I often hear the argument: "I am too heavy to run without shoes!" when talking to other runners about running barefoot. My personal oppinion is that weight is not a matter when running barefoot. Only when running well. But as i myself have never weight more than 85 kg. I would like to hear if there is any barefooters outthere that are willing to share weight and experience with high weight. Just so I have better argument next time ;-)
215 lbs working on getting it to 200. And I think weight has a lot to do with it. If I inadvertently step on a one square inch rock while running, I will exert up to 600-700 lbs /square inch pressure on the bottom of my foot. If I weighed in at 125 lbs - 375-450 or so lbs/sq in. The number may be larger or smaller in both cases, but the idea is the same...it's gonna hurt more if you're heavy even with a well conditioned foot.
I'm short and fat. 5'7" and 200 pounds. Am working on getting down to 170-175. I will never be one of the super skinny guys because I have too much upper body muscle from years of weight lifting, so 170-175 will be about the lowest I will be able to get to.
Didn't we already give specs/measurements over on the fitness/running schedule thread? I'm 6' 164 lbs. I'm working on growing some more muscle, but that has been my life story. So, can I completely reused this post on the "How skinny is too skinny?" thread?
I'm one of those slightly heavier than average mesomorphs at 5'9" and 176. That's down from 195 since last summer and on my way to 170 or so. My GF doesn't want me to fade away!
I don't think that weight has nothing to do with how one runs, it just matters less than form.
There have been several threads treating heavier runners' concerns and successes with BF running. The concensus, as I recall, was that BF encouraged superior form development while fears about hurting the feet were about as valid as those around stepping on needles or broken bottles.
I'm 5'9" and 190 (that's probably 30-35 over ideal for me). My opinion is that I will be much lighter, and therefore, gentler, on my feet when I lose the weight.
I was 230 lbs when I started running BF and am now about 205 lbs. Because of the changes required in form BF running may be even more advantageous to heavier runners. Reference the oft quoted study by Lieberman comparing impact forces of shod vs BF runners. From a physical anatomy perspective, our joints allow our bodies to flex, while our muscles both power that flex and absorb force of impact. The cartilage that covers the bone at our joint spaces is hard and slippery to facilitate flexing. It provides no cushion. If you run with a relaxed, flexed, forefoot BF form the reduction in joint stress has to be tremendous.