Step 3: Get Barefoot Or Just Prepare Your Body For It

Taking off your shoes for your once-weekly skill practice helps you run better almost immediately. Much of the sensory input that your brain uses to create optimal movement comes from your feet. If you’re wearing shoes, you may be muffling this crucial input. Be sure your feet and ankles are ready for some barefoot practice first. Before running barefoot, test yourself to see if you’re ready. Even if you never will run barefoot or with minimalist shoes, the following are physical capacities you will need to develop in order to optimize your technique for maximum performance and injury prevention.

1. Ankle Range of Motion: See video.

 

If you need to improve here, do the following exercise: see video.

2. Big Toe Range of Motion: See video. If you need to improve here, do the following exercise: see video.

3. Foot Control: See video. If you need to improve here, do the following exercise: see video.

4. Single Leg Stability: See video.

If you need to improve here, do the following exercise: see video.

If you are not quite ready for barefoot running, then work towards being ready. Being able to accomplish the four tests for barefoot running will ensure that your reach your potential as a runner and also prevent injuries, even if you never go barefoot. Also, during your non-running hours avoid wearing shoes with elevated heels. High-heeled women’s shoes are the obvious offenders, but most men’s dress shoes have elevated heels. Do your best to wear flat shoe with “zero drop” most of the time. This means that there is no difference in thickness between the heel and the toe of the shoe.
Do not to abruptly transition to barefoot and minimalist-shoe running. Use barefoot running only for skill practice once a week at first. Limit your distance and speed initially. Start with 2- 4 100-meter runs, with about 1 minute of a walking interval in between and add 1 or 2 100-meter runs each week.