should you bare your soles? Foot striking A recent study by Dr. Daniel Lieberman indicated that habitually barefoot runners tend to land on their forefoot with less force and more efficiency when compared to shod runners whose cushioned shoes promote heel striking. Does barefoot running truly force a forefoot landing and do away with the evil heel strike? Not necessarily, say those critical of running shoeless. “It’s a misconception to say every barefoot runner lands on the forefoot,” says Pribut. And even when it does, changing your footstrike doesn’t require going shoeless. “You don’t need barefoot running to become a forefoot runner,” says Watson. “Just work on posture, cadence and striking under your center of gravity.” Watson’s point is validated by a recent study from the University of Wisconsin. Researchers were able to significantly reduce impact forces in a group of runners by having them increase their stride rate by 10 percent—in shoes.
Bottom line The barefoot running debate is surprisingly heated. Many of its advocates are unshakably convinced that it’s the only way to go. Its detractors often dismiss the barefoot crowd as part of a lunatic fringe. Our experts’ final verdicts: Nigg: “Barefoot itself isn’t that good. But training in unstable conditions and training barefoot on the track—only—is good. It’s good for building strength and stability, but using it to [enhance] performance is a questionable reason.” Pribut: “I’m neutral—do whatever works for you. Shoes have created problems such as blisters, nerve compression and bunions. But I’m not on a mission to get people to run barefoot.” Watson: “I’m not promoting barefoot running. Why? I haven’t seen any causeand-effect studies that show performance improvements. However, I’m not against doing it as a supplemental activity.”
Tips For Safer Barefoot Running • Do not fall victim to “too much too soon.” • Do it at the end of a warmup or during cool-down. • Begin by alternating 30 seconds of running with 30 seconds walking. • Do it only on certain surfaces: a track, grass, sand or packed dirt. • To transition to barefoot running, try minimalist shoes, such as Vibram Five Fingers.
Fit. Lock. Forget. PALLADIO TEAM is the seatpost that solves the adjustment problem. The 3T patent DiffLock lets you dial in your saddle angle to a half-degree precision, and lock it in for good. For more fresh thinking on bike fit, go to:ppp'ma^g^p,m'\hf
www.bikemine.com | req@bikemine.com | 405.239.6141
116
triathlete.com | November 2010