Barefoot Training

Why barefoot training?

Basically because shoes destroy your body. I know that's a harsh statement, however If you don't believe me just walk around barefoot for a while and tell me what you discover. The key word here is "discover", so I'm not asking you to be mindless about being barefoot, I'm suggesting that you heighten your awareness of how your body feels. I know for me it changed the way I move and healed all sorts of pain.

I remember many times over the past 30 years of lifting weights in the gym with running shoes and not understanding why my back, knees, hips, and neck were always in pain. For example, one day while on vacation in Ocean City, MD in 2005 I was doing barbell squats with heavy weights and hurt my right knee (which still bothers me sometimes). What had happened was my posture was out of alignment because I was wearing a brand new pair of high end running shoes with a thick cushion on the heal. The elevation threw off my posture, which put pressure on the bottom of my knee cap and obviously strained something.

This is just one example of so many I can provide for myself and my clients. The bottom line is that I feel the body functions much better without shoes. When I began Tae Kwon Do in 1984 we did not wear shoes. It felt great to feel the earth connection while moving the body through the various kicks, stances, and strikes.

At my studio where I teach kettlebells and also train clients using TRX, sandbags, battling ropes, and body weight we do not wear shoes for any of the training unless we go outside."Rooting" or "grounding" are a big part of martial arts and Kettlebell Training.

What if the kettlebell falls on your foot?

Unless you have steel shoes it does not matter. Besides I have never seen anybody drop a kettlebell on their foot. This is why the safety, awareness, and mindfulness come into the equation. Seriously, not only is is a bad idea to wear any shoes that have a thick cushion for kettlebell training, you also don't want to be training with a kettlebell instructor who does not educate you on how to use them properly. Besides if all you think about is the kettlebell falling on your foot is probably will. Thoughts should be on lifting the weight.

Benefits of barefoot TRX and Kettlebell Training:

* Grounding or Rooting of your energy - watch this video.

* Heightened Awareness of the body

* Posture Alignment to prevent injury to all joints

* Agility and being able to move more freely

* Mobility and expansion of the hips

* Decrease of joint pain

* Enhanced movement patterns

* More flexibility

* Increase of energy

* Increase of strength and power

* Able to leap tall building in a single bound - I actually do have this dream quit often.

* Here is a more in depth article Kettlebells and Barefoot Training

Other movement systems that train barefoot:

* Bodybuilders and powerlifters- Take a look at the pictures from the bodybuilders on 60's and 70's and they train barefoot. Watch the movie Pumping Iron and you see it there as well

* Martial Arts

* Yoga, Pilates, Gymnastics, swimming...

* I'm sure there are many more - please list others in the comments section below

Running Barefoot

I am not a runner so I am going to leave this to the experts or anybody who wants to leave a comment about this.

Dale Buchanan
Certified T'ai Chi Chih Teacher
Certified Seijaku Teacher
Fitness and Wellness Specialist