Is this the fall of
minimalistic/barefoot running?
Vibram have been found
that their claims to the benefits of wearing their minimalistic shoes are not
scientifically backed. Another
company jumping on the ‘band wagon’ of promoting their product without any
scientific research and in the process getting their feet scorched!
Again the whole issue
is more business than sense!
However it is important that wild accusations are not allowed to be
promoted as, for example, you wouldn’t want companies like a certain vitamin
drink packed with sugar claiming it is healthy! On the other hand we have all been lead to believe that heel
striking when running is a viable biomechanical function we can do (if wearing
shoes). Science proves it?!
So what does this all
mean for the confused general public?
I say confused because a society built on scientific research based off
a shoe wearing population, the whole notion of barefoot is against the academic
grain but the story held true for the romantics dreaming of our earlier
ancestors running around barefoot makes complete sense. Shoes were an invention – we are not
born with shoes on our feet.
So to explain this
clearly for everyone I must start with a holistic view of the human species and
why we are what we are. We are
built of four systems
-biochemical, biomechanical, psychological and spiritual. The reason for our dominance on this
planet is our ability of adaptation.
We have been able to adapt to many varying environments and survive. We are the only animal that if we break
the circle of life we can still prosper where others would perish.
Biochemically we are
set up to survive on a diverse and varied diet. Biomechanically we are set up to be the most efficient
movers on land whilst being able to adapt to many forms of movement. Psychologically we are set up to make
conscious decisions separate to our subconscious (instinctual) process. Spiritually we are set up to connect to
the universe’s energy and my belief here is that our alignment (standing on two
bare feet) allows us to be a highly efficient tuning fork to connect us with
life’s energy forces.
Now with every system
there is a breaking point or in our case, a symptom threshold. We might be masters at our ability in adapting
to many environments however we have our limit and modern society is seeing
this threshold a lot more than any other generation before. Why? Well you have heard it all before. Dehydration, lack of nutritious food, lack of movement, chemical
over load, EMF overload, ego and fatigue I would say are the main culprits in
our society today. Fatigue being
the number one – none of us recover properly anymore and are so out of touch
with our body’s rhythm. So the
outcome leaves us with either an acute or chronic injury or disease
symptom.
In other words in
today’s modern society there are very few that aren’t walking around affected by
injury or disease. The amazing
thing is that the majority will hardly know and this is how good the
body is at adapting and compensating.
However, as I call it, if you do not know how to get back to your true
centre of balance then you are a walking time bomb.
Although the Vibram
claims are benefits that can be achieved, it cannot on a body that does not
know its true centre of balance. This is what barefoot running demands (to run on your true
centre of balance) and the majority of us have not only lost the skill to enable
us a transition to minimalistic/barefoot running but also the posture and
strength. Minimalistic shoes will
put added stress on the un-centred/off-balanced body and try to fire up a system
that is not adapted to the forces associated in that style of running. This is associated with acute
injury. Most people will suffer
lower limb injuries.
I ask you when
swooping over from one computer software to another say like Apple to PC does it not
take time to adapt? And how many
of us still don’t know how to use the software effectively? Running is no different and I am still
finding ways to be more efficient on my computer 8 years later and if it meant
more to me than just typing I would get educated in how to use it properly!
Therefore education is
needed for the skill it takes to run and all the abilities the body utilises to be
involved in such an activity. If
not you will end up hurt and will want to blame someone for the false hopes. However do remember your body has been
running around for millions of years uninjured without heel striking technology
(the modern shoe). So lets start a
new strap line - don’t blame the shoe!!!
To learn more about
the total picture read on.
Our system is equipped
to deal with bacteria, viruses, minerals, chemicals, gases and forces, at an
everyday level, by efficiently obtaining and discarding (detoxifying) through
our lunges, intestines, skin, liver and kidneys and musculoskeletal system. Everything
has to be sorted, it always has and it is now that our bodies are taking on so
much more (modern living) that our alignment is getting so distorted and we are
losing the ability to be an efficient functioning body.
Specifically, the
Vibram claim on the benefits of their minimalistic shoes didn’t work because
the majority of us have lost the skill of our tissue reacting correctly to the forces
associated to running due to our sedentary lives. The body skilfully changes its posture (lever system) and speed of coordination to
either increase joint torque or decrease it from the information it receives
from the ground reaction force and the way the body is aligned.
If your alignment is chronically
distorted (modern shoes, the seat, constant faulty repetition - change
alignment) then asking the body to re-align with a quick fix of just wearing a
pair of minimalistic shoes wont work for the majority. The body wont have the skill to action
the most efficient response for the new forces demanded with the minimalistic
shoe. And claims such as Vibram’s
will be all out on a whim. However
there are companies that have understood this and have got behind the education
of the alignment needed to run in minimalistic shoes.
I can say hand on heart
that the modern human race, as a whole, has lost its ability to walk, run and
sprint efficiently.
My concern for
everybody is to have an efficient foundation to move from in the first place. Barefoot mechanics is the very system my multidisciplinary methodology stands on and
once you get educated in it everything starts to fall in to place. Sustainability (not getting injured) comes
from allowing the new skill/alignment to adapt (this applies to any style
of running). This takes time,
which the majority of people don’t give.
They want the quick fix!
Injury sits so
close with inefficiency and re-educating yourself in barefoot mechanics will see that you start to journey away from the symptom thresholds and this will
allow you a much bigger buffer ground to play in. Foot strength will be gained, posture will change, reaction
times will get quicker as claims suggest, however to maintain efficiency and
skill you will have to work at keeping mobility in all the joints and constantly
train the skill of action it takes to be efficient in all types of movement. Consistency is the name of the game.
Efficiency is a
survival built mechanism, to work well it has to be in tune with its
design. Most people sit in a Ferrari
(their body) but drive it like a Robin Reliant.
But it doesn’t just
stop there! If you are been
drained else where in the other systems you will still be at risk of
injury. In the modern world all
four systems are at a constant dance with the symptom threshold.
Lack of energy, bad
skin, frequent colds/flues, obesity at a biochemical level. Stiffness, aches and pains, inefficient
movement, common injuries, lack of energy and just damn hard work at a biomechanical
level. Fatigue, hesitation, fear,
anxiety, frustrated, unloved, constantly unhappy, depression at a psychological
level and spiritually well that has truly been kicked into touch through ego,
materialism and quick fixes.
We are wandering in
the lost lands, we know deep down something is not right because we still have the
hardware and software for amazing abilities but we have lost our way to learning
and finding how to set ourselves free.
Getting connected back with bare feet (ancient practises such as
material arts all practise bare feet) and re-visiting the skill to obtain and
action efficient walking, running and sprinting is fundamental to our spirit. To me it is the foundation to it
all. To walk, run and sprint well
all four systems have to be in alignment to find that Zen. Everybody can obtain it or at least be consistently
close to it. They are our primary
movement patterns and functions. Consistently
work on getting them to function to be in tune with their environment and
everything you love to do will be enhanced even more.
