Customer Reviews

Barefoot Running

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book by accident in one of my local outdoor stores. I had been interested in running barefoot for some time, ever since reading "Born to run". I had tried the Vibram Five Fingers, but had problems with a seam rubbing my arches, so that had put a damper on that experiment. When I saw this book, a little light went off in my head - hang on, maybe I can just ditch the VFF altogether and go completely barefoot! This book seemed to light the way. The endorsement by Barefoot Ted, who was featured heavily in Born to Run, clinched the deal in terms of apparent legitimacy.

The outdoor store has quite inflated prices, so I decided to look for the book on Amazon. I was a little mystified to find that Amazon doesn't sell it, even though it is a very recent publication. And when I called my local Borders, they couldn't even find it in their system by the ISBN. So I went back to the little store and bought the copy they had. I noticed that it seemed to be kind of self-published, so maybe that explains it.

The book has the usual fluff at the beginning - you know where they take 30 pages with lots of positive, vague, rah-rah motivational stuff. They do admit right up front that you don't even get to the running part until chapter 5. Ok, that's par for the course.

My first doubts surfaced when they started going on about being connected with the Earth, and how everything has a frequency, and how important it is to be "grounded". All of this is part of a justification, it seems, for why barefoot running is a Good Thing. Ok, I thought, fair enough - it's a bit much, but whatever.

Serious doubts began on page 19, when they started talking about something called the Schumann Resonance, which is apparently the frequency of the Earth's "heartbeat" (7.83 Hz). According to the book, "this number is important because it's the same frequency our brains use to survive and thrive. In other words, our vibrations are matched or we vibrate at the same frequency of the earth. Put another way, we evolved in sync with the frequency or heartbeat of the earth". Ok, again, whatever. But then there's this little gem: "NASA scientists have known this for years. In early space missions, astronauts became surprisingly weak and ill when they went into space and left the resonance of the earth behind. They now alleviate this process by having a vibrational device attached to the ships that resonates at the Schumann Resonance - by matching to the frequency of the earth, spacecraft help astronauts stay in sync".

Hmm. This was news to me, I was quite interested in space and NASA when I was younger, but I had never heard of this. As far as I know, astronauts become weak after periods in space because of the lack of gravity, which weakens their bones and muscles unless they take care to do resistance exercise. A quick search on a well known search engine pulled up as a top result for "Schumann frequency NASA" a thread that says this is bunk. I can find no official references to this at all. And what about airline pilots? They do long haul flights all the time where they are out of touch with the earth. Do they have these devices on airplanes? Why can't I find any reference to it anywhere, except on websites dedicated to debunking bad science?

Then, on page 20, referring to why people don't get hurt when lightning strikes their car, the authors call this the "Farridy Cage" effect. I laughed when I saw this (apparently) phonetic spelling of Michael Faraday's name.

They then go on a bit about things called "grounding pads", and how these keep us in touch with the earth, and how (surprise, surprise) they sell them at their website.

At this point I was having some serious doubts about the book. I mean, the authors are giving out some quite detailed advice on how to get into running barefoot, and if you do this wrong then you could end up with some quite serious injuries to your feet. If they are spouting nonsense about Schumann Frequency, "Farridy" cages and grounding sheets, then how can I take anything else they say seriously? Why couldn't they just stick to the barefoot running, without going off into cloud cuckoo land and thus throwing their entire credibility into doubt?

The book overall has the air of a somewhat breathlessly enthusiastic amateur. The biggest lesson to be taken away from it, really, is "take it slow, listen to your body". This can be conveyed in one single sentence, I don't really know why it needs to be fleshed out to a couple hundred pages, but I guess that's how people sell books.

I tried contacting the authors via their website contact form, telling them about the misspelling of Mr Faraday's name and asking for sources for their claims on the Schumann Frequency stuff, but I did not get any reply. Hmmm.

I thought this would be a straightforward book about barefoot running. However, given the ludicrous claims in the earlier parts of the book, I have to say it throws the whole idea into a cloud of doubt and uncertainty. When they talk about how Lance Armstrong's team uses these "grounding pads", how do I know I can believe it? How do I know I can believe one of the authors really cycled 5,000 miles across America in 2004 in 40 days, solo? It's a wonderful achievement (I've done this myself, but I took a lot longer, and trust me - averaging 125 miles a day for 40 days is quite a feat). The point is about credibility, and as far as I'm concerned, with the early parts of this book the authors really shoot themselves in the foot (sorry). My podiatrist says that running barefoot on concrete is a bad idea. This book says it's not. Who to believe?

I love this book! I have been running since high school and as I approach 50, I want to continue running. I am convinced that my switch from "shod" running in high tech running shoes with orthotics to a barefoot stride will insure running for years to come. This book is an exhaustive treatment of the subject in a great format. I found out many things I did not know that have helped me as I transitioned out of traditional shoes. Now I look at runners who are heel striking knowing for certain they could have a better running experience. The authors state that you should start slow. I could not emphasize this enough and by going slow it will pay off. Your feet have been trapped in shoes and need to learn how to be feet again and have the feedback with the brain and your kinesthetic awareness heightened. Since running barefoot and with the help of this book, I have gone through many phases of "healing" and have completely changed my attitude about feet and how tough they are.

I think even if you still buy the myth of running shoes, you should improve your stride by using this book and translate that new brain learned response back to your traditional running shoe regimen. Although I think you'll find your old running shoes to feel unnatural and clunky like I did. I can't go back. The neat thing is that there are plenty of minimalist shoes to choose from for all seasons and conditions.

This book will also serve as a reference. I often flip through the pages to learn more about something like their advice for difference surface types. It is a good companion for people who want to know if their experience of barefoot running is normal since there are not a lot of people out there to share experiences with (yet). I also joined the barefoot running group. It is an easy way to share experiences.

I know there is a lot of interest in barefoot running. I often get stopped and hit with questions about my experience. They have all been positive. It is not necessarily easy to transition and it is more than worth it. It has completely redefined my running game and brought more fun and another dimensions to my runs.

I found this book to be quite repetitive after say chapter 6 or so. I can appreciate the need to find a meaning in the reasons we do things, but some of the expamples in this book seem rather far fetched. For instance, running barefoot in the morning or in the evening to set our personal biological clocks to the clock of the earth, through our feet is a little excessive. I've read "Born To Run" by Chris McDougall, which was an excellent read. That book inspired me to the point where I went out and bought my own Vibrams and began running in them. I THOUGHT that "Barefoot Running" would inspire me further. To the contrary, I found myself nodding off at some rather "hippy" notions such as feeling all the nuances of my feet in the morning and taking what is described as nearly 30 minutes or so to mentally check out every molecule in my body and tune myself to how I feel. Personally, I work part-time, go to school full-time and then come home to my wife and son. I want to run, not get in touch with nature and find my personal aura/chi/inner-being every morning - I'll fall back asleep!!! I agree with some points, such as listening to yourself on the run and not overdoing it; but this point is repeated 3 to 4 times every chapter for the first 8. I advise you skip this book and move on to another.

What a fantastic book!

Barefoot Running by Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee was much more than I expected. It covers everything I wanted to know about getting into barefoot running. It's step by step approach is super-easy to follow, and the pictures make it incredibly easy to get started. They also covered timely topics I never thought much about...such as why kids should be barefoot (there's a whole section devoted to kids) and why seniors can recover balance and health by going barefoot (I've gotta share this with my parents).

However, they're not barefoot evangelists. They strike a great balance between going barefoot or in a shoe, stating straight out that barefoot running won't be for everyone, but that it will help strengthen your feet or legs whether you choose to run in our out of a shoe. On that note, they cover transitioning into Vibram Five-Fingers in great detail, shoes I've always wanted to try (waiting for my local store to get them in stock!). They cover do's and don'ts of footwear, overcoming injuries (primarily from running in shoes) how to get into barefoot running when you've got plantar fasciitis (as I did), and how to strengthen your feet, legs and core. When they say help you run "light and free" it's no exaggeration. They share tips on running in all types of terrain, from ice and snow (not that I'll try that!) to summer's melting asphalt, along with racing and even ultras.

There's a healthy dose of science throughout the book, sharing the latest science and backing things up with studies. They even cover the science of getting "grounded" or why it feels so good to get in touch with the earth. Last, they cover the more meditative side of things, or why barefoot running helps quiet your mind (something I could definitely use more of in this hectic world, and a big reason why I run). I wish they included a review of different minimalist shoes in this book. However, they still share a wealth of information about different shoes and categories of shoes.

I'll be referring to this book for years to come as I progress from a newbie to an experienced barefoot runner.

Whether you intend to run with or without shoes, this book is The Guide for every runner.I was intrigued by barefoot running and had many questions answered to my satisfaction by other runners or trainers. This book had everything I needed to start running the right way. i was logging 100 miles a week before this book, i can now say I am learning to run. i am thrilled to notice i am running better every day.

I, like so many others, got turned onto this personal rediscovery of the joy of running through Christopher McDougall's inspiring book "Born to Run" prompting me to try my own feet at the whole barefoot/minimalist thing. I have been a fitness fanatic most of my life but because I had knee surgery a few years back and have now turned 50, it was recommended that I avoid running. Thankfully I got my hands and feet onto Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee's book "Barefoot Running" and in just a few months time am enjoying a running experience I have never had before.

I devoured the training methods and philosophy of Sandler and Lee's book with wonderful personal results inside and out. I have had remarkable results too introducing my high school and college acting students to the wisdom and practice of barefooting mechanics. The "groundedness" that barefooting affords syncs beautifully with the approach I take to performance in that they both call a "runner" to be in the moment, to really listen and respond to the world around them, to let go of ego and the trappings of being successful, focusing instead on the sheer joy of being.

In just 2 months I have become comfy running barefoot for 6 plus miles on road/sidewalk including laps traversing a 3/4 mile span of bridge. Here in Sarasota, Florida that's about as much of a mountain as we get! The smiles and curious looks I get as I silently stride along, invisible shoes and running beads in hand, are priceless as is the feeling that I have genuinely listened to my body.

I'm sure that I am part of an ever growing movement to go minimal and can't recommend "Barefoot Running" enough as an essential guide in making it the best experience ever.

Exciting and easy to read. Very thorough discussions of every aspect of barefoot running. He talks about why he started running, common problems newbies have, and how to SLOWLY and correctly build up your feet and body for barefoot running. He reviews every method of strengthening your footpads, available products, minimalist shoes, etc. in a way that empowers you to make informed decisions about what works best for you.

For myself, following the book has kept me from overuse injuries and reinvigorated my running. I've always had ankle injuries and plantar fascitis, but running barefoot has built up all the small helper muscles I didn't know were weak, and made me a stronger runner overall.

Similar to many readers, my interest in barefoot running started with "Born to Run." I find the book exceptionally informative and easy to read and apply. This book clears up many myths about barefoot running and provides insights to avoid novice mistakes, both of which are likely to turn off newcomers. I've been taking a slower, conservative approach to a barefoot transition, just as the book recommends, and I've been very satisfied with the results. I started running in minimal footwear before reading this book, but I hope use the skills and techniques from this book to make a more-or-less full transition to barefoot running. Great read!

This book is without a doubt the much needed treatise on barefoot living and running. It is a must have for anyone considering minimalist or barefoot running.

If Born to Run is the "Why" for barefoot runners, then this book is the "How To" companion. Barefoot Running is full of information on how to go about getting started for beginners, and how to get better for more advanced barefoot runners. If you are even thinking of taking your shoes off while running, get this book and start slow. Thanks for the wonderful information, Michael!