Gotta Have Sole

Or not. Depending on the activity, shoes may not even be required. Sounds crazy? Crass? Well, it is true. Research has shown it. Research involving scientist. So, HA!

Shoes play a major role in some activities, others, not so much.

Running:

Seriously, humans were designed to run. During the course of our evolution, however, we weren't evolved with Nike's on our feet.

We are lean, upright, and designed to run. From our ability to sweat to our keen sense of coordination and balance. (some of us anyway). Companies like Nike have set us back and in a way, attempted to re-invent the wheel.

Let's take a closer look at the foot. Its complex, consisting of 26 bones, 33 joints and 20 muscles. Putting a shoe on that is literally like being in a cast. We have been running for millions of years and the modern running shoe wasn't around until the early 70's. Tribes used minimal equipment from thin soled sandals to moccasins in order to protect from gravel and thorns. That's all they had. No "memory gel" or "Sensory foam". Not even a "scientifically designed support system". Its all bullshit. We are made to run. The arch on our foot is an architectural wonder. There is a reason that the Roman's used them in structures. They support weight. As a runner it's important to absorb pressure, as up to 2 and a half times your body weight can come down on your foot. Sounds intense, but trust me, the foot can handle it.

If you do decide to chuck your nike's or toss your adidas on a telephone wire, take it slow. Barefoot running is an amazing feeling and it is easy to get carried away and take it too far too soon. Start slow, if you feel pain, stop. Its simple, listen to your body.

Another starter shoe is a thing called a Vibram five fingers. (Pronounced vee-brum) This are quite literally, gloves for your feet. They provide maximum range of motion and a minimalistic design with a thin rubber sole to protect from cuts and scrapes.

Do your research, read the book "Born to Run" and experiment.



Weightlifting:

It's macho, sweaty and testosterone driven. So lifting weights in mechanics boots or some other bad ass foot apparel may seem like a fantastic idea right? Wrong. Imagine walking into a dark, musky gym with chalk hanging in the early morning sunlight. The sounds of big steel plates banging against one another. Then picture a 280 pound power lifter prancing in with his barefeet slapping against the rubber matted floor. Sound dirty? Feminine? Well, that guy can lift 500 pounds off the ground. Sound dirty or feminine now? I didn't think so.



Like running, our feet strive to make contact with a solid surface. The more it has to fight through padding and foam, the more strength you are going to waste on pushing your foot to the ground. Think of it this way, in a lift with barefeet, there are 2 forces. The lift applied to the bar, and the pressing of the heels into the ground. That's it. Now when you stroll in the gym with pillow like shoes on, Im going to A) laugh and b) tell you that there are technically three forces at play. The first being the lift applied to the bar, the second is your foot pressing through the layers of foam and rubber and the final is your foot eventually pressing into solid ground. Make sense?

If not, I have one more way to look at it.

You're MAD. Some navy dude just banged your girl. Ooooh, what are you gonna do tough guy? Hit him? Yea? Ok, well he has a nice fluffy pillow around his face. Do you think you'll apply the greatest force you can to his smug little grin? Probably not.

The picture should be clear by now. I also recommend lifting in Chuck's. Not only do they have a bad ass iconic value, they provide some padding underneath and are also acceptable for those gyms that have certain policies against bare feet. Also, like I mentioned above, you could go with some Vibram Five Fingers.

Almost any exercise in general, can be done barefoot or with some chucks or Vibrams. I still do occasionally lift in shoes, and I pretty much leave it up to how my feet feel that day. In my humble opinion, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and stay barefoot as much as you safely can.

Shoe Review: Newtons

You know when ugly people say that true beauty is on the inside? Well, they are right in this case.

It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon when I decide that it is time for me to buy some new running shoes. I have been suffering from Posterior tibial shin splints for over a year now, but I refuse to give up running. I walk into this renowned running store and this clerk measures me, asks me about my runs, all that jazz. He comes back with 3 pairs of shoes- Pearl Izumi(my favorite shoe brand), Mizuno(not a bad brand either), and Newtons(wtf?). He pulls the Newtons out first, and as soon as I see them, I'm like "Next!" no way would I be jogging around with these bad boys on. They looked so loud that I would hear the colors over my Ipod. Not to mention it costs about the same as a monthly payment for my car insurance, $168. So I try on the Pearls. Eh, they feel ok, probably a good replacement for my Brooks. I jog around in 'em, and I immediately feel my shin splints. I try on the Mizunos, same thing. Since I have been running with this injury for so long, I just accept it, and I decide to go with the Mizunos.

As I'm waiting for the clerk to get them ready, I take one last glance at that monstrosity of a shoe called Newton. I'm contemplating who the hell would charge that much for a shoe that looks like it was designed by Forrest, Forrest Gump. I try them on. "Whoa." It felt like the first time you enjoyed sex. You know how sex the first time kinda sucks? Well, putting on this shoe and jogging around in it, I was thinking "this is how sex- uh, running should be." And my shins felt fine. I bought them.

Throughout high school I was a cross country runner, a wrestler, a soccer player, and did indoor track running. If you already assumed that all these have running in common, yes we ran a lot in wrestling, then you are right. I have worn many different types and styles of shoes for each of these sports. Each shoe was a big brand name- Nike, Asics, Adidas, Mizuno, and New Balance. For the past 2 years I have tried to get into triathlon training and tried Brooks and Pearl Izumi for the first time, which in my opinion are better brands than most I've tried before. Now Newtons for me are by far the best.

For the past 20 years, distance running shoe companies, like the ones I just mentioned, haven't made many significant changes to their products. Mostly a few new gimmicks, for example who hasn't seen those skinny teeny ladies strutting their non existent asses in the Reebok easy tone shoe commercials? Maybe some style changes also, such as the Nike Air Jordans can come in any color now, because technology hasn't changed much these last 2 decades and the Jordans are perfect, so all they can change are the color, right?

Newton Running is a brand new shoe company that has reinvented the foundation for how we should run. They design a shoe that mimics barefoot running. The company CLAIMS that their shoes minimizes detrimental heel striking, promotes forefoot striking, increases speed, and may prevent injury. Not to mention they are incredibly light- 11 ounces.

So, I have been on 3 different run workouts this week with Newtons- 1 mile run, 1.5 mile run, and a 3.2 mile run. I feel amazing, my shins no longer cause me pain, which sometimes caused me to slow or even end my run before I finish. I am a medium arch foot type, and that is what these Newtons are, so that hasn't changed. I believe that what the company claims may actually be true. The colors are stupid, but I don't mind standing out from the crowd as long as I can perform. I just thank the Gods that they aren't pink.