Barefoot Running Instructors Wanted

[Barefoot TJ]

She's running barefoot now? 

She's running barefoot now? I can ask her, but when we spoke last, she said she wasn't running barefoot very much. Are these barefoot running clinics or some other form running clinics?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

This is what is

This is what is said:

VIVOBAREFOOT has chosen to partner with Lee Saxby because he understands barefoot running and natural locomotion better than anyone else.
About Lee Saxby
Lee is at the forefront of applied barefoot science. He has spent 20 years studying with the leading researchers across the fields of biomechanics, nutrition, athletic training, evolutionary biology and functional medicine.

The coaching drills he uses are based on a deep understanding of the biomechanics of movement and his extensive practical experience of fixing injured runners and developing performance athletes.

He is considered by many as one of the best in his field, and has been described as “The World’s Best Running Coach” by Christopher McDougall, author of the international bestseller, Born to Run, and by Harvard Professor, Daniel Lieberman as “Exceptional”. Read their glowing testimonials here.


VIVOBAREFOOT Training Clinic with Lee Saxby
We have worked with Lee Saxby to create a training clinic with the ultimate guide to barefoot running - Proprioception: Making Sense of Barefoot Running.

To read on specific topics in the eBook, check out the individual chapters:

Chapter 1: We have forgotten how to run

Chapter 2: The human foot is an evolutionary masterpiece

Chapter 3: Proprioception: Our sixth sense

Chapter 4: Footwear that makes sense

Chapter 5: Reawaken your Innate Barefoot Running Skill

 

[Barefoot TJ]

So, when he teaches, does he

So, when he teaches, does he teach only in bare feet? Don't get me wrong here. I appreciate what he and VivoBarefoot are doing, no doubt. I just need to make sure that shoes are not what is being pushed first (if at all), no matter how minimal.

 

[Barefooting Bob]

Can't answer that, just been

Can't answer that, just been reading Tina's posts pertaining to her 'Living Barefoot Coaching Clinic' which focuses on Natural Running. I might be wrong and I was misreading, but I assumed it was all barefoot.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I'll contact her.  Thanks!

I'll contact her. Thanks!

 

[Barefoot Terry]

I'd love to start coaching,

I'd love to start coaching, but I don't know exactly what qualifications I would have other than personal experience. I coached 4 ladies from the school I teach at to run a 10K, one transitioned to watershoes. They were pretty successful. I tried to encourage proper foot landings even with shoes. I'm planning to do a half marathon series in the late summer/early fall. I'm going to incorporate barefoot running drills to get people moving in the right direction. I've also looked into coaching at one of the local high schools for cross country. One coach I talked to uses BF drills and encourages his athletes to move toward a more "minimalist" type shoe (doesn't quite advocate full-on BFR).

I'd like to see if Jason would be willing to create a "curriculum" for coaches. I'd even be willing to work with him if he wants help from a not-so-newbie.

Long story short, oh wait, too late... I'd love to coach, but would need some guidelines to follow.

 

[dunetraveller]

I think the hardest part to

I think the hardest part to coaching is knowing where someone's form is bad for them individually, and knowing what to do to help them fix their form when even they don't know what, if anything, was wrong. That is more being able to recognize form errors on sight; not an easy thing. Also requires knowledge of kinesiology ideally. I think this is why coaches do not have to be superior athletes themselves; just have to have the eye and the know how. Not trying to detract from someone wanting to coach, but what may work for me may not work for someone else. A coach ought to know what will work for each person, not a one size fits all approach like the Pose or Chi running programs. If a training program could cover those aspects, that would be best.

John T.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Terry, I think you are on the

Terry, I think you are on the right track.

I think I need to personally look into taking Saxby's course to see how it can play into all this, especially if Jason isn't able to or wanting to create a curriculum. I have no time to teach anyone clinics on top of what I do here for the BRS and other things going on in the BFR/MR community.

I think the most important thing in giving instruction is to present the material, the method, the instruction, and THEN listen to the runner to see if they have any questions and are needing additional help, i.e., I have blisters on my heel, but only on the right heel, or I have TOFP, or I have hot spots between toes such and such, then perhaps video analysis at that point (although we don't have access to Lieberman's awesome lab equipment, we'll have to do the best we can) to see if we can narrow down what it is that is causing them difficulty (all of this to make it personal and not a one-size fits all). But we shouldn't forget the most important advice, and that is "Do what comes natural and normal-feeling to you when you have your shoes off, don't think about it too much, and relax."

 

[Joshh]

Seems that it kind of goes

Seems that it kind of goes without saying that coaching is about individual attention and not "one-size-fits-all" ideas. Also, it should almost HAVE to include video. Until we see how we are really running, we are prone to thinking we run better than we do, IMHO.

 

[AABarefoot]

TJ, you rock! now, i know i

TJ, you rock! now, i know i am never going to have a good coach in florida because for some reason they all flee to the hills and cold weather, but this is such an awesome tool for people like me looking for a coach!

thank you!

 

[saypay45]

Add me to the list please

Add me to the list please TJ. I am starting up a coaching link on my website as we speak, so might as well put the word out now.

 

[AABarefoot]

the name Scott Jurek gets

the name Scott Jurek gets thrown around some... cant for the life of me remember if he teaches, and whether he is a barefoot or minimal guy. but its worth looking into.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Okay, thanks AA and SP!

Okay, thanks AA and SP!

 

[Angie Bee]

I am now a certified barefoot

I am now a certified barefoot running coach through VIVOBAREFOOT and the chris I was refering to was Christopher McDougall. All the coaching is done barefoot. Barefoot is THE ONLY way to get maximum proprioception. Its how you learn what shapes your body is supposed to make in response to the forces placed on you during running. Kinetics and Kimomatics were huge topics all through class. What is unique about this method is that it blends natural laws, physics, biomechanics, and uses drills to train your muscle memory or your movement brain which is faster and less stressful.

It is an excellent form for running in shoes but I, as always, reccomend barefoot. However when I do wear shoes I can actually run in them comfortably and I don't heel strike and don't have to think about it either.

All my coaching is done barefoot and everything we did in class from 8-4 M-F was all completely barefoot. Lee runs 5-6 days a week barefoot. He says its what is healing and changing his mortons toe!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

How do you heal an MT?  It's

How do you heal an MT? It's not an injury. Did he injure his somehow? And how do you change an MT? I mean, if you have a long second metatarsal, I would suspect you will always have a long second metatarsal. Could he have been talking about MN (Morton's Neuroma) instead? I guess I will have to ask him.

So, Angie, are you running any differently since taking the course versus what you were doing before taking the course? I mean, other than knowledge of mechanics, what did you learn that you are now doing differently, actually implementing into your running?

 

[Joshh]

Sounds pretty cool

Sounds pretty cool Angie!

Where did you get certified and how much did it cost? Seems kind of weird thinking in terms of money with anything BF related but I guess there's no foul either. Tell us more please.

 

[barefoottyler]

Joshh: She told me on

Joshh: She told me on facebook that she went here and registered(look on top right). I did as well and am waiting on a response. I would love to be a barefoot running coach.

 

[Angie Bee]

I was invited by them to come

I was invited by them to come and take the 5 day course.

Much of what was learned is common "Barefoot" knowledge thats in all the books however we learned the whys behind it all. For example why it is more effiscient to run at a 180 cadence. People, including myself, think they run a certain way and yet when they actually see themselves running it looks completely different. So for example we think we are shortening our stride but its not as much as you think. We think we are segmentally aligned but not. When you see yourself running it really changes things. There is a movement part of our brains that is subconscious and our conscious minds. The movement part is faster. The conscious mind can affect movement through stress. We think we move a certain way but its not necessarily the case. Over years and years your body will sort itself out but not many people are wanting to spend that much time. We do here at BRS but there are many injured barefoot runners who do TMTS with bad form. So twofold problems.

So in class we used 60fps video cameras to analyze the runners form, break down the movements, and then do drills to shorten stride, improve posture, and see the tension areas that need to be relaxed. Most barefoot runners that I have seen just change from a heel strike to a forfoot strike on the lateral part of the foot but everything still looks the same. we did all of the drills and exercises ourselves in class (and I do them myself everyday now) and did a before and after video. So the first day we came in we filmed ourselves first thing and then last thing before we left at the end of the week. We all had the same form as what the elites look like. Granted I am not practiced or skilled like an elite but my form is looking like that.

So we took the biomechanics and applied it. When I coach now, the first thing I do is film the person running however the normally do shod or barefoot. Then I look for issues relating to Posture, Rhythm, or Relaxation and then we do the drills to address those issues and then film them again after an hour. I give them homework to address the issues that are still needing improvement and then send them a composite video of the before and after as well as the assessment of what I saw. All of the coaching is done barefoot and I encourage them to continue barefoot. I rarely wear shoes unless I am testing them but that doesn't take long. 95% of my running is bare.

Mortons toe is a hardware problem but Lee says that he thinks (this is just his experience) that Mortons toe can be reversed through barefoot running. There is a bunching up of the muscles ect in the arch of the foot (from having worn shoes since birth) and by lengthening and stretching those by the act of barefoot running and landing on the 1st Metatarsal to Phalanges that the first metatarsal can actually move forward.

I was not diagnosed with MT but I was having the same kinds of issues as he does and I get callouses right behind my second toe on my sole and it matched up to what I had read including the searing nerve pain when it's aggravated. Anyways after shortening my stride and landing under my center of gravity but mainly landing first at the place behind and just almost between my first and second MTP and then letting the lateral part of my forefoot land next and then my heel kiss the ground. Through changing this I no longer have a calous behind my second meta and no more pain. I am still working on my left but my left is my weaker side so its just taking longer.

Just because you are born with something, doesn't necessarily mean it can not be altered. It depends on what it is. The body is incredibly adaptable.

 

[Angie Bee]

I don't know what they are

I don't know what they are charging for certification. I was invited to take the class and just had to get myself there. They are still working throught the logistics of cost and scheduling since Lee lives and has a family in London.

It is counterintuitive that there would be money involved with barefoot running. People are spending their money at the sports medical docs when they get hurt or they spend it on minimal shoes and then get a different type of injury. So money is spent. I think it should be spent on a coach that can see issues and help get them figured out so that the injuries don't occur or at least less likely. People seem to be eager but not have much restraint when it comes to the joys of being able to feel what you are doing.

The funny thing about spending money is that if you buy something you invest part of yourself into it. If it cost you something you place value on it. When things are free there is less importance placed on it. Now we are in a nice little barefoot runners bubble here with our thinkers and geeks. I like my bubble but out there, people want to buy happiness. They want to buy barefoot, hence the barefoot shoe.

If I can teach someone to take off their shoes ,because they paid me to coach, and get in touch with their first MTP, get their posture upright, show them how to relax, and then send them along with a video of themselves and what is possible and some homework and a follow up later, they are better for having spent that money.

I figured out how to run barefoot on my own but spent two years doing it and have been pretty successful. I contine to perfect my skill and this is one way that I have done it.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Most excellent, Angie.  And

Most excellent, Angie. And thanks for taking the time to write all that up. Very insightful. Now, how much do you charge? ;-)