BAREFOOT RUNNING - Training With Dr.Romanov

July 19, 2005

BAREFOOT RUNNING

This topic became some kind of fashion in running community, so I felt it is necessary to share my limited knowledge and experience on barefoot running with the hope that it would be also beneficial to readers-runners and triathletes.

What are the benefits of exercising barefoot?
There are many beneficial aspects of barefoot running, it:
- Helps to develop better perception of the contact with the ground, which allows us to interact with support more efficiently, place the body weight on the foot more precisely; have better timing of the contact with the ground.
- Develops muscle strength, particularly in those groups of muscles of the feet, and related muscles of the legs and hips, which are out of use when we are in shoes.
- Helps to release psychological stress through the reduction of electricity charges in the body, which can now serve as a kind of lightning rod.
- Helps to improve the body temperature regulation due to the adaptation to the lower outside temperature.
How does it help prevent injury?
Because of all of the above: improved coordination, perception, and strength.
What surfaces should be used for barefoot running and exercise?
Best surface to run on is grass and particularly on a golf course. After that goes sand on the beach, or dunes, and then artificial track surface.
What the limit in use and length of barefoot running?
There are no special rules and procedures of how to use barefoot run: before or after your main workout, or as a main workout. It all depends on your goals, and level of performance. But it always should be a step-by-step progression from a simple and short workout to a more complex and heavier one.
Any particular special technique in barefoot running?
There is no special barefoot running technique and no particular moves. There is only one right technique, which takes into account the existing gravity field and uses gravity as its main source of energy, trying to assist it by channeling all the other forces in this direction instead of struggling with it. I would like to mention that barefoot running is not a panacea for avoiding running problems, it is not an automatic guarantee of running proper. It is just another tool for learning to run proper, because of more elements of a proper running technique present there than anywhere else.

I would recommend these several steps for starting barefoot running:

start using racing flats in your everyday running
do light jumps and hops in place with a jumping rope, do the same on two low boxes, with light weights
start running on sand in racing flats
do barefoot jumps in place with a jumping rope, then on boxes
start doing short barefoot runs on grass
do short barefoot runs and jumps on sand
increase the length of barefoot running on grass and sand
alternate each of the above exercises with normal running

Dr.Romanov

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Another "benefit" is joy!
I enjoy every step run barefoot, because of the touch with the earth, the healthy pleasure of natural foot flexing, the feeling of freedom
And by the way: No blisters or hot, sweaty, cramped feet.

Posted by: George at September 13, 2005 11:36 AM

Eric,
During life activity our body accumulates positive electrical charge, as any biological body. With excessive physical, emotional and mental work this charging could be over limits which body cold handle to keep normal electrical activity. Then we need to discharge our body to allow our electrical activity back to normal. For this matter running barefoot on a ground allows to release excessive polarity and return body's electrical activity to normal, and therefore our emotional and mental condition as well. Shoes, having rubber sole, as an electrical insulator, do not allow this discharge happened. This cause delayed psychological break down and some another illnesses.
Eric,
About shoes, it is very difficult to make a proper advice, despite that we do recommend the shoes with thin sole. The point is that thin sole shoes still have different level of cushioning, which would have different effect for runners with different level of skill, strength and springiness etc. So, in your question, I would find more questions for myself. Such as: how much these shoes are fit a specific level of fitness and skill this or that person? Sorry Eric for not answering to your question precisely.

Posted by: DrRomanov at July 20, 2005 08:55 PM

Dr. Romanov: I have two questions.

1. What does "Helps to release psychological stress through the reduction of electricity charges in the body, which can now serve as a kind of lightning rod" mean? I'm not familiar with this concept, but I'm excited to learn.

2. Do you recommend that runners use shoes like the Puma H Street with a very thin midsole (when not barefoot running) for all running regardless of duration, surface, Pose proficiency etc.? Is there any reason to use, for example, a more traditional racing flat for any of one's weekly mileage? Thanks.

Posted by: epberlin at July 19, 2005 03:02 PM