't have a clue. I know I'll get some good advice, thanks in advance!

That's pretty normal...your starting from a good point though with no old running habits to break.

Probably number 1 was not over thinking running form and not trying to force changes...after over-doing it many times I finally got it.

To actively change something like foot landing it was best to make subtle changes to posture, knee bend, hips etc which lead to changes in foot landing indirectly...those were tips from Barefoot Ken Bob years ago and that worked.

How far to run and how often? That's on you to decide but make sure to a pick a starting distance that probably seems too low at first and do the gradual increase that I'm sure you have heard many times by now. Most of the initial improvement will come from the feedback to your feet nerves/brain coordination so give a good bit of time at low mileage for your body to figure that out.
 
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I suspect that if you give it time and moderation, you'll realize "Hey! I'm doin' it!" kind of all of a sudden.

Also, success comes in little steps, too. One good run, even a shortish one, is a good run, and is progress at multiple levels of confidence and physical competence.
 
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I would agree with not overthinking form. I've been dong BF running for about 4 years, but I have to restart every spring because of the cold winters here. My biggest problem was stubbed toes. Running shod allows bad form and I found that I was not lifting my feet enough. The mental imagery of shod runners focusing on landing and unshod runners focusing on lifting the feet off the ground quickly helped me and the toe stubbing problem. Bent knees and shorter stride length were also huge for me. I am 66 but was a relatively fast marathon runner (2:41), so long strides and straight leg landings were status quo for me. Good luck!
 
As a recent convert to barefoot running (hell, running at all), A quick question for all.. Is it common to 'feel" like you've intellectually grasped the whole proper form thing, then go out and feel like,,nope, I don't have a clue. I know I'll get some good advice, thanks in advance!

AL


I have the intellectual ability to understand what goes on in a pool game. I have a physics undergraduate degree. I can compute elastic collisions, no problem.
I'm terrible at pool. Don't give me a pool cue.
 
Thanks for all of the helpful replies, luddite that I am I don't know how to respond individually! I think at this point that my main problem is overthinking the process. I will just keep my mind open and my feet on the ground and see where it goes. Thanks!
 
For the first month I always felt like my feet kept trying to take off on me. Really struggled with keeping the feet under the shoulders.