I started watching this thinking it was going to be about barefoot vs zero drop shoes. when i realized it shoes vs shoes i almost stop but decided to continue further. The part that puzzled me the most is the assessment to barefoot shoes. at age 60 I had no toe mobility no toe spread and basically none of the requirements you mentioned for transitioning to barefoot shoes. for health reasons I went strait to barefoot full time , not barefoot shoes but just barefoot. There was some small adjustments and growing pains but all very much worth it.
Thanks for your feedback! I would say that you are someone that was able to make the transition smoothly which is awesome! I also think the majority who post about barefoot are also people who had a similar smooth experience. There are many confounding factors to take into account that I wouldn’t be able to get to in a short video such as your activity level prior to barefoot shoes, your gait pattern before barefoot shoes, etc. the exercises I showed is not vital but it would represent what I feel to be strong enough feet to ease into barefoot. I’m glad you had a clean transition though!!
Everyone says not to jump right into minimalist/barefoot shoes but I wasn’t sure how to even get acclimated so I decided there is no better way to prepare than to just use them, lol. I tried the cheap brand first (Joomra & Whitin) since they are affordable and had great reviews. Jumped straight into a hard trail hike. There were lots of stream crossings, steep incline and declines, sharp rocks and lots of boulders. They felt great. No issues. I did feel the rocks but nothing uncomfortable. Very manageable and the shoes held up well through everything I put it through. Went back to regular trail runners and the first thing I noticed were toe cramps. More stability but had to sacrifice my toe space. I’m still gonna use both types of shoes depending on the length of the hike but all in all, I’m really loving the barefoot/minimal shoes and will keep on wearing them. Very easy to adjust to, for me anyway. Watched a video that says to train (weight lift, HIIT training, etc) in barefoot/minimalist shoes to help strengthen your feet so that’s my next plan. Can’t wait!
I had the exact same cramping when trying to wear normal running shoes as well, a very unnatural feeling! It sounds like you have a reasonably smooth transition despite going quite full on, that’s great to hear! Good luck in your continuing journey!
I spent my entire infancy playing with my friends, running, football, climbing trees, all barefoot. In adolescence I started running for real with a cushioned shoes. No matter what I did, I would always have calves strain, knee, and even back, and problems with stability. Change for barefoot shoes a few months ago. In the first day I couldn't run because my feet hurted a lot. I ran 1km and had to walk. But the pain on mais feet was like the pain you have after the gym if you take a weight you're not used to. So I rested in the next day, and the day after that I went to run again. I ran 10km. Seriously. No knee pain, no feet pain, and felt like I would never tire. It was like the natural running muscle memory came back and I thought "wow... That's it". Running felt natural and easy again. These cushioned shoes are crippling! People don't realize how bad they are until they try the discomfort to adapt to what they should naturally be able to do anyways!
Great video but i have to say that u left out another big component.the foot muscles and fascia need stretching and deep tissue work so they can get stronger,think barefoot shoes like a work out for your legs,u need to release the tension and give them space in order for them to get stronger and recover
Yes for sure, there is so many components to it! Just like when I look into anything about nutrition and the rabbit hole goes deeper and deeper 😅 the fascia is key! Thanks for the feedback 🙏
Something missing from all this is strengthening the posterior chain, not just the feet. It’s all connected! Strength train the calves, hamstrings and glutes. Also strengthen the intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles. That’s why so many people who transition to barefoot fail; their tendons simply aren’t strong enough for the loads being applied.
Barefoot shoes on concrete, if you walk a little more than a short trip to the store is the most idiotic idea in the world. Get a good fit, wide enough and protection on the shoes. People began to put all the blame on the shoes. This is the easiest thing to do. Overweight? Never in your life! Untrained muscles? Of course not! Just change your shoes and that's it. Nothing else needs to be done! A typically American approach. You're pushing 4k calories a day but if I order a zero cola once it will definitely help :) Meanwhile, minimalist shoe manufacturers are making idiots out of people and making a lot of money from them.
Thanks. I began my transition to barefoot shoes in 2017, running on Luna sandals. Later on, in COVID-time I transitioned to walking on barefoot shoes on daily bases, like custom shoes from Vivobarefoot. I thought I was a believer... But now I am in doubt. Lot of foot-problems, pain under my sole, behind my little toes. Did I overreact and been too much a believer? I have some Altra's too, Torrins, and I like them very much to run on. Changing between shoes is always an good idea, but my foot problems are overgrowing me now. Do you have any suggestion?
Thanks for sharing your experience! I don’t think you overreacted necessarily, it just shows that you are curious and interested in improving your health. This style of footwear is heavily and very well marketed and it can be frustrating, because the claims they make even necessarily untrue. Barefoot shoes can be great in the right context, and with the right amount of training and stabiliser muscle strength. Without knowing much about the issues you’re having apart from pain under the sole, I would make sure to rule out Morton’s neuroma because that can be an absolutely horrible thing to get, and it is more likely with barefoot shoes. A foot doctor will be able to identify this. I would then only use my Altras if I am on a natural services such as concrete or asphalt. I would probably stop using barefoot shoes for a period of time and while the altras are my main shoes, I would work on strengthening my feet, ankles, knees, hips, and core. The reason I said this is because as soon as you start experiencing prolonged pain on the bottom of your foot, you are likely changing your gait pattern to reduce discomfort even if you’re unaware of it. This changed pattern Could have a negative effect on the rest of your body. Hope this helps, and if you have any questions feel free to ask! 🙌 bear in mind that I’m not a doctor, my day job is as a UX designer
Waldviertler from Austria. Zero drop, some models with cushioning, some without. Fully leather build including insole, stitch down construction and easily resoleable.
I've been using barefoot shoes for 20 years. However, I found that running on pavement caused inflammation on some bony parts of the bottom of my foot. So I use barefoot shoes for walking, but zero drop cushioned shoes for running.
Thanks you for sharing, I can tell you spent a lot of time making the b roll for this video and it shows! Sound effects are a little too loud imo, I would make them more subtle. My wife has very cramped toes due to lots of time in pointy shoes. What would a transition plan look like if she were to slowly pace herself into barefoot shoes? Is it just wearing them when doing short walks to the shop?
Thanks that’s great feedback, i really appreciate it and I will definitely make sure my next videos are better in that regard! 🙏 I would say: 1. Minimise the time in the pointy shoes to only when really necessary 2. It is difficult to give an appropriate amount of time but I would say to wear Barefoot shoes maybe 1-3hours per day for low impact activity. 3. Gradually increase the time you spend in the shoes 4. Foot strengthening is key: train foot flexion and extension, dorsiflexion, calf raises, toes treads, etc. there is something called toega (toe yoga) that could be fun. 5. Read up on proper technique 6. Don’t test yourself too much with different tough terrains at first. 7. Mix with conventional shoes (or the zero drop shoes that I talked about) And most importantly listen to your body because everyone will be different. I hope your wife has a really easy transition so best of luck!
Barefoot and zero drop aren’t really competing with each other. Barefoot allows for foot strengthening and achilles lengthening, to where it should be naturally. Zero drop kinda only accommodates the achilles issue. Having zero drop, but 20+mm stack height, isn’t correcting for poor foot health due to the shoe industry lies. TLDR: barefoot is MUCH better than zero drop for your foot mechanics. Just transition properly for “your” feet.
Best decision I have made was going to a barefoot shoe, been wearing the Hykes Escapes and love them, soo comfy and my feet feel so good. Feel like I have been lied to all these years with regular shoes and Never going back to regular shoes.
I wear boots with padding and insoles or wateever to help with PF, nothing worked. but when i transition to a minimalist boots. golly my feet never felt better.
I'm a Minimalist shoe guy. I wish more Zero Drop shoes had wide toeboxes so that other people could be swayed away from those deathtraps. To think, what the vast majority of humans think of as 'normal shoes' are shaped like they are because of vanity. Gotta have that upper-middle class pointy toe, am I right? It's asinine. Great video, mate.
I do agree to some extent and I also wish more shoes had wide toeboxes! I asked a PRI professional and apparently the reason is because it is difficult to make a wide toebox shoe that also has enough stability at the ankle for the purposes of heel awareness to the ground. I have personally been having injuries that have been made worse from the lack of ankle support so I am wearing some more conventional shoes for now :)
I have purchased three pairs of Xero shoes. While comfortable, I have already had two pairs we’re out on me in less than four months. We are talking no tread on the soles right under the ball of your foot. I will consider these shoes to be only for casual wear or light working out. I am a little bit bigger guy, but this is crazy.
I am also quite a little bit bigger as well (~100kg). I would say keep barefoot shoes to light usage anyway just because of the stress on the body (especially the hips and back)
I would imagine that a fully cushioned zero drop shoes could create a situation where your heel will be at a lower level than your toes when landing hard. Would that be a problem?
That is an awesome question, I never considered that at all! In the same way that I’m a proponent of knees over toes, I would apply the same logic to the ankles. I think it is important to train strength and mobility in this position of dorsiflexion. I guess I would ask about how hard of a landing are we talking? I don’t think there would be a huge difference between heel and toe in this scenario.
@@theNamesPhillip I was thinking more along the line of court sport like squash or pickleball where you need impact protection and stability at the same time. Barefoot shoes will give stability while something like these would give you impact protection but could be unstable??
I’m afraid I can’t give you a solid answer here. I think when moving laterally in a less controlled manner, I would be afraid of rolling. I tried a little parkour movement in the shoes when I got them and felt a little uncomfortable with it. Not crazy uncomfortable but a little. Barefoot are definitely more stable when it comes to rolling incidents (if your ankles are strong). Sorry I can’t give you a great answer!
You make the transition more difficult than it really is for the majority of people. As a 66 years old male it was modern footwear that caused many foot issues for me in the 15 years prior to my transition. I suffered big toe pain that at times was diagnosed as turf toe, gout, etc and often caused walking with a cane for weeks at a time before the symptoms subsided. But they always came back and eventually I developed a painful bunion. Rather than follow the surgery route - it was research that convinced me maybe the problem was modern shoes. It has been three years now since I bought may first pair of wide toe-box and and flexible soled shoes. I’m never going back! My feet, toes, ankles, knees, etc feel so much better! My burgeoning bunion went away overtime. Toe spacers helped also the first two years but they are no longer necessary. My feet have now readapted to a natural shape. The only downside for me was the fact that after 3 months regular shoes were no longer an option. A small sacrifice imho to the health benefits that accrued!🦶🙏🏽
That’s great to hear that your transition was smooth Kevin, something I love to hear! However it is definitely not going to be so smooth for everyone because there are so many variables to take into account. In those types of situations I prefer to be safer than sorry. But I’m glad that barefoot helped you so much and that it seems nothing but positive!
I need some wide toe box shoes for training at the gym, I wanted to buy vivo barefoot but they are very expensive. Can anyone advise some trainers which cost below 120 bucks? Thanks in advance
I live in Sweden so the prices may differ but there are a few that might be great! * Merrell Vapor Glove would be my go to if not vivo and lots of people prefer them! * Wildling are a German brand that look amazing and if you could get them where you live, they could be good. * Freet make solid shoes so look at those * Xero personally aren’t my style but they have good shoes that many people prefer over vivo and are generally cheaper
I have Altra max cushion. Next shoe will be altra medium cushion as a transition then topo minimal cushion. If it all goes well i will try xero neo prio then tyr drop zero then vivo primus lite. I am 40 with bad knees so im gonna go super slow with it
Good idea, I actually had to take a step back from even altras because I had issues from going barefoot too fast. Going slow is the best thing you can do! Good luck 😁
As others have commented I think your prequesities are too much and things like big toe mobility need time to develop. Another issue is that shoes like Altra have become more narrow over time to appeal to a wider customer base. I completely disagree with your punching the ground anology and that you need to move to a fore/mid foot walk to mitigate hard surfaces. The easier way is to land on your heel but under your body. To do that push off say from the right foot moving the left forward with your body so that it is over the foot when you land and the knee is slightly bent for shock absorption. In normal heeled shoes people can have a slight overstride landing on the back of the heel with the toe pointed up. This can become sore in minimalist shoes because you are striking on the bone instead of using your heel pad.
I think we actually agree here and that maybe there is a communication issue. Correct me if I’m wrong. I completely agree that big toe mobility takes time, mine is certainly not where I wanted it to be. I would opt for a safer approach for a lot of people and say a certain amount of mobility should be trained first. The Altra shoes I have noticed have become narrower and it sucks but that is why I specifically recommended my Escalante 3’s. What I was trying to say with the mid/fore foot strike is that you can somewhat mitigate the issues of punching the ground (which is true and often told to people as a means of better shock absorption) but there are potential negative implications in going to such as cause if difficult to reverse hip rotation issues and Morton’s neuroma. This is of course a very individual thing. I don’t think there is a perfect way to walk because people have different anatomies and needs. I walk with weight somewhere between the heel and mid foot, as you say with bent knees for the purposes of shock absorption. Thanks for your feedback though I hope I cleared things up. I am in a process to get better at explaining things in my head.
@@theNamesPhillip Thanks for your feedback. The problem I have with the punching the ground is we evolved to walk barefoot and so it sounds exaggerated to me. I tried forefoot walking as there are people who say it also how we evolved but I found it hard to do and as you say it takes time and in the end I just felt a bit unbalanced trying it. Whereas heel landing under your body is much faster to pick up being closer to how we evolved to walk. Also walking barefoot in your home and starting with a 10min walk in minimalist shoes will also help build up foot strength and mobility.
Def needed this. I have a cut on my Achilles tendon and after about 7 miles it starts to hurt alot. Ive never thought of getting different shoes. Mostly because i grew up lower class so fancy shoes was always a luxury. But i def need it now because i cant really exercise the tendon thats cut its pretty uncomfy so ill just get new shoes.
I don't know if you will see my comment but I hope you will and maybe you (or someone experienced) could give me an advice! I "accidently" transitioned to barefoot shoes about more that 5 years ago...im 30 today..since childhood and into adulthood I used to suffer from knee pain and back pain and also had what a doctor said "partially flat feet" anyway...the stuff that doctors gave me to help and support my feet didn't work for me and on a whim I just tossed everything out and began walking in just plain flip flops..it was terrible at first...my feet did suffer but after a few years I just got used to them and realized my back pain and knee pain was gone. now...I really want to try out barefoot shoes since I actually physically can't wear any normal shoes anymore..a 20 minute walk in normal sneakers would cost me pain and cuts from my fingers rubbing against each other in the shoe..I am kind of scared to invest in Vivos because they are so pricy and I also mostly walk on concrete...so I don't know if barefoot are at all a good choice for me since the flip flops I wear (if you know the brand Havaianas) have about 1-2 cm of of "cushion" to them. anyway...having to get my foot cramped into a boot every winter and when its get cold outside is kind of a pain so I would like to know if you think I should try and go for Vivos or maybe I should look for something else?
Wow, it seems like you’ve been on quite the journey here! that’s really great that moving to flip-flops, helped relieve the pain and I think there is certain talent to being able to walk in flip-flops because I’m really bad at it 😂 quite a big part of the gait cycle involves your foot being able to pronate and supinate. If you have more of a flat foot, it typically means that you are in a consistently pronated position which would be a more stretched out position, and it would become more difficult to spring up the foot into a more supinated position. I’m not generally a fan of support here in most cases as I don’t think it actually tackles the problem. I think that may be you switching to flip-flops, might have trained your muscles to work better between the supinated and prated positions. Just a guess of course. I personally experienced many problems with barefoot shoes on a natural surfaces like concrete, but it’s worth noting that everyone is different and you might be different because you’re so used to wearing flip-flops. With this in mind, I personally would probably go for specific zero drop shoes that have a wide toebox but also sufficient padding. Just my preference. As for vivo, I have three pairs and I think they are generally pretty good but I also think that they have very good marketing compared to others. In reality, they are more expensive than some other brands but not necessarily better. There are other brands such as merrell, xero, freet, groundies that’s all, maybe a bit more affordable and also have winter options. Altra (the zero drop shoe brand that I showed in the video) also have winter shoes, you just have to check if they have a white toolbox because not all Altra shoes. Here’s something I could recommend that is really cheap. Buy a cheap pair of water shoes. They are generally cheaper, are flat, have minimal padding, and usually have a wider toebox. Test for a little bit and see if you get any discomfort. If you like them and they feel good to you, maybe you can justify spending more money for good quality pair of barefoot shoes? If not, maybe zero drop shoes with a wide tow box are best for you. I hope this helped 😁
@@theNamesPhillip actually this was very helpful and gave me some more perspective...I think I will actually look for zero drop with some padding and wide toe box would probably be the best option for walking mainly on concrete..and yeah I agree that walking in flip flops takes some skill haha at this point wearing them feels like part of my foot it's just crazy how much my foot have changed that none of my older shoes fit me at all
I dont exactly know how strong my feet are but I do walk outside with no shoes a lot. Im also 0 to 100 but I promised myself I would only use my barefoot shoes for the gym for now!
I'm actually the same, 0-100 and doing the same, gym only! How funny :) I'm now thinking of picking up some zero drop shoes and injinji toe socks as my current shoes and socks have holes in them 😂
👇 Links to the products shown in this video 👇 Altra Escalante 3 - amzn.to/3Mm9y6B Vivobarefoot Primus Lite 3 - amzn.to/45V7mtA Vivobarefoot Geo Racer Knit - amzn.to/49qszif Vivobarefoot Primus Trail Knit FG - amzn.to/49aw63U Toe separators - amzn.to/47c3GF1
I have Morton's neuroma thanks to those stupid a** tight-front shores I have been wearing since I was a child. The orthopedician suggested wide-toebox shoes which do make a difference. now need to find hiking boots and running shoes that match the description 😩
Wow, I didn't know this type of shoe also existed. It's great that you brought this up, since all the content creators just say to exercise your feet. But a gradual transition even with the help of this type of shoe is super important. Thank you thank you!
Thanks for the feedback I’m glad you found this useful! Of course exercising the feet is definitely helpful but I think most people are aware of that, if we lower the input to output ratio, more people can find benefits… that’s the hope anyway! 😅
I video I wish I watched before going full send with barefoot shoes almost two years ago. Now frustratingly trying to recover from plantar fasciitis for almost a year, not necessarily the barefoot shoes that caused it but rather roughing it out on city concrete
Bon moi depuis que je t ai découvert en video je rouvre le dossier chaussure et bien investir pour 2024 car moi c est deja un hallus valgus et doigts de pied en griffe que j ai 😢 et c est plus la chaussure intermédiaire que je souhaite acheté 😊
So if I understand this correctly your better with barefoot trainers in the long run. It seems like zero drop is just a half way house between normal and barefoot. So if like me and you have been barefoot for a while they are redundant?
I have had a few recent issues come up that has changed my mind a little on barefoot shoes. I am now using Asics Kayano 13 to address hip and neck injuries due to my personal muscle imbalances that were made worse by barefoot shoes. I use barefoot shoes for specific purposes and for shorter periods of time. I think some people are naturally better at adapting to barefoot than others and it ia highly individual. If you are already barefoot, have been for a while, are not experiencing any issues, and are not doing more heavy training, then maybe zero-drop shoes are not necessary. I did like being able to have the option of increased cushion however so maybe that would work for you 🙂
Some of what you said in the video made me worry - I've never had much mobility / dexterity / awareness in my toes, or much mobility in my ankles (and I still don't !) and I probably transitioned into barefoot shoes too abruptly but it has been over two years of daily use now.. I don't know if I could or should consider going back to normal shoes?? Wearing barefoot shoes has certainly reduced some mystery pains I used to get in my hips and ankles. And I enjoy the extra sensory feedback from the thinner soles.
New sub. Thanks for this! It was literally what I was looking for as i like to run on the road/sidewalk and wondered if more padding but also wide toe box and padded zero shoes were a thing :) Love the music and sound effects also!
Thanks for the feedback, I love to hear it! I wish that zero drop shoes had as good marketing as barefoot shoes, but I’m sure they’ll get there someday 😁 Also, thanks for picking up up on the music, I love that style and was hoping that somebody would mention it 🙏
hey, barefoot-er myself! very useful notes here, thanks! I wish these considerations were discussed more by the barefoot community. what I find frustrating about barefoot shoes as well is that due to the thin sole my feet get cold in them when it's lower than +-5 degrees celsius, so I'm looking into zero drop. however, I'm satisfied with all the other barefoot shoes qualities including zero cushioning. any thoughts on this and/or shoe recommendations?
Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I definitely agree there! Where I live, it is currently -17°C and the idea of wearing barefoot shoes feels crazy. I wear my shoes during these times along with some boots that I have with a wide enough toebox.
Is there a way to give a video multiple thumbs up?! I’m not sure whether I would have heard this advice early on or not, but it’s very well put and might very well have saved me a lot of pain, frustration, and discouragement in my ongoing journey had I done so.
Haha thank you I really appreciate the kind words! Well I really do hope this does help you, I was in the same boat and now I have seen remarkable improvement in my pain! It isn’t fully gone but definitely improving, a lot of the journey is now untangling the knots that were accumulated from a number of compensations I made in my walking pattern 🙃
Do you have any experience using the altra escalante 2? I am considering replacing my worn out pair with the 3s but have heard that the fit is different between the two, and no shop near me seems to ever have my size in stock to try on
I’m sorry, the 3’s were actually my first taste of zero drop shoes. My experience with them is nearly all positive but if there is a specific aspect of the fit that you are unsure about, maybe I can provide something useful
I don’t think it’s probable but possible. Of course it really does depend on the individual but moreso for people who are getting into barefoot movement initially. Conventional shoes are narrow and squeeze the feet, the tissue between the metatarsals have limited space to go and when you combine that with a thin sole, a hard surface, and excessive weight on the forefoot, there is a bigger possibility of getting mortons neuroma (or at least the beginning stages of it)
Mostly injuries as a result of moving too fast towards forefoot stance. It messed with my hip alignment and has caused problems in my knees and my back and my shoulder on one side and I’m unable to properly externally rotate now. That and starting to get Morton’s neuroma but I caught that before it got too bad
@@theNamesPhillip Yes. This story sounds familiar. I’ve had a similar experience when I transitioned to barefoot style shoes a year and a half ago. I started with the Altra Lone Peak 6. But still felt some pressure discomfort on the outside of my right foot. I tried Xero but the toe box still wasn’t quite wide enough for me. So I’ve been wearing Vibram Five Finger shoes every day now for over a year and dealt with the initial occasional bruised soles and inflammation in the forefoot. But my knee, hip and back problems have disappeared And my feet are now 10 times stronger than before.. My conclusion is that we should be aware transition will hurt a bit and to be very careful not to severly injure yourself. But keep in mind that different levels of discomfort are probably going to be inevitable.
63 years old. Had multiple surgeries done over decades to my inflexible big toes, to no vain other than increasing inability to go for long walks. Started out with zerodrop shoes. Took some time and pain to lengthen those achilles tendons. Saw improvements and reduction in pain, however then i moved on to barefoot shoes. Haven not looked back. Feets got so strong, toes began to move, arches coming back. Yes heel striking must be avoided, but then reducing the walking pace being mindful about walking technique fixes it. Now on year 2. Doing good. I highly recommend it to anyone having stiff and inflexible toes. I. Wish surgeon and the orthopedians would take this in for the good of peoples wellbeing, but i get it. They want to perform surgeries
I’m really glad to hear that you had such a good experience in this transition and that you started in zerodrop shoes! If you had to do the transition again, would you still use zero drop as an intermediary step or would you go straight to barefoot? I get where you’re coming from and I do think more can be done in promoting proactive measures to increase wellbeing and decrease injuries. I also think that a lot of people nowadays aren’t going to put the same effort in that you clearly did, people generally want a quick ‘fix’.
@@theNamesPhillip i think that the 2-step approach recommended ( first gradualy lengten the achilles tendons by slowly adapting to zero drop shoes, then barefeet shoes) is a must do for most people. Also in parallel doing different exercises - are key. I basically did yoga classes 4 times weekly over those two years, to assist the whole body in this transition. Anyway going straight to barefeet i guess would work for some people. I am sure it would have been bad in my case. This migration process requires mindfulness. It requires dedicated work following a transition plan. The zerodrop shoes provides almost normal cushion and so while you streatch those steelwires called the achilles tendons, you can focus on that and dont have to be concerned also with a new barefeet walking style with no healstrikes that the barefoot shoes do require you to adapt to and basically relearn as if you dont knee injury might occur. So its a long haul, but a good one, where the benefits do show themselves along the way
You summarised that perfectly thanks I love that! Yoga 4 times a week would definitely be a helper and it’s great that you made the transition so gradually!
I think I know myself and I've finally figured it out: the shape of the toebox is the most important shoe feature for me. The thin sole is not fo me, it gave me a bad knee pain a couple of years ago. Have been using foot-shaped toeboxes coupled with 20-35 mm soles since then and it hasn't returned so far.
That’s great to hear I’m really glad you were able to figure that out and were able to listen to your body! That is a skill that many have lost so hold onto it 💪
Great videos one of the best I have seen about barefoot. My barefoot journey is 1 year old now, I feel that I need more padding to my vivo shoes, as like you describe, I get feet pain , like my foot is soared and the sensation of my skin getting teared apart. Still I continue using barefoot shoes, but the Ultra Escalante 3 seems to be a good choice, just wondering as the front of the shoe is raised , so will it not be awkward to walk on them? As they are made for running so the position of the body and foot is different from walking??
Wow, thank you for the kind words I really appreciate it! That’s interesting that you’re having issues with your skin, is it more when you’re running or walking? it sounds like you might not have the right size shoe or maybe the brand doesn’t suit you as well as another one might. The Altra Escalante 3 are a great pair of shoes, I personally have never had issues walking with them. They are zero drop shoes which means that there will be less of a raised heel so you’ll still have to be making more use of your tibialis muscles. I still feel that I can push off adequately with my toes and the shoe doesn’t help very much with that which is a good thing. If you can try the shoe out first before buying, maybe that’s a great idea.
@@theNamesPhillip Bro even your answer , tells me everything. Thanks for that. One of my questions was, if I could use properly my toes , and you just answer that. So I can use the front/side of the foot to walk without any issue? As I prefer that than the heel stride.
@coolissimo69 yes you can forefoot strike using these shoes for sure, you should have no problem there. As long as you pay attention to your hip rotation, forefoot should work fine and if you start to experience pain on the outer side of the knee or up to the hips and back, along with still external rotation then maybe you can pull it back to a more mid-foot stride 👌
![[TH] FS vs BME - VCT Ascension Pacific - Lower Bracket Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wnygqsR2Fig/mqdefault.jpg)
I started watching this thinking it was going to be about barefoot vs zero drop shoes. when i realized it shoes vs shoes i almost stop but decided to continue further. The part that puzzled me the most is the assessment to barefoot shoes. at age 60 I had no toe mobility no toe spread and basically none of the requirements you mentioned for transitioning to barefoot shoes. for health reasons I went strait to barefoot full time , not barefoot shoes but just barefoot. There was some small adjustments and growing pains but all very much worth it.
Thanks for your feedback! I would say that you are someone that was able to make the transition smoothly which is awesome! I also think the majority who post about barefoot are also people who had a similar smooth experience. There are many confounding factors to take into account that I wouldn’t be able to get to in a short video such as your activity level prior to barefoot shoes, your gait pattern before barefoot shoes, etc. the exercises I showed is not vital but it would represent what I feel to be strong enough feet to ease into barefoot. I’m glad you had a clean transition though!!
Everyone says not to jump right into minimalist/barefoot shoes but I wasn’t sure how to even get acclimated so I decided there is no better way to prepare than to just use them, lol. I tried the cheap brand first (Joomra & Whitin) since they are affordable and had great reviews. Jumped straight into a hard trail hike. There were lots of stream crossings, steep incline and declines, sharp rocks and lots of boulders. They felt great. No issues. I did feel the rocks but nothing uncomfortable. Very manageable and the shoes held up well through everything I put it through. Went back to regular trail runners and the first thing I noticed were toe cramps. More stability but had to sacrifice my toe space. I’m still gonna use both types of shoes depending on the length of the hike but all in all, I’m really loving the barefoot/minimal shoes and will keep on wearing them. Very easy to adjust to, for me anyway. Watched a video that says to train (weight lift, HIIT training, etc) in barefoot/minimalist shoes to help strengthen your feet so that’s my next plan. Can’t wait!
I had the exact same cramping when trying to wear normal running shoes as well, a very unnatural feeling! It sounds like you have a reasonably smooth transition despite going quite full on, that’s great to hear! Good luck in your continuing journey!
I spent my entire infancy playing with my friends, running, football, climbing trees, all barefoot. In adolescence I started running for real with a cushioned shoes. No matter what I did, I would always have calves strain, knee, and even back, and problems with stability. Change for barefoot shoes a few months ago. In the first day I couldn't run because my feet hurted a lot. I ran 1km and had to walk. But the pain on mais feet was like the pain you have after the gym if you take a weight you're not used to.
So I rested in the next day, and the day after that I went to run again. I ran 10km. Seriously. No knee pain, no feet pain, and felt like I would never tire. It was like the natural running muscle memory came back and I thought "wow... That's it". Running felt natural and easy again. These cushioned shoes are crippling! People don't realize how bad they are until they try the discomfort to adapt to what they should naturally be able to do anyways!
Interesting video. Also your video quality, audio and transition were very nice.
Thanks! 🙏 I just used my phone and a microphone so I’m glad it worked out ok! 😁
Great video but i have to say that u left out another big component.the foot muscles and fascia need stretching and deep tissue work so they can get stronger,think barefoot shoes like a work out for your legs,u need to release the tension and give them space in order for them to get stronger and recover
Yes for sure, there is so many components to it! Just like when I look into anything about nutrition and the rabbit hole goes deeper and deeper 😅 the fascia is key! Thanks for the feedback 🙏
Something missing from all this is strengthening the posterior chain, not just the feet. It’s all connected! Strength train the calves, hamstrings and glutes. Also strengthen the intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles. That’s why so many people who transition to barefoot fail; their tendons simply aren’t strong enough for the loads being applied.
100% absolutely, amazingly said! 🙌 there is a lot more that goes into a transition than simply changing footwear, it is a whole lifestyle.
Wish there was a video with the exercises you mentioned
@@gibreezyMe too.
Barefoot shoes on concrete, if you walk a little more than a short trip to the store is the most idiotic idea in the world. Get a good fit, wide enough and protection on the shoes. People began to put all the blame on the shoes. This is the easiest thing to do. Overweight? Never in your life! Untrained muscles? Of course not! Just change your shoes and that's it. Nothing else needs to be done! A typically American approach. You're pushing 4k calories a day but if I order a zero cola once it will definitely help :)
Meanwhile, minimalist shoe manufacturers are making idiots out of people and making a lot of money from them.
Thanks. I began my transition to barefoot shoes in 2017, running on Luna sandals. Later on, in COVID-time I transitioned to walking on barefoot shoes on daily bases, like custom shoes from Vivobarefoot.
I thought I was a believer... But now I am in doubt. Lot of foot-problems, pain under my sole, behind my little toes. Did I overreact and been too much a believer? I have some Altra's too, Torrins, and I like them very much to run on. Changing between shoes is always an good idea, but my foot problems are overgrowing me now. Do you have any suggestion?
Thanks for sharing your experience! I don’t think you overreacted necessarily, it just shows that you are curious and interested in improving your health. This style of footwear is heavily and very well marketed and it can be frustrating, because the claims they make even necessarily untrue. Barefoot shoes can be great in the right context, and with the right amount of training and stabiliser muscle strength.
Without knowing much about the issues you’re having apart from pain under the sole, I would make sure to rule out Morton’s neuroma because that can be an absolutely horrible thing to get, and it is more likely with barefoot shoes. A foot doctor will be able to identify this. I would then only use my Altras if I am on a natural services such as concrete or asphalt. I would probably stop using barefoot shoes for a period of time and while the altras are my main shoes, I would work on strengthening my feet, ankles, knees, hips, and core. The reason I said this is because as soon as you start experiencing prolonged pain on the bottom of your foot, you are likely changing your gait pattern to reduce discomfort even if you’re unaware of it. This changed pattern Could have a negative effect on the rest of your body.
Hope this helps, and if you have any questions feel free to ask! 🙌 bear in mind that I’m not a doctor, my day job is as a UX designer
Waldviertler from Austria.
Zero drop, some models with cushioning, some without.
Fully leather build including insole, stitch down construction and easily resoleable.
I've been using barefoot shoes for 20 years. However, I found that running on pavement caused inflammation on some bony parts of the bottom of my foot. So I use barefoot shoes for walking, but zero drop cushioned shoes for running.
The perfect balance, thanks for the input!
What to do if someone suffers from Morton neuroma? 😮 Cannot use barefoot never again?
Thanks you for sharing, I can tell you spent a lot of time making the b roll for this video and it shows! Sound effects are a little too loud imo, I would make them more subtle.
My wife has very cramped toes due to lots of time in pointy shoes. What would a transition plan look like if she were to slowly pace herself into barefoot shoes? Is it just wearing them when doing short walks to the shop?
Thanks that’s great feedback, i really appreciate it and I will definitely make sure my next videos are better in that regard! 🙏
I would say:
1. Minimise the time in the pointy shoes to only when really necessary
2. It is difficult to give an appropriate amount of time but I would say to wear Barefoot shoes maybe 1-3hours per day for low impact activity.
3. Gradually increase the time you spend in the shoes
4. Foot strengthening is key: train foot flexion and extension, dorsiflexion, calf raises, toes treads, etc. there is something called toega (toe yoga) that could be fun.
5. Read up on proper technique
6. Don’t test yourself too much with different tough terrains at first.
7. Mix with conventional shoes (or the zero drop shoes that I talked about)
And most importantly listen to your body because everyone will be different. I hope your wife has a really easy transition so best of luck!
Barefoot and zero drop aren’t really competing with each other. Barefoot allows for foot strengthening and achilles lengthening, to where it should be naturally. Zero drop kinda only accommodates the achilles issue. Having zero drop, but 20+mm stack height, isn’t correcting for poor foot health due to the shoe industry lies.
TLDR: barefoot is MUCH better than zero drop for your foot mechanics. Just transition properly for “your” feet.
Such good info, went way deeper in than I expected! Didn’t even know zero drop existed apart from barefoot shoes.
I’m really glad I could give some useful information? Thanks for the feedback!
Best decision I have made was going to a barefoot shoe, been wearing the Hykes Escapes and love them, soo comfy and my feet feel so good. Feel like I have been lied to all these years with regular shoes and Never going back to regular shoes.
I wear boots with padding and insoles or wateever to help with PF, nothing worked. but when i transition to a minimalist boots. golly my feet never felt better.
Awesome I’m glad that worked for you!!
I'm a Minimalist shoe guy. I wish more Zero Drop shoes had wide toeboxes so that other people could be swayed away from those deathtraps. To think, what the vast majority of humans think of as 'normal shoes' are shaped like they are because of vanity. Gotta have that upper-middle class pointy toe, am I right? It's asinine. Great video, mate.
I do agree to some extent and I also wish more shoes had wide toeboxes! I asked a PRI professional and apparently the reason is because it is difficult to make a wide toebox shoe that also has enough stability at the ankle for the purposes of heel awareness to the ground. I have personally been having injuries that have been made worse from the lack of ankle support so I am wearing some more conventional shoes for now :)
I have purchased three pairs of Xero shoes. While comfortable, I have already had two pairs we’re out on me in less than four months. We are talking no tread on the soles right under the ball of your foot. I will consider these shoes to be only for casual wear or light working out. I am a little bit bigger guy, but this is crazy.
I am also quite a little bit bigger as well (~100kg). I would say keep barefoot shoes to light usage anyway just because of the stress on the body (especially the hips and back)
I would imagine that a fully cushioned zero drop shoes could create a situation where your heel will be at a lower level than your toes when landing hard. Would that be a problem?
That is an awesome question, I never considered that at all!
In the same way that I’m a proponent of knees over toes, I would apply the same logic to the ankles. I think it is important to train strength and mobility in this position of dorsiflexion. I guess I would ask about how hard of a landing are we talking? I don’t think there would be a huge difference between heel and toe in this scenario.
@@theNamesPhillip I was thinking more along the line of court sport like squash or pickleball where you need impact protection and stability at the same time. Barefoot shoes will give stability while something like these would give you impact protection but could be unstable??
I’m afraid I can’t give you a solid answer here. I think when moving laterally in a less controlled manner, I would be afraid of rolling. I tried a little parkour movement in the shoes when I got them and felt a little uncomfortable with it. Not crazy uncomfortable but a little.
Barefoot are definitely more stable when it comes to rolling incidents (if your ankles are strong). Sorry I can’t give you a great answer!
@@user9b2 that's similar to what I'm looking for. Stability plus impact cushioning plus a wide 2E shoe.
You make the transition more difficult than it really is for the majority of people. As a 66 years old male it was modern footwear that caused many foot issues for me in the 15 years prior to my transition. I suffered big toe pain that at times was diagnosed as turf toe, gout, etc and often caused walking with a cane for weeks at a time before the symptoms subsided. But they always came back and eventually I developed a painful bunion. Rather than follow the surgery route - it was research that convinced me maybe the problem was modern shoes. It has been three years now since I bought may first pair of wide toe-box and and flexible soled shoes. I’m never going back! My feet, toes, ankles, knees, etc feel so much better! My burgeoning bunion went away overtime. Toe spacers helped also the first two years but they are no longer necessary. My feet have now readapted to a natural shape. The only downside for me was the fact that after 3 months regular shoes were no longer an option. A small sacrifice imho to the health benefits that accrued!🦶🙏🏽
That’s great to hear that your transition was smooth Kevin, something I love to hear! However it is definitely not going to be so smooth for everyone because there are so many variables to take into account. In those types of situations I prefer to be safer than sorry. But I’m glad that barefoot helped you so much and that it seems nothing but positive!
@kevinwillis2859 do you mind sharing what shoes you started with that were wide toe box and flexible?
@kevinwillis2859 Could you share some shoes that you used?
I need some wide toe box shoes for training at the gym, I wanted to buy vivo barefoot but they are very expensive.
Can anyone advise some trainers which cost below 120 bucks?
Thanks in advance
I live in Sweden so the prices may differ but there are a few that might be great!
* Merrell Vapor Glove would be my go to if not vivo and lots of people prefer them!
* Wildling are a German brand that look amazing and if you could get them where you live, they could be good.
* Freet make solid shoes so look at those
* Xero personally aren’t my style but they have good shoes that many people prefer over vivo and are generally cheaper
@@theNamesPhillip Man, HIGHLY appreciate your advise 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏, will update after the shoes, maybe my input will someone else too, CHEERS
I have Altra max cushion. Next shoe will be altra medium cushion as a transition then topo minimal cushion. If it all goes well i will try xero neo prio then tyr drop zero then vivo primus lite. I am 40 with bad knees so im gonna go super slow with it
Good idea, I actually had to take a step back from even altras because I had issues from going barefoot too fast. Going slow is the best thing you can do! Good luck 😁
As others have commented I think your prequesities are too much and things like big toe mobility need time to develop. Another issue is that shoes like Altra have become more narrow over time to appeal to a wider customer base.
I completely disagree with your punching the ground anology and that you need to move to a fore/mid foot walk to mitigate hard surfaces.
The easier way is to land on your heel but under your body. To do that push off say from the right foot moving the left forward with your body so that it is over the foot when you land and the knee is slightly bent for shock absorption.
In normal heeled shoes people can have a slight overstride landing on the back of the heel with the toe pointed up. This can become sore in minimalist shoes because you are striking on the bone instead of using your heel pad.
I think we actually agree here and that maybe there is a communication issue. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I completely agree that big toe mobility takes time, mine is certainly not where I wanted it to be. I would opt for a safer approach for a lot of people and say a certain amount of mobility should be trained first.
The Altra shoes I have noticed have become narrower and it sucks but that is why I specifically recommended my Escalante 3’s.
What I was trying to say with the mid/fore foot strike is that you can somewhat mitigate the issues of punching the ground (which is true and often told to people as a means of better shock absorption) but there are potential negative implications in going to such as cause if difficult to reverse hip rotation issues and Morton’s neuroma. This is of course a very individual thing. I don’t think there is a perfect way to walk because people have different anatomies and needs.
I walk with weight somewhere between the heel and mid foot, as you say with bent knees for the purposes of shock absorption.
Thanks for your feedback though I hope I cleared things up. I am in a process to get better at explaining things in my head.
@@theNamesPhillip Thanks for your feedback. The problem I have with the punching the ground is we evolved to walk barefoot and so it sounds exaggerated to me.
I tried forefoot walking as there are people who say it also how we evolved but I found it hard to do and as you say it takes time and in the end I just felt a bit unbalanced trying it. Whereas heel landing under your body is much faster to pick up being closer to how we evolved to walk.
Also walking barefoot in your home and starting with a 10min walk in minimalist shoes will also help build up foot strength and mobility.
Def needed this. I have a cut on my Achilles tendon and after about 7 miles it starts to hurt alot. Ive never thought of getting different shoes. Mostly because i grew up lower class so fancy shoes was always a luxury. But i def need it now because i cant really exercise the tendon thats cut its pretty uncomfy so ill just get new shoes.
Great to hear! I hope that will help the issues you have at the moment!!
Iv been thinking about going barefoot from birkenstocks and altras do you know any good wide toe box boots
Sorry I haven’t tried any so Im not going to be able to give you any solid info. I hope you find what you need though!
I don't know if you will see my comment but I hope you will and maybe you (or someone experienced) could give me an advice! I "accidently" transitioned to barefoot shoes about more that 5 years ago...im 30 today..since childhood and into adulthood I used to suffer from knee pain and back pain and also had what a doctor said "partially flat feet" anyway...the stuff that doctors gave me to help and support my feet didn't work for me and on a whim I just tossed everything out and began walking in just plain flip flops..it was terrible at first...my feet did suffer but after a few years I just got used to them and realized my back pain and knee pain was gone. now...I really want to try out barefoot shoes since I actually physically can't wear any normal shoes anymore..a 20 minute walk in normal sneakers would cost me pain and cuts from my fingers rubbing against each other in the shoe..I am kind of scared to invest in Vivos because they are so pricy and I also mostly walk on concrete...so I don't know if barefoot are at all a good choice for me since the flip flops I wear (if you know the brand Havaianas) have about 1-2 cm of of "cushion" to them. anyway...having to get my foot cramped into a boot every winter and when its get cold outside is kind of a pain so I would like to know if you think I should try and go for Vivos or maybe I should look for something else?
Wow, it seems like you’ve been on quite the journey here! that’s really great that moving to flip-flops, helped relieve the pain and I think there is certain talent to being able to walk in flip-flops because I’m really bad at it 😂 quite a big part of the gait cycle involves your foot being able to pronate and supinate. If you have more of a flat foot, it typically means that you are in a consistently pronated position which would be a more stretched out position, and it would become more difficult to spring up the foot into a more supinated position. I’m not generally a fan of support here in most cases as I don’t think it actually tackles the problem. I think that may be you switching to flip-flops, might have trained your muscles to work better between the supinated and prated positions. Just a guess of course.
I personally experienced many problems with barefoot shoes on a natural surfaces like concrete, but it’s worth noting that everyone is different and you might be different because you’re so used to wearing flip-flops. With this in mind, I personally would probably go for specific zero drop shoes that have a wide toebox but also sufficient padding. Just my preference.
As for vivo, I have three pairs and I think they are generally pretty good but I also think that they have very good marketing compared to others. In reality, they are more expensive than some other brands but not necessarily better. There are other brands such as merrell, xero, freet, groundies that’s all, maybe a bit more affordable and also have winter options. Altra (the zero drop shoe brand that I showed in the video) also have winter shoes, you just have to check if they have a white toolbox because not all Altra shoes.
Here’s something I could recommend that is really cheap. Buy a cheap pair of water shoes. They are generally cheaper, are flat, have minimal padding, and usually have a wider toebox. Test for a little bit and see if you get any discomfort. If you like them and they feel good to you, maybe you can justify spending more money for good quality pair of barefoot shoes? If not, maybe zero drop shoes with a wide tow box are best for you.
I hope this helped 😁
@@theNamesPhillip actually this was very helpful and gave me some more perspective...I think I will actually look for zero drop with some padding and wide toe box would probably be the best option for walking mainly on concrete..and yeah I agree that walking in flip flops takes some skill haha at this point wearing them feels like part of my foot it's just crazy how much my foot have changed that none of my older shoes fit me at all
I dont exactly know how strong my feet are but I do walk outside with no shoes a lot. Im also 0 to 100 but I promised myself I would only use my barefoot shoes for the gym for now!
Knowing the type of person you are in the current moment is invaluable so it is great that you are able to recognise that! Keep up the awesome work!
I'm actually the same, 0-100 and doing the same, gym only! How funny :)
I'm now thinking of picking up some zero drop shoes and injinji toe socks as my current shoes and socks have holes in them 😂
👇 Links to the products shown in this video 👇
Altra Escalante 3 - amzn.to/3Mm9y6B
Vivobarefoot Primus Lite 3 - amzn.to/45V7mtA
Vivobarefoot Geo Racer Knit - amzn.to/49qszif
Vivobarefoot Primus Trail Knit FG - amzn.to/49aw63U
Toe separators - amzn.to/47c3GF1
I have Morton's neuroma thanks to those stupid a** tight-front shores I have been wearing since I was a child. The orthopedician suggested wide-toebox shoes which do make a difference. now need to find hiking boots and running shoes that match the description 😩
Wow, I didn't know this type of shoe also existed. It's great that you brought this up, since all the content creators just say to exercise your feet. But a gradual transition even with the help of this type of shoe is super important.
Thank you thank you!
Thanks for the feedback I’m glad you found this useful! Of course exercising the feet is definitely helpful but I think most people are aware of that, if we lower the input to output ratio, more people can find benefits… that’s the hope anyway! 😅
Thank you, the best explanation i heart. ❤❤❤
Thank you I’m glad you found it valuable and I love your positive energy!
I am about to go from Chuck Taylors to BF shoes. hmmmm I tried on a pair of Zero Drop shoes and it felt like there was way to much padding.
Thank you for the information, you have helped educate me a bit before I make my choice (:
I video I wish I watched before going full send with barefoot shoes almost two years ago. Now frustratingly trying to recover from plantar fasciitis for almost a year, not necessarily the barefoot shoes that caused it but rather roughing it out on city concrete
I am using the Hykes Pinnacle barefoot shoes and love them.
I use to wear the minimus befor they discontinued now trying to find something to replace…
Brilliant video, love that you go through things and considerations that no other videos ive seen have gone through! Thanks.
i use both but I prefere the minimal sole my calves actually hurt with the altras so I wear those for short runs instead
Bon moi depuis que je t ai découvert en video je rouvre le dossier chaussure et bien investir pour 2024 car moi c est deja un hallus valgus et doigts de pied en griffe que j ai 😢 et c est plus la chaussure intermédiaire que je souhaite acheté 😊
Exactly what I was looking for
So if I understand this correctly your better with barefoot trainers in the long run. It seems like zero drop is just a half way house between normal and barefoot. So if like me and you have been barefoot for a while they are redundant?
I have had a few recent issues come up that has changed my mind a little on barefoot shoes. I am now using Asics Kayano 13 to address hip and neck injuries due to my personal muscle imbalances that were made worse by barefoot shoes. I use barefoot shoes for specific purposes and for shorter periods of time. I think some people are naturally better at adapting to barefoot than others and it ia highly individual.
If you are already barefoot, have been for a while, are not experiencing any issues, and are not doing more heavy training, then maybe zero-drop shoes are not necessary. I did like being able to have the option of increased cushion however so maybe that would work for you 🙂
Some of what you said in the video made me worry - I've never had much mobility / dexterity / awareness in my toes, or much mobility in my ankles (and I still don't !) and I probably transitioned into barefoot shoes too abruptly but it has been over two years of daily use now.. I don't know if I could or should consider going back to normal shoes?? Wearing barefoot shoes has certainly reduced some mystery pains I used to get in my hips and ankles. And I enjoy the extra sensory feedback from the thinner soles.
Don’t let what I say worry you, the most important thing is to listen to your body. Do whatever feels right for you 😁
New sub. Thanks for this! It was literally what I was looking for as i like to run on the road/sidewalk and wondered if more padding but also wide toe box and padded zero shoes were a thing :)
Love the music and sound effects also!
Thanks for the feedback, I love to hear it! I wish that zero drop shoes had as good marketing as barefoot shoes, but I’m sure they’ll get there someday 😁 Also, thanks for picking up up on the music, I love that style and was hoping that somebody would mention it 🙏
Love this video very complete and thorough and practical information! Just subbed to your channel looking forward to more of this content!
Thank you so much for your positivity! I'm going to try to start making more content soon!
hey, barefoot-er myself! very useful notes here, thanks! I wish these considerations were discussed more by the barefoot community. what I find frustrating about barefoot shoes as well is that due to the thin sole my feet get cold in them when it's lower than +-5 degrees celsius, so I'm looking into zero drop. however, I'm satisfied with all the other barefoot shoes qualities including zero cushioning. any thoughts on this and/or shoe recommendations?
Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I definitely agree there! Where I live, it is currently -17°C and the idea of wearing barefoot shoes feels crazy. I wear my shoes during these times along with some boots that I have with a wide enough toebox.
Is there a way to give a video multiple thumbs up?! I’m not sure whether I would have heard this advice early on or not, but it’s very well put and might very well have saved me a lot of pain, frustration, and discouragement in my ongoing journey had I done so.
Haha thank you I really appreciate the kind words! Well I really do hope this does help you, I was in the same boat and now I have seen remarkable improvement in my pain! It isn’t fully gone but definitely improving, a lot of the journey is now untangling the knots that were accumulated from a number of compensations I made in my walking pattern 🙃
I’ve got the escalante,love them.
When people make the evolutionary argument, they never take into account that we didn't evolve walking on hard concrete surfaces.
Well said 🙌
Very quality video for such a small channel. If you keep putting out vids of this quality, you'll be a 100k+ subscriber channel
Thanks a lot for your kind words, really appreciated! 🙏
Do you have any experience using the altra escalante 2? I am considering replacing my worn out pair with the 3s but have heard that the fit is different between the two, and no shop near me seems to ever have my size in stock to try on
I’m sorry, the 3’s were actually my first taste of zero drop shoes. My experience with them is nearly all positive but if there is a specific aspect of the fit that you are unsure about, maybe I can provide something useful
5:33 do u mean that M. neuroma is high probability when you use barefoot shoes on hard surfaces, ie in big cities
I don’t think it’s probable but possible. Of course it really does depend on the individual but moreso for people who are getting into barefoot movement initially. Conventional shoes are narrow and squeeze the feet, the tissue between the metatarsals have limited space to go and when you combine that with a thin sole, a hard surface, and excessive weight on the forefoot, there is a bigger possibility of getting mortons neuroma (or at least the beginning stages of it)
Awesome content. Thank you so much. I was looking for exactly this middle ground.
I’m glad I could help, thanks! 🙏
Helpful information
Amazing video! Great job!
I've just bought one of each to help with the transition.
Great idea!
Thank you!
@Phillip Harper what exactly happened to you when you say mistakes were made transitioning to barefoot style shoes?
Mostly injuries as a result of moving too fast towards forefoot stance. It messed with my hip alignment and has caused problems in my knees and my back and my shoulder on one side and I’m unable to properly externally rotate now. That and starting to get Morton’s neuroma but I caught that before it got too bad
@@theNamesPhillip Yes. This story sounds familiar. I’ve had a similar experience when I transitioned to barefoot style shoes a year and a half ago. I started with the Altra Lone Peak 6. But still felt some pressure discomfort on the outside of my right foot. I tried Xero but the toe box still wasn’t quite wide enough for me. So I’ve been wearing Vibram Five Finger shoes every day now for over a year and dealt with the initial occasional bruised soles and inflammation in the forefoot. But my knee, hip and back problems have disappeared And my feet are now 10 times stronger than before.. My conclusion is that we should be aware transition will hurt a bit and to be very careful not to severly injure yourself. But keep in mind that different levels of discomfort are probably going to be inevitable.
nice video
Cool
63 years old. Had multiple surgeries done over decades to my inflexible big toes, to no vain other than increasing inability to go for long walks. Started out with zerodrop shoes. Took some time and pain to lengthen those achilles tendons. Saw improvements and reduction in pain, however then i moved on to barefoot shoes. Haven not looked back. Feets got so strong, toes began to move, arches coming back. Yes heel striking must be avoided, but then reducing the walking pace being mindful about walking technique fixes it. Now on year 2. Doing good. I highly recommend it to anyone having stiff and inflexible toes. I. Wish surgeon and the orthopedians would take this in for the good of peoples wellbeing, but i get it. They want to perform surgeries
I’m really glad to hear that you had such a good experience in this transition and that you started in zerodrop shoes! If you had to do the transition again, would you still use zero drop as an intermediary step or would you go straight to barefoot?
I get where you’re coming from and I do think more can be done in promoting proactive measures to increase wellbeing and decrease injuries. I also think that a lot of people nowadays aren’t going to put the same effort in that you clearly did, people generally want a quick ‘fix’.
@@theNamesPhillip i think that the 2-step approach recommended ( first gradualy lengten the achilles tendons by slowly adapting to zero drop shoes, then barefeet shoes) is a must do for most people. Also in parallel doing different exercises - are key. I basically did yoga classes 4 times weekly over those two years, to assist the whole body in this transition. Anyway going straight to barefeet i guess would work for some people. I am sure it would have been bad in my case. This migration process requires mindfulness. It requires dedicated work following a transition plan. The zerodrop shoes provides almost normal cushion and so while you streatch those steelwires called the achilles tendons, you can focus on that and dont have to be concerned also with a new barefeet walking style with no healstrikes that the barefoot shoes do require you to adapt to and basically relearn as if you dont knee injury might occur. So its a long haul, but a good one, where the benefits do show themselves along the way
You summarised that perfectly thanks I love that! Yoga 4 times a week would definitely be a helper and it’s great that you made the transition so gradually!
I think I know myself and I've finally figured it out: the shape of the toebox is the most important shoe feature for me. The thin sole is not fo me, it gave me a bad knee pain a couple of years ago. Have been using foot-shaped toeboxes coupled with 20-35 mm soles since then and it hasn't returned so far.
That’s great to hear I’m really glad you were able to figure that out and were able to listen to your body! That is a skill that many have lost so hold onto it 💪
This is likely what I'm looking for now. A wide foot shaped toebox with cushioning. Any suggestions for brands that come in wide (2E at least..or 4E)?
@@klamaire 4E: none. 2E: Altra Paradigm 7 (road), Topo Ultraventure 3 (trail). The Topo will be wider.
This is well explained, thank you! I can't wait to share it with my friends 😊
Thanks for the help and awesome response!!
Very good video.
Thank you very much!
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Great videos one of the best I have seen about barefoot. My barefoot journey is 1 year old now, I feel that I need more padding to my vivo shoes, as like you describe, I get feet pain , like my foot is soared and the sensation of my skin getting teared apart. Still I continue using barefoot shoes, but the Ultra Escalante 3 seems to be a good choice, just wondering as the front of the shoe is raised , so will it not be awkward to walk on them? As they are made for running so the position of the body and foot is different from walking??
Wow, thank you for the kind words I really appreciate it! That’s interesting that you’re having issues with your skin, is it more when you’re running or walking? it sounds like you might not have the right size shoe or maybe the brand doesn’t suit you as well as another one might.
The Altra Escalante 3 are a great pair of shoes, I personally have never had issues walking with them. They are zero drop shoes which means that there will be less of a raised heel so you’ll still have to be making more use of your tibialis muscles. I still feel that I can push off adequately with my toes and the shoe doesn’t help very much with that which is a good thing. If you can try the shoe out first before buying, maybe that’s a great idea.
@@theNamesPhillip Bro even your answer , tells me everything. Thanks for that. One of my questions was, if I could use properly my toes , and you just answer that. So I can use the front/side of the foot to walk without any issue? As I prefer that than the heel stride.
@coolissimo69 yes you can forefoot strike using these shoes for sure, you should have no problem there. As long as you pay attention to your hip rotation, forefoot should work fine and if you start to experience pain on the outer side of the knee or up to the hips and back, along with still external rotation then maybe you can pull it back to a more mid-foot stride 👌
@@theNamesPhillip Thanks Philip, really appreciate the info.