Barefoot Running
Find Your Spring: The Missing Link to Teaching Running Gait
This last weekend, I had the opportunity to hold a running clinic with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella at his minimalist running store in Shephardstown, WV. We covered a ton of useful information, most of which is included in Mark’s video he did for Running Times.
When we were discussing running form, Mark describes the legs as springs. The tendons and ligaments of the feet and legs store energy as the foot hits the ground. This energy Read More...
Does “Lifting the Foot” Make Us Slower?
I conducted a clinic this weekend in conjunction with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella at Two Rivers Treads, his minimalist shoe store in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. I like events like this because it gives me the opportunity to learn along with teaching. In this case, I got to see many of Mark’s awesome drills and explanations in person.
We also had a few good discussions on various elements of running form. In particular, someone asked about lifting their feet. Read More...
Perfecting Foot Strike: The Kitty Litter Trick
Mastering foot strike is one of the most difficult tasks some barefoot/minimalist shoe runners attempt. Maybe you’ve been a long-time heel striker and want to move to more of a midfoot strike. Or perhaps you’ve been a sprinter and can’t shake the habit of “running on your toes.” Either way, changing foot strike can be exceedingly difficult.
In my Merrell Bareform clinics, I teach people to land with their feet pancake flat (thanks to Jon Sanregret Read More...
Review The Barefoot Running Book
The newest edition of The Barefoot Running Book has been out for about a week, and feedback has been great! I’m currently looking for reviewers to give the book a little more exposure beyond my own blog. To that end, I need to ask my readership for a favor- if you have purchased the book (ebook version or dead tree version) and few extra minutes, post an honest review on Amazon here:
Read More...
Should We Teach Running Form?
A few years ago, Richard Knobbs, an Internet friend, asked me a series of questions about running I had never considered. I couldn’t find the original message, so I’ll paraphrase. He asked the following:
Is there a right way to run?
If so, how should it be taught?
What happens if we’re wrong with either question?
The questions were framed around the idea of barefoot running, but can be generalized to the greater running community. A recent article in Read More...
Running Form Isn’t Black and White
I’ve had a little extra free time lately (Pure Michigan…), so I’ve spent some time on the barefoot forums. As has been the case since they first came into being, there’s a mix of regulars with tons of experience and a few newbies. The conversations with the newbies are interesting. There’s a strong tendency to do the following:
1. Ignore advice from experienced barefoot runners.
2. Begin giving advice based on their limited experience.
3. Read More...
What Do You Mean “Listen To Your Body?”
Go to any barefoot running forum and you’ll see people giving advice to “listen to your body.” It may be the most common phrase uttered by barefoot runners. Pretty much any barefoot runner that’s run at least a few hundred miles immediately understands the meaning. It’s a confusing phrase to the uninitiated, though.
What exactly DO we mean by “listen to your body?” And is this really good advice? Wouldn’t it be easier to teach running gait Read More...
Don’t Hide Behind Fancy Tools
How many times have you seen these situations:
The parents of a six year old kid buying a $150 alloy bat and $80 glove for their kid’s first foray into tee ball.
An overweight middle-of-the-pack triathlete spending $10,000 on an ultralight carbon-fiber bike to theoretically shave a few seconds off their mediocre finish times in a sprint tri.
An aspiring writer in a coffee shop typing away on a $2,000 Macbook Pro.
A homeowner installing a wireless doorbell using a $700 Dewalt Read More...
