Run Barefoot for health and fun

Running Barefoot

First appearing about 130 000 years ago, Neanderthals were taller, stronger, heavier, likely larger brained than homo sapiens, the Cro-Magnon's who superseded them to become ourselves. Almost exclusively predators they were highly skilled, highly organised, to hunt large predators in forested areas. They were flat-footed, too heavy and t0o awkward, with their strong muscle and bone structure, for running over long distances.

When ice ages began about 40 000 years ago, and the forests gave way to grassy plains they could no longer trap the large prey animals they needed to survive, because those animals could now just run away from them. They died out completely about 25 000 years ago

But the smaller lighter upright running Cro-Magnon's who then appeared could live where the Neanderthals could not, and so outlasted them to become ourselves.

Our variety of humans began living first on the grassy plains because that was where our bodies were best suited to catch the prey we needed for food. We were first hunter nomads. Agriculture came much later.

Evolution gave us several distinct and crucial body features. Eating meat, we developed big brains, not much different from those of the Neanderthals. Walking upright on arched (not flat) feet , with an Achilles tendon for spring inour legs, and a unique muscle at the back of our neck to keep our head erect and eyes front, a light body with large lung capacity.

All these enabled us to run fast, barefoot, or with only light foot covers, for long distances in pursuit of such prey animals as antelope and deer. Other features give us the ability to actually run down our prey animals. We sweat to reduce body core heat generated in running, which we must do or die from the effects of overheating. Other animals must pant to cool off. They can’ t sweat. Panting restricts breathing in animals. After quite short distances running at high speeds they have to stop to pant and cool off. We just keep going, and not as fast as they in short bursts, but fast enough for long distances to keep them going, no time to stop long enough to cool, and so to eventually run them down, walk up to the prostrate animal and knock it on the head. It might take an hour or two, or even a day or more as good trackers, but eventually they are done for.

Furthermore, by carrying dried carbohydrate food, (most calories, quickest digested per unit weight) and a little water, we scarcely need to stop at all. Animals must stop to drink, to eat, to lie down and digest their food. We just keep coming. Our eyes and brains give us enormous tracking skills. Our bodies enable us to run for literally 100’s of miles almost without stopping or sleep.

There are people today who run like this for endurance races. They run barefoot over very difficult even rocky desert and mountainous terrain at 8 miles per hour for 60 hours straight.

By running and walking a lot barefoot you will recreate the healthy body structure of the ancients, without damage to tendons, to knees to hips to the spine, all the muscles.

Marathoners apparently never had much problem with damage to their bone and muscle structure until the 1970’s when they started using arch supported Nike running shoes. Since then, with all runners and joggers using arch supported shoes, about 80% get serious muscle tendon and bone damage from running.

With arch supported padded shoes, the heel hits first and jars the whole body structure. The foot arch, designed to cushion this blow, can’t function properly, and is made increasingly weak by getting support and thus no exercise. Running barefoot, the ball of the foot comes down first, the arch can do it’s work of cushioning the blow, saving the rest of the body.

Studies have shown that the more expensive the running shoe, the more damage the jogger or athlete will eventually have to his/her body. Using cheap flat shoes, or running barefoot, will cure all these problems.

Trainers of log distance runners everywhere are are beginning to adopt barefoot running techniques, at least for training.

There are now annual 100 mile races between people running barefoot and people; on horseback. Usually the barefoot runners win.

Prescription:

Go barefoot as much as possible. Learn to jog barefoot in the park, or on roads with only thin-soled flat shoes. Start slow and build up to it!!

When you walk, roll your foot at each step upon onto the ball of the foot. Try walking a while by pacing with the ball of the foot coming down first.

This exercise benefits the whole body.

Here are some Url’s about this stuff.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwbzpyterI&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7mELaYQ-uI

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

Donato 09/21/09