Not really, merchants are always out to make a buck and a narrow toe shoe uses less material, meaning more profit/lower prices etc. At least back in the day.
You can always make your own shoes. The question is, do you have the equipment, knowledge, funds to do it yourself? You can go back the ancestor way but humans have evolved for a reason.
I was just searching "barefoot bioneer" the other day hoping to find something like this in your back catalogue. And here it is. Beautifully executed, jam packed full of info and just a dash of British sass. Thankyou so very much!!
His videos “Foot training” “How running changes your body” and “How to strength ankles” all also talk a bit about barefoot running/training. As well as loads of helpful information to get your barefoot skills up!💪
Been barefoot for almost a decade now, and its been incredibly beneficial for me. Better ankle strength and mobility, less injuries from running, and it's fun! May not be for everyone, but it's been a fantastic experience for me.
I decided to run around barefoot when I was a kid, until one day while running down the street my big toe caught the pavement and took a good size piece out of it. There was a lot of blood and hurt like hell, so it seemed like a bad idea after that.
@@Durzo1259 lol, yeah shoes do help fight against ring worm, and protect against scrapes, cuts, stabbings, poison ivy, nettle, etc. Just never found the right balance between how we were designed, and the crap we experience in life.
@@Durzo1259 yup. That hurts like hell. I’m pretty lucky that I haven’t had a good injury in a minute, my feet have gotten pretty callused against the world. Our modern sidewalks and asphalt weren’t made with bare feet in mind, so they can be especially nasty.
In a related topic, I was born with flat feet, & wearing the wrong shoes has caused me a lot of pain if I walk or run any distance in them. Orthotics helped mitigate that a great deal, but aren’t actually the solution to the problem. Walking more barefoot or with the types of shoes like you spoke about, paired with specific exercises that build up the strength of muscles that support the arch on the inside of the foot aren’t a cure, but can make a noticeable improvement if you suffer from flat feet. Great video Adam, & I’ve actually been reading a bunch about this topic lately with many new studies suggesting many modern sneakers are actually very bad for our feet. Interesting stuff! 💪
I had flat feet and about 15 years ago I asked the podiatrist why the orthotics which were supposed to help me kept getting more built up every year while my feet were getting weaker. He couldn’t give me an answer. I’ve been wearing barefoot shoes ever since and that have made an incredible difference in my function.
Same here, I had flat feet and also orthotics as a child. About 1.5 years ago (almost 32 years old now) I started to have knee pain which constantly seemed to get worse. After walking exclusively with barefoot shoes for a year now, I have zero pain, a natural looking arch on my feet and stronger feet and legs than ever. Normal shoes and especially orthotics feel like a huge scam to me now.
Ah feels so good to not be alone in this. Orthotics helped somewhat but never fully relieved a lot of the pain and tension I experienced wearing traditional shoes. Going barefoot has been such a game changer in my foot health and athletic performance and given me a sense of mobility that I never had before!
I was raised in the running tradition of thick, squishy soles and heel-first landings, and always had some degree of foot, shin, or knee pain from running. Back then, I just thought that was the price you had to pay if you wanted to run. I switched to running either barefoot or in extremely minimalist shoes almost 15 years ago and I've never once regretted it. Not sure why it took me so long. I'm also a fencer, and I always fenced in extremely thin, zero-drop shoes. So obvious in hindsight.
One of the most important advantages of minimalist shoes IMO is the fact that you don't have a big lever under your feet, so if you do step wrong then your ankle won't be wrenched to all hell. It's basically impossible to twist your ankle when not wearing shoes.
Yeah, I bought and quickly returned some Altra Lone Peak 5s recently which are supposedly a minimal trail runner. It's a damn good thing my ankles are nearly roll-proof from spending a lot of time on the trails, because I felt like one of those catwalk models horrifically rolling their ankles in 6" tall heels. The added inch between ankle and ground is a huge increase in leverage working against you. The big selling point of "zero drop" isn't good enough, minimal "stack height" is where it's at. My go-to Merrell Trail Gloves (v1-4) are ~10mm stack height. Vapor Gloves I use lifting are half that.
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 I'm afraid there are times when it is probably advisable to wear shoes. Even with a lot of training, tens of miles on rough terrain starts to take a toll...
CSN Skill issue. Not that I could run 10 miles myself, but I guess I also have a skill issue with running overall and maybe kind of skin toughness. Or at least just go barefoot as much as possible and if you want to go for a long run, but your skin pads are too low level, just bring the shoes and put them on where you need them.
I've been using barefoot shoes for almost 10 years, and for everyday wear anything else has become unthinkable - normal heels feel like stilettos to me now. But just a warning - there are limits. In a fit of early enthusiasm I did a 6 week trek in the high Alps with hardcore barefoot shoes. The ground was often brutally stony, and I ended up with bruised feet that took some weeks to heal. Didn't spoil the trek, but was less than ideal. I had a chance to discuss this with one of the most experienced and respected barefoot running coaches. His advice is clear - be pragmatic and adjust your footwear to the project. If you're doing a long trek with a pack on your back, you need a little more padding. So on the trail I now use a shoe by Inov8 that is still zero-drop and a low stack-height but has more of a mid-sole. You retain a natural gait and quite decent proprioception, but you don't get bruised.
@@sanpat2220 For daily living and day-walks your feet don't hurt in minimal shoes if you learn a proper natural stride. That means a short stride with a rapid cadence, the heel gently rolling onto the ground and then rolling progressively from the outside of the foot to the ball of the foot behind the big toe for the push-off. It's a gentle, comfortable movement with no harsh heel-strike or slap of the forefoot onto the ground. It may take your feet a little time to transition, because your muscles may have atrophied if you are using high-stack shoes with a big toe-drop. But soon you will be enjoying stronger and healthier feet, and a stride that is kinder to your knees, hips and spine. After all, we didn't evolve to walk in cushioned shoes with high heels! But if you are doing multi-week walks on stony terrain you do need a lightly cushioned zero-drop shoe to prevent bruising, as I posted. Just be pragmatic and use your common sense!
@@tullochgorum6323 Apparently this brand and model called the Altra Low Peak is well suited for these type of hiking trips while still being minimalist zero drop shoes. I'm currently using a Xero Mesa Trail which has been great for my feet but haven't tried them on less forgiving terrain like you mentioned.
I went minimalist in construction a couple years ago at this point, and the difference in my injury rate has been astounding. Anyone that needs a boot, look up the tactical research minimil. My casual shoe is the birchbury Bramford
A lot of construction sites demand wearing safety boots. I guess where you live there isn't that tight regulations. I have to wear safety boots when on construction site, even though they certainly are not comfortable shoes. Off work I mostly wear Xero shoes.
@@miromoves2472 if you're talking about safety toes, few jobsites in my area require them all of the time, and usually just require them for specific tasks (using the ground thumper being one). otherwise they only need to meet ansi requirements, which are just leather and slip resistant soles. Hence the Minimils.
Fun fact: there's a reflex which causes the glutes to activate when the big toes are stretched out. If you have tight hip flexors, weak glutes and/or anterior pelvic tilt, it is CRITICAL that you improve your toe mobility and use shoes which allow your toes to get a stretch during each stride (e.g. exactly the kind of shoes Adam is talking about here) edit: forgot I made this comment - sorry to keep you all waiting! I didn't find the name of the reflex but it's essentially that the big toe attaches to the flexor hallucis longus muscle, which, when put under tension, activates the glutes and hams more because they share the same nerve innervations, L5 and S1.
@@nikola4962 APT is often caused by the glutes being underactive; even without the reflex lack of big toe mobility causes the walking stride to be short and choppy, emphasizing the quads and hip flexors over the glutes (in most cases though I agree, I doubt JUST stretching the big toes would be enough to fix it). Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the reflex; I learned about it in a course I took a bit ago so I'll have to bust out the notes lol
Please don't abandon your channel and passions you've helped me gain more knowledge about even the most simple things I overlooked. I especially love the mental training videos as well those are a gem.
I've transitioned to barefoot shoes and love the Vivo Barefoot brand as well. As a tip for anyone considering it, buy a pair to wear as your everyday shoe and wear them for about 6 months before attempting to run in them. Make sure to spend time massaging out the tendons on the bottom of your feet and stretching your toes as you transition. I would ocasssionally get some pretty intense pain in the tendons in my feet at first as I was loading them with my body weight when they weren't used to it. Now after about 10 months of wearing them I can run without any problems. I run at least 6 times a week and will run 5-7 miles each day on concrete without issues. I don't have any foot, knee, or hip pain and my running steps are not as loud as most of the people just walking by on the street. When I was wearing normal trainers, my steps sounded like someone slapping the concrete. I've paired them with some injinji socks and I don't get blisters anymore either. If you wear barefoot shoes with regular socks, the socks can still squeeze your feet enough to prevent your toes from spreading as much as they would like to so make sure to consider that as well.
Okay that is really good advice. I hadn’t thought about that with the socks. Very important point of fact I’ve also become tighter as a result of money saving actions by companies. Profits where clothing is concerned is, charge more and use as little fabric as possible.
I’ve found ToeToe socks really good too and much cheaper for every day runs. Wear my Injinji ones only for longer weekend runs as my big toes seem to like nibbling holes in toe socks 😬 and was getting expensive.
Recommendations on starter Vivo Barefoot shoes? Was thinking of the Trail FG all weather for a good allround shoes for both concrete and trails. I live in a city and it often gets rainy, so having some semi-waterproof shoes with some grip under seems pretty good
FINALLY!! someone actually addressing the effects of not only walking in shoes but also on concrete, I'm from a small island in the Pacific and I remembered I've never wear shoes or slippers up until i was 9 or 10 when i started middle school and i kept wearing them throughout until my college years and I just recently went back into walking barefoot from the tight calves to the weak/inflexible ankles and poor body balance after going on a hike with my fellow village boys up a steep mountain and their feet was so grounded that they seemed to be slip resistant lol climbing up wasn't hard at all but when it was time to walk back down it started raining and getting slippery like stupid and out of all the boys I was the only one that slipped and actually ended up breaking a finger I then vow to adapt back to my natural barefoot days and I would say I'm feeling pretty good.
@The Bioneer. You should do an interview with PJF Performance. He's an NBA vertical jump and strength and conditioning coach, but he preaches a lot of what you do here in relation to human health, and he tries to base his methods in as much science as possible. He's creating some absolutely insane athlete transformations.
Somewhat surprised by not having a mention of five toe socks. Game changer in wide toe box shoes and even help with conventional footwear as far as letting the toes splay out and work independently. Injinji one brand I’ve used and would recommend. Cheers.
I DID THE SAME THING!!! Read one paragraph about running barefoot, nomadic life, primative exercise or something, and took it straight to the gravel. I went for a pretty fast jog/sprint cycle and after about ten minutes I thought, "wow this feels great!" then about 4 minutes later I had to stop, my achilles was starting to get a little sore, and then boom! I was practically limping for a week. No long term injury, but yeah be careful with this, your heels and calves are just not used to it at first. Now I'm a bit more used to it, but I can't be sprinting on gravel lol.
The whole thing about sensory loss is really noticable when we put shoes on dogs. They start walking like they're in deep snow because they feel stuck. it takes them a while to forget the shoe is on and just run in it like normal.
@@ompenarnie if you have time to train the dog to shoes beforehand, that's probably best. Just ease then into it and keep praising them so they understand it's not a punishment
i would like to add that if your going to go barefoot running you'll also become more accustomed to harder and rougher surfaces and it will be easier to go hiking or rock climbing
I absolutely love to finally find a video talking about this. I've been barefooting for 13 years (not even minimalist shoes) in Scandinavian climate, and I know our knowledge is only scratching the surface of the benefits. In fact, I started because of a bet while off work sick due to a back injury, and I was heavily medicated with painkillers. 3 months later, I was off all painkillers, and I could run again! A hiking buddy of mine and I plan on reaching out to foot therapists (or the equivalent) to let them follow an experiment next year. We're going to walk the ox trail (hærvejen) in Denmark, which is around 500 km, and I'll be doing it barefoot, while my friend will walk in, hopefully, sponsored "top" hiking shoes. Our objective is to let the pros gather data on feet and footwear. Thank you for inspiring others, and I love your content. I'm new to your channel and only found you a few days ago.
Played a few basketball games in barefoot shoes unintentionally, and realized I was having way less trouble keeping balance and jumping. Also my stamina improved as well, probably because I was forced to run lighter on my feet. The only issue would be longevity of the shoe, but otherwise I see no downsides
Barefoot is better than normal shoes, and stop calling barefoot because they’re just normal shoes. Actually no they’re not because shoes are so weird especially when they’re not Vibrams
8:55 - Some 13 years or so ago I went through a weird phase and decided to start taking barefoot walks around town in the summer. This was extremely shocking to some of my friends and family who were worried that I looked weird but also that I might step on something and get infected. Valid concerns, but luckily only positive things happened. I remember trying to jog and immediately feeling every tiny bone in my foot scream in protest. I remember realizing that I had to relearn how to walk because at 1.73cm and 105kg, I was going to destroy my knees, hips and lower back in no time otherwise. Somehow, in all those years, it never occurred to me that barefoot shoes would ever be on the market. I'm making a note to buy a pair right now!
@@alexjulius69 - Yeah, I started eating better around 2013. I've been fluctuating been 80kg and 85kg since 2014. Still overweight, but it's not that bad.
I switched from running in Ascis to Altras with zero drop and a very generous toe box: I found that this has completely stopped my knee pain when running, but cause my calves and glutes to take on more work. It has also changed my running posture and I can drive forward with my glutes. I’m impressed, no knee injuries or pain anymore. I’ve always been a midfoot strike, this hasn’t changed with zero drop.
Made the switch to Joe Nimble barefoot shoes at the gym about 9 months ago. And I am not going back to regular shoes ever again. I feel weird not using them. And I think the switch to them has been the major reason I can easily go into a resting squat now.
Ive been making foot adjustments the past few years after developing foot pain. The doctor wanted to sell me orthotics which made no sense to me. Instead I found working on the yard barefoot, walking in sandals, removing the insoles from my sneakers, and switching back to a traditional heavy workboot made my feet & ankles stronger and got rid of pain.
Being born in a time where "the more shoe the better" I felt a huge change when I started Judo practicing and training barefoot all the time. First months felt weird but now I truly see an increase of feet mobility and overall movement perception. I've been looking for some barefoot shoes to try but I haven't found a pair that don't look weird when I bring them to work. Thanks for the video!
Trail running shoes might be a compromise option (though some of them have really bad colour schemes) and hit most of your boxes. (like forefoot mobility / grip etc).
Maybe take a look at Bohempia barefoot, they pretty much look like Vans. I tried like 7 different barefoot shoes and these are one of the best. The best fit I got with Vivobarefoot though. Wildling shoes are also really good and look almost normal.
For a more casual barefoot shoe, I've been using Feelgrounds for approx. 2 years for my workplace. they generally tend towards more casual wear though, so they are a good option if it is strictly for non intensive work.
Loved you made a video for barefoot shoes!!! I’m a fan of Xero shoes myself! I use those mainly for my athletics and sometimes casual wear, but I branched off to use Lems, Vivobarefoot, and to replace my converse, Splays. Love that there’s so many options out there and you can pick which one is for you and suits your style 🙏🏽
As a black American male, I find it really demoralizing to constantly frustrating to be shopping for shoes that are designed for a narrow ethnically European foot. I would pay extra for shoes that have a wider toe box, but many shoe manufacturers simply won't invest in those shoes.
Barefoot shoes are awesome. Started about two years ago, but included barefoot running on concrete as it provides way more feedback and got me to stop over striding when running.
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 Yes, real barefoot walking is great, but not possible on every occasion. If you work in an office or workshop or seeing costumer you usually can't go barefoot. There are barefoot shoes for nearly every occasion right now. Also the risk of getting cuts and piercings by sharp objects is a rist sometimes. A friend of mine got a sepsis after she cut her feet going barefoot (she is a passionate 'really barefoot' walker). So barefoot shoes are a great alternative for all the case were you can't or won't go naked foot
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 Tell us what kind of miles you do barefoot Nabranes, because I went truly barefoot when I first "saw the light" 10+yrs ago and ~1mi on pavement would shred the underside of my toes. For any actual athletic activity that isn't on cushy grass, expect to restart from zero and have a VERY long road basically growing shoes (callouses) out the bottom of your feet. Now I spend 99% of my active time on trails and you can only be so perfect at spotting every tiny sharp rock and stick.
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 Oh, and I forgot: From December till March we have freezing temperatures and snow. Also than I use barefoot shoes, and even the most radical barefeeter couldn't go with naked feet, independent of how well he or she is trained, in 1 or 2 hours one would lose toes to frost bites
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 yes, I did drop all shoes and go barefoot for half my runs. But, industry language still refers to my shoes as barefoot shoes, so I’m not a purist in this area.
I am actually torned... I walk, jog, run A LOT! I use the commercial shoes from the usual brands. I don't have feet pain, when I run I land on my mid-sole... I've never had any problems. My feet are strong as ever at 33 years old. What this kind of videos and articles don't really go into is how other vectors could be causing problems when running, walking, etc.. I see so many people that just don't know how to run appropriately, it's mind blowing. A more holistic approach should be considered. I have been reading on "minimalist" shoes (stupid marketing, just like the other type of shoes, anyway...), I will try using a less cushion sole and see what changes. I'm super excited.
I could’ve done with the link to this video when I’ve encountered the dozens of people asking me ‘why would you want to wear shoes like that?!’ I’ve been wearing this style of natural footwear for about 3 years now, only stopping when I work in steel toes or play badminton. And the benefits are so numerous, all of which you included and then expanded on in this video. Great work mate, thank you
I’ve got flat feet and stand on cement at work for 8-12 hours. Switched to barefoot shoes and can’t believe how much better my feet feel. I’ve tried going back to regular shoes a couple of times and my feet felt horrible after an hour or two
I bought 2 pairs of barefoot shoes over the last 2 months, initially inspired by seeing Bioneer wear them, and Kneesovertoesguy recommend them. Now by perfect timing, this brilliantly comprehensive video lands here. Hes done it again!!! I have Plantar Fasciitis and my feet seem to sometimes cramp up if rested too long. After wearing soft soled runners all my life, Im hoping to get the intended improvements with barefoot shoes over time.
Bro. Not one word of a lie, I was waiting and hoping for this. I've had flat feet since I can remember and I love to run. But the pain I get in my ankles and feet is so bad! Thank you for this video and all that you do! Awesome stuff!
I have had flat feet since early childhood. I think I am going to try some barefoot shoes, after all it's probably not any worse than some of the trainers I have had.
Barefoot shoes worked wonders for me! My knees hurt like hell and I was not able to jog 100m before I started wearing them. I really took my time to easy into them and slowly but progressively did longer runs. And within a few weeks I was able to run several kilometers without pain! However, I would definitely recommend to start running very slowly, short distances with maximum focus on forefoot running form and on flat and stable ground.
I've always had big, wide feet, and never liked athletic shoes. In high school I wore skater shoes because they tend to be flat, and have wider toe boxes, but discovered barefoot shoes in college. I've been a fan ever since except for running on concrete with them. We covered the land in a hard substance and wrapped our feet in a soft one to compensate.
Would be interested to hear you talk more about research related to modular training - i.e. doing several small workouts during the day. I started trying sets of 50 burpees once an hour and am getting some pretty shocking results.
Thank you! I recently made the transition and I've reduced my pain so, so much. Walking's become a delight and I've been recommending loads of people to also get barefoot shoes.
I was always wondering why normal shoes are so much uncomfortable for me, walking longer distances was tiring and I lacked space for my toes. Finally I got pair of vapor gloves two weeks ago and I must say that I'm not gonna return to padded shoes never again. So much freedom.
Vivos are pretty normal, Vibrams are more normal, those messed up foot braces are not shoes and DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL shoes. And why are you wearing shoes? Take those things off and be free
VGs are the tits, but unfortunately not much traction on, say, pea gravel so the Trail Gloves are my go-to. Tried a set of thick-soled (supposedly minimal) trail runners after years in Merrells and it was a train wreck, there's no going back!
@@LazyKalor I would agree. Each generation of Trail Glove has gotten more and more built up. Having worn those and the Vapor Gloves since Merrell first brought them out, I'm frankly over Merrell. Vivobarefoot and Xeroshoes for now.
I got ro the point that I couldn't walk after getting out of the military. The VA wanted to give me canes to walk with at 35yo. No way I was doing that so I started researching and found a navy seal in California who had the same issue and started wearing FFT shoes (which are barefoot, I think the first ones). I started doing the same thing and wearing no shoes whenever I could. The Problem was fixed in about 6 months. I was walking normal within the first week and only dealt with the constant pain for a couple months. One of the best things I've done for my personal health. Sleeping on the floor and lifting heavy crap throughout the day are the others.
2 years ago I switched to minimal shoes. Before that I had pain in my forefeet each time after 15 km or 10 miles. Was in that situation for 15 years, went to doctors, had x-rays and orthopedic inlays, they made it just worse. I like hiking and mountaineering, so 2 years ago I had maximum allowed doses of NSAID pain killers + opioides every day on my regular 4 day Alps tour. Last year I did my tour with minimal shoes, I was afraid first, because these trips are usually not casual walking and I thought I needed my 270€ heavy class C mountain boots. I actually carried these in addition in my backpack as backup if the terrain would become too tough. The tour involved 3 x 3000+ summits, 1500+ m of climbing every day, 10 h hiking and mountaineering each day, T5 "experienced alpinists only" paths, severe boulder fields each day, via ferratas each day, climbing with the use use ropes and slings and carabin hooks. All done in the High Tauerns in Austria. No food pain at all. At no point I had to switch from my minimalist Joe Nimble Wandertoes 2.0 to my heavy boots Hanwag Alaska GTX. I'm on barefoot / minimal shoes only now, even in winter, even on business. My foot pain is totally gone
Wow great timing. I bought a pair of barefoot shoes just the last two weeks. Super cheap Whiten Amazon brand. They’ve been a game changer. I’m not sure if I can go back to my regular shoes now.
I used to walk around bare foot a lot. Especially in the summer. This video has made me buy a pair of barefoot shoes and I feel good walking again. Thank you
Walk. Walk as much as possible when transitioning to minimalist shoes. Only then start to run. That's what I found. If like me you're in your forties. Take your time. It's taken me well over a year. Now my feet and ankles feel so strong. I was impatient and tried to rush and my achiles and clafs killed me, but maybe its a right of passage. Like the bioneer says, "listen to your body" Great video.
I started transitioning to barefoot running with Nike Frees over 10 years ago. It's been nothing but minimalist for the last 3 years, running, walking or at work. Usually Merrill's or Xero's.
Thanks for this video. I actually looked for it last week and was surprised you hadn't made one! Yes, there was a study which linked educational engagement with being barefoot in school by Bournemouth University. I recommend Tadeevos. I have a three-year-old pair which are still going strong
I have a pair of Vibram fivefingers that I swear make me run faster and jump higher, all while exerting less effort. Thank you for always having such detailed information about why the things you cover are so beneficial!
I love barefoot shoes and I would recommend your video to anyone interested in the advantages that barefoot shoes can provide you. However, the study you showed was done on children, not adults. Still, love the quality content and have a good day man!
Thanks for getting me into Vivo Barefoot shoes. Been wearing them for a year now. I now have no non barefoot shoes - I threw them all out because they were squashing my feet. Barefoot shoes have completely changed the way I walk and run. No more running injuries, no more heal striking and I feel so connected to the ground. I really took it easy when running in vivo shoes (after initially straining my calf muscles). Lot's of short runs, lots of breaks, and slowly building up to half hour runs. Great video.
Two barefoot marathons under my belt. It's like getting into any other movement: start small, commit to a sensible progression, and you'll soon see massive benefits. The double takes from fellow trail-goers are pretty fun too.
Been wearing barefoot shoes for a year and for the first few months my feet ached like hell. Eventually they stopped hurting and from what I can tell its because they got stronger. I also noticed the ability to sense the temperature and texture of the ground early on when running on hot rubber turf in the spring, and walking on gravel.
Been walking in Barefoot shoes for 2 years now. Running in Barefoot shoes for around 3 months. I used to struggle with shin splints all the time when I ran in Hoka’s. Since transitioning into Vivo’s I never struggle with any kind of shin pain. It took a while to transition to running in barefoot shoes but I absolutely love it now. My calves feel and look loads stronger now too 💪🏼
@@DirtyDemon917 To be honest now that my legs have gotten stronger from wearing them I don’t really experience any leg aches and pains. I walk in them all day. Even hiked to the top of Snowdon and back down wearing vivobarefoots and my legs and feet felt great 😊
I have been wearing barefoot shoes for about 2 months now after researching ways to help my bunion. I can say my feet never hurt anymore, just sore or tired. My tight hips and low back pain have basically disappeared. My low back mobility has increased significantly because it isn't holding so much tension throughout the day from being out of alignment from the foot up.
Good point Bioneer on this video about the improved proprioception and flexibility doing exercises barefoot, that's why for example yoga is done barefoot. However due to the demands of sports, for example basketball the shoes had to be made with more cushioning to decrease the forces of impact on landing. Anyway, good video. Keep it up.
I've had cracking in my ankles sine I was 15, I've started using barefoot shoes last summer, and after just half a year it almost entirely disappeared, my knees don't hurt as much, so I recommend everyone those minimalist/barefoot shoes!
I've been wearing strictly barefoot shoes for about 8 years now and my feet, knees and back have never been better and continue to improve. I've never had a proper foot arch even as little kid, now I'm actually building one up! Love seeing those shoes more and more on some of my favorite fitness influencers, keep spreading the word!
You can see the fruits of years of people being hyper-cushioned in their footwear: people cannot move. Have plantar fasciitis and inability to incorporate the rest of their body as one system instead of compartmentalizing their body ‘parts’. Have used minimal shoes for over a decade. Even got a pair of zero-drop minimalist boots for hiking. It’s just crazy how much we strain to ‘protect’ ourself from the world
I've been wearing Xero Barefoot type shoes for over 5 plus years and that's the only way I can go nowadays. I've got all types of variations from workout shoes, to casual, hiking, sandals, and dress shoes too. No going back to other shoes like Nikes, Reebok, or Converse.
I've been wearing Vibram 5 fingers for a couple years now for working out, E-board riding & house shoes. The first couple weeks my calves were a bit sore but now they are my everyday foot wear. They are kind of pricey but tough as nails and are still in great shape, just throw them in the washing machine if they get too dirty. Can't live without them.
i remember the first time i bought a pair of zero drop bare foot styled shoes. I got so hyped from the feel of the trail i went to later that day and spent hours playing jogging and just feeling the ground it was mind boggling.
Superb information. As someone with a broad foot and high arch I have been tortured by the running shoe industry for decades. Keep these types of vid coming. Thanks
worked out for 3 years barefoot plus hiking in sandals or growing up walking barefoot on gravel never really realized how much i’ve been conditioning my feet
I think this goes much further than just running barefoot. I used to always wear very minimalist shows, like chucks (converse), and then be barefoot at home (on tile). After joining the military and being in boots for so much of the day, I felt a shift, a weakening in my feet and legs. Always being barefoot had passively built something up that I took for granted. Must be what you mentioned at 3:27, including the study. I lost this, and it took a long time to get it back.
Legit it's so dumb that they make ypu wear that crap there instead of giving you barefoot shoes so you'd traverse better. But then again, military isn't a place for health. Your hearing is the first sense to get destroyed
Firstly, I've been waiting for a barefoot-dedicated video from you and am very grateful to see it has been made. There's probably more to say about the topic and I'd be just as grateful if you chose to 👀... I am in the process of seeking physical therapy for issues related to flat feet since adolescence. I've been through surgery and therapy already but didn't seem to do much, it moreso just moved the problem elsewhere in my lower body. In my recent visit, I told them I've been through surgery and orthotics and they didn't help... So naturally the treatments they spoke most about and tried to push were orthotics and surgery. Physical therapy was barely mentioned, and seemed like they wanted to avoid the topic. The word "exercise" wasn't even spoken while they were explaining treatment options. I'm not injured and simply have hypermobile joints (likely from a mild connective tissue disorder) so perhaps that may be why... But I'm not convinced. I started walking completely barefoot for a week a few months ago. I couldn't sustain that because it was painful for the skin, but I noticed that walking (in regular shoes) felt easier after that. I could walk longer without discomfort. Immediate results from a week of light barefoot walking, it seemed. I have low expectations from the doctors that I'm giving another chance. I've made more progress in a week on my own than over years with them. And for free. Currently waiting on a pair of vivos to be delivered so I can really focus on making real improvements.
Since I was I kid I wanted to be able to walk barefoot, it just seemed natural but it was weird obviously, thanks to you I reminded myself about it and Im going to buy one pair of those.
I've been wearing Xero shoes for a few years, they're minimalist and used to only be available from the US, now available direct in UK. They're very comfortable, well made and they last ages. Completely agree with barefoot style training, have just started to add barefoot style running and as said in the video, listening to your body is critical, build up runs over time off road to avoid injury!
The body is a fascinating, complex machine. I love these videos, such brilliant information delivered professionally. Thanks for helping us improve our bodies, mate!
@@GlitchChaos even on concrete and such? I have just heard that walking without foot support on concrete and other flat stuff is bad for feet, bc I work in a warehouse with all concrete floors, but I am really interested in these shoes.
@@peetos-chan2835 you should defenitely try barefoot shoes...your feet will...suprisingly maybe...feel less fatiqued at the end of a long day on your feet in barefoot shoes... speaking from experience..
I got a pair of Vivos they are great, luckily I live in Thailand and spend most of my time barefoot, especially my nightly beach walk. I had hammer toe before moving here and used toe separators to start fixing them now I can spread my toes again
My 8 year old son is wearing barefoot shoes most of the time. Every time the temperature outside is over 15 degrees he is taking his shoes of 😄 I’m not arguing with him about that. I had a knee surgery last year and I have a disc prolapse in my lower back. I really want barefoot shoes to start running in the woods again. When I start my new work next month, I will buy them.
Have been wearing barefoot shoes for two years now too, and it’s been the most fun time since my youth. I can agree anecdotally with everything Bioneer is saying. You learn from your mistakes though haha. Your feet will change for the better and your mind will thank you! And thank you for the video!
For people who supinate (or under pronate), i think 'bare-foot' shoes are perhaps not the right solution. Under-pronation is the opposite of flat feet: you have very high arches and you strike very hard with the heel, and your foot turns outwards when you walk. Supinators need very good cushioning because they develop calluses around the heel. Anyone disagree?
I have extremely high arches and have worn 0 drop shoes for years. For running they keep me more on my toes but I prefer them for hiking. I have some heel callus but not as bad as some "regular" shoe wearers I've seen
Barefoot/Zero-drop shoes are also good for weight lifting. Such as the squat, deadlift, or overhead press. Gives much better stability than all those other "athletic" shoes.
I've been wearing barefoot shoes for about 10 years. I've had several pairs of Vivo shoes, several flavours of Merrel Vapor gloves, and Skinners socks. Of these three, for me the best feeling and ground contact is with the Skinners.
Last year I went barefoot next to a river, it was full of small and big pebbles, My feet were in pain on first day, but 10 days later I was able to run barefoot without any problems.
Became a barefooter full time about 12 years ago, but I used Vivos to transition into the lifestyle. I was amazed at how muscles I didn't even know I had came to life in my legs after years of atrophy as a result of 'normal' shoes. Now I use Vivos at work and VFFs anywhere else as well as a thick soled tabi type for garden work, when barefooting isn't an easy option. I'm certainly not the temple of physical health that the Bioneer is, but barefooting certainly opened the door to start towards that as I wanted to find new ways of enjoying ground textures which encouraged more physical exercise as opposed to lazier means of commuting, for instance... There's a whole host of other benefits that can be gained from just taking your shoes off. For me the most notable was a better immune system and improved circulation. To me everyone should be able to go barefoot and there would not be this terrible social stigma to stand out in this way - the way we've evolved to be. The most natural and inexpensive exercise one might regularly enjoy. I mean, if you took a look at the MBT and all that crazy engineering to mimic the way one can move without any shoes at all, it's insane. So much unnecessary material for the same effect of just not wearing any footwear. And pretty tragic that such an idea could even be developed for manufacture and sale without a second thought, a clear indication that we've become so conditioned to wear shoes the concept of not doing so is totally inconceivable to many, even naturists! Incredible the harm that 'protection' and 'safety' has done to our resilient species.
I used to use Feiyu in Kung fu and circus training primarily, and in my experience, they are a false economy. They might be cheaper per shoe, but they wear out quickly. They start cracking and disintegrating after about 2 to 3 months of usage when I look at vivo or groundies, they last at least 1 year without a drop in quality, have a better contact with the ground even in wet conditions. It's worth thinking about the cost/time of the different shoes you use. Groundies and vivo and vibram come out as better investments when I do the numbers on it.
It's insane to think that we made our feet adapt to shoes rather than the other way around
Very well put!
Not really, merchants are always out to make a buck and a narrow toe shoe uses less material, meaning more profit/lower prices etc. At least back in the day.
Well, beats the hell out of board-sole boots
You can always make your own shoes. The question is, do you have the equipment, knowledge, funds to do it yourself? You can go back the ancestor way but humans have evolved for a reason.
@@PhiyackYuh do you still running uphill mountains hunting animals nowadays?
I was just searching "barefoot bioneer" the other day hoping to find something like this in your back catalogue. And here it is. Beautifully executed, jam packed full of info and just a dash of British sass. Thankyou so very much!!
His videos “Foot training”
“How running changes your body” and “How to strength ankles” all also talk a bit about barefoot running/training. As well as loads of helpful information to get your barefoot skills up!💪
Same here brother!
thats exactly what i did now
Been barefoot for almost a decade now, and its been incredibly beneficial for me. Better ankle strength and mobility, less injuries from running, and it's fun! May not be for everyone, but it's been a fantastic experience for me.
It is for everyone with feet and functional legs though. They just have to give it a chance.
I decided to run around barefoot when I was a kid, until one day while running down the street my big toe caught the pavement and took a good size piece out of it. There was a lot of blood and hurt like hell, so it seemed like a bad idea after that.
@@Durzo1259 lol, yeah shoes do help fight against ring worm, and protect against scrapes, cuts, stabbings, poison ivy, nettle, etc. Just never found the right balance between how we were designed, and the crap we experience in life.
What were the struggles you overcame?
@@Durzo1259 yup. That hurts like hell. I’m pretty lucky that I haven’t had a good injury in a minute, my feet have gotten pretty callused against the world.
Our modern sidewalks and asphalt weren’t made with bare feet in mind, so they can be especially nasty.
In a related topic, I was born with flat feet, & wearing the wrong shoes has caused me a lot of pain if I walk or run any distance in them. Orthotics helped mitigate that a great deal, but aren’t actually the solution to the problem. Walking more barefoot or with the types of shoes like you spoke about, paired with specific exercises that build up the strength of muscles that support the arch on the inside of the foot aren’t a cure, but can make a noticeable improvement if you suffer from flat feet.
Great video Adam, & I’ve actually been reading a bunch about this topic lately with many new studies suggesting many modern sneakers are actually very bad for our feet. Interesting stuff! 💪
Same here.
I had flat feet and about 15 years ago I asked the podiatrist why the orthotics which were supposed to help me kept getting more built up every year while my feet were getting weaker. He couldn’t give me an answer. I’ve been wearing barefoot shoes ever since and that have made an incredible difference in my function.
I’ve had flat feet my whole life. Looks like I’m going to go out and buy a cheap pair of barefoot shoes.
Same here, I had flat feet and also orthotics as a child. About 1.5 years ago (almost 32 years old now) I started to have knee pain which constantly seemed to get worse. After walking exclusively with barefoot shoes for a year now, I have zero pain, a natural looking arch on my feet and stronger feet and legs than ever. Normal shoes and especially orthotics feel like a huge scam to me now.
Ah feels so good to not be alone in this. Orthotics helped somewhat but never fully relieved a lot of the pain and tension I experienced wearing traditional shoes. Going barefoot has been such a game changer in my foot health and athletic performance and given me a sense of mobility that I never had before!
I was raised in the running tradition of thick, squishy soles and heel-first landings, and always had some degree of foot, shin, or knee pain from running. Back then, I just thought that was the price you had to pay if you wanted to run. I switched to running either barefoot or in extremely minimalist shoes almost 15 years ago and I've never once regretted it. Not sure why it took me so long. I'm also a fencer, and I always fenced in extremely thin, zero-drop shoes. So obvious in hindsight.
One of the most important advantages of minimalist shoes IMO is the fact that you don't have a big lever under your feet, so if you do step wrong then your ankle won't be wrenched to all hell. It's basically impossible to twist your ankle when not wearing shoes.
Or just don’t wear them
Yeah, I bought and quickly returned some Altra Lone Peak 5s recently which are supposedly a minimal trail runner. It's a damn good thing my ankles are nearly roll-proof from spending a lot of time on the trails, because I felt like one of those catwalk models horrifically rolling their ankles in 6" tall heels. The added inch between ankle and ground is a huge increase in leverage working against you.
The big selling point of "zero drop" isn't good enough, minimal "stack height" is where it's at. My go-to Merrell Trail Gloves (v1-4) are ~10mm stack height. Vapor Gloves I use lifting are half that.
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 I'm afraid there are times when it is probably advisable to wear shoes. Even with a lot of training, tens of miles on rough terrain starts to take a toll...
This advantage has saved my ankle on several occasions!
CSN Skill issue. Not that I could run 10 miles myself, but I guess I also have a skill issue with running overall and maybe kind of skin toughness. Or at least just go barefoot as much as possible and if you want to go for a long run, but your skin pads are too low level, just bring the shoes and put them on where you need them.
I've been using barefoot shoes for almost 10 years, and for everyday wear anything else has become unthinkable - normal heels feel like stilettos to me now. But just a warning - there are limits. In a fit of early enthusiasm I did a 6 week trek in the high Alps with hardcore barefoot shoes. The ground was often brutally stony, and I ended up with bruised feet that took some weeks to heal. Didn't spoil the trek, but was less than ideal.
I had a chance to discuss this with one of the most experienced and respected barefoot running coaches. His advice is clear - be pragmatic and adjust your footwear to the project. If you're doing a long trek with a pack on your back, you need a little more padding. So on the trail I now use a shoe by Inov8 that is still zero-drop and a low stack-height but has more of a mid-sole. You retain a natural gait and quite decent proprioception, but you don't get bruised.
@@sanpat2220 For daily living and day-walks your feet don't hurt in minimal shoes if you learn a proper natural stride.
That means a short stride with a rapid cadence, the heel gently rolling onto the ground and then rolling progressively from the outside of the foot to the ball of the foot behind the big toe for the push-off.
It's a gentle, comfortable movement with no harsh heel-strike or slap of the forefoot onto the ground.
It may take your feet a little time to transition, because your muscles may have atrophied if you are using high-stack shoes with a big toe-drop. But soon you will be enjoying stronger and healthier feet, and a stride that is kinder to your knees, hips and spine.
After all, we didn't evolve to walk in cushioned shoes with high heels!
But if you are doing multi-week walks on stony terrain you do need a lightly cushioned zero-drop shoe to prevent bruising, as I posted.
Just be pragmatic and use your common sense!
@@tullochgorum6323 Apparently this brand and model called the Altra Low Peak is well suited for these type of hiking trips while still being minimalist zero drop shoes. I'm currently using a Xero Mesa Trail which has been great for my feet but haven't tried them on less forgiving terrain like you mentioned.
I went minimalist in construction a couple years ago at this point, and the difference in my injury rate has been astounding.
Anyone that needs a boot, look up the tactical research minimil. My casual shoe is the birchbury Bramford
A lot of construction sites demand wearing safety boots. I guess where you live there isn't that tight regulations. I have to wear safety boots when on construction site, even though they certainly are not comfortable shoes. Off work I mostly wear Xero shoes.
@@miromoves2472 if you're talking about safety toes, few jobsites in my area require them all of the time, and usually just require them for specific tasks (using the ground thumper being one). otherwise they only need to meet ansi requirements, which are just leather and slip resistant soles. Hence the Minimils.
What about for winter/wet weather? The reviews said the mini mils aren't waterproof, nor can they be made to be so. What do you use?
Fun fact: there's a reflex which causes the glutes to activate when the big toes are stretched out. If you have tight hip flexors, weak glutes and/or anterior pelvic tilt, it is CRITICAL that you improve your toe mobility and use shoes which allow your toes to get a stretch during each stride (e.g. exactly the kind of shoes Adam is talking about here)
edit: forgot I made this comment - sorry to keep you all waiting! I didn't find the name of the reflex but it's essentially that the big toe attaches to the flexor hallucis longus muscle, which, when put under tension, activates the glutes and hams more because they share the same nerve innervations, L5 and S1.
I don't exactly see how it will fix anterior pelvic tilt, and I never heard of this reflex before. Sounds interesting, might have to check it out
@@nikola4962 APT is often caused by the glutes being underactive; even without the reflex lack of big toe mobility causes the walking stride to be short and choppy, emphasizing the quads and hip flexors over the glutes (in most cases though I agree, I doubt JUST stretching the big toes would be enough to fix it). Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the reflex; I learned about it in a course I took a bit ago so I'll have to bust out the notes lol
@@Dinoenthusiastguy waiting for those notes lol
I have all three of those😅 that’s good to know. Thanks for sharing!
Bioneer Preachin again!
These shoes took me a while to get used to when I first got em
but Damn once you adapt to using em ya never want to go back.
Yoooo JaxBlade you’re so right.
Once you go barefoot, wearing typical shoes feels so weird.
Love both yours and Bioneer’s content BTW 👏🏻
Couldn't agree with you more. Do you feel like you grip the ground with your feel rather than the shoe? 😀
@@grahammckinney5705 1000 percent
Don’t ever stop making videos. You cover the best fitness/health/superhero videos on the site. Keep doing what you’re doing!
Please don't abandon your channel and passions you've helped me gain more knowledge about even the most simple things I overlooked. I especially love the mental training videos as well those are a gem.
I've transitioned to barefoot shoes and love the Vivo Barefoot brand as well. As a tip for anyone considering it, buy a pair to wear as your everyday shoe and wear them for about 6 months before attempting to run in them. Make sure to spend time massaging out the tendons on the bottom of your feet and stretching your toes as you transition. I would ocasssionally get some pretty intense pain in the tendons in my feet at first as I was loading them with my body weight when they weren't used to it. Now after about 10 months of wearing them I can run without any problems. I run at least 6 times a week and will run 5-7 miles each day on concrete without issues. I don't have any foot, knee, or hip pain and my running steps are not as loud as most of the people just walking by on the street. When I was wearing normal trainers, my steps sounded like someone slapping the concrete. I've paired them with some injinji socks and I don't get blisters anymore either. If you wear barefoot shoes with regular socks, the socks can still squeeze your feet enough to prevent your toes from spreading as much as they would like to so make sure to consider that as well.
Okay that is really good advice. I hadn’t thought about that with the socks. Very important point of fact I’ve also become tighter as a result of money saving actions by companies.
Profits where clothing is concerned is, charge more and use as little fabric as possible.
I’ve found ToeToe socks really good too and much cheaper for every day runs. Wear my Injinji ones only for longer weekend runs as my big toes seem to like nibbling holes in toe socks 😬 and was getting expensive.
Which pair would you say keeps full mobility and won't get tattered easily from low-moderate intensity parkour
@@deadmercy3113 vivo barefoot
Recommendations on starter Vivo Barefoot shoes? Was thinking of the Trail FG all weather for a good allround shoes for both concrete and trails. I live in a city and it often gets rainy, so having some semi-waterproof shoes with some grip under seems pretty good
FINALLY!! someone actually addressing the effects of not only walking in shoes but also on concrete, I'm from a small island in the Pacific and I remembered I've never wear shoes or slippers up until i was 9 or 10 when i started middle school and i kept wearing them throughout until my college years and I just recently went back into walking barefoot from the tight calves to the weak/inflexible ankles and poor body balance after going on a hike with my fellow village boys up a steep mountain and their feet was so grounded that they seemed to be slip resistant lol climbing up wasn't hard at all but when it was time to walk back down it started raining and getting slippery like stupid and out of all the boys I was the only one that slipped and actually ended up breaking a finger I then vow to adapt back to my natural barefoot days and I would say I'm feeling pretty good.
@The Bioneer. You should do an interview with PJF Performance. He's an NBA vertical jump and strength and conditioning coach, but he preaches a lot of what you do here in relation to human health, and he tries to base his methods in as much science as possible. He's creating some absolutely insane athlete transformations.
Yes absolutely. PJF is amazing. He also should cover Joel Jamison of 8 weeks out training, he's an expert in conditioning
Somewhat surprised by not having a mention of five toe socks. Game changer in wide toe box shoes and even help with conventional footwear as far as letting the toes splay out and work independently. Injinji one brand I’ve used and would recommend. Cheers.
I DID THE SAME THING!!! Read one paragraph about running barefoot, nomadic life, primative exercise or something, and took it straight to the gravel. I went for a pretty fast jog/sprint cycle and after about ten minutes I thought, "wow this feels great!" then about 4 minutes later I had to stop, my achilles was starting to get a little sore, and then boom! I was practically limping for a week.
No long term injury, but yeah be careful with this, your heels and calves are just not used to it at first. Now I'm a bit more used to it, but I can't be sprinting on gravel lol.
Yes you can sprint on gravel, but just not yet. Your body will eventually become stronger snd your skin will eventually get tougher.
The whole thing about sensory loss is really noticable when we put shoes on dogs. They start walking like they're in deep snow because they feel stuck. it takes them a while to forget the shoe is on and just run in it like normal.
What's a good solution if I wanted to protect my dog's feet yet also take her on rough terrain? I've had to carry a dog off a mountain before.
@@ompenarnie if you have time to train the dog to shoes beforehand, that's probably best. Just ease then into it and keep praising them so they understand it's not a punishment
i would like to add that if your going to go barefoot running you'll also become more accustomed to harder and rougher surfaces and it will be easier to go hiking or rock climbing
I absolutely love to finally find a video talking about this. I've been barefooting for 13 years (not even minimalist shoes) in Scandinavian climate, and I know our knowledge is only scratching the surface of the benefits. In fact, I started because of a bet while off work sick due to a back injury, and I was heavily medicated with painkillers. 3 months later, I was off all painkillers, and I could run again!
A hiking buddy of mine and I plan on reaching out to foot therapists (or the equivalent) to let them follow an experiment next year. We're going to walk the ox trail (hærvejen) in Denmark, which is around 500 km, and I'll be doing it barefoot, while my friend will walk in, hopefully, sponsored "top" hiking shoes. Our objective is to let the pros gather data on feet and footwear.
Thank you for inspiring others, and I love your content. I'm new to your channel and only found you a few days ago.
Fucking sejt mand, held og lykke! Ville du vandre den barfodet eller med barfodssko?
Did you make your 500 km experiment? Would love to hear about it.
Played a few basketball games in barefoot shoes unintentionally, and realized I was having way less trouble keeping balance and jumping. Also my stamina improved as well, probably because I was forced to run lighter on my feet. The only issue would be longevity of the shoe, but otherwise I see no downsides
Barefoot is better than normal shoes, and stop calling barefoot because they’re just normal shoes.
Actually no they’re not because shoes are so weird especially when they’re not Vibrams
8:55 - Some 13 years or so ago I went through a weird phase and decided to start taking barefoot walks around town in the summer. This was extremely shocking to some of my friends and family who were worried that I looked weird but also that I might step on something and get infected. Valid concerns, but luckily only positive things happened.
I remember trying to jog and immediately feeling every tiny bone in my foot scream in protest. I remember realizing that I had to relearn how to walk because at 1.73cm and 105kg, I was going to destroy my knees, hips and lower back in no time otherwise.
Somehow, in all those years, it never occurred to me that barefoot shoes would ever be on the market. I'm making a note to buy a pair right now!
Have you lost the fat? 105 kilos at that height, jesus man 😮
@@alexjulius69 - Yeah, I started eating better around 2013. I've been fluctuating been 80kg and 85kg since 2014. Still overweight, but it's not that bad.
I switched from running in Ascis to Altras with zero drop and a very generous toe box: I found that this has completely stopped my knee pain when running, but cause my calves and glutes to take on more work. It has also changed my running posture and I can drive forward with my glutes.
I’m impressed, no knee injuries or pain anymore.
I’ve always been a midfoot strike, this hasn’t changed with zero drop.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 It's been driving me crazy that nobody talks about this. I can't comprehend why the default shoe around the world is done this way.
Made the switch to Joe Nimble barefoot shoes at the gym about 9 months ago. And I am not going back to regular shoes ever again. I feel weird not using them.
And I think the switch to them has been the major reason I can easily go into a resting squat now.
Glad to see another channel promoting the benefits of barefoot shoes. Hoping they become more mainstream so the prices come down
Ive been making foot adjustments the past few years after developing foot pain. The doctor wanted to sell me orthotics which made no sense to me. Instead I found working on the yard barefoot, walking in sandals, removing the insoles from my sneakers, and switching back to a traditional heavy workboot made my feet & ankles stronger and got rid of pain.
Being born in a time where "the more shoe the better" I felt a huge change when I started Judo practicing and training barefoot all the time. First months felt weird but now I truly see an increase of feet mobility and overall movement perception. I've been looking for some barefoot shoes to try but I haven't found a pair that don't look weird when I bring them to work. Thanks for the video!
Trail running shoes might be a compromise option (though some of them have really bad colour schemes) and hit most of your boxes. (like forefoot mobility / grip etc).
Maybe take a look at Bohempia barefoot, they pretty much look like Vans. I tried like 7 different barefoot shoes and these are one of the best. The best fit I got with Vivobarefoot though. Wildling shoes are also really good and look almost normal.
For a more casual barefoot shoe, I've been using Feelgrounds for approx. 2 years for my workplace. they generally tend towards more casual wear though, so they are a good option if it is strictly for non intensive work.
Loved you made a video for barefoot shoes!!! I’m a fan of Xero shoes myself! I use those mainly for my athletics and sometimes casual wear, but I branched off to use Lems, Vivobarefoot, and to replace my converse, Splays. Love that there’s so many options out there and you can pick which one is for you and suits your style 🙏🏽
Yea xero shoes are my normal everyday shoes they are good quality and last a very long time. Had mine for a year and they are still going great!
My Xero shoes fell apart after only a few months. I am wondering if it was a fluke or if Xero shoes just suck.
@@benjaminhoffman3848 I don't know I've had mine for about 1 1/2 years now never had any issues with them falling apart yet.
Out of curiosity, which would you say are better for concrete/trail running, Vivo or Xero?
As a black American male, I find it really demoralizing to constantly frustrating to be shopping for shoes that are designed for a narrow ethnically European foot. I would pay extra for shoes that have a wider toe box, but many shoe manufacturers simply won't invest in those shoes.
Barefoot shoes are awesome. Started about two years ago, but included barefoot running on concrete as it provides way more feedback and got me to stop over striding when running.
No just go barefoot and stop wearing shoes, plus stop calling them barefoot because you’re not & it’s the worse oxymoron ever.
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 Yes, real barefoot walking is great, but not possible on every occasion. If you work in an office or workshop or seeing costumer you usually can't go barefoot. There are barefoot shoes for nearly every occasion right now.
Also the risk of getting cuts and piercings by sharp objects is a rist sometimes. A friend of mine got a sepsis after she cut her feet going barefoot (she is a passionate 'really barefoot' walker).
So barefoot shoes are a great alternative for all the case were you can't or won't go naked foot
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 Tell us what kind of miles you do barefoot Nabranes, because I went truly barefoot when I first "saw the light" 10+yrs ago and ~1mi on pavement would shred the underside of my toes. For any actual athletic activity that isn't on cushy grass, expect to restart from zero and have a VERY long road basically growing shoes (callouses) out the bottom of your feet. Now I spend 99% of my active time on trails and you can only be so perfect at spotting every tiny sharp rock and stick.
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 Oh, and I forgot: From December till March we have freezing temperatures and snow. Also than I use barefoot shoes, and even the most radical barefeeter couldn't go with naked feet, independent of how well he or she is trained, in 1 or 2 hours one would lose toes to frost bites
@@nabranestwistypuzzler7019 yes, I did drop all shoes and go barefoot for half my runs. But, industry language still refers to my shoes as barefoot shoes, so I’m not a purist in this area.
Feels ironic to be getting a vshred ad on a video with such good information. Really shows the duality of fitness youtube
I am actually torned... I walk, jog, run A LOT! I use the commercial shoes from the usual brands. I don't have feet pain, when I run I land on my mid-sole... I've never had any problems. My feet are strong as ever at 33 years old.
What this kind of videos and articles don't really go into is how other vectors could be causing problems when running, walking, etc..
I see so many people that just don't know how to run appropriately, it's mind blowing. A more holistic approach should be considered.
I have been reading on "minimalist" shoes (stupid marketing, just like the other type of shoes, anyway...), I will try using a less cushion sole and see what changes. I'm super excited.
I could’ve done with the link to this video when I’ve encountered the dozens of people asking me ‘why would you want to wear shoes like that?!’
I’ve been wearing this style of natural footwear for about 3 years now, only stopping when I work in steel toes or play badminton. And the benefits are so numerous, all of which you included and then expanded on in this video. Great work mate, thank you
I’ve got flat feet and stand on cement at work for 8-12 hours.
Switched to barefoot shoes and can’t believe how much better my feet feel.
I’ve tried going back to regular shoes a couple of times and my feet felt horrible after an hour or two
I bought 2 pairs of barefoot shoes over the last 2 months, initially inspired by seeing Bioneer wear them, and Kneesovertoesguy recommend them. Now by perfect timing, this brilliantly comprehensive video lands here. Hes done it again!!! I have Plantar Fasciitis and my feet seem to sometimes cramp up if rested too long. After wearing soft soled runners all my life, Im hoping to get the intended improvements with barefoot shoes over time.
How are you now?
Bro.
Not one word of a lie, I was waiting and hoping for this. I've had flat feet since I can remember and I love to run. But the pain I get in my ankles and feet is so bad! Thank you for this video and all that you do! Awesome stuff!
I have had flat feet since early childhood. I think I am going to try some barefoot shoes, after all it's probably not any worse than some of the trainers I have had.
Barefoot shoes worked wonders for me! My knees hurt like hell and I was not able to jog 100m before I started wearing them. I really took my time to easy into them and slowly but progressively did longer runs. And within a few weeks I was able to run several kilometers without pain! However, I would definitely recommend to start running very slowly, short distances with maximum focus on forefoot running form and on flat and stable ground.
I've always had big, wide feet, and never liked athletic shoes. In high school I wore skater shoes because they tend to be flat, and have wider toe boxes, but discovered barefoot shoes in college. I've been a fan ever since except for running on concrete with them. We covered the land in a hard substance and wrapped our feet in a soft one to compensate.
Would be interested to hear you talk more about research related to modular training - i.e. doing several small workouts during the day. I started trying sets of 50 burpees once an hour and am getting some pretty shocking results.
Preach!
Hi! Adam actually made a video about that a couple months ago~ it’s called “3-4 short workouts a day gave me my best results” enjoy 🙂
Shocking good or shocking bad?
This is me unintentionally just fitting in whatever I can before/after work and on my breaks
Thank you! I recently made the transition and I've reduced my pain so, so much. Walking's become a delight and I've been recommending loads of people to also get barefoot shoes.
This clip explains why i was unaware I had bleeding under my toenails when sprinting with running shoes
There's a line in an old Vedic treatise that says: "to the man wearing shoes, the world is paved with leather"
I'm 16, glad I found this channel so soon to make myself as strong and smart as possible
production quality gets better each time!!
I was always wondering why normal shoes are so much uncomfortable for me, walking longer distances was tiring and I lacked space for my toes. Finally I got pair of vapor gloves two weeks ago and I must say that I'm not gonna return to padded shoes never again.
So much freedom.
Vivos are pretty normal, Vibrams are more normal, those messed up foot braces are not shoes and DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL shoes.
And why are you wearing shoes? Take those things off and be free
VGs are the tits, but unfortunately not much traction on, say, pea gravel so the Trail Gloves are my go-to. Tried a set of thick-soled (supposedly minimal) trail runners after years in Merrells and it was a train wreck, there's no going back!
Oh and Vibram KSOs are a no-go off-road unless you constantly want to be picking sticks and crap from between your toes...
@@csn583 Maybe older trail gloves were good, but 5's are incompatible wit my modfoot - too narrow and with extreme arch support.
@@LazyKalor I would agree. Each generation of Trail Glove has gotten more and more built up. Having worn those and the Vapor Gloves since Merrell first brought them out, I'm frankly over Merrell. Vivobarefoot and Xeroshoes for now.
Did someone read "Born to Run?" Seriously though, this stuff changed my running life and performance. Thumbs up👍
Don’t run but made the switch wearing ‘Be Lenka Champ 2.0’. They’re my everyday shoe and just feel more pleasurable to walk in and go about my day
I got ro the point that I couldn't walk after getting out of the military. The VA wanted to give me canes to walk with at 35yo. No way I was doing that so I started researching and found a navy seal in California who had the same issue and started wearing FFT shoes (which are barefoot, I think the first ones). I started doing the same thing and wearing no shoes whenever I could. The Problem was fixed in about 6 months. I was walking normal within the first week and only dealt with the constant pain for a couple months. One of the best things I've done for my personal health. Sleeping on the floor and lifting heavy crap throughout the day are the others.
2 years ago I switched to minimal shoes. Before that I had pain in my forefeet each time after 15 km or 10 miles. Was in that situation for 15 years, went to doctors, had x-rays and orthopedic inlays, they made it just worse.
I like hiking and mountaineering, so 2 years ago I had maximum allowed doses of NSAID pain killers + opioides every day on my regular 4 day Alps tour.
Last year I did my tour with minimal shoes, I was afraid first, because these trips are usually not casual walking and I thought I needed my 270€ heavy class C mountain boots.
I actually carried these in addition in my backpack as backup if the terrain would become too tough.
The tour involved 3 x 3000+ summits, 1500+ m of climbing every day, 10 h hiking and mountaineering each day, T5 "experienced alpinists only" paths, severe boulder fields each day, via ferratas each day, climbing with the use use ropes and slings and carabin hooks. All done in the High Tauerns in Austria.
No food pain at all. At no point I had to switch from my minimalist Joe Nimble Wandertoes 2.0 to my heavy boots Hanwag Alaska GTX.
I'm on barefoot / minimal shoes only now, even in winter, even on business. My foot pain is totally gone
Wow great timing. I bought a pair of barefoot shoes just the last two weeks. Super cheap Whiten Amazon brand. They’ve been a game changer. I’m not sure if I can go back to my regular shoes now.
Let us no how long the soles last as I had a pair of surgaro and the tread wore away after two months
I used to walk around bare foot a lot. Especially in the summer. This video has made me buy a pair of barefoot shoes and I feel good walking again. Thank you
Sprinting in barefoot shoes feels amazing! like youre flying, no up and down movement, would like to be able to do that while just jogging
Great vid and you're a true beast and a gentleman mr. Bioneer!
Xero shoes out of Colorado USA makes some very fine barefoot shoes, sandals and boots.
Yes, they are great. And earth runners from California as well. Super minimal. Wear them everyday in summer.
Walk. Walk as much as possible when transitioning to minimalist shoes. Only then start to run. That's what I found. If like me you're in your forties. Take your time. It's taken me well over a year. Now my feet and ankles feel so strong.
I was impatient and tried to rush and my achiles and clafs killed me, but maybe its a right of passage. Like the bioneer says, "listen to your body"
Great video.
Starting using minimal shoes a couple years ago and the difference is amazing
I started transitioning to barefoot running with Nike Frees over 10 years ago. It's been nothing but minimalist for the last 3 years, running, walking or at work. Usually Merrill's or Xero's.
Thanks for this video. I actually looked for it last week and was surprised you hadn't made one!
Yes, there was a study which linked educational engagement with being barefoot in school by Bournemouth University.
I recommend Tadeevos. I have a three-year-old pair which are still going strong
I have a pair of Vibram fivefingers that I swear make me run faster and jump higher, all while exerting less effort.
Thank you for always having such detailed information about why the things you cover are so beneficial!
I love barefoot shoes and I would recommend your video to anyone interested in the advantages that barefoot shoes can provide you. However, the study you showed was done on children, not adults. Still, love the quality content and have a good day man!
Thanks for getting me into Vivo Barefoot shoes. Been wearing them for a year now. I now have no non barefoot shoes - I threw them all out because they were squashing my feet. Barefoot shoes have completely changed the way I walk and run. No more running injuries, no more heal striking and I feel so connected to the ground. I really took it easy when running in vivo shoes (after initially straining my calf muscles). Lot's of short runs, lots of breaks, and slowly building up to half hour runs. Great video.
Two barefoot marathons under my belt. It's like getting into any other movement: start small, commit to a sensible progression, and you'll soon see massive benefits.
The double takes from fellow trail-goers are pretty fun too.
What a coincidence that you post this video just the same week that I'm about to purchase my first pair of barefoot shoes.
Been wearing barefoot shoes for a year and for the first few months my feet ached like hell. Eventually they stopped hurting and from what I can tell its because they got stronger. I also noticed the ability to sense the temperature and texture of the ground early on when running on hot rubber turf in the spring, and walking on gravel.
I picked up barefoot shoes about 6 years ago and haven't really gone back. Merrell has been my favorite brand - they make solid hiking shoes too.
Been walking in Barefoot shoes for 2 years now. Running in Barefoot shoes for around 3 months. I used to struggle with shin splints all the time when I ran in Hoka’s. Since transitioning into Vivo’s I never struggle with any kind of shin pain. It took a while to transition to running in barefoot shoes but I absolutely love it now. My calves feel and look loads stronger now too 💪🏼
How do they feel if you wear them for 4-5 hours of standing with some walking?
@@DirtyDemon917 To be honest now that my legs have gotten stronger from wearing them I don’t really experience any leg aches and pains. I walk in them all day. Even hiked to the top of Snowdon and back down wearing vivobarefoots and my legs and feet felt great 😊
I have been wearing barefoot shoes for about 2 months now after researching ways to help my bunion. I can say my feet never hurt anymore, just sore or tired. My tight hips and low back pain have basically disappeared. My low back mobility has increased significantly because it isn't holding so much tension throughout the day from being out of alignment from the foot up.
Good point Bioneer on this video about the improved proprioception and flexibility doing exercises barefoot, that's why for example yoga is done barefoot. However due to the demands of sports, for example basketball the shoes had to be made with more cushioning to decrease the forces of impact on landing. Anyway, good video. Keep it up.
I've had cracking in my ankles sine I was 15, I've started using barefoot shoes last summer, and after just half a year it almost entirely disappeared, my knees don't hurt as much, so I recommend everyone those minimalist/barefoot shoes!
I've been wearing strictly barefoot shoes for about 8 years now and my feet, knees and back have never been better and continue to improve. I've never had a proper foot arch even as little kid, now I'm actually building one up! Love seeing those shoes more and more on some of my favorite fitness influencers, keep spreading the word!
You can see the fruits of years of people being hyper-cushioned in their footwear: people cannot move. Have plantar fasciitis and inability to incorporate the rest of their body as one system instead of compartmentalizing their body ‘parts’.
Have used minimal shoes for over a decade. Even got a pair of zero-drop minimalist boots for hiking. It’s just crazy how much we strain to ‘protect’ ourself from the world
I've been wearing Xero Barefoot type shoes for over 5 plus years and that's the only way I can go nowadays. I've got all types of variations from workout shoes, to casual, hiking, sandals, and dress shoes too. No going back to other shoes like Nikes, Reebok, or Converse.
Damn, that's some really beautiful camera work.
I've been wearing Vibram 5 fingers for a couple years now for working out, E-board riding & house shoes. The first couple weeks my calves were a bit sore but now they are my everyday foot wear. They are kind of pricey but tough as nails and are still in great shape, just throw them in the washing machine if they get too dirty. Can't live without them.
I recently learned that the heel strike w a thick sole shoes actually work against your forward momentum.
i remember the first time i bought a pair of zero drop bare foot styled shoes. I got so hyped from the feel of the trail i went to later that day and spent hours playing jogging and just feeling the ground it was mind boggling.
Agreed, I've been wearing barefoot shoes exclusively for about 5 years now and have really helped.
Superb information. As someone with a broad foot and high arch I have been tortured by the running shoe industry for decades. Keep these types of vid coming. Thanks
worked out for 3 years barefoot plus hiking in sandals or growing up walking barefoot on gravel never really realized how much i’ve been conditioning my feet
I think this goes much further than just running barefoot.
I used to always wear very minimalist shows, like chucks (converse), and then be barefoot at home (on tile).
After joining the military and being in boots for so much of the day, I felt a shift, a weakening in my feet and legs. Always being barefoot had passively built something up that I took for granted.
Must be what you mentioned at 3:27, including the study. I lost this, and it took a long time to get it back.
Legit it's so dumb that they make ypu wear that crap there instead of giving you barefoot shoes so you'd traverse better. But then again, military isn't a place for health. Your hearing is the first sense to get destroyed
Firstly, I've been waiting for a barefoot-dedicated video from you and am very grateful to see it has been made. There's probably more to say about the topic and I'd be just as grateful if you chose to 👀...
I am in the process of seeking physical therapy for issues related to flat feet since adolescence. I've been through surgery and therapy already but didn't seem to do much, it moreso just moved the problem elsewhere in my lower body. In my recent visit, I told them I've been through surgery and orthotics and they didn't help... So naturally the treatments they spoke most about and tried to push were orthotics and surgery.
Physical therapy was barely mentioned, and seemed like they wanted to avoid the topic. The word "exercise" wasn't even spoken while they were explaining treatment options. I'm not injured and simply have hypermobile joints (likely from a mild connective tissue disorder) so perhaps that may be why... But I'm not convinced.
I started walking completely barefoot for a week a few months ago. I couldn't sustain that because it was painful for the skin, but I noticed that walking (in regular shoes) felt easier after that. I could walk longer without discomfort. Immediate results from a week of light barefoot walking, it seemed. I have low expectations from the doctors that I'm giving another chance. I've made more progress in a week on my own than over years with them. And for free. Currently waiting on a pair of vivos to be delivered so I can really focus on making real improvements.
Since I was I kid I wanted to be able to walk barefoot, it just seemed natural but it was weird obviously, thanks to you I reminded myself about it and Im going to buy one pair of those.
Just bought myself some barefoot shoes, mate. Thanks for sharing well researched information!
I've been wearing Xero shoes for a few years, they're minimalist and used to only be available from the US, now available direct in UK. They're very comfortable, well made and they last ages. Completely agree with barefoot style training, have just started to add barefoot style running and as said in the video, listening to your body is critical, build up runs over time off road to avoid injury!
They also have amazing sandals!
The body is a fascinating, complex machine.
I love these videos, such brilliant information delivered professionally.
Thanks for helping us improve our bodies, mate!
I started wearing barefoot shoes about a month ago, I'll be wearing them for the rest of my life! Thanks for the video and info as always!
Do you just wear them all the time?
@@peetos-chan2835 yes I do.
@@GlitchChaos even on concrete and such? I have just heard that walking without foot support on concrete and other flat stuff is bad for feet, bc I work in a warehouse with all concrete floors, but I am really interested in these shoes.
@@peetos-chan2835 you should defenitely try barefoot shoes...your feet will...suprisingly maybe...feel less fatiqued at the end of a long day on your feet in barefoot shoes... speaking from experience..
@@nieuweblik8831 thanks, you have a favorite brand?
I got a pair of Vivos they are great, luckily I live in Thailand and spend most of my time barefoot, especially my nightly beach walk. I had hammer toe before moving here and used toe separators to start fixing them now I can spread my toes again
Everyone who found this video interesting should read "Born to Run" by Cristopher McDougall. Amazing book!
My 8 year old son is wearing barefoot shoes most of the time. Every time the temperature outside is over 15 degrees he is taking his shoes of 😄 I’m not arguing with him about that. I had a knee surgery last year and I have a disc prolapse in my lower back. I really want barefoot shoes to start running in the woods again. When I start my new work next month, I will buy them.
I’ve been wearing Xero Shoes for the past 6 months and have enjoyed them immensely.
I have been using minimal shoes for long distance running ( marathon ) for a while. Altra makes great shoes for road and trail.
Have been wearing barefoot shoes for two years now too, and it’s been the most fun time since my youth. I can agree anecdotally with everything Bioneer is saying. You learn from your mistakes though haha. Your feet will change for the better and your mind will thank you!
And thank you for the video!
For people who supinate (or under pronate), i think 'bare-foot' shoes are perhaps not the right solution. Under-pronation is the opposite of flat feet: you have very high arches and you strike very hard with the heel, and your foot turns outwards when you walk. Supinators need very good cushioning because they develop calluses around the heel. Anyone disagree?
I have extremely high arches and have worn 0 drop shoes for years. For running they keep me more on my toes but I prefer them for hiking. I have some heel callus but not as bad as some "regular" shoe wearers I've seen
Thanks for the tips, I’ve been wondering about the barefoot thing for awhile now
Would like to add I think crocks are also great and cheap plenty of room for your toes and more of a flat sole awesome video very informative thanks
Barefoot/Zero-drop shoes are also good for weight lifting. Such as the squat, deadlift, or overhead press. Gives much better stability than all those other "athletic" shoes.
I've been wearing barefoot shoes for about 10 years. I've had several pairs of Vivo shoes, several flavours of Merrel Vapor gloves, and Skinners socks. Of these three, for me the best feeling and ground contact is with the Skinners.
Last year I went barefoot next to a river, it was full of small and big pebbles, My feet were in pain on first day, but 10 days later I was able to run barefoot without any problems.
Became a barefooter full time about 12 years ago, but I used Vivos to transition into the lifestyle. I was amazed at how muscles I didn't even know I had came to life in my legs after years of atrophy as a result of 'normal' shoes.
Now I use Vivos at work and VFFs anywhere else as well as a thick soled tabi type for garden work, when barefooting isn't an easy option.
I'm certainly not the temple of physical health that the Bioneer is, but barefooting certainly opened the door to start towards that as I wanted to find new ways of enjoying ground textures which encouraged more physical exercise as opposed to lazier means of commuting, for instance...
There's a whole host of other benefits that can be gained from just taking your shoes off. For me the most notable was a better immune system and improved circulation. To me everyone should be able to go barefoot and there would not be this terrible social stigma to stand out in this way - the way we've evolved to be. The most natural and inexpensive exercise one might regularly enjoy.
I mean, if you took a look at the MBT and all that crazy engineering to mimic the way one can move without any shoes at all, it's insane. So much unnecessary material for the same effect of just not wearing any footwear. And pretty tragic that such an idea could even be developed for manufacture and sale without a second thought, a clear indication that we've become so conditioned to wear shoes the concept of not doing so is totally inconceivable to many, even naturists!
Incredible the harm that 'protection' and 'safety' has done to our resilient species.
I used to use Feiyu in Kung fu and circus training primarily, and in my experience, they are a false economy. They might be cheaper per shoe, but they wear out quickly. They start cracking and disintegrating after about 2 to 3 months of usage when I look at vivo or groundies, they last at least 1 year without a drop in quality, have a better contact with the ground even in wet conditions. It's worth thinking about the cost/time of the different shoes you use. Groundies and vivo and vibram come out as better investments when I do the numbers on it.