Are Barefoot Shoes Good for Your Training?

There has been a rise in the “barefoot” shoe concept by a lot of shoe manufacturers. New Balance Minimus, Nike Free’s, Vibram’s… all have joined the revolution. So the question naturally is, Are Barefoot Shoes Good for Your Training? My advice:

Use Minimal Walking Shoes (or socks) in Moderation

Essentially the idea for these kinds of shoes is for you to be able to wear shoes that allow more of your feet muscles to engage than would typically be engaged when you wear common shoes.

This has been the hot topic of conversation, leading to a many questions.

One often asked of me, whether they are good for you.

The answer is yes, but in progressively increasing moderation.

Below are a few things to consider if you choose a pair of barefoot shoes.

Foot Strength

   >> Stronger feet can and will allow you to have better strength and control when lifting weights. When your feet are on the ground, like during squats for example, as well as when you’re doing sprints, foot strength is critical.

Make it a Progression

   >> You must progress into wearing these shoes regularly. When you relatively suddenly start using feet muscles you’re not used to using, they will fatigue quickly. This may lead to foot cramps. Don’t go from never wearing them to wearing them every day.

Build Ankle Muscle

   >> These shoes remove ankle support that your regular shoes likely provides. Be careful going into sport-specific situations without having previously built up your ankle musculature. You need to be able to support your body’s movement.

   I personally own about six pairs of these type of barefoot shoes and they’re great… for my ability to keep my functionality.

I just have to be aware of how often I wear them because it’s never fun to wake up to a feeling like a dog is latching onto my foot with cramps in the middle of the night!

Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.