The Barefoot Running Book: The Art and Science of Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe Running by Robillard Jason

Author:Robillard, Jason [Robillard, Jason]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Non-Fiction
ISBN: 9780452298453
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 9925784
Publisher: Barefoot Running
Published: 2010-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

Issue—Treadmills

Treadmills can be an effective tool to help new barefoot and minimalist shoe runners learn proper form. That said, there are a few concerns associated with treadmills.

The deck of most treadmills will heat up as speed and distance increase. This can generate enough heat to actually burn bare feet. If your treadmill does heat up, you have a few options.

You could move from one area of the deck to another. When I began barefoot running, I used this strategy identifying five “areas” on the treadmill deck that would be rotated. Since most of the heat was generated in the area I was running, moving around delayed the buildup of heat. The problem with this tactic was safety as I would occasionally step on the rail of the treadmill causing me to stumble.

The other solution is to wear minimalist shoes. While it is not the best condition for learning good form, it is better than not running.

The second major concern with treadmills has to do with abrasiveness. Most treadmill decks have a tendency to cause cuts and blisters. This seems to be an effect of the physics behind the moving belt making it more difficult to pick your foot up and place it down without experiencing some sort of shearing force.

Normally, barefoot running requires your foot to move vertically. Since the belt is moving, placing your foot straight down will result in some friction. You can overcome this by employing a concept known as “paw-back.” Essentially, you want your foot to be moving backward as it touches the belt. If your foot is moving at the same speed, friction is dramatically reduced.

Unfortunately, paw-back is a difficult skill to master with the best solution being to simply start slow. Begin with walking and build up to slow running. With time, you will be able to tolerate faster speeds.

There is one obvious problem with the use of treadmills. If you learn to run barefoot using a treadmill, you will have some issues with running on non-moving surfaces. This is not a major issue as you will quickly adapt to running without paw-back, but it will require some practice. Do not attempt to run at a fast pace or over a long distance without first practicing non-treadmill running techniques.

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