[...] If you are going to start minimalist, always start completely barefoot. You need the feedback from your soles to tell you that you need to STOP. Otherwise, you are overstressing your bone and tendons and ligaments. Your shod-weakened feet are simply not ready for running minimalist without reversing all the weakness inflicted by shoes.
And I'm not convinced that even starting barefoot is sufficient for running barefoot (or minimalist). You need to simply hike barefoot, for miles and miles and miles in order to undo the terminal atrophy that shoes have inflicted on your feet. Then, after maybe a 1,000 miles of hiking your feet will have built up enough (previously considered) normal strength to enable you to run without damaging them.
I don't agree. I don't mean what you say is not true, but it sounds too determinant, too final to me, as though there's no other proper way to switch into barefoot running.
As
@Sid says:
Study confirms what we all know, the increased risk of injuries during transitioning.
Study also acknowledges the lack of research and need to do more.
Therefore, the same way research has not been able to come to final conclusions about the benefits of barefoot running vs. shod, I don't think we can conclude you need to hike for 1000 mi before starting running barefoot, and that you necessarily need to start barefoot instead going through a minimalist stage. I didn't do any of those and I consider I'm doing pretty well.
What I mean, it sounds like we are demonizing minimalist shoes as an anathema, whereas I believe we should praise those who embrace minimalism —and specially those who do it as a transitioning stage into barefoot running.
My point is: there's not enough research about the benefits of barefoot running, even less about the proper way to get into barefoot running. I won't deny barefoot walking and hiking has huge benefits in toughing up one's feet, or that
@Barefoot Ken Bob advice is right, but what works for some (or even for many) does not necessarily work for all.
I belive the principle everyone should keep in mind is: avoid overdoing. I admit you will notice sooner when you are overdoing if you go barefoot, but with a bit of common sense you can also notice it when shod.
I advocate for everyone finding their own way into barefootedness. There may be some rules of thumb, but there's also a huge variety of paths. Try it your way, make mistakes, learn from them, check with others, mix everything and get your own conclusions, that may work for you, but not for everyone.
Cheers!