I was one of 3 runners featured in an online article about barefoot/minimalist running that came out today :)
The talk was meant to be impartial and educational, talking about the pros and cons of barefoot vs. “shod” (the term used for wearing shoes) running, and how to use barefoot or minimalist running as a tool…
Proponents of minimalism speak with the zeal of the recently converted. Opponents spout dire warnings: you’ll ruin your arches, step on an HIV-contaminated needle, pound your feet to hamburger. “If you talked to people in podiatry a decade ago, nobody would have said that barefoot activity had any benefit,” says Ray McClanahan, a Portland, Ore., podiatrist. “But now, a few people are starting to say it might be good for you.”…
Shoes are a very recent addition to our feet. For thousands of years we ran (our natural form of locomotion) barefoot. You don’t see cats and dogs limping with sore knees and backs and they run barefoot always…
"Going barefoot is the gentlest way of walking and can symbolize a way of living — being authentic, vulnerable, sensitive to our surroundings. It’s the feeling of enjoying warm sand beneath our toes, or carefully making our way over sharp rocks in the darkness. It’s a way of living that has the lightest impact, removing the barrier between us and nature."
—
Adele Coombs, “Barefoot Dreaming”
March 20, 2010
Dear Friends with Feet,
Since the birth of humanity, people have lived on their feet in order to work, play and survive.
Sadly, many people have developed unfortunate biases against such vital parts of their own bodies. There is now a widespread collective mindset that feet should be encased in rigid, restrictive shoes. This footwear is able to cause terrible and irreparable damage over the course of a person’s life. Active use of non-breathing footwear compels many to negatively stereotype feet as being ugly, sweaty, smelly and gross. What’s more, the thousands of nerve endings in a person’s feet become numb while shod and unable to properly communicate with their minds. Feet are often called “fragile” or “too sensitive.”
Basically, the feet of the world are regularly neglected and rarely ever allowed to be feet.
It is time for the world’s perceptions of feet to change.
The human foot, as it was given to us, is amazing! When free from unnecessary restriction, it is capable of surprising strength and resilience. When it is restored as a vital sensory receptor for our bodies, the world opens up and we experience our surroundings with exponentially greater clarity and definition. What’s more, many of us believe that living on our feet, as nature intended, is a significant gateway to better health.
This is the nature of the primal foot:
Getting back to the basics and letting feet be feet first. It is moving through life free of imprudently restrictive, inflexible, or gait-altering footwear.
The Primalfoot Alliance advocates wholeheartedly for going barefoot. Taking our shoes off allows each of the bones, joints, nerve endings and other biological systems in our feet to function at their highest degree. Therefore, we believe that most people should live most of their lives on bare feet — even when they shop, dine, worship, learn, play and more in public.
The Primalfoot Alliance acknowledges that there are times when going barefoot is not possible for cultural, professional, health or safety reasons. In these times, we believe that minimal footwear can be a prudent option for feet to function primally, moving with flexibility and strength. Primal footwear is what many people have used for centuries and that modern people in developed lands can embrace.
Unfortunately, the efforts of many primalfooters have been rejected in recent generations.
For decades, many business establishments have posted signage stating that customers without shoes are not welcome. Some incorrectly claim that government regulations forbid going unshod. Other times when signage hasn’t been posted, patrons with no shoes have been approached with spontaneous unwritten “policies” and asked to don footwear or leave.
Motorists, even, have been wrongly informed across many areas of the world that driving barefoot is illegal when it often is not.
The excuses for rejecting bare feet have been widespread and mostly without merit. They are typically based on unfounded concerns over safety, health, liability or social appropriateness. Barefooters, however, often share that modern sidewalks, streets, grassy areas and other surfaces rarely contain dangerous sharp objects and are highly unlikely to infect a person with viruses or germs. They are usually more than willing to take on any liability for injuries sustained as a result of going barefoot. Questions of social appropriateness are more of a matter of unfortunate personal bias and a lack of critical reflection.
Discrimination against primal feet has not been limited to only those who go barefoot. As one popular style of primal footwear with toe pockets now makes its way onto the feet of athletes around the world, many fitness facilities have unnecessarily disallowed their patrons from wearing these shoes on the grounds that they are unsafe. Employers have rejected the leather styles as inappropriate or unprofessional.
It is time for the world’s perceptions of feet to change.
The Primalfoot Alliance has been formed to:
- Educate and/or dialogue with the public, media, government officials, businesspeople and many others on the benefits of going primalfoot.
- Encourage those who wish to live primalfoot and advocate for them in the face of discrimination.
- Raise worldwide awareness of people who prefer to live primalfoot.
- Become partners with those who design, manufacture, promote, purchase and/or use primal footwear.
- Assist with sponsoring and/or coordinating activities that bring primalfooters together.
The intent is to combine the talents and support of those who see the benefits of primal feet. We will act as a unified network of supporters for sharing and disseminating information. In time, we will develop memberships for those who casually support the cause of primal feet and also for those who are deeply involved with promoting the various facets of barefooting, primalfoot running, primal footwear and more.
To be clear, the Primalfoot Alliance is NOT about foot fetishes or clearly dangerous activities. Our intent is not to encourage sexual or flirtatious acts. We also do not agree with people doing harmful things to their feet or putting their feet at significant risk. For example, we fully understand that many diabetics should avoid going barefoot in order to prevent undetectable injuries that could threaten life or limb.
Our “soft launch” is the first day of Spring, March 20, 2010. What better day to represent this movement? Over the next couple of months, we hope to develop partnerships, a full Web site and online presence, membership levels and other programs. The “hard launch” will come prior to June 1, 2010, National “Go Barefoot” Day in the United States. More information about all of these elements will be added as time goes on.
Here’s where you come in:
If you believe that feet are amazing and deserve greater respect and health without restrictive footwear, please join us. If you are a barefooter, primalfoot runner, blogger, Facebooker, Twitter user, podiatrist, shoe manufacturer and/or anybody else who advocates for living on feet as nature intended them, we need for you to be a part of The Primalfoot Alliance. Keep doing the great things you’re doing, but please also connect with us at the links below (if we don’t connect with you first). Promote us on your Website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, Buzz, whatever. The Primalfoot Alliance will never reach its full potential without your help. Together we will make a big difference in changing the world’s perceptions of feet. Thank you so much for your support.
Encouraged,
Barefoot Michael, Founder
www.barefootandgrounded.com
Twitter: @BarefootMichael
barefoot hike
We went for a great 5 mile hike today and did most of it barefoot - those darn acorns can be tricky but the feet are getting tougher. It’s amazing how you can practically sneak up on animals. We came across 2 separate groups of deer that didn’t know we were there until they actually saw us. We also heard and saw more birds than usual. It felt very peaceful slowly walking on the trail. I don’t know how to explain it but you feel more connected to the earth when there are no barriers beneath the soles of your feet.
the barefoot running book has shipped
woo hoo! Just checked my email and Jason Robillard of Barefoot Chronicles sent out an update that his book about barefoot running shipped today. I am currently reading Born to Run which is awesome and am very excited to check out Jason’s book.
running barefoot
I was reading minimalist, David Damron’s post, Minimalist Running and became very intrigued about the concept of running barefoot. I had a freak soccer injury that broke my ankle and lower leg which led to compartment syndrome which almost became an amputation (I know…crazy!). I spent a week in the hospital and had 4 surgeries, a cast for 3 months and then 3 months of rehab. This was over 2 years ago and it still bothers me to some extent daily. I used to run several times a week and miss it incredibly. Though I have found other activities to spend my time, I deeply miss the simplicity of running. I was never a marathoner or anything like that - I just liked going for runs - mostly in the early morning before the rest of the world was awake. One of my goals this year is to start running a a few times a week - even if its only short distances. The doctors say I shouldn’t run but doctors say a lot of things. The timing of David’s post was perfect as it led me to learn more about Vibram’s five-finger shoes that mimics running barefoot. I also just downloaded the book, Born to Run to my Kindle for inspiration.
