The Barefoot Running Book - Jason Robillard [18]
Principle Five: Relaxation is the secret to great form.
Barefoot running requires relaxation of the skeletal muscles. Running free and easy is the secret to running injury-free. Your arms and legs should have about as much tension as a wet noodle. For “foodies,” think well-cooked pasta, not al dente.
Principle Six: You must enjoy the process.
Learning to run barefoot should be a process, not a destination. If you take the time to enjoy each stage of your development as a barefoot runner, you will be successful. This is a fun activity! Watch little children run around barefoot. They know something most of us have long-since forgotten. Embrace that joy! Smile and savor the process!
Factors that Affect Speed of Transition
When learning to run barefoot, several factors will affect the speed at which you can make the transition from traditional shoes to barefoot or minimalist shoes. The greatest factor seems to be prior barefoot experience. Runners that routinely do other activities barefoot will be able to advance at a faster rate. Their muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and plantar skin will be more adept at the stresses and rigors of barefoot running.
Runners that have adopted a midfoot strike will also be able to advance faster. This particular running style is nearly identical to barefoot form. Like individuals that spend time barefoot, this group will have already pre-strengthened many of the anatomical features that are stressed when running barefoot.
Youth may play a role since younger runners are able to physically heal at a faster rate—thus progressing faster.
Prior injury history plays a role. Runners with few injuries may be able to advance at a faster rate.
A runner’s ability to listen to their body will also make a difference. A key to learning good form is the ability to monitor the state of your body.
Finally, trail runners may be able to transition faster due to their already-developed skills of running on uneven surfaces and monitoring the terrain they are running.
All these factors may play a role in the rate of progression.
Regardless of your own characteristics, it is important to exercise patience. You will learn to run barefoot significantly faster if you utilize a “slow and steady” approach.
Explanation of Concepts, Issues, and Activities
This book is organized using a progression of methods. It is important to master each stage before progressing to the next. The four stages are:
Pre-running: What to do before starting to run barefoot. Starting to Run Barefoot: How to begin learning the fundamental skills needed to run barefoot.
Intermediate Barefoot Running: Increasing speed and/or distance; improving barefoot running skill. Advanced Barefoot Running: Special issues such as racing, extreme weather, etc.
Each of the first three stages are comprised of:
Concepts, issues, and activities.
Concepts are the major theories that constitute good barefoot running. They may include elements like form, frame of mind, or other important elements of learning to run barefoot.
Issues are the problems or concerns that may arise when implementing the various activities that will teach you the skills of barefoot running.
Activities are the various physical tasks you will practice to learn to run barefoot. The next section introduces some sample schedules based on some fictional individuals of varying experience.
Sample Training Schedule
To aid your progress in transitioning to barefoot or minimalist shoe running, I’ve provided a handy schedule. This schedule has been subject to several important revisions. The original aptly-named “Lose the Shoes” plan I developed was widely spread via the Runner