Barefooting

[NudistDom]

I'm a huge fan of barefooting. I do it all the time in the summer, my shoes literally see day, maybe twice a month. At first feet may be sensitive, but they eventually adjust to the ground and toughen up.

[AndrewH]

I'm never barefoot except around my house and yard. A lot of the ground here in AZ is either dirt that is painful to walk on, or concrete/asphalt that gets hotter than hell during the summer months! 

[ChristineF]

A lot of the ground here in AZ is either dirt that is painful to walk on, or concrete/asphalt that gets hotter than hell during the summer months! 

When I first moved out here a year about a year and a half ago I got out of my car to go into a gas station to get some stuff..... barefoot...... 

Some things in life you don't do twice...... now I keep a pair of flip-flops in the car...... 

[Baseballfan]

It's just not safe or clean to be barefoot in many places.

[sylphr]

I'm all for going barefoot but many places around hear just aren't safe to venture in without footwear. I totaly want some fivefingers those things are badass

[HelicopterBob]

You just need some Cracker Feet

[prodigal_son]

I'm all for going barefoot but many places around hear just aren't safe to venture in without footwear. I totaly want some fivefingers those things are badass

Vibram Fiverfingers or VFF for short. I havn't read the whole thread so I don't know if this has come up already, but there is a growing body of research saying that barefoot runners get fewer injuries than people in cushioned and supported running trainers. The foot has evolved as a perfect running platform, after all, we used to run our food to death. The trainer inhibits the natural movement of the foot and puts stess and strain on our parts of the leg which isnt meant to be taking those forces. Next time you go for a run in your trainers, take note of how your foot lands, heel first, forefoot first. Then take your shoes off and look again. In trainers, chances are you will land heel first, barefoot, forefoot first. The foot is designed to land on the forefoot with the arch of the foot absorbing the impact, before pushing you on your way. Well, this is the theory. Before you chuck away your running trainers, build up your barefoot running time very carefully and very slowly. Different muscles will be being used to normal and progressing too fast will leave you with stress fractures. Don't do it!

After nearly 2 years of constant injuries, I have started running barefoot, and touchwood, all is going well. Watch this space!

[grahambell]

I remember that some years ago there was an athlete of South Africa who competed for United Kingdom in Olympic Games (South Africa was banned to compete because of apartheid) who run barefoot. She was a white sportwoman whose name I have forgotten. But she stir a bit of controversial for this fact running barefoot.

[prodigal_son]

I remember that some years ago there was an athlete of South Africa who competed for United Kingdom in Olympic Games (South Africa was banned to compete because of apartheid) who run barefoot. She was a white sportwoman whose name I have forgotten. But she stir a bit of controversial for this fact running barefoot.

Zola Budd. She broke the 5000m world record barefoot!

[Aaron Stern]

I remember that some years ago there was an athlete of South Africa who competed for United Kingdom in Olympic Games (South Africa was banned to compete because of apartheid) who run barefoot. She was a white sportwoman whose name I have forgotten. But she stir a bit of controversial for this fact running barefoot.

Zola Budd. She broke the 5000m world record barefoot!

Yep, she's the one.  During the 1984 Olympic Games here in Los Angeles, she collided at the 3000 meter women's finals with American runner Mary Decker who tumbled and took a nose-dive.  Decker later recalled her opponent whispering right there and then, "This Budd's for you!" (aping Budweiser Beer's commercial, "This Bud's for You!")  , but that was never independently confirmed.  Aaron

[prodigal_son]

I remember that some years ago there was an athlete of South Africa who competed for United Kingdom in Olympic Games (South Africa was banned to compete because of apartheid) who run barefoot. She was a white sportwoman whose name I have forgotten. But she stir a bit of controversial for this fact running barefoot.

Zola Budd. She broke the 5000m world record barefoot!

Yep, she's the one.  During the 1984 Olympic Games here in Los Angeles, she collided at the 3000 meter women's finals with American runner Mary Decker who tumbled and took a nose-dive.  Decker later recalled her opponent whispering right there and then, "This Budd's for you!" (aping Budweiser Beer's commercial, "This Bud's for You!")  , but that was never independently confirmed.  Aaron

Maybe this thread should be renamed barefoot facts!

[rebell84]

barefooting isn´t my thing.

There are too many f****ers who spit on the ground or drop glasbottels.....wouldn´t be a great experience.

[Aaron Stern]

For the fifth time this year Jennifer and I hiked in the Angeles National Forest totally naked yesterday with a couple of friends. Before we would drive to a parking lot and strip naked, but would wear hiking boots, but this year we decided to go barefoot once we were naked, and it really felt good, so I do recommend it: first you're 100% naked, and that's a plus, and second it benefits your feet, so all around it's a healthy experience.  Aaron

[abacus]

I guess I'm kinda spoiled. I live in the middle of Amish farmland, and 95% of the Amish women and children go barefoot during the summer. So a lot of the local businesses are pretty barefoot-friendly.

I've also been hiking and running barefoot more this year. Great experience so far.

[Aaron Stern]

barefooting isn´t my thing.

There are too many f****ers who spit on the ground or drop glasbottels.....wouldn´t be a great experience.

After what happened to our little guy this morning, I have to agree with you, to some extend: Noah loves to run around naked, which includes running around barefoot, of course, and this morning, on a stretch of lawn, he was less than four inches away from stepping into what, let's just say, dog owners are supposed to pick up right away  . At his age he's not really aware of his environment and exactly where he's stepping, but I was glad this calamity was avoided  ! Aaron