October 22, 2008 | 3 Comments

Take it from the Pro’s

Gymnasts, dancers, martial artists and specialty performers.

What do they have in common?

They’re naked from the ankle down.

Our foot & ankle is designed perfectly through evolution. This relatively small part of the human body contains 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons & ligaments.

By being barefoot, our bodies are capable of amazing feats… no pun intended. It’s no wonder that athletes train and perform barefoot. So why wouldn’t you run barefoot? Think about it.

Gymnast on a balance beam

Ballerina

Karate

Street Performer

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Author:David

An instigator and barefoot runner since 2002.
View all posts by David →

3 Responses to “Take it from the Pro’s”

  1. Reply
    kurt
    April 23, 2009 at 10:26 pm #

    hello david,
    i wouldn’t say it’s a question of taboo for or against naked feets, except in western cultures. india, island nations, africa and australia all still have indigenous barefoot populations that are the norm, if they haven’t been westernized yet.

    but to the main point, it strikes me that most gymnasts, dancers and martial artists usually practice their art in a specialized environment that is quite forgiving to the feet. variations in the surface textures of their artificial environs are minimized and they can therefore do quite well barefoot.

    back in my twenties, for one delightful winter to spring transition in mid-ontario i had access to a beautiful unused, unsprayed golf course (nonetheless, another quite artificial environment). the early morning air was wonderful and the snow was melting and the fairway and greens were like really really cold living sponges. one day i just took off my old brooks and ran barefoot! through cold wet feet the earth carried me and bounced me through every step. i felt high and exhilarated afterward and ran that way whenever i could. beaches and dunes are another place where the environment is naturally forgiving.

    however, it really didn’t work for me on gravel roads or trails in the woods, or even asphalt roads, especially since i tended to run in the predawn hours when it would be hard to notice those bits of gravel or glass or sharp branches or roots sticking up.

    i have however occasionally run barefoot on asphalt for short distances if it seemed clean and gravel free and there was reasonable light and it is kind of nice. not so sure how healthy it is to rub very absorbent soles with the greasy hydrocarbons embedded in the roadbed and dripped on from passing vehicles!

    there is definitely a difference in barefoot running. in the best of circumstances, i’ve found it both grounding and uplifting simultaneously, which was an integrating, thrilling experience.

    thanks for a cool website,
    kurt

  2. Reply
    Grosvenor Rauch
    December 14, 2009 at 5:05 am #

    I have the same experience when I take a few days off from training. I get it back quickly, and the awkwardness does go away too. I hear some folks can come back stronger even after taking 2 weeks off. I guess it depends on the person.

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  1. barefootrunner.com : natural running & healthy living » Lead Story » 5 Tips to Start ‘Barefooting’ - November 22, 2008

    [...] barefoot’ has negative social stereotypes; while gymnasts, dancers, martial artists and other pro’s depend on their naked feet. Why the taboo of being naked from the ankle down? So the next time you [...]

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