The Barefoot Movement

Forums: Exercise, Running, Barefoot, Barefoot Movement, Vibram Fivefingers
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So our friend Joe Nation turned me on to a book this year called 'Born to Run', which I enjoyed very much.

The book speaks of runners who run up to 100 miles basically barefoot. I started doing this myself (I currently run about 4 miles a week completely barefoot and 15 miles in some special shoes called Vibram Five Fingers, and I still run about 10 miles in normal running shoes).

This got me thinking though about going barefoot wherever and whenever possible. I found a website of people who do this called the Society for Barefoot Living at http://www.barefooters.org/ .

From their "Who we are" page

Quote:

We are a group of people who love going barefoot pretty much everywhere, all the time (not just around the house or at the beach), as a lifestyle choice, including out and about on streets, stores, in the country, and hiking.

We enjoy walking barefoot as nature intended, taking delight in feeling the many textures the world has to offer, like having tough, callused soles, and even think it's cool to get them dirty. We also hate wearing shoes and, if we had our way, would never wear them again. Shoes are unnecessary ballast. Plus, bare feet are cool and look great!

Ever take off your shoes and walk barefoot through the grass, on the beach, etc? We bet you have. Why did you do it? Because it feels good! We've just extended that to everyday life. Know what? It feels even better!

So far my experience has been very limited. I've only gone to the local mini-mart, Subway, and grocery store barefoot, but the Subway was very not kosher with my choice.

Curious what you guys think about the movement in general and also curious if any of you do this too?

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Type: Discussion • Score: 17 • Views: 6,095 • Replies: 50

[+3] - dyslexia - 10/29/2009I sleep with my shoes on.

@maporsche,

If a member from the Society for Barefoot Living offers you some kool aid? Don't drink it! Wink

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From where I sit, there are very few things in life more uncomfortable than walking, let alone running, barefoot on any surface except a thick shag rug.

You guys get absolutely no empathy from me.

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I sleep with my shoes on.

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@Merry Andrew,

And the thought of walking around New York City sans socks or shoes ... it sends shivers up my spine! Heck, I can't figure out how people walk around the city with just flip flops to protect their feet. Embarrassed

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if i lived in a climate that allowed it, i'd be barefoot all the time

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@djjd62,

I'm in Chicago....not exactly California weather.

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@Merry Andrew,

Merry Andrew wrote:

From where I sit, there are very few things in life more uncomfortable than walking, let alone running, barefoot on any surface except a thick shag rug.

You guys get absolutely no empathy from me.

Wasn't looking for empathy, but thanks for your thoughts.

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@tsarstepan,

I've been to New York based on what I saw, I don't disagree.

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@maporsche,

across the border from detroit

i enjoy being barefoot outside as well as indoors

no shoes as much as possible in the summertime

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I've only been one place I'd even consider going barefoot. Caye Caulker Belize. Nobody wears shoes, it awesome, but then it's all white sand, warm and well, it's all sand.
Other than that, my tender tootsies can't handle much more than the floors in the house. I wouldn't dream of going shoeless in a city.

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@maporsche,

Don't get me wrong. When I lived in Massachusetts, I'd walk around on grass lawns sans shoes, slippers, socks, or flip flops.

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@Ceili,

Ceili wrote:

Other than that, my tender tootsies can't handle much more than the floors in the house. I wouldn't dream of going shoeless in a city.

Your feet adjust very quickly.

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Bernini depicted St Theresa with a bare foot showing and it scandalized the Vatican.

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From the barefooters.org website.

- It is healthy for your feet to go barefoot.

- It is not against the law to go barefoot into any kind of establishment including restaurants.

- It is also not against any health department regulation.

- It is not against the law to drive barefoot.

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Was it George or John that walked Abbey Road barefoot?

T
K
O

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@Diest TKO,

Paul actually.

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@maporsche,

I guess I just assumed John and wanted it to be George...

Take your shoes off.
K
O

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@Diest TKO,

Admittedly there is only a small proportion of ladies with the sort of feet an honourable man might die for. About 15% in my experience at a guess. I wasn't keeping records.

I feel it a duty to warn those ladies to take no notice of the general thrust of this thread and not allow the other 85% with clumpy calloused outdoor-type dry and shiny skinned feet to undermine the obvious advantages they have so fortunately been gifted with.

Going barefoot is likely to cause the sort of tissue to be formed that horses have and into which nails can be hammered to fix iron shoes to and that is the very polar opposite of erogenous and of no interest to even sophomore millionaires with a foot fetish let alone those with inherited wealth.

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I live in Florida and have developed the habit of not wearing shoes unless I have to go in a store. I drive barefoot; my flip flops in the bed of my pick-up.

I can't stand wearing shoes.

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The Barefoot Movement

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