Constantly Looking Down

Isaac Kramer

Barefooters
Sep 2, 2022
16
7
3
23
I noticed that if I'm running or walking in the woods, I tend to look down where I am walking constantly. So I was wondering if that's a good thing or not..?

I feel like it makes me oblivious to other things happening around me cause I'm so focused on where I am stepping and then I only look around when I'm standing still. If I have shoes on, I only occasionally look where I'm stepping. I'm not as focused on it because I know a thorn or something isn't likely to penetrate through it.

So is this something I should work on improving or is it completely normal?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ
I think it’s perfectly normal. I do the same, and I’m sure everyone barefoot does (in normal situations). That’s why God gave us senses to better navigate our surroundings (depending on the circumstances), so we don’t injure ourselves.

I can understand feeling like we’re missing out on our environment if we’re too busy looking ahead for potential dangers, but that’s the trade off we get from being barefoot. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with stopping now and then to take it all in. I would bet most shoddy runners only stop when they’re tired, which is a shame.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Clark
I think it’s perfectly normal. I do the same, and I’m sure everyone barefoot does (in normal situations). That’s why God gave us senses to better navigate our surroundings (depending on the circumstances), so we don’t injure ourselves.

I can understand feeling like we’re missing out on our environment if we’re too busy looking ahead for potential dangers, but that’s the trade off we get from being barefoot. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with stopping now and then to take it all in. I would bet most shoddy runners only stop when they’re tired, which is a shame.
When I say I look down, I mostly look down, not really too much ahead, so I could see a scenario where I accidentally hit my head off of something like a tree branch. Not so much so where I'm looking completely down but enough to where it doesn't feel practical.

From an evolutionary standpoint, it doesn't make too much sense to me. For example, one day while walking, I was heading towards a raccoon which I didn't even realize until my dogs started barking. And by that point, I was like maybe 10 feet away from it.

But like, that does not seem very safe... If my dogs weren't there, I probably could have gotten close enough to the racoon to the point where it would have attacked. Even though it was a raccoon, which generally aren't too dangerous, it shows my point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ
I’ve scanned ahead then looked down, then right, left, ahead again and repeat. Is this not what you’re doing…mostly? It becomes second nature after awhile. How long have you been running barefoot?
 
Anyone else have any thoughts or suggestions?
 
I’ve scanned ahead then looked down, then right, left, ahead again and repeat. Is this not what you’re doing…mostly? It becomes second nature after awhile. How long have you been running barefoot?
I think I started late last summer, so less than a year. Though, because of the winter I have only been barefoot mostly at home or when going to the store or other public places that are paved and basically where I'm not constantly worried about stepping on a hidden thorn.

Now that I've started going barefoot more in the woods because of the Spring weather coming, I've noticed the problem only occurs in the woods. So maybe it'll get better as I do it more? When I'm somewhere that doesn't have too much uncertainty, like in my house or in a store, I kind of do what you said. But in the woods, I'm hyper-focused on where I am stepping.

I just saw someone said that the more you go barefoot, the more your foot acts as an "antennae" and you don't need to look down as much. So I was wondering if that has some truth to it?
 
I think the more you do it, learn to scout around with your eyes, the more second nature it becomes.

Trickier environments will be the most difficult at first, but then with experience and confidence you adjust; your mind doesn’t have to think about it so much.

I’ve not felt the foot antenna yet. That’s a new one on me.
 
I think the more you do it, learn to scout around with your eyes, the more second nature it becomes.

Trickier environments will be the most difficult at first, but then with experience and confidence you adjust; your mind doesn’t have to think about it so much.

I’ve not felt the foot antenna yet. That’s a new one on me.
Alright. Thanks so much! If anyone else has any advice, I'd be glad to listen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ