According to a statement, wearing
Five fingers shoes strengthens muscles in the feet and lower legs, which will improve general foot health and reduce the risk of injuries. It also stimulates neurological receptors in the feet to improve balance and agility.
So many of us struggle with posture, balance and proper body mechanics not just in everyday activities but also when we train. Although we work hard to maintain correct form and execution, it becomes challenging if alignment is off center. Risk of injury increases and strength, speed and agility may suffer. Many of the exercises we perform in and out of the gym rely on flexible yet stable support from our feet and legs.
All the barefoot running guides out there all tell you to slowly build up endurance when you first start barefoot running. Ive never really officially ran barefoot (other than a few times just messing around), but I figured if I was going to do this I was going to just jump in and see what happened. I went for 2 miles. The first thing I started noticing was how the temperature of the road seeps into the shoe. You would think with its rubber sole that you would be more insulated from the road, but that wasnt the case. It was a chilly night and I felt that cold. Later about a half mile into my run I stepped on a stone and I definitely felt it. Like I said you feel a lot more connected with the road.
So in my personal quest to improve my own center and develop a stronger base, I have discovered the Vibram
five finger shoes. These funny looking shoes have been around for a couple of years. I was actually introduced to them over a year ago by a fellow bodybuilding friend and immediately dismissed them as ridiculous. Said to him, no way would I ever! But as I looked into ways to improve my situation, the more these five finger shoes began to make sense. They are unlike any other conventional footwear in that their design mirrors flex points and silhouettes the foot to propel the body forward and promote a more natural gait.
