I just found this on The New York Times website:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/are-we-built-to-run-barefoot/
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/are-we-built-to-run-barefoot/
NY Times Article - "Are We Built to Run Barefoot?"
- Thread starter Barefoot Joe
- Start date
A good article and I found
A good article and I found the comments even more illuminating. Science is still trying to catch up and the negative attitudes are still very negative.
A good article and I found the comments even more illuminating. Science is still trying to catch up and the negative attitudes are still very negative.
At least they agree that
At least they agree that humans were built to run barefoot. So that is a good thing.
At least they agree that humans were built to run barefoot. So that is a good thing.
I get that there are
I get that there are "transition" injuries; they go right along with "transition" footwear.
Let your feet, your plantar skin, your nerve endings, teach you how to run, and if you're smart, they won't let you overdo it.
Again, there is no data that states what percentage of minimalist runners are getting injured versus barefoot runners.
People claiming to have run barefoot and been injured are being found to have actually been running with minimalist footwear, not barefoot. This is doing nothing to help us find the truth, and it gives BFR a bad name.
I believe from the countless conversations I have had with runners over the past couple of years that most people who have been injured were injured while running minimal, not barefoot.
I get that there are "transition" injuries; they go right along with "transition" footwear.
Let your feet, your plantar skin, your nerve endings, teach you how to run, and if you're smart, they won't let you overdo it.
Again, there is no data that states what percentage of minimalist runners are getting injured versus barefoot runners.
People claiming to have run barefoot and been injured are being found to have actually been running with minimalist footwear, not barefoot. This is doing nothing to help us find the truth, and it gives BFR a bad name.
I believe from the countless conversations I have had with runners over the past couple of years that most people who have been injured were injured while running minimal, not barefoot.
I still keep seeing the
I still keep seeing the "evangelical" label being bandied about. I believe it is unjustified. It is quite natural to want to get your point across. When you face stern opposition, even hostility, it is not unexpected to dig in and exagerate a bit when trying to debate.
I don't think anybody really believes that running barefoot can never cause injury.. although I will believe that some people think we are saying that to setup a straw man.
Most people tend to gloss over the fact that usually whoever they are debating with is equally, if not moreso, heavy handed with their position. So who is really the "evangelical"? Is anybody when it is just the nature of some topics for debate? I know this is the reason for so many to adopt a "no religion, no politics" attitude.
I just keep thinking that even when the reporters are trying to give evidence for our side of the road, they stick those little needles in just to show they're not drinking the kool-aid... yet.
I do like some of the facts about the frequency of barefoot foot placement and how the wave forms travel through the body differently. Never saw that before, although I'm sure it's been out for a while.
Overall, I think the article was designed to suck in shod runners into thinking they were about to have more proof of the evil of running barefoot and instead got perhaps enough to stop with the nay-saying so much.
John T.
I still keep seeing the "evangelical" label being bandied about. I believe it is unjustified. It is quite natural to want to get your point across. When you face stern opposition, even hostility, it is not unexpected to dig in and exagerate a bit when trying to debate.
I don't think anybody really believes that running barefoot can never cause injury.. although I will believe that some people think we are saying that to setup a straw man.
Most people tend to gloss over the fact that usually whoever they are debating with is equally, if not moreso, heavy handed with their position. So who is really the "evangelical"? Is anybody when it is just the nature of some topics for debate? I know this is the reason for so many to adopt a "no religion, no politics" attitude.
I just keep thinking that even when the reporters are trying to give evidence for our side of the road, they stick those little needles in just to show they're not drinking the kool-aid... yet.
I do like some of the facts about the frequency of barefoot foot placement and how the wave forms travel through the body differently. Never saw that before, although I'm sure it's been out for a while.
Overall, I think the article was designed to suck in shod runners into thinking they were about to have more proof of the evil of running barefoot and instead got perhaps enough to stop with the nay-saying so much.
John T.
This is about the 3rd or 4th
This is about the 3rd or 4th article in the NYT about barefoot running over the last 1-2 years. I have noticed that they articles seem to be moving from a position of "wow, look at this crazy thing that a handful of people are doing" to "hey, this is interesting and might have something to it."
The only thing that bothered me about the current article was exactly the evangelical comment and another comment along the lines of, "well, this might not be for everyone." (Sorry, too lazy at the moment to dig up the real quote.)
For me, the latter is stating the obvious, which is annoying. They seem to feel the need to apologize for covering the topic. But, they are a newspaper, and barefoot running is certainly growing fast enough to be newsworthy.
As to the evangelical thing, I just thought, "well, we must be tipping their apple cart. Okay, everyone, let's push a little harder!"
Cheers
Paleo
This is about the 3rd or 4th article in the NYT about barefoot running over the last 1-2 years. I have noticed that they articles seem to be moving from a position of "wow, look at this crazy thing that a handful of people are doing" to "hey, this is interesting and might have something to it."
The only thing that bothered me about the current article was exactly the evangelical comment and another comment along the lines of, "well, this might not be for everyone." (Sorry, too lazy at the moment to dig up the real quote.)
For me, the latter is stating the obvious, which is annoying. They seem to feel the need to apologize for covering the topic. But, they are a newspaper, and barefoot running is certainly growing fast enough to be newsworthy.
As to the evangelical thing, I just thought, "well, we must be tipping their apple cart. Okay, everyone, let's push a little harder!"
Cheers
Paleo
As to the evangelical thing,
As to the evangelical thing, I just thought, "well, we must be tipping their apple cart. Okay, everyone, let's push a little harder!"
LOVES IT!
As to the evangelical thing, I just thought, "well, we must be tipping their apple cart. Okay, everyone, let's push a little harder!"
LOVES IT!
Wow! 7 pages of comments and
Wow! 7 pages of comments and lots of our favorite big name BF heros are there.
Wow! 7 pages of comments and lots of our favorite big name BF heros are there.
The guy that I started
The guy that I started running with 3yrs ago just got a job where I work. We were talking about working out yesterday. He looked at me like I should be wearing a helmet and banging it with a spatula when I told him I'm running my first barefoot 5K race on Saturday! It's become a funny little knee-jerk reaction I enjoy watching creep across people's faces! We exchanged a few e-mails and I explained my story. He said he'd look into it. I have 3 other co-workers giving it a try. It's only a matter of time! It's just too fun! I gotta be honest though...I love how people think I'm a bad-ass for running without shoes! If they only knew...
-Jonny
PS: Why do we have to proove that Barefoot running is better? Don't you START with feet and then put stuff on them? Proove to me that shoes are an improvement over feet! The article had holes all through it and ignorance in the responses was rampant! I'm so glad for this site where people make sense, research, get all the info, actually try things out before they open their mouths! THANKS YOU BFR.org!!!
The guy that I started running with 3yrs ago just got a job where I work. We were talking about working out yesterday. He looked at me like I should be wearing a helmet and banging it with a spatula when I told him I'm running my first barefoot 5K race on Saturday! It's become a funny little knee-jerk reaction I enjoy watching creep across people's faces! We exchanged a few e-mails and I explained my story. He said he'd look into it. I have 3 other co-workers giving it a try. It's only a matter of time! It's just too fun! I gotta be honest though...I love how people think I'm a bad-ass for running without shoes! If they only knew...
-Jonny
PS: Why do we have to proove that Barefoot running is better? Don't you START with feet and then put stuff on them? Proove to me that shoes are an improvement over feet! The article had holes all through it and ignorance in the responses was rampant! I'm so glad for this site where people make sense, research, get all the info, actually try things out before they open their mouths! THANKS YOU BFR.org!!!
Actually, the shod runners
Actually, the shod runners are the one's who are bad ass, since they run in shoes, or so Ken Bob would say. ;-) Whenever I get the "hardcore" or "bad ass" comment, I always reply, "Not trying to be hardcore, just trying to run natural, normal, healthy."
Actually, the shod runners are the one's who are bad ass, since they run in shoes, or so Ken Bob would say. ;-) Whenever I get the "hardcore" or "bad ass" comment, I always reply, "Not trying to be hardcore, just trying to run natural, normal, healthy."
