I've run 5 marathons with the last two in Vibrams. In my first 3 marathons I used to get ITB and ham string strains regularly during training. The day after marathon runs I would walk like a duck and my hips and knees felt bruised. I took a couple of years transitioning into five fingers with my first runs showing me just how much regular trainers had taught me to heel strike; It felt like I'd loosened all my teeth I was landing so hard. I then felt the shock on my calves as they learned to take over correct running form. Transitioning isn't immediate but it is so worth it and once done, you never go back. I noticed to my surprise after my first five finger marathon I had virtually no post marathon aches and pains and a sprint finish I didn't know I had. My last marathon was my fastest, run in Vibram Seeyas. I really can't remember the last time I had a running injury. My favourite surface is winter running in snow. Its so weird to leave footprints in fresh snow and with close contact with the ground I've never slipped. This despite vibrams smooth soles.I even tried running in regular trainers one day, It was like running in wellington boots; so soggy and lifeless. Never again.
I have very high arches, Morton's toe and my knees are shot thanks to jumping out of planes. I have been a runner for some time and after I left the service I realized running made my feet go dumb so the doctors told me forget about running but when I got myself some of these bad boys I was back again on the road running. The first few weeks it kicks your butt and the soreness and pain when you sit is uncomfortable but worth it hahaha
Emaster01 That sounds like someone who tried once and failed to progress. I've never heard that excuse for avoiding vvfs. But I can assure you that's exactly what I do. Part of the benefit of running in minimal to barefoot is that you use the full function of the foot. This is why you need to transition. Once you do there is an improvement in flexibility and muscles. This requires an improved blood flow. This improvement diminishes the likelihood of frostbite. I only wish I had photos to prove my point. I can definitely assure you I will never run in running Wellingtons again.
ah. And why the professional surfers are not sponsored by adidas or nike? Vibram is more for mountaneers, not for marathon, but the way they purpose to run, is the same way you come to the world. Barefoot.
Vibram have large reach, are very common, and are profitable. However, they mainly make soles, a single component of a shoe, so there's nowhere near as much money in it.
They don't race in trainers either. They run in shoes even lighter and with less padding then a vibram. And the number one reason to run in a trainer during practice is that it's heavy. So on race day you feel like your feet are flying off the ground when you put on a 2 oz racing flat. Keep in mind pros have strong feet. They don't need support. Pros run fast like a sprinter for miles, on their toes. They don't heel strike. Vibrams have an obvious proprioceptive advantage over trainers with excessive heel strike. And the pros I know don't use clunky trainers. They use shoes that have a minimal heel drop but are a little heavier than the uber minimalist racing flats. A heavier vibram, like the leather ones, could serve this purpose.
I'm not a runner, yet, but I love to hike in the FiveFingers. I know what you mean about shoes ( and hiking boots) having high heels. Such a stupid design that's been insidious for way too long. I'm SO glad the minimalist shoe style is gaining popularity. It's nice to know that runners such as yourself find them excellent for training.
Absolutely! Sounds like you're already halfway there if you're hiking in them!! Give them a go for running, remember to enjoy the experience and let me know how you get on :-)
Well, running spikes (that athletes use on track events) are kinda like vibrams, in that they don't have any heel/cushioning. It is odd how that goes out the window for marathons, where shoes like this may have a bigger impact. Vibram are definitely big enough to sponsor some athletes, plus if they are faster and cause less injuries, then surely the top guys would risk losing some sponsorship money in order to break a world record, to later have more sponsors/book deal/medal etc. I think its more a case that the top athletes don't heel strike, they already run in a more similar way to barefoot/vibrams (as you say), so the risk/reward ratio is lower, therefore coaches are less likely to change from shoes that have had a lot of research and development. Vibram should spend some money on trials in marathon runners, even amateurs, it would surely pay off big time for them.
It's all about the heel drop. With a minimal to zero drop you can have ample cushioning and still run with a natural stride. Many Hokas and altras have 2.5x more cushioning but have minimal to zero drop. Elite african runners are very light (ie Kenenisa Bekele is 5'6 56kg/120lbs) and wouldn't benefit from cushioning in contrast to non- elites or by people who may be overweight who could benefit from additional cushioning. Having someone who's 6'2 and 230lbs running a marathon is going to create much higher forces than someone who is 5'6 and 120lbs yet there is an expectation to use the same shoe. Vibram is a huge company btw, they make soles for so many different manufactures and in 2011 alone they made 100+ million just on five finger shoes, they just don't sponsor athletes.
@DCassidy42 I partially agree, but even with zero drop (or close to zero), having all toes packed together in a conventional shoe, won't give such a freedom of movement to your forefoot, as you can get in VFF. At least, that's what I noticed right away. After all though, VFF is just one of tools for your feet available on the market so in the end, use whatever works better for you.
i don't agree, i am a little women, 4 foot 11, 45 kg. still Running and practicing for altra marathon with coushning shoes caused me knee and back injury.......less weight people get benefit from coushied shoes, or no benifit,both are wrong concept
@@ajnawaygalaxy To be fair I don't think he meant to imply that all of Africa is like that. He was talking about Kenyan and Ethiopian runners, not Ghanaians.
@@adamclark1972ukIf you're not aware, this is a common occurrence. People will say "Africa" and generalize the qualities of specific countries to the entire continent. It displays a lot of ignorance.
You're right, but it doesn't make much of a difference. If I said "Chinese sweat shop" you could point out my ignorance of China and you'd be right, but that doesn't mean what I'm referring to doesn't very well exist and is more so understandable. Same thing applies; you know what he's saying. There are many world-class athletes that come from under-developed nation's even today-- often from parts of Africa.
@@marcmalloch4797 It makes a difference to people who do not fit into this generalization. Thinking in generalizations is the root of stereotyping and I don't think I need to explain to you how stereotypes can be harmful to society.
Great points. Elite runners don't NEED barefoot shoes, because they don't need any help running without a huge heel strike. Your video on the differences in stride in various types of shoes makes it very clear that even a little heel cushion invites the wearer to go faster (probably faster than they should) because they don't realize that they're starting to bang their heel as they land. You also noted that minimalist shoes like the MV2 ARE FASTER. So if you're an elite Kenyan runner, you wouldn't want them.
+Kalclash Fitness Ⓥ vibram is not only fivefinger they produce any kind of soles for the entire Outdoor Wworld since 1935.. if they want they can sponsor any kind of top athlete.. expecially in the running world where the top athlets doesn't earn like basketball players..
Vibram is a private company with a small slice of even the minimalist market (which is their specialty)....Nike is a publicly traded 100 billion dollar company that controls in excess of 60% of US footwear market share. Combined with Adidas (which owns Reebok), the two companies control in excess of 70% of the world wide footwear market share. Just some points of fact. Vibram may theoretically be able to sponsor top athletes, but in any head to head sponsorship bid the big players have bottomless pockets by comparison.
Always appreciate your great insights. You're right about the Kenyan runners. Getting that running form is important. And I believe going barefoot running/minimalist helps to transition into a better runner.
I looked up racing flats and they weren't flat. At least none of the articles I looked at. They weren't zero drop, the soles were thick, and a lot of them had toe spring.
does it actually feel like running barefoot I can run well barefoot but in trainers I just seem to run different I run better barefoot hence why I'm thinking of buying these to semi protect my foot , I also broke my baby toe and can't squish it into a trainer as it kills even after a month but running up the stairs barefoot with my broken baby toe doesnt hurt
While you ask some great questions all I can say is that it is up to you deciding what works and doesn't. I have not personally tried these but I do mainly wear shoes and diy sandles from xeroshoes.com. If the five fingers are something that will work while they do have support still but less from what I understand to traditional sneakers-- xeroshoes.com has less support and requires developing you foot muscles as minimal as I have found w the transition being different for each person.
Over the past 3 years I stopped heel striking and run on the balls of my foot, because of this the cushion of my heel sometimes feels like it’s getting in my way. However my biggest issue with sneakers: Neutral arch. In shoes without arch support I get bilateral arch pain that shoots up the sides of my feet. I would love to try the five fingers because I have wide feet and it feels most sneakers especially Nike are made for narrow footed people.
Nikes are not made for narrow footed people, narrow footed people are made for Nikes. If modern shoes didn’t exist we would probably all have wide feet
The bigger point is running technique not what shoes are on their feet. The top runners are not heal strikers and will not be regardless of what is on their feet. The top runners wear what someone pays them to wear, Vibram doesn't pay. I like FF because they allow the closest thing to barefoot running without worrying about cutting my feet or hot asphalt, don't really care what the racers are wearing.
imho, barefoot running or frontfoot running or pose running, as you wish to call, doesn't help you to achieve better performances. Let me explain: a correct pose in running helps you to prevent cronic pains and long term damages, while even a minimal shoe like Newton mv2, has a better responsiveness and gives a better feedback when stepping. More over, when you get tired enough in a long distance run a "normal" running shoe will help you to absorb impacts given by your mistaken step (because you are tired). Fivefingers don't help you at all if you can't keep the correct running pose. a last thing: if go in over extend your step you gain, a bit, of speed while accepting impacts and probably microtraumas. A cushioned shoe may absorb these impacts, fivefingers don't. In the end, my opinion is that you can run pretty well with fivefingers, but only on short distances, I would say 10-20 km. when you go on marathons or longer runs and your aim is time performance, I would suggest to use a shoe that helps you when you get tired and your step isn't good enough to keep a good pose while running.
It is very confusing to me. When ever I run barefeet or in vibrams (the lightest ones, bikila?), I tend to run faster. All my track PB-s are run barfeet 1500m - 4,14; 2000m - 5,59; 3000m - 9,05. YES i have spikes, very light ones...still they make me slower!!! On my easy days with zero drop light shoes i run around 4.50-5.00 min/km. When I put on vibrams or go barefeet i'm abel to run 10-20 sek per km faster (with same effort/heart rate). After many years, i haven't figured it out what is the deal. I have the 4% and zoom fly and Saucony A-Type and Nike Streak zoom etc. Cant run in zoom flys at all..feel so slugish and heavy...and slow. One year i had plantar facia injury. Couldnt run in any shoes. Finally discovered that i can run in vibrams. That year i ran a marathon in lightest vibrams. Because of injury i was off for 1,5month. Still ran easy 2.52. Im pretty sure i would be easily abel to run sub 2.40 with vibrams right now. But just too scared to try. So i will lace up zoom streak lt-s next week and try sub 2.35...eaven though im pretty sure i would go faster in vibrams. Basically there is smt. what functions better in my stride when i go barfeet. Any ideas?
Have you tried the Merrell trail gloves? To me they are the best minimalist shoe, without separate toes. Also a lillte more forgiving on tricky trails. Would be great to have you review those in comparison to your favorites.
i just love my five fingers for my long runs!!! Then the Vibram Merrills are good for my all around work outs....run/ Cross fit....then I use my mono sandals from time to time....I have a super nice set of Altra 2.5's but I just can't run in padded shoes anymore....and I run on very rocky desert trails...
during my "Running Era" i used to do 3.5 miles a day almost.. (coupled with a lot of bodyweight squats .. calisthenics essentially).. there time when i would go all crazy and hit 6 miles or so.. regular guy.. regular shoes.. but not he regular pain in the knees.. (it was there.. right there.. my LCL or MCL ganging up against me).. Come Vibram Spyridon and i charge at it like a bull.. Day 1.. half a mile and i can see the stars.. the calves on fire and a inevitable collapse on the ground.. easy on the transition.. 2 months.. the GAIT says strike changed to mid foot (and then some).. LCL/MCL have made peace and couldnt be happier.. all has been awesome in the wonderland.. got 4 pairs already.. to buy the V trail next.. *Run like the wind.. until the wind gets knocked out of you..*
Hey! I was just wondering. If i want to learn the right technique for outdoor-running, wich one of the FiveFingers is the best? I have one pair that i use, and they're okej, but i don't feel like they help me to get as good as i want to. I don't want/need to run fast, i just want to learn the right technique and get stronger feet. Would appreciate a good answer :) Best regards Adde
Andreas Hemmingsson Hey Adde, my preference is either the Bikila EVO or the KSO EVO. The KSO's offer more ground perception and have a thinner sole, so these are my top pick at the moment. Either would help with correct running form though...
Hey, thanks for the video. I think I had watched it already some years ago. I have run 45 marathons in my life, just for fun. I have fivefingers. They really help,to built up foot muscles and helped me to convert from heel striking to mid foot. However, you have to be careful in the transition. I once exaggerated it and had an injury in my foot after running 30 km in fivefingers. Therefore I never run a marathon in them. I also have Newton shoes. I think they were the fastest shoes, due to measurement, before Nike came up with their Kipchoge carbon plate next percentage blablabla shoe. I don’t know. I think you are right. The best is to train in minimal,shoes or even barefoot in order to have a mid foot or forefoot stride and built up muscles. I now use ToPo minimal shoes for training and short to 25 km distance and super thick and soft Hokas for long distance. It is my way to avoid injuries. I might use the vibram again. But I can’t imagine to use them for marathon or even ultra.
@@fistofthesnortstar No u dont get my point. Thats a good time for any Person. But i dont think someone with his PR or ur 2:58 should Talk about These shoes bei g good for pros. Pros run a 2:30 or even a 2:25 Marathon pace in their normal recover or moderate runs. Your Marathon pace is their easy pace. Pros run 200km a week at paces way faster then yours, so you or anyone else liking the shoes doesnt translate to pros.
Unbelievable, to believe that the top athletes wouldn't use them if it gives them an edge? Why has minimalist runner sales drastically dropped? If these African runners have always ran barefoot why didn't any of them in last Olympic's marathon run barefeet or even minimalist?
3:14 this video didn't know 2021 the valencia winner would be disqualified for using too highly staked midsole shoes 🤔 But your right get the basics down without shoes seems a legit plan
Thanks for the videos, man. Great advice. Learning lots and picking up great tips from you. Looking forward to becoming a barefoot runner. You've been my primary source for advice! Cheers!
Being a wild life hunter for 11 years the 5 finger shoes accommodates me on all jungle travels... wish they would make one for cold winters as I will be hunting in -30 temp.
Steve i want to ask when transitioning to vibrams can i excercise with high heeled shoes and run with Vibrams or it will impact my transitioning? Im doing Insanity T25 P90x workouts i have to excercise with vibrams too?
Hi! Nice video! I always use motion control shoes and considering for barefoot. But I am sure I want to get a transition shoes before that. Any recommendation? I have flat foot, overpronating
Hi Dian. Being flat footed and overpronating shouldn't matter when running in barefoot shoes. It's the heel to toe motion that causes problems and you won't have that when running in barefoot shoes. I personally don't think transition shoes work. In my opinion you should start right away with barefoot shoes and take things very slowly to start with and see how you get on.
I run about 6 miles a day, I'm a big guy- 6,6" 260 lbs. I've been told time and time again that running with minimalist gear will destroy my joints. Is this true? I'd really like to get a pair of the vibrams but don't have the money to throw away if they don't work.
I wasn't questioning the human body and its ability in a "wild" situation. The fact is: human physiology has changed with the advent of modern attire, infrastructure, and our reliance on powered transportation. I was simply wondering if anyone could give me input on how these shoes behave for someone of my relative size and routine.
+wayne russell the human body is the same. Kenia runners, run in barefoot. Our foot is in "sleep mode", tradicional shoes make same structures of the foot atrophied, you just need time to adapt..to make the transition
My knees are already shot from jumping out of planes and living the fast life as an Infantryman as well as having plantar fasciitis but when I slip these Vibrams on to run or walk around at home I feel like I'm walking on clouds. Everything you are doing on shoes you need to undue and retrain your foot/stride. Your lefs will be sore and you will have the habit of wanting to roll your foot instead of correctly landing it and that's because your foot has been spoiled by the shoe to do the work it should do on its own. Watch a few videos on how to properly run on Vibrams as our normal foot was made to and you will see what I mean. Good luck and enjoy your new pair in case you haven't gotten them yet.
Just to add a few things, the reason your joints go bad are actually due to the cushioned "heel-to-toe" strike type of shoes. Most people landing on their heels almost fully extend their leg to achieve "maximum stride", but his puts undue pressure on the knees, as the knee has to take full impact (minus the minor padding). When this padding wears thin after some miles, the knee takes even more impact. With the proper stride, your foot lands with your knee bent, allowing the impact to be better controlled by your muscles. This "proper stride" will cause less damage to your joints and will actually speed up your pace. Look at the dynamics of the human stride to see the effects.
No buddy. Meb Keflezegi is a heel striker, Kenyans all race in shoes. Shod vs unshod all the data points towards shod being 2 percent faster. Go ask the brownlees or Paula Radcliffe which is faster. You forget people race on tarmac, asphalt and tartan
Lots of Africans heel strike, don't be so ignorant. Abdi Abdirahman one of the best marathoners alive heel strikes. And doesn't wear five fingers cause he trains 100s of miles a week, and doesn't want a stress fracture. Five fingers are not practical for this day and age of training/surfaces.
Lol watching this video after Eliud Kipchoge set a PB in Nike Alphaflys and doing a sub 2 hour marathon in Nike Vapourfly both maximum cushion carbon plated shoes. Not to mention everyone else. But I liked your optimism even if it was a bit naive
I do not disagree with your belief in barefoot running or the issue of sponsorship for brand awareness and as to why high profile athletes wear the brands who give them the most money over any personal choices. What i would like you to elaborate on is what is behind your statement that there are " faster shoes ". I get the issue if you are running over a gnarly wet xcountry course and want to be competitive huaraches are not going to cut it. I was under the impression training and good form gets you faster not what " shoe" you wear.
+watzzupsport and lance Armstrong said "its not the bike you ride" But, we didn't see him winning races on a huffy. The point of the matter... The bike and shoe(for runners) are very important. But its heart/determination that completes goals. Good form is a bonus that should be practiced in order to reach a goal easier. 1.Heart/determination, 2. Form/style, 3.Shoe/equipment. Yes there are "faster" shoes.
+Nate fishes thanks for the reply, i guess then you could be having to say that as shoes are performance enhancing maybe all olympic and championship race meets should be barefoot so as to get real natural times. As for lance Armstrong, credibility is not his strong suite and is a poster child for the blurring line of economic gain and ethics in sport. As a non professional I do not have to make decisions based on an economic outcome for what equipment I use. I am glad I do not have to support the like of the throwaway and new model consumerism that is bred in the sweatshop manufacturing and landfill fodder running shoe industry. As a competitive natural form runner what minimalist type shoe do you recommend I should look at to get more speed from, what is their environmental and social imprint and why are they faster Regards Russell
Very good story! Is what I always tell during my Natural - Barefoot - running courses. But now they here it from someone else. Nice! Ruth Langemeijer, FeeTback-Amsterdam.
I appreciate the barefoot running theory very passionately as does my 23 yr old son. . However...my son insists on going barefoot for the rest of his life unless it is below freezing. I wondered if you had a wise viewpoint (common sense) on this? I would like a video showing the common sense of going barefoot on the track (clean surface, no nails or tacks), and the common sense of wearing this or that shoe, (whatever you suggest ) for someone like my son who adamantly abhors shoes despite rules in the city (no shoes, no service)... also just for walking city streets and hiking in rocky terrain. He and I are currently debating about this. (I can't afford his injuries, and he is dependant on me).
I was born with very high arches below my feet on top of this I joined the military at the age of 18, became a Paratrooper and as an Infantryman for 5 years and 2 deployments. I put my body through a lot of abuse and at one point I could not run anymore since my toes would go numb, my arches collapsed and last but not least my knees shot out on me from so much jumping and carrying weight as a grunt. My brother introduced me to these Five finger running shoes and since then I have been able to run again long distances but be aware that they do have cons stringed to these style of shoes. It is obvious you cannot run on too sharp of an object or it may puncture your sole.
Love the videos man, I've owned 2 pairs of vibram 5 fingers for many years but have always caught a lot of flak for wearing them not sure why that is. I enjoy just wearing them out and about but and slowly learning to run in them maybe someday I'll be close to you're level. Keep up the good work!
I think the actual issue is... Fucefingers makecyoh run naturally... unlike running trainers with are heel down first, vibration is toe and ball first...... that's the reason peopke don't use Fivefinger.. !!
I'm always wondering that myself, every day. It doesn't seem that hard. But apparently people have a hard time remembering when to use and when not to use. I suppose I did used to get confused between "it's" (it is) and "its" (possessive of "it) -- then I finally just looked it up enough times to finally remember that case, and remember it's different because it's a contraction, and goes against the usual rule.
I really enjoyed this video. I run anywhere from 2- 20 miles at a time. I like the Vibram Five Finger feel on my feet. I am the same though - I get better times in the Newton Distance Shoes.
Hey man, I ran a 1:23:07 half marathon in the MV2's in October. That's the furthest I've run in them so far, but planning to run a marathon in them in May 2015. 13.1 miles felt great.
I agree with most of your points but if you are a heel striker and you transition to minimalist shoes...you will have a bad time. You don't really want to learn forefoot striking in 5 fingers lol you better learn before that. Or take it really slow.
What he forgot to mention is that athletes from East Africa run on soil/grass so yeah, running barefoot or with minimal sole protection is quite safe. Most of us live in cities, we run on tarmac and concrete roads. Repeated pounding is hard/detrimental to our bodies no matter how good your form is or what level of a runner your are, this is most especially true for beginners, Neglecting to mention that makes his point invalid.
Eastern Africa is nowhere close to "soil/grass" consistency that you are specifying. They have a large amount of gravel pathways, rocky areas, and various other issues that would cause as much, if not more problems. How many times have you landed your feet on the pavement only to find that it is not as solid or a rock is hidden that could cause you to twist your ankle or even puncture through your "shoes". The pathways they run on in East Africa are nowhere near ideal running conditions.
I like minimalist shoes for encouraging good form even though I was already a forefoot striker to begin with despite being overweight and unathletic and wearing $10 tennis shoes most of my life before getting into running. It's helped develop the muscles and helped my tendons adapt, but I had to start very gradually because without highly cushioned shoes we would have our whole childhood to adapt to it and you can't expect those adaptations to occur rapidly because of our physiological limits. There is a point that is not fallacious because humans adapted to running distance barefoot or with only a minimal foot covering such as sandals to protect against foot lacerations. This doesn't mean it's necessarily optimal, but that we are physically able to run in this way for the most part. But also for most of our existence, most humans weren't running eighty miles a week or running on concrete, and even a healthy weight person in a wealthy society likely doesn't have to do nearly as much physical labor and has at least some weak muscles, so cushioning has its place based on circumstance or individual preference as long as you're keeping your strength and form good. There is no reason to think barefoot is optimal all the time in every circumstance or even for every person, as long as your muscles and tendons are plenty strengthened. I have found it helpful for adapting because as an overweight and unathletic beginner I went too much and too soon and even after losing weight my muscles were still too weak for the miles I wanted to put in, and the minimalist shoes helped me pull the reins in and keep good form.
I start running when i was 20 years old, i weighted 65 kg at that time. I increase my weight by doing some fitness to reach the weight of 90 kg at the age of 35 and then go through severe knees injurys. Of course i was running with classic sport shoes, i have tried many brands, the years after years i get some pain in the back and in the knees; both of them. It seems got a problem of inflammation in my meniscus, in the end i stop running for 3 years, no choices. Then in 2014 i bought a pair of vibram bikila, the transition was immediate because my feets and calves were trained by martials arts i kept practising since my 20's (karate, judo, thai boxing, taekwondoe. And since then, no more injuries, i kept beating my personnal records, the funny things i i weight now 105 kg and i'm aged 40 years old. And no pain in the back or in my knees. For me the vibram are a miracle product, i don't understand people who keep running with classical shoes and get injured. A lot of peple in my entourage are still sceptical about vibram, even if they see my training on runtastic, i'm actually running more than 130 km per weeks. I really hope that vibram can developp themselves and sell more shoes because the prices are still high, even if they worth their prices.
Do you know the annual turnover of Vibram? I do. It’s massive. Not as massive as Nike of course, but well and truly more than enough to sponsor dozens and dozens of athletes. That’s a poor argument. Professional runners don’t use VFFs because, as you note, they’re not fast, and professional runners want/need to win.
I don't buy his comment vibram can't afford to sponser people. There are African Gold medal winners who became citizens of middle eastern countries because they were provided an income which by many would be considered abysmal. I owned a pair of 5fingers before and although they were very comfortable for use as ordinary running shoes they were very expensive and the quality just wasn't there. They fell apart within the first year. I saw no reason to buy another pair.
You contradict yourself. If they are not the fastest running shoes out there, why the hell would a professional, who earns their life from this, would get something lesser than their competition? Having money is not the issue here, vibram can EASILY afford an athlete. Dirt cheap for them. The fact that they either can't or don't, just shows the performance metrics of this shoe. Also if it was so orthopedically / anatomically great, you would run great in it. Equipment can effect the technique but has nothing to do with the result. It is you who is doing the technique despite your equipment.
I think you are contradicting yourself as well... As you said in the latter part of your comment your technique is done absent from the shoe... This said, Nike, New Balance, Adidas, Fila, etc., understands that the footwear most of their athletes are winning in, is not the same footwear they train in. They get a large amount of people thinking that their expensive shoe is the end-all-be-all, just for watching an athlete wearing them on run day. So, even though Vibram IS a huge company, their shoe department dwarfs in comparison to their sole department. So they spend all their sponsorship money in connection with Merrel and other companies that utilize their soles in rock climbing, hiking, and other areas. There are many stories like Bikila, that have either had severe discomfort in their runs from their "sponsored" shoes, or had to have the company make a shoe specifically for them, so as not to cause injury. After Vibram's lawsuit a while ago, they are wise not to sponsor anyone in their shoe line until the get their feet back on the ground. (no pun intended)
Sponsored professionals tend to be able to get custom equipment from manufacturers that will meet their needs. All the manufacturers care about is people seeing the name; most people won't realise they soemtimes can't buy that exact product.
Hold up, you can make money from running? I dont mean the obvious sprinters and other olympic games, i always tought the ultra marathon runners dident get anny money?
Vibrams is well established and sponsors many athletes, the runners they sponsor run in other shoes that use vibram sole components.there are other reasons.And think about how many professionals use newcomer brands like hoka and altra
I spent years in the gym and on trails with lightweight heel-strike trail runners, eventually leading to a day when I sprained one of my ankles pretty badly on a steep downhill. That kinda took me out of the gym permanently. But I tried out some vibrams not long after as a replacement for the trail runners, and after an initial period of discomfort while my sock-babied feet got used to the friction, they were fantastic. I went through multiple pairs, all the way down through the tread on the thicker models. Loved them the whole time. More recently, I moved on to Luna sandals as their soles are very similar, but a pair weighed less for a given sole thickness. And they ended up fitting more securely, maybe because they're much closer to the traditional design and don't rely on stretchy materials to do anything structural.
pros don't wear them because you basically have to learn how to run all over again to some degree ...... pros don't want to take the chance on this re learn and the time it takes, I've been running with Vibrams for almost 10 years ... my arch is increased, my foot has strengthened, I never roll an ankle (I run mainly in the woods) and my form is much more efficient.... I personally swear by them.
Pro atheletes will use what they need to win; its function over form/appearance not the other way around. Cost of the shoe for the pro athlete is pretty much irrelevant.
You killed your own argument. An elite athlete makes money from running... fast... winning races. If a shoe does not allow them to run fast (win races), that would be the main reason for them not using the shoe in races. This point overrides your "two main reasons".
+jalopysandwich Heard of Abebe Bikila (after whom the Bikila line of VFF was named)? He won the Olympic marathon of Rome in '60 with a very respectable time of 2:15 and change.
+Aftab Bukhari Kalclash Fitness said that VFF would not make you a faster runner, not me. That is why I wrote "You (Kalclash Fitness) killed your own argument". However, considering the small percentage of barefoot runners who have completed sub 2hr16min marathons, it is obvious that Bikila is one of the few exceptions. Ironically, referring to Bikila as an example defeats the other argument that running barefoot prevents injuries because he had a history of knee problems and a broken foot that he suffered while running barefoot.
While i certainly wouldn't advise anyone to race competitively completely barefoot, I mentioned Adebe because a pair of VFF's wouldn't have prevented him from running "fast". So, it is yet to be established whether VFF's actually prevent pro runners with near perfect form from running "fast". Regarding injuries, based on many factors, there is no 100% prevention of injury during training, but training in barefoot wear, on natural surfaces, at least part of the time, certainly can prevent many kinds of injuries, simply put, because that is how we evolved to run. It engages the biomechanics of the foot as nature intended, such that even when you lace up in regular racing flats if you so choose to, your performance will definitely improve..
+Aftab Bukhari Five Fingers preventing pro runners from running fast was not my argument, it was Aftab Bukhari Kalcalsh Fitness said that (I just pointed that out, please take that up with him). Running barefoot or with minimalist footwear does decrease the risk for certain types of running injuries, but at the cost of the greater risk of other types of injuries. In particular, a higher percentage of barefoot or near barefoot runners suffer from plantar fasciitis than those who run in traditional running shoes. Also, it is common for barefoot/minimalist shoe runners suffer with calf and tendon (lower leg) injuries and (predictably, like Bikila) fractures or broken bones in the feet.
jalopysandwich I figured he was speaking about runners in general, but perhaps i was remembering a different video of his. Regarding planar fasciitics and achilles tendon injuries, I use to suffer from those chronic injuries regularly. Since I switched to minimal running shoes, particularly those with low heel-toe drop, my injuries were cured virtually over night, and I've never looked back, and since then, I've nearly doubled my weekly mileage (to about 50-70 miles a week), and i clock sub 15 minute 5k times regularly. I'm by no means pro, but i run nightly 7 days a week, between 7 and 12 miles, depending on the route, mostly hilly roads. The other benefit of minimal footwear, is, surprisingly, they usually last a lot longer.
These are silly explanations. The truth is that they don't run in shoes like Vibrams (or barefoot) because in a race they want to run the quickest they can and have every possible advantage over competition. So they wear real running shoes, which basically act like doping for them. This of course does not mean that they do or that you should use such fancy shoes for TRAINING where the exact point is to make running HARDER for you in order to learn technique and condition muscles, nor for RECREATION where the point is to have fun.
Exactly. I don't train in racing flats. And I don't race in my trainers, whether they're cushioned or minimalist. Training in racing flats is only for rich people who have heard about the commotion for the vaporfly and shoes like it and pay top dollar for "the best" even if it isn't suited to your easy 30-minute jogs.
Professionals are professionals ....meanubg They get paid to achieve quicker times, not better workouts. They want it to be easier, not correct form running.
If you're transitioning make sure to do so gradually, or else you'll be subjecting your body to a radically different strain and actually be more likely to get injured. So only injury-resistant if you're careful to do it right
I've run 5 marathons with the last two in Vibrams. In my first 3 marathons I used to get ITB and ham string strains regularly during training. The day after marathon runs I would walk like a duck and my hips and knees felt bruised. I took a couple of years transitioning into five fingers with my first runs showing me just how much regular trainers had taught me to heel strike; It felt like I'd loosened all my teeth I was landing so hard. I then felt the shock on my calves as they learned to take over correct running form. Transitioning isn't immediate but it is so worth it and once done, you never go back. I noticed to my surprise after my first five finger marathon I had virtually no post marathon aches and pains and a sprint finish I didn't know I had. My last marathon was my fastest, run in Vibram Seeyas.
I really can't remember the last time I had a running injury. My favourite surface is winter running in snow. Its so weird to leave footprints in fresh snow and with close contact with the ground I've never slipped. This despite vibrams smooth soles.I even tried running in regular trainers one day, It was like running in wellington boots; so soggy and lifeless. Never again.
Awesome story!
I have very high arches, Morton's toe and my knees are shot thanks to jumping out of planes. I have been a runner for some time and after I left the service I realized running made my feet go dumb so the doctors told me forget about running but when I got myself some of these bad boys I was back again on the road running. The first few weeks it kicks your butt and the soreness and pain when you sit is uncomfortable but worth it hahaha
I'm gonna call BS on you Philip. If you wore Vibrams in the snow you would probably would have lost your toes to frostbite.
Emaster01
That sounds like someone who tried once and failed to progress. I've never heard that excuse for avoiding vvfs. But I can assure you that's exactly what I do. Part of the benefit of running in minimal to barefoot is that you use the full function of the foot. This is why you need to transition. Once you do there is an improvement in flexibility and muscles. This requires an improved blood flow. This improvement diminishes the likelihood of frostbite. I only wish I had photos to prove my point. I can definitely assure you I will never run in running Wellingtons again.
I run winter time with fivefingers. Sometimes when it´s below -10 I wear socks in them :) No problems.
Vibram is a huge company. Just about every work boot has Vibram soles.
ah. And why the professional surfers are not sponsored by adidas or nike? Vibram is more for mountaneers, not for marathon, but the way they purpose to run, is the same way you come to the world. Barefoot.
Vibram have large reach, are very common, and are profitable. However, they mainly make soles, a single component of a shoe, so there's nowhere near as much money in it.
This video was made in 2014. That means that Vibram has had four years of business growth.
Well i guess the professional runners can run their marathons in work boots then
Hoka is a relatively new company and is used by pro runners.....
Compared to Hoka or Altra, Vibram is huge. Those companies sponsor athletes.
Vibram is the largest manufacturer of soles
Hoka had a whole endcap at the store today. I was surprised. They’ve grown.
They don't race in trainers either. They run in shoes even lighter and with less padding then a vibram. And the number one reason to run in a trainer during practice is that it's heavy. So on race day you feel like your feet are flying off the ground when you put on a 2 oz racing flat. Keep in mind pros have strong feet. They don't need support. Pros run fast like a sprinter for miles, on their toes. They don't heel strike. Vibrams have an obvious proprioceptive advantage over trainers with excessive heel strike. And the pros I know don't use clunky trainers. They use shoes that have a minimal heel drop but are a little heavier than the uber minimalist racing flats. A heavier vibram, like the leather ones, could serve this purpose.
Can you give some examples of those uber minimalist light flats? Thanks for sharing!
I'm not a runner, yet, but I love to hike in the FiveFingers. I know what you mean about shoes ( and hiking boots) having high heels. Such a stupid design that's been insidious for way too long. I'm SO glad the minimalist shoe style is gaining popularity. It's nice to know that runners such as yourself find them excellent for training.
Absolutely! Sounds like you're already halfway there if you're hiking in them!! Give them a go for running, remember to enjoy the experience and let me know how you get on :-)
I need to know what kind of Vibrams to buy for hiking. help...?
Well, running spikes (that athletes use on track events) are kinda like vibrams, in that they don't have any heel/cushioning. It is odd how that goes out the window for marathons, where shoes like this may have a bigger impact.
Vibram are definitely big enough to sponsor some athletes, plus if they are faster and cause less injuries, then surely the top guys would risk losing some sponsorship money in order to break a world record, to later have more sponsors/book deal/medal etc. I think its more a case that the top athletes don't heel strike, they already run in a more similar way to barefoot/vibrams (as you say), so the risk/reward ratio is lower, therefore coaches are less likely to change from shoes that have had a lot of research and development.
Vibram should spend some money on trials in marathon runners, even amateurs, it would surely pay off big time for them.
It's all about the heel drop. With a minimal to zero drop you can have ample cushioning and still run with a natural stride. Many Hokas and altras have 2.5x more cushioning but have minimal to zero drop. Elite african runners are very light (ie Kenenisa Bekele is 5'6 56kg/120lbs) and wouldn't benefit from cushioning in contrast to non- elites or by people who may be overweight who could benefit from additional cushioning. Having someone who's 6'2 and 230lbs running a marathon is going to create much higher forces than someone who is 5'6 and 120lbs yet there is an expectation to use the same shoe. Vibram is a huge company btw, they make soles for so many different manufactures and in 2011 alone they made 100+ million just on five finger shoes, they just don't sponsor athletes.
DCassidy42 Altra's cause me a lot of pain, yet barefoot or vibrams cause virtually none.
The cussioning should be the natural muscles in the legs and foot, right?
@DCassidy42
I partially agree, but even with zero drop (or close to zero), having all toes packed together in a conventional shoe, won't give such a freedom of movement to your forefoot, as you can get in VFF. At least, that's what I noticed right away. After all though, VFF is just one of tools for your feet available on the market so in the end, use whatever works better for you.
Are you saying shorter people or people who are light would benifit more with these shoes?
i don't agree, i am a little women, 4 foot 11, 45 kg. still Running and practicing for altra marathon with coushning shoes caused me knee and back injury.......less weight people get benefit from coushied shoes, or no benifit,both are wrong concept
Watching this video from Africa on my cell phone in the middle of a city.
I'm Ghanian and I cringed so hard when he said "running through the African deserts and savannas." The ignorance is real smh
@@ajnawaygalaxy To be fair I don't think he meant to imply that all of Africa is like that. He was talking about Kenyan and Ethiopian runners, not Ghanaians.
@@adamclark1972ukIf you're not aware, this is a common occurrence. People will say "Africa" and generalize the qualities of specific countries to the entire continent. It displays a lot of ignorance.
You're right, but it doesn't make much of a difference. If I said "Chinese sweat shop" you could point out my ignorance of China and you'd be right, but that doesn't mean what I'm referring to doesn't very well exist and is more so understandable. Same thing applies; you know what he's saying. There are many world-class athletes that come from under-developed nation's even today-- often from parts of Africa.
@@marcmalloch4797 It makes a difference to people who do not fit into this generalization. Thinking in generalizations is the root of stereotyping and I don't think I need to explain to you how stereotypes can be harmful to society.
Great points. Elite runners don't NEED barefoot shoes, because they don't need any help running without a huge heel strike. Your video on the differences in stride in various types of shoes makes it very clear that even a little heel cushion invites the wearer to go faster (probably faster than they should) because they don't realize that they're starting to bang their heel as they land. You also noted that minimalist shoes like the MV2 ARE FASTER. So if you're an elite Kenyan runner, you wouldn't want them.
Usain Bolt is forsure a name you know....no heel strikes while running at full speed. Its not about the speed its about the technique.
I guess you don't know how big vibram is. They invented the rubber sole and hiking boot. So I'm pretty sure they have enough money to sponsor someone.
vibram makes the soles of most of the workboots in america... its a huge company
Next vid, do not repeat yourself soo much! This vid only had about 45 seconds of actual information...
vibram is not a small company..
+T8totto relatively speaking it is small compared to the likes of Nike, Adidas, Reebok etc etc...
+Kalclash Fitness Ⓥ vibram is not only fivefinger they produce any kind of soles for the entire Outdoor Wworld since 1935.. if they want they can sponsor any kind of top athlete.. expecially in the running world where the top athlets doesn't earn like basketball players..
Vibram is a private company with a small slice of even the minimalist market (which is their specialty)....Nike is a publicly traded 100 billion dollar company that controls in excess of 60% of US footwear market share. Combined with Adidas (which owns Reebok), the two companies control in excess of 70% of the world wide footwear market share. Just some points of fact. Vibram may theoretically be able to sponsor top athletes, but in any head to head sponsorship bid the big players have bottomless pockets by comparison.
+Michael Robins well said sir
ask yourself why adidas or nike give no sponsor in surf.
Always appreciate your great insights. You're right about the Kenyan runners. Getting that running form is important. And I believe going barefoot running/minimalist helps to transition into a better runner.
I have 4 pairs of shoes with combined value couple of thousands € and they all have vibram soles.They have more than enough money for sponsorships😁
Struggling to see your point on the Newton MV 2 being faster. How does it make you run faster please explain
Like the difference of running a 400 in a track spike versus hoka. Which would you prefer? I imagine that's what hes getting at.
I looked up racing flats and they weren't flat. At least none of the articles I looked at. They weren't zero drop, the soles were thick, and a lot of them had toe spring.
What was the other shoe he mentioned? Sounded like Newton but I've never heard of them.
What model of Vibram VFF are you holding in this video? I love the colorway but can't find em
Looks to be the old version of the V run
I have learned alot from this channel. Diet, training and proper shoes ! I have been doing it all wrong for years haha
Thank you - I'm glad my content has added value to your life!!
does it actually feel like running barefoot I can run well barefoot but in trainers I just seem to run different I run better barefoot hence why I'm thinking of buying these to semi protect my foot , I also broke my baby toe and can't squish it into a trainer as it kills even after a month but running up the stairs barefoot with my broken baby toe doesnt hurt
Rollo Larson ok thanks I'm going to start beach running anyways so think I'll be ok barefoot if i look out for stuff on the beach
While you ask some great questions all I can say is that it is up to you deciding what works and doesn't. I have not personally tried these but I do mainly wear shoes and diy sandles from xeroshoes.com. If the five fingers are something that will work while they do have support still but less from what I understand to traditional sneakers-- xeroshoes.com has less support and requires developing you foot muscles as minimal as I have found w the transition being different for each person.
Over the past 3 years I stopped heel striking and run on the balls of my foot, because of this the cushion of my heel sometimes feels like it’s getting in my way. However my biggest issue with sneakers: Neutral arch. In shoes without arch support I get bilateral arch pain that shoots up the sides of my feet. I would love to try the five fingers because I have wide feet and it feels most sneakers especially Nike are made for narrow footed people.
Nikes are not made for narrow footed people, narrow footed people are made for Nikes. If modern shoes didn’t exist we would probably all have wide feet
What are those shoes called again? Can you please repeat it once more?
Having material between your toes is the bit I don't understand, what is the purpose of the separate toes?
The bigger point is running technique not what shoes are on their feet. The top runners are not heal strikers and will not be regardless of what is on their feet. The top runners wear what someone pays them to wear, Vibram doesn't pay. I like FF because they allow the closest thing to barefoot running without worrying about cutting my feet or hot asphalt, don't really care what the racers are wearing.
Thanks, but please do explain; why they are not the fastest shoes?
imho, barefoot running or frontfoot running or pose running, as you wish to call, doesn't help you to achieve better performances. Let me explain: a correct pose in running helps you to prevent cronic pains and long term damages, while even a minimal shoe like Newton mv2, has a better responsiveness and gives a better feedback when stepping.
More over, when you get tired enough in a long distance run a "normal" running shoe will help you to absorb impacts given by your mistaken step (because you are tired). Fivefingers don't help you at all if you can't keep the correct running pose.
a last thing: if go in over extend your step you gain, a bit, of speed while accepting impacts and probably microtraumas. A cushioned shoe may absorb these impacts, fivefingers don't.
In the end, my opinion is that you can run pretty well with fivefingers, but only on short distances, I would say 10-20 km.
when you go on marathons or longer runs and your aim is time performance, I would suggest to use a shoe that helps you when you get tired and your step isn't good enough to keep a good pose while running.
Aerodynamics
excellent discussion. Excellent video. The name, "VEE-brahm". Invented/started by Vitale Bramani. Heck of a mountain climbing legacy...
It is very confusing to me. When ever I run barefeet or in vibrams (the lightest ones, bikila?), I tend to run faster.
All my track PB-s are run barfeet 1500m - 4,14; 2000m - 5,59; 3000m - 9,05. YES i have spikes, very light ones...still they make me slower!!!
On my easy days with zero drop light shoes i run around 4.50-5.00 min/km. When I put on vibrams or go barefeet i'm abel to run 10-20 sek per km faster (with same effort/heart rate).
After many years, i haven't figured it out what is the deal. I have the 4% and zoom fly and Saucony A-Type and Nike Streak zoom etc. Cant run in zoom flys at all..feel so slugish and heavy...and slow.
One year i had plantar facia injury. Couldnt run in any shoes. Finally discovered that i can run in vibrams. That year i ran a marathon in lightest vibrams. Because of injury i was off for 1,5month. Still ran easy 2.52.
Im pretty sure i would be easily abel to run sub 2.40 with vibrams right now. But just too scared to try.
So i will lace up zoom streak lt-s next week and try sub 2.35...eaven though im pretty sure i would go faster in vibrams.
Basically there is smt. what functions better in my stride when i go barfeet. Any ideas?
Have you tried the Merrell trail gloves? To me they are the best minimalist shoe, without separate toes. Also a lillte more forgiving on tricky trails. Would be great to have you review those in comparison to your favorites.
Emil Svedung Hey man, they're next on my list to try. As soon as I have you'll be the first to know!
Emil Svedung I wish they made a pair that were not narrow in the toebox.
i just love my five fingers for my long runs!!! Then the Vibram Merrills are good for my all around work outs....run/ Cross fit....then I use my mono sandals from time to time....I have a super nice set of Altra 2.5's but I just can't run in padded shoes anymore....and I run on very rocky desert trails...
during my "Running Era" i used to do 3.5 miles a day almost.. (coupled with a lot of bodyweight squats .. calisthenics essentially).. there time when i would go all crazy and hit 6 miles or so.. regular guy.. regular shoes.. but not he regular pain in the knees.. (it was there.. right there.. my LCL or MCL ganging up against me)..
Come Vibram Spyridon and i charge at it like a bull.. Day 1.. half a mile and i can see the stars.. the calves on fire and a inevitable collapse on the ground..
easy on the transition.. 2 months.. the GAIT says strike changed to mid foot (and then some).. LCL/MCL have made peace and couldnt be happier.. all has been awesome in the wonderland..
got 4 pairs already.. to buy the V trail next..
*Run like the wind.. until the wind gets knocked out of you..*
Running on your toes is better than running with your heels. And you run faster on your toes rather than running from heel to toes
When I run in my five fingers it really aggravates my plantar fasciitis. Anyone else have this issue?
Hey!
I was just wondering. If i want to learn the right technique for outdoor-running, wich one of the FiveFingers is the best? I have one pair that i use, and they're okej, but i don't feel like they help me to get as good as i want to.
I don't want/need to run fast, i just want to learn the right technique and get stronger feet.
Would appreciate a good answer :)
Best regards
Adde
Andreas Hemmingsson Hey Adde, my preference is either the Bikila EVO or the KSO EVO. The KSO's offer more ground perception and have a thinner sole, so these are my top pick at the moment. Either would help with correct running form though...
Hey, thanks for the video. I think I had watched it already some years ago.
I have run 45 marathons in my life, just for fun. I have fivefingers. They really help,to built up foot muscles and helped me to convert from heel striking to mid foot. However, you have to be careful in the transition. I once exaggerated it and had an injury in my foot after running 30 km in fivefingers. Therefore I never run a marathon in them. I also have Newton shoes. I think they were the fastest shoes, due to measurement, before Nike came up with their Kipchoge carbon plate next percentage blablabla shoe. I don’t know. I think you are right. The best is to train in minimal,shoes or even barefoot in order to have a mid foot or forefoot stride and built up muscles. I now use ToPo minimal shoes for training and short to 25 km distance and super thick and soft Hokas for long distance. It is my way to avoid injuries. I might use the vibram again. But I can’t imagine to use them for marathon or even ultra.
How far do you run in your Newton MV2's? Have you done over a 20 mile run in them? If so, how do they hold up?
+Dan Kearney Bit late to this comment! Yeah I've run 3 runs over 20 miles in the MV2 including a mmarathon and they were all good.
Didnt they get sued for false advertising?
Hello, would you suggest 5 fingers for sprint ?
Picked up a pair of V Runs! Love them! Great video!
They can be pretty fast though, did a marathon in 2:58 on my Bikila Evo's recently :)
GZ
Thats Not rly fast...
@@hansfabiankoeger8657 well, for an amateur it's not that slow i think, what would you hold as fast for an amateur? 2:30?
@@fistofthesnortstar No u dont get my point. Thats a good time for any Person. But i dont think someone with his PR or ur 2:58 should Talk about These shoes bei g good for pros.
Pros run a 2:30 or even a 2:25 Marathon pace in their normal recover or moderate runs. Your Marathon pace is their easy pace.
Pros run 200km a week at paces way faster then yours, so you or anyone else liking the shoes doesnt translate to pros.
Unbelievable, to believe that the top athletes wouldn't use them if it gives them an edge?
Why has minimalist runner sales drastically dropped?
If these African runners have always ran barefoot why didn't any of them in last Olympic's marathon run barefeet or even minimalist?
Vibram make the soul of any hiking boot work boot military boot worth wearing..
3:14 this video didn't know 2021 the valencia winner would be disqualified for using too highly staked midsole shoes 🤔
But your right get the basics down without shoes seems a legit plan
Thanks for the videos, man. Great advice. Learning lots and picking up great tips from you. Looking forward to becoming a barefoot runner. You've been my primary source for advice! Cheers!
Its fine if you use these but i coulnt get used to this if i tried its weird
What do you wear now Newton don't make the mv2 or mv3?
Good to know, speed is from a shoe, not from a muscle :)
haha, lol, right?
Being a wild life hunter for 11 years the 5 finger shoes accommodates me on all jungle travels... wish they would make one for cold winters as I will be hunting in -30 temp.
Try their Insulated Vtrek
Have you tried skinnners shoes? Could you do a review maybe?
you don't need barefoot shoes to not get injured. Just have good form that's the real key
Wrong, you can't get good form with bulky shoes, they will prevent you
Steve i want to ask when transitioning to vibrams can i excercise with high heeled shoes and run with Vibrams or it will impact my transitioning? Im doing Insanity T25 P90x workouts i have to excercise with vibrams too?
Get rid of all footwear that isn't flat/zero drop.
@@cranebeg yep
Hi! Nice video! I always use motion control shoes and considering for barefoot. But I am sure I want to get a transition shoes before that. Any recommendation? I have flat foot, overpronating
Hi Dian. Being flat footed and overpronating shouldn't matter when running in barefoot shoes. It's the heel to toe motion that causes problems and you won't have that when running in barefoot shoes. I personally don't think transition shoes work. In my opinion you should start right away with barefoot shoes and take things very slowly to start with and see how you get on.
I run about 6 miles a day, I'm a big guy- 6,6" 260 lbs. I've been told time and time again that running with minimalist gear will destroy my joints. Is this true? I'd really like to get a pair of the vibrams but don't have the money to throw away if they don't work.
+wayne russell if you live in the wild...would you be able to run or not?? did nature make our foot imperfect?? ask yourself that question.
I wasn't questioning the human body and its ability in a "wild" situation. The fact is: human physiology has changed with the advent of modern attire, infrastructure, and our reliance on powered transportation. I was simply wondering if anyone could give me input on how these shoes behave for someone of my relative size and routine.
+wayne russell the human body is the same. Kenia runners, run in barefoot. Our foot is in "sleep mode", tradicional shoes make same structures of the foot atrophied, you just need time to adapt..to make the transition
My knees are already shot from jumping out of planes and living the fast life as an Infantryman as well as having plantar fasciitis but when I slip these Vibrams on to run or walk around at home I feel like I'm walking on clouds. Everything you are doing on shoes you need to undue and retrain your foot/stride. Your lefs will be sore and you will have the habit of wanting to roll your foot instead of correctly landing it and that's because your foot has been spoiled by the shoe to do the work it should do on its own. Watch a few videos on how to properly run on Vibrams as our normal foot was made to and you will see what I mean. Good luck and enjoy your new pair in case you haven't gotten them yet.
Just to add a few things, the reason your joints go bad are actually due to the cushioned "heel-to-toe" strike type of shoes. Most people landing on their heels almost fully extend their leg to achieve "maximum stride", but his puts undue pressure on the knees, as the knee has to take full impact (minus the minor padding). When this padding wears thin after some miles, the knee takes even more impact. With the proper stride, your foot lands with your knee bent, allowing the impact to be better controlled by your muscles. This "proper stride" will cause less damage to your joints and will actually speed up your pace. Look at the dynamics of the human stride to see the effects.
No buddy. Meb Keflezegi is a heel striker, Kenyans all race in shoes. Shod vs unshod all the data points towards shod being 2 percent faster. Go ask the brownlees or Paula Radcliffe which is faster. You forget people race on tarmac, asphalt and tartan
Lots of Africans heel strike, don't be so ignorant.
Abdi Abdirahman one of the best marathoners alive heel strikes. And doesn't wear five fingers cause he trains 100s of miles a week, and doesn't want a stress fracture. Five fingers are not practical for this day and age of training/surfaces.
Thank god this wasn't a drinking game.... if i had to do a shot after every time he said "Vibram FiveFingers" I'd be in hospital with alcohol poising
Was that supposed to be funny?
@@leob4403 apparently sarcasm is lost on some people & you're replying to a four year old comment, nice one d**khead
Thank you. Great video 👍
Lol watching this video after Eliud Kipchoge set a PB in Nike Alphaflys and doing a sub 2 hour marathon in Nike Vapourfly both maximum cushion carbon plated shoes. Not to mention everyone else. But I liked your optimism even if it was a bit naive
faster doesn't mean better or healthier.
I need to know which kind to buy for walking/hiking... ??
Good design ideas Vibram shoes
Finally someone talking the truth. Thanks!
I do not disagree with your belief in barefoot running or the issue of sponsorship for brand awareness and as to why high profile athletes wear the brands who give them the most money over any personal choices. What i would like you to elaborate on is what is behind your statement that there are " faster shoes ". I get the issue if you are running over a gnarly wet xcountry course and want to be competitive huaraches are not going to cut it. I was under the impression training and good form gets you faster not what " shoe" you wear.
+watzzupsport and lance Armstrong said "its not the bike you ride" But, we didn't see him winning races on a huffy. The point of the matter... The bike and shoe(for runners) are very important. But its heart/determination that completes goals. Good form is a bonus that should be practiced in order to reach a goal easier. 1.Heart/determination, 2. Form/style, 3.Shoe/equipment. Yes there are "faster" shoes.
+Nate fishes thanks for the reply, i guess then you could be having to say that as shoes are performance enhancing maybe all olympic and championship race meets should be barefoot so as to get real natural times. As for lance Armstrong, credibility is not his strong suite and is a poster child for the blurring line of economic gain and ethics in sport.
As a non professional I do not have to make decisions based on an economic outcome for what equipment I use. I am glad I do not have to support the like of the throwaway and new model consumerism that is bred in the sweatshop manufacturing and landfill fodder running shoe industry.
As a competitive natural form runner what minimalist type shoe do you recommend I should look at to get more speed from, what is their environmental and social imprint and why are they faster
Regards Russell
Very good story! Is what I always tell during my Natural - Barefoot - running courses. But now they here it from someone else. Nice! Ruth Langemeijer, FeeTback-Amsterdam.
they way he pronounces adidas 10/10
WTWRCPMCB short for Adolf Dassler so should be more like “addy - dass” no long “ee” in the middle
What benefit is there in have your toes each have a shoe?
So they can splay
I appreciate the barefoot running theory very passionately as does my 23 yr old son. . However...my son insists on going barefoot for the rest of his life unless it is below freezing. I wondered if you had a wise viewpoint (common sense) on this? I would like a video showing the common sense of going barefoot on the track (clean surface, no nails or tacks), and the common sense of wearing this or that shoe, (whatever you suggest ) for someone like my son who adamantly abhors shoes despite rules in the city (no shoes, no service)... also just for walking city streets and hiking in rocky terrain. He and I are currently debating about this. (I can't afford his injuries, and he is dependant on me).
I was born with very high arches below my feet on top of this I joined the military at the age of 18, became a Paratrooper and as an Infantryman for 5 years and 2 deployments. I put my body through a lot of abuse and at one point I could not run anymore since my toes would go numb, my arches collapsed and last but not least my knees shot out on me from so much jumping and carrying weight as a grunt. My brother introduced me to these Five finger running shoes and since then I have been able to run again long distances but be aware that they do have cons stringed to these style of shoes. It is obvious you cannot run on too sharp of an object or it may puncture your sole.
Just read Born to run, Will answer all your questions.
Love the videos man, I've owned 2 pairs of vibram 5 fingers for many years but have always caught a lot of flak for wearing them not sure why that is. I enjoy just wearing them out and about but and slowly learning to run in them maybe someday I'll be close to you're level. Keep up the good work!
I think the actual issue is... Fucefingers makecyoh run naturally... unlike running trainers with are heel down first, vibration is toe and ball first...... that's the reason peopke don't use Fivefinger.. !!
why don't people use apostrophes correctly?
I'm always wondering that myself, every day. It doesn't seem that hard. But apparently people have a hard time remembering when to use and when not to use. I suppose I did used to get confused between "it's" (it is) and "its" (possessive of "it) -- then I finally just looked it up enough times to finally remember that case, and remember it's different because it's a contraction, and goes against the usual rule.
Why don't people start sentences with capital letters?
Nothing about basic reading or writing is taught well enough. Teachers don't have the parental backup they once had.
How long does it take to get use to tnem ?
I would say the fivefingers are not suitable for road races (because of the hard asphalt surface) and that's why athletes don't use them.
Excellent video. I agree with all points and I love VFFs.
I really enjoyed this video. I run anywhere from 2- 20 miles at a time. I like the Vibram Five Finger feel on my feet. I am the same though - I get better times in the Newton Distance Shoes.
Hey man, I ran a 1:23:07 half marathon in the MV2's in October. That's the furthest I've run in them so far, but planning to run a marathon in them in May 2015. 13.1 miles felt great.
I agree with most of your points but if you are a heel striker and you transition to minimalist shoes...you will have a bad time. You don't really want to learn forefoot striking in 5 fingers lol you better learn before that. Or take it really slow.
What he forgot to mention is that athletes from East Africa run on soil/grass so yeah, running barefoot or with minimal sole protection is quite safe. Most of us live in cities, we run on tarmac and concrete roads. Repeated pounding is hard/detrimental to our bodies no matter how good your form is or what level of a runner your are, this is most especially true for beginners, Neglecting to mention that makes his point invalid.
I didn't neglect to mention that as it is rubbish, unsubstantiated and not true.
Kalclash Fitness Ⓥ If you say so.
Eastern Africa is nowhere close to "soil/grass" consistency that you are specifying. They have a large amount of gravel pathways, rocky areas, and various other issues that would cause as much, if not more problems. How many times have you landed your feet on the pavement only to find that it is not as solid or a rock is hidden that could cause you to twist your ankle or even puncture through your "shoes". The pathways they run on in East Africa are nowhere near ideal running conditions.
I like minimalist shoes for encouraging good form even though I was already a forefoot striker to begin with despite being overweight and unathletic and wearing $10 tennis shoes most of my life before getting into running. It's helped develop the muscles and helped my tendons adapt, but I had to start very gradually because without highly cushioned shoes we would have our whole childhood to adapt to it and you can't expect those adaptations to occur rapidly because of our physiological limits.
There is a point that is not fallacious because humans adapted to running distance barefoot or with only a minimal foot covering such as sandals to protect against foot lacerations. This doesn't mean it's necessarily optimal, but that we are physically able to run in this way for the most part. But also for most of our existence, most humans weren't running eighty miles a week or running on concrete, and even a healthy weight person in a wealthy society likely doesn't have to do nearly as much physical labor and has at least some weak muscles, so cushioning has its place based on circumstance or individual preference as long as you're keeping your strength and form good.
There is no reason to think barefoot is optimal all the time in every circumstance or even for every person, as long as your muscles and tendons are plenty strengthened. I have found it helpful for adapting because as an overweight and unathletic beginner I went too much and too soon and even after losing weight my muscles were still too weak for the miles I wanted to put in, and the minimalist shoes helped me pull the reins in and keep good form.
@@aaryt running on concrete feels soft to me because i actually land properly. it really doesnt hurt at all
I start running when i was 20 years old, i weighted 65 kg at that time. I increase my weight by doing some fitness to reach the weight of 90 kg at the age of 35 and then go through severe knees injurys. Of course i was running with classic sport shoes, i have tried many brands, the years after years i get some pain in the back and in the knees; both of them. It seems got a problem of inflammation in my meniscus, in the end i stop running for 3 years, no choices. Then in 2014 i bought a pair of vibram bikila, the transition was immediate because my feets and calves were trained by martials arts i kept practising since my 20's (karate, judo, thai boxing, taekwondoe. And since then, no more injuries, i kept beating my personnal records, the funny things i i weight now 105 kg and i'm aged 40 years old. And no pain in the back or in my knees. For me the vibram are a miracle product, i don't understand people who keep running with classical shoes and get injured. A lot of peple in my entourage are still sceptical about vibram, even if they see my training on runtastic, i'm actually running more than 130 km per weeks. I really hope that vibram can developp themselves and sell more shoes because the prices are still high, even if they worth their prices.
Do you know the annual turnover of Vibram? I do. It’s massive. Not as massive as Nike of course, but well and truly more than enough to sponsor dozens and dozens of athletes. That’s a poor argument. Professional runners don’t use VFFs because, as you note, they’re not fast, and professional runners want/need to win.
I don't buy his comment vibram can't afford to sponser people. There are African Gold medal winners who became citizens of middle eastern countries because they were provided an income which by many would be considered abysmal. I owned a pair of 5fingers before and although they were very comfortable for use as ordinary running shoes they were very expensive and the quality just wasn't there. They fell apart within the first year. I saw no reason to buy another pair.
Vibrant is small?
Great video, I love your passion bro, keep it up!
You contradict yourself.
If they are not the fastest running shoes out there, why the hell would a professional, who earns their life from this, would get something lesser than their competition? Having money is not the issue here, vibram can EASILY afford an athlete. Dirt cheap for them. The fact that they either can't or don't, just shows the performance metrics of this shoe.
Also if it was so orthopedically / anatomically great, you would run great in it. Equipment can effect the technique but has nothing to do with the result. It is you who is doing the technique despite your equipment.
I think you are contradicting yourself as well... As you said in the latter part of your comment your technique is done absent from the shoe... This said, Nike, New Balance, Adidas, Fila, etc., understands that the footwear most of their athletes are winning in, is not the same footwear they train in. They get a large amount of people thinking that their expensive shoe is the end-all-be-all, just for watching an athlete wearing them on run day.
So, even though Vibram IS a huge company, their shoe department dwarfs in comparison to their sole department. So they spend all their sponsorship money in connection with Merrel and other companies that utilize their soles in rock climbing, hiking, and other areas. There are many stories like Bikila, that have either had severe discomfort in their runs from their "sponsored" shoes, or had to have the company make a shoe specifically for them, so as not to cause injury.
After Vibram's lawsuit a while ago, they are wise not to sponsor anyone in their shoe line until the get their feet back on the ground. (no pun intended)
Sponsored professionals tend to be able to get custom equipment from manufacturers that will meet their needs. All the manufacturers care about is people seeing the name; most people won't realise they soemtimes can't buy that exact product.
Kazathul
big soles extend the length of your legs so they should be faster but you will probably break your ankle
Small company. Right.
You're a runner...right?
Hold up, you can make money from running? I dont mean the obvious sprinters and other olympic games, i always tought the ultra marathon runners dident get anny money?
Vibram might be healthier or more comfortable but i actually think running shoes might not be the most comfortable.
Barefoot is the best if you can get away with it!
Vibrams is well established and sponsors many athletes, the runners they sponsor run in other shoes that use vibram sole components.there are other reasons.And think about how many professionals use newcomer brands like hoka and altra
The video is two years old. Back then vibram was a small company campare to now.
I'm sorry but I disagree. The main reason is that FF doesn't make you go faster
I spent years in the gym and on trails with lightweight heel-strike trail runners, eventually leading to a day when I sprained one of my ankles pretty badly on a steep downhill. That kinda took me out of the gym permanently. But I tried out some vibrams not long after as a replacement for the trail runners, and after an initial period of discomfort while my sock-babied feet got used to the friction, they were fantastic. I went through multiple pairs, all the way down through the tread on the thicker models. Loved them the whole time.
More recently, I moved on to Luna sandals as their soles are very similar, but a pair weighed less for a given sole thickness. And they ended up fitting more securely, maybe because they're much closer to the traditional design and don't rely on stretchy materials to do anything structural.
pros don't wear them because you basically have to learn how to run all over again to some degree ...... pros don't want to take the chance on this re learn and the time it takes, I've been running with Vibrams for almost 10 years ... my arch is increased, my foot has strengthened, I never roll an ankle (I run mainly in the woods) and my form is much more efficient.... I personally swear by them.
Pro atheletes will use what they need to win; its function over form/appearance not the other way around. Cost of the shoe for the pro athlete is pretty much irrelevant.
Vibram Five Fingers & Newtons are the only shoes I own.
Only shoes you'll ever need bro!
You killed your own argument. An elite athlete makes money from running... fast... winning races. If a shoe does not allow them to run fast (win races), that would be the main reason for them not using the shoe in races. This point overrides your "two main reasons".
+jalopysandwich Heard of Abebe Bikila (after whom the Bikila line of VFF was named)? He won the Olympic marathon of Rome in '60 with a very respectable time of 2:15 and change.
+Aftab Bukhari Kalclash Fitness said that VFF would not make you a faster runner, not me. That is why I wrote "You (Kalclash Fitness) killed your own argument". However, considering the small percentage of barefoot runners who have completed sub 2hr16min marathons, it is obvious that Bikila is one of the few exceptions. Ironically, referring to Bikila as an example defeats the other argument that running barefoot prevents injuries because he had a history of knee problems and a broken foot that he suffered while running barefoot.
While i certainly wouldn't advise anyone to race competitively completely barefoot, I mentioned Adebe because a pair of VFF's wouldn't have prevented him from running "fast". So, it is yet to be established whether VFF's actually prevent pro runners with near perfect form from running "fast". Regarding injuries, based on many factors, there is no 100% prevention of injury during training, but training in barefoot wear, on natural surfaces, at least part of the time, certainly can prevent many kinds of injuries, simply put, because that is how we evolved to run. It engages the biomechanics of the foot as nature intended, such that even when you lace up in regular racing flats if you so choose to, your performance will definitely improve..
+Aftab Bukhari Five Fingers preventing pro runners from running fast was not my argument, it was Aftab Bukhari Kalcalsh Fitness said that (I just pointed that out, please take that up with him). Running barefoot or with minimalist footwear does decrease the risk for certain types of running injuries, but at the cost of the greater risk of other types of injuries. In particular, a higher percentage of barefoot or near barefoot runners suffer from plantar fasciitis than those who run in traditional running shoes. Also, it is common for barefoot/minimalist shoe runners suffer with calf and tendon (lower leg) injuries and (predictably, like Bikila) fractures or broken bones in the feet.
jalopysandwich I figured he was speaking about runners in general, but perhaps i was remembering a different video of his. Regarding planar fasciitics and achilles tendon injuries, I use to suffer from those chronic injuries regularly. Since I switched to minimal running shoes, particularly those with low heel-toe drop, my injuries were cured virtually over night, and I've never looked back, and since then, I've nearly doubled my weekly mileage (to about 50-70 miles a week), and i clock sub 15 minute 5k times regularly. I'm by no means pro, but i run nightly 7 days a week, between 7 and 12 miles, depending on the route, mostly hilly roads. The other benefit of minimal footwear, is, surprisingly, they usually last a lot longer.
Great Answer !
These are silly explanations. The truth is that they don't run in shoes like Vibrams (or barefoot) because in a race they want to run the quickest they can and have every possible advantage over competition. So they wear real running shoes, which basically act like doping for them. This of course does not mean that they do or that you should use such fancy shoes for TRAINING where the exact point is to make running HARDER for you in order to learn technique and condition muscles, nor for RECREATION where the point is to have fun.
Exactly. I don't train in racing flats. And I don't race in my trainers, whether they're cushioned or minimalist. Training in racing flats is only for rich people who have heard about the commotion for the vaporfly and shoes like it and pay top dollar for "the best" even if it isn't suited to your easy 30-minute jogs.
Professionals are professionals ....meanubg They get paid to achieve quicker times, not better workouts. They want it to be easier, not correct form running.
I started forefoot running when I was 10
Now I am 15
yay I've been running correctly for 1/3 of my life!
now you're 20.
Why don't Nike and Adidas make barefoot FiveFingers shoes?
They both did but they were not really minimalist atall
Good, honest review. Very useful. Thanks.
we´ve been had.
injury free running, sold :)
Exactly, who wouldn't want that right
If you're transitioning make sure to do so gradually, or else you'll be subjecting your body to a radically different strain and actually be more likely to get injured. So only injury-resistant if you're careful to do it right