Well I have heard this question a lot lately, and I also promised to return to discuss my new Vibram Five Finger Shoes, so I will do that here.
Vibram Five Fingers with all the little piggies
There is a ton of evidence (such as this Study) to suggest that barefoot running is actually good for you, and that evidence is growing. We typically go through our lives thinking that the soft comfort of shoes is what we need, but in essence we need our barefeet as healthy and strong as they can be so we can be as healthy and strong as we can be. The Five Fingers provide the protection to our barefeet that I believe shoes were originally meant to provide, but still maintain the essence of barefoot movement. Oh yeah, and about the evidence or media review check out these: Conditioning Research, NPR, Mark's Daily Apple, New York Time's Article, Wall Street Journal Article, the Telegraph, The Boston Globe
These shoes, contrary to popular belief, are not expressly made for climbing. They are actually made for running, and simulate what it is like for humans to run barefoot. Check out the two videos that were part of a Harvard study on the difference between running with shoes, and running without them.
WITH SHOES
WITHOUT SHOES
Want more? Check out this review from Wired Magazine, where they review the "geekiest shoes on Earth":
My review after two days of wear: really cool! I can feel my feet getting sore, which is sign that strength is being gained. The thing I am amazed by is that I cannot not run on my forefoot. In shoes I am completely prone to heelstriking, but not in these, and I am convinced that is how we are meant to run. I do not necessarily like all the questions and attention they render, but for now I think I will stick with them.
Do I recommend them for athletes? Yes, and no, depending on the athlete and where they are at in the training year.
I think distance runners could start using them for short amounts of time nearly anytime and gradually increase their usage.
Sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers, and vaulters I would not recommend the use of them in any athletic sense during a season. These athletes could use them in a casual sense away from the track during the season, or implement them in an offseason program when performance demands are not so high. As for performing any jumps: as of now I would say never use these for the jumps, particularly the high jump. The demands of the heel strike may lead to a broken calcaneus (heel bone).
And for throwers?...I don't know, I was thinking about that today. Probably not, especially with the grip that exists on the bottom; however, I wonder if the extra mobility of the foot joints would help distances. Hmmm?
Oh and you may be asking "would those be legal in a meet?" Well, yes they would. For some reason at the Ft Collins Runner's Roost Meet during the coaches meeting the FCHS coach announced that it was okay for athletes to wear "the five fingered shoes". Apparently it's catching on somewhere with high school runners.
Coach Nack
