BFR and Mindfulness

JosephTree

Barefooters
Sep 7, 2010
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Near Valley Forge, PA
Yesterday I heard a discussion of Mindfulness and Mental Health on the radio and was prompted to send an email to the guest speaker, Dr. Baime, who is the Director of the Univ. of Penn. Mindfulness Center. Here's what I sent him:



I heard Dr. Baime on the radio yesterday and wanted to suggest a question for him explore or perhaps pass on to someone he thinks might find it of interest.


I am a barefoot runner. One of the common themes of discusion among my community is that to run truly barefoot changes one's focus dramatically. Instead of spacing out or reaching for the iPod, many BF runners have noticed that as a group we eschew such things. We take pleasure in noticing each step and each variation in texture under our feet. We tend to be attuned to our breathing and form as well as to our surroundings. Some have theorized that we are somehow connecting to our hunter ancestry when we run. I think that in the context of running, Mindfulness might be an advantage for survival.
So, FWIW, I pass it to you.
Thanks,
Joseph



...any thoughts?
 
I couldn't agree more.  I've

I couldn't agree more. I've noticed that I'm more focused when I run (and, like you, never with headphones and music) and I'm seeing some positive mental changes as a result of running barefoot. I'm paying more attention to my form, my breath, my surroundings, noticing small things, having interesting thoughts. It's helped my photography too, which is all about being mindful of what one is seeing. I should say, too, that this increased mindfulness has helped keep me motivated to run (though frankly, just being barefoot is probably all the motivation I need it's such fun). It's an extra benefit that just increases my love for this sport. I'm not trained to do this, but I could see an interesting psychology study on this mind/body/mindfulness connection. I liken it to the Buddhist walking meditation practice. Thanks for bringing this topic up. -- Tim
 
Thanks for the positive

Thanks for the positive feedback, Tim. I'm almost of a mind to not think of it as a sport sometimes, more of just a very good way to invest my life.
 
I've been trying to link the

I've been trying to link the mindful experience of BF running with the way i eat. It's pretty casual as an effort, but it seems to be doing something. Details here and here.
 
I so hope they pick your idea

I so hope they pick your idea up, JT, and do a segment on it. Wouldn't that be a nice discussion to hear over the airwaves?

Welcome, Tim!
 
Adam, maybe you've achieved

Adam, maybe you've achieved satori already and just have moved on. I'm a relative newbie and am still awash in the wonder of being able to run at all. Have patience with us.
 
Adam G. wrote: I think people

Adam G. said:
I think people are a bit over dramatic with barefoot running, and glorify it too much. I ran shod for 18 years, and now barefoot for almost two years, my focus and mindfulness hasn't changed.

I think it might be more of the reverse. I think barefoot running probably tends to attract the type of people who are more on the spiritual, mindful, ect... side of things. So therefore something like running around nature with nothing in between you and it is something they would appreciate more than the rest of the world. I don't know if that makes any sense I'm having a hard time explaining what I mean mostly because I'm very much not that type of person. I agree though my focus and mindfulness isn't any different barefoot than in shoes.
 
Adam G. wrote:I think people

Adam G. said:
I think people are a bit over dramatic with barefoot running, and glorify it too much. I ran shod for 18 years, and now barefoot for almost two years, my focus and mindfulness hasn't changed.

Sorry, could you repeat that, I couldn't hear it cause I was crunching on granola.
 
Joseph Tree:  Please don't

Joseph Tree: Please don't take offense to what I said, i understand where you are coming from.

ajb422: I love nature more than anything, in fact I am not really impressed with worldly materials. Being a christian, running has always been a spiritual movement for me. Running is a great time to pray and reflect on God.
 
I love the idea of

I love the idea of Mindfulness. I used to wash dishes by hand as an exercise after reading The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh way back in the late 80's. We didn't have an automatic dishwasher, so dishes needed to cleaned, but by turning it into a Mindfulness meditation exercise made it relaxing after coming home from work. It made a nice clean break separating my work and my personal time... that and a nice cold glass of sweet tea. BF running doesn't *have* to be a Mindfulness exercise, but one can use it to incorporate many separate exercises like breathing, foot sensation, listening, smells, sight, and body posture. I'm sure there's more. Even after you've gained some expertise with several individually, you can begin to combine them to empty the mind even more. Too bad I never got that far. Then again I can always pick it back up. Hmmmm. Sounds good.

John
 
I totally find a more

I totally find a more "mindful" experience when I run barefoot versus when I ran shod. One reason may be because, along with the shoes, I gave up all the electronic gadgets that were preventing me from "being one with nature." I don't have my MP3 player blaring some high cadence metal to keep my legs spinning and drowning my brain in, "am I going fast enough." Without all the gadgets, I just run, which allows me to free my mind.
 
Barefoot TJ wrote:...along

Barefoot TJ said:
...along with the shoes, I gave up all the electronic gadgets that were preventing me from "being one with nature." I don't have my MP3 player blaring some high cadence metal to keep my legs spinning and drowning my brain in, "am I going fast enough." Without all the gadgets, I just run, which allows me to free my mind.



I am the same way. Can't run with the MP3 player anymore, too busy enjoying the dirt between my toes. The only time I need music now is when I'm running someplace really boring and concrete. Nature...that's a whole different matter. My brain is just happy, and quiet. It's nice. I never understood people that would run in silence before. Now I feel good. I don't have to drive myself with distractions.
 
I guess I'm gonna go ahead

I guess I'm gonna go ahead and split the difference here, and say that barefoot running and my increase in mindfullness were all part of a general trend. I used to just throw my legs around any which way that would move me forward, bouncing about a foot into the air with each stride. I gradually improved my form and became more mindful, both in running and in my life in general, then when I started barefooting it was just kinda the next step, though it was a large one. Its totally possible to reach the same state of mindfullness shod as barefoot, but I'd guess it probably takes longer, and thats only for those of us who would be running even if we'd never heard of barefooting. Not having anything between your skin and the ground totally helps you be more in touch with yourself though.

Also, running definitely gets back to the hunter/warrior instincts, barefoot even more so. I've been thinking lately about how boring swimming is because it lacks the primal instinct of the hunt and the chase (I'm on swim team, and talking from experience, not just bashing swimming. I really miss choosing a target and running him down.)