Gyms and Barefoot Running

[jldeleon]

Thinking about joining a gym for 3 months over winter. Two questions.



#1: Is it silly to run completely barefoot on a treadmill? If so, what is the next closest to barefoot footwear that I should use that will actually work?

#2: Who belongs to a gym that is barefoot friendly? And what is the gym? If not barefoot friendly, what other footwear have you managed to get away with?



Jen

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Have you asked if you can go

Have you asked if you can go barefoot? If this is your intention, I would ask first. Normally, I would say don't ask, just do, but in this case, since you are going to be paying for a membership at a gym that might not allow it, you will want to know up front.

If they let you go barefoot, great. Just be careful to not lose focus on the treadmill. I did that once, just glanced sideways, and the edge of my foot slid into the side railing, and I got a nasty burn-cut.

If they say you can't go barefoot, then see if they will let you run in a pair of plain ole socks. Those are by far the best minimalist footwear out there. If no on that, try huaraches. If no on that, try something else that's minimal, like a water shoe. Be warned, you might be kinda loud running in something minimal on the treadmill.

Let us know how this pans out. I'm curious.

 

[jschwab]

It can be silly to run on a

It can be silly to run on a treadmill barefoot because the friction can burn your feet. I always wear socks. My gym is fine with barefoot and I run barefoot on the indoor track. They'd let me lift weights and do spinning barefoot, too. I usually wear VFF's or water shoes if I am not totally barefoot. It's a mainstream regular old gym, but I know Crossfit gyms are BF-friendly.

 

[jldeleon]

TJ, yes I thought about

TJ, yes I thought about asking them upfront too. Cuz 3 month memberships are more expensive and that really would suck if I couldn't do it. And I have learned the looking sideways thing the hard way, just while running on pavement - lol. The body goes where the head goes...which can be into the path of a bicyclist. Yeah I was thinking about socks with a little of that sticky tread on the bottom. And I also have water shoes.

Jschwab - I will have to check to see if there are any Crossfits out here (in Oregon).

 

[ajb422]

I agree about the socks. When

I agree about the socks. When I went home over Christmas I had to run on my parents treadmill and my feet got far to toasty for my preference. Socks fixed this just fine.