After years of major problems with my feet/toes, I finally realised that I didn't have a foot problem I had a shoe problem! These days I try to go barefoot as much as possible and if I have to wear shoes I wear Vivobarefoot trainers when I am out for my daily walks. And I'm delighted to say that my foot problems are now a very distant memory👍
@@MrMakaronai what a great question, possibly not. I have always been a keen walker and now that I am retired I have the time to go for a daily walk. As for the timeline I switched to barefoot type footwear approx 10 years ago and have been retired for 5 years, so barefoot shoes predated my daily walks. Also approx 10years ago I started using a product called "Correct toes" to help get my toes back into their correct alignment. I had been struggling with Morten neuroma for years due to toes being badly misaligned due to wearing "convention footwear. I hope that helps, but if you need any clarification please feel free to ask👍
I would get a sore knee in my ASICS almost every run. Went to minimalist shoes and it’s been a game changer. I’m working my way up. Typical run was about 7 miles, now 2.2 miles. Working my way up and legs feel stronger already.
@@AbeC116 whitin on Amazon is what I bought as a starter, I really like them. I didn’t want to dump a shit load of money into something I may not like.
@@johnmerrick6180 arch supports would defeat the purpose. The Xero shoes creator had a demo that shows that supporting the arch actually weakens it! Your bare feet should be strong and flexible enough to act like springs. The Chase Mountains channel has videos on exercises that would help get your arches in shape to prepare for barefoot shoes. The Exercising Health channel is also a great resource of exercises for transitioning to barefoot shoes: ruclips.net/video/nSuqDiW4pYQ/видео.html
These shoes hurt my eyes but what doesn't hurt is my lower back and knees anymore since switching from regular shoes. It's almost like it's a conspiracy that 98% of shoes have a wedge to them like they want you to be in pain....bastards
It's a system. One thing leads to the other. Yes, have no doubt, they do it on purpose because of their ego and greed. They create a system of money and wealth if there's no problem, there's no "Cure." How else will the big medical system stay in business if not because their buddies create a problem. It's all just a bug loop.
I am 73 year old and i went all the way in barefoot shoes over 4 years ago. I wear Vibram five finger toe shoes. Nothing else comes close. Forget transitioning, I would be 80 before i got anywhere. Go toe shoes all the way, all the time. Sure you will get tendonitis. Pain is part of life. Tough it out. I am still working on my feet but I have splay in my toes, no more heel pain, no more bone on bone hips, I am cured. Forget surgery, go natural.
@@dinadeira you won't get inflammation anywhere from walking or anything like that. Your body doesn't inflame any part of your body unless it's in a unhealthy condition of acidosis. If I drink a Liter of coca cola a week my arteries will be so inflamed (by my bodies reaction to all the oxidation that is happening to my arteries) that I will have arthritis in 20 years. Maybe youre damaging the ligaments by not walking correctly and hitting the heel to much but nobody ever will get chronic inflammation in their feet (tendonitis) by walking barefoot. Said it and i meant it
@@yeahnahyeahnahprivateacc i don't really know about any of that. All i was taking issue with was how lightly the OP was talking about tendonitis/tendinosis. For many including myself it can be life altering to develope tendonitis in, for example the knees. Not just "a part of life" that comes and goes, but literally changing the course of one's life.
Keep in mind if you wear socks with barefoot shoes, make sure the socks are also wide/loose enough. It won't help to have a wide toebox shoe if the socks are still cramming your toes together. I plan to try some toe socks like Injinji and see how that feels...
@@Monkey80llx It is a shortened form of "Alright, I am going to...", it is a very common expression found across North American English dialects and is primarily heard in urban areas. Hopefully this helps!
I got some vivos recently and as soon as I put them on my feet felt instantly better! Couldn't even wear my old shoes anymore so I was straight into them full time! 😅 Saying that, I only exercise barefoot and have been working on foot strength so much recently from old injuries, these have helped so much and I love being able to spread my toes!
I’ve been wearing vivobarefoot S for over 3 years due to knee hip and back pain. It does take time to transition but hardly feel any pain at all now. Maybe just achy sometimes. Best thing I did as I felt I was heading for a wheelchair at some point.
I wish more people had this information. I’m tired of reading that folks developed foot issues , including bunions, during the pandemic because they started going barefoot. Their answer to any foot issue is support support and more support, like normal human feet are unable to function without lots of support 🙄 I had started to develop a bunion and I had been wearing Saucony running shoes. When I switched to Xero Prio’s, the big toe started straightening, and no more bunion pain, I also use toe spacers.
I just finished a marathon using sauconys and I can hardly jog since then . I feel like I hurt my feet so I’ve been researching barefoot shoes and sounds to me it has worked for everyone can’t wait
Love this video! As a personal trainer, I've been wearing and recommending barefoot shoes for years. I'm glad to see this topic getting some love. Will share with my clients. 👍💪
If the soles are so thin, would it not be able to absorb the impact of running? Will our feet hurt more from the impact when running shoes have very thin soles? Appreciate your advice
@@mantingfoo8697 Great question. A complete answer would require a physical assessment. However, normally, one would want to start off with only a small amount of barefoot activity, and gradually increase that over time, as you feel able. Also, be aware that running isn't an optimal option for every body. Based on current weight, potential issues with your feet, posture, etc. A safer option would be walking or other aerobic activity not involving continuous impact. Start with just wearing barefoot shoes during daily activities and see how you feel!
You are absolutely correct. I started running barefoot and was doing little over a mile everyday on grass and concrete tiled surface until one day i ran little faster than my usual pace and my forefoot started hurting. After searching i found that it is called metatarsal injury. It has been almost 10 days that i can't even walk properly with my cushioned shoes leave aside walking barefoot. While transitioning please be very slow initially for a month or so.
There are some small companies that can make barefoot shoes tailored specifically to your feet, for a price similar to what you'd pay for a pair of Vivobarefoot (Gea Soles in Spain, for example).
Got a pair of the ursus about 2 months ago because I saw them in one of your posts. They work amazing for lifting and feel great. Definitely not winning style contests but function over fashion anytime 🤙🏻
Barefoot shoes and sandals are the only footwear I have now unless I'm barefoot. The traditional shoes most Americans wear used to make my feet hurt, not anymore. 😎 👣
Just a note - I have the prio's and they are VERY slippery on wet surfaces - smooth floors and wet rocks. Otherwise they're great, but mine only lasted about 7 months w/ an average of 8-12k steps daily
Fully agree with the need for transition! That was a surprise for me when I switched to my Altras. Great review! I just learned about some more great brands.
Two questions: 1) Is there a shoe with a heel, for those of us who need a heel for squat, that has more room in the toe? 2) Have you checked out the Topo shoes and what are your thoughts if you have? If you are not familiar with them, Topo Athletic is a running shoe brand whose shoes have a wider toe box and little to no drop from heel to toe. Thanks for the great content.
Topos have arch supports in them and are not a true flat minimalist type shoe. The arch support acts as a cast for your arch and prevents some of the strengthening in your arch to occur
The first barefoot wide toe box shoe I wore was in the late 80’s. They were split toe ninja tabi boots. You could feel everything and they did need a bit more protection, but were awesome and cured my feet pain. I have extremely flat feet, so much so that when I went in for a MEPS test for the military at 19 the two doctors who checked our physical examinations had not seen feet that flat in a long time. They were going to “waive” that, but I told them I could out march everyone in the room. I walked 20 miles a day or more, often long distance.
Great video! Although I've been running and hiking in zero drop / wide toe box shoes for years now, I recently decided to really take care of my feet including getting some casual and professional enough (for the office) barefoot shoes to keep my feet, ankles, knees, etc. happy. This was a super helpful video! Thanks for sharing!
@@paceandpowerSA I have a wide variety for different things. I'll try to summarize. 😆 -Nicest Pair = Birchbury Brenston - I work in a professional setting so when I go into the office or meet with clients in person (not very often anymore) I need shoes that look as normal and nice and possible. I wish they were a tiny bit wider in the toe box, but otherwise they are great. -More casual, but ok for my business casual office = Vivobarefoot Gobi II. I love these shoes. Super comfortable and I think they look great. I don't wear them with a suit, but love them for more casual slacks or jeans -Gym - Vibram 5 fingers or Xero Shoes Prio -Trail Running / Hiking / Backpacking - Altra (almost every model), Topo Runventure, and Lems Primal Pursuit -Mountain Biking (flat pedal) Lems Primal Pursuit. it's a trail running shoe, but more stiff than others, so it works great for mountain biking for me -Sandals - My favorite are from Paisley Running Sandals. It's a guy in Colorado that custom makes every single pair based on an outline of your foot on a piece of graph paper. He teaches school during the year, so not making sandals now (shop opens again in May). Already planning to order like 3 more pair when he opens. Also Xero sandals. They aren't as wide and I don't like them near as much as the Paisleys.
I can tell you two things from a life time of running in all different kind of terrains, once your knees are damaged (like mine with cartilage damage). 1st: if you continue running, you'll end up semi crippled, 2nd: if you use shoes without cushioning (even for walking after the damage) you'll make the damage even worse. The other bit of advice is give up running when your 50 and use bike instead, I kept on running until I was 62 and then next day after a good 8 mile run (last 4 miles 7 min/miles) I could hardly walk. No indication, no prior warning, they just went; sometimes you get a warning that something is going wrong (which many fanatical runners like me would have ignored anyway, I suspect). A year after that my left foot arch collapsed, probably due to the compensating way I was now walking. The next mistake I made was following the suggestions of another runner and use bare foot shoes for walking, this exacerbate everything and then some. Six years later and now I require the support of shopping trolley to get round the supermarket to make it tolerable, I can walk on pavement for around 5 minutes, I can walk on soft surfaces like grass and sand for a couple of miles but that's about it. I bought a pair of Cloudmonster running shoes a month back and found that they make it significantly easier to walk on hard surfaces, you can draw your own conclusions from that, Cloudmonster are about the most cushioned shoes you can get.
I feel like you gave up on barefoot shoes too soon and are not stretching enough. I agree that worn down cartilage is irreparable, but your pains sounds like something a good Asian Squat and bare foot shoes regimen would fix.
@@kelimanjaro1091 I was a mixed martial artist, rock climber, trail and hill runner, so I trained using calisthenics, Pilates and yoga and I also used weights and resistance cables, it varied depending on what discipline I was focusing on at the time. There is not much I haven't done and there isn't much I don't know either, since I started competing in Karate first when I was 12, I've never stopped training, I now cycle around 140 miles on the road per week and I also cycle to the gym each alternate day for weights and yoga and I also include some knees over toes workouts. But walking along a pavement is torturous, so there is no point in doing holidays, no sight seeing anymore and sitting around a pool or beach was never my scene. You reap what you sow at the end of the day. The point is this though, now that my knees are damaged, why is that that cushioned soles make a significant difference as to how far and how well I can walk? If I attempt to even walk across the road to my daughters house, about a hundred yards from me, in a pair of my old barefoot shoes, I'm hobbling immediately, why that? By the way I used barefoot shoes for three hand half years.
Very good and informative video. I can also recommend integrating sandals into the mix. Brands like Shamma with the Warrior sandals are build to even be able to run with them and let your toes widen without any constrain as they naturally should. I needed a couple of months to get used to them but now 5-6 mile runs are no problem or normal walking the whole day and it's interesting to see how the toes are starting to widen again after years with normal shoes. Even some barefoot feel a little bit narrow now
Be careful with the sandals. I only wore my Xero sandals outside of my Air Force boots and my toes started relaxing and spreading. Now putting on my work boots hurts my feet.
Wearing barefoot shoes is like me awakening my inner ninja warrior. Teaches you to be softer on foot but also another way to fortify your foot, ankles, and glutes. However I learned that when wearing barefoot shoes, you have to take care of your calves. Also to walk on different paths like trail to prevent shin strain or pain. For this reason, it might be a good idea for you to wear minimalist shoes (or trainers) and/or motion controlled shoes. But hey, really good video as always!
Switched to barefoots got a stress frature in my knee from the tightening of my band. If you do go barefoot do not toughen it out, ease your way into them. I felt no pain for two weeks and then pain.
I realy love your channel ! I’ve made the transition from maximalists shoes to minimalists 3 months ago I do everything with them now ( casual,hiking,workout etc) Tough it was not easy by no means I had to do it increasingly having in mind that i absolutely want to avoid injurys The results are spectacular so far. Highly Improving mobility and stability of my feets ,ankles and pelvis ( so far it help to correct my anterior pelvis ) I walk a lot and always had lower back pain after a walk ! The pain is still there but nothing compare to the way it was before.Feets feels strongs and i realy like the fact that i feel more connected with my day to day environement . It was a test to see if those shoes live up to their promeses and all i have to say is that i will NEVER go back in those narrows shoes ! Toes freedom for everybody 😄 I realy like the xero HFS for my workouts Feelgrouds are my most confortable casual day to day Vivo ´s are very solid barefoots too Very well made 👌
Check out wildling shoes for an absurdly minimalist casual shoe. I love mine. They've got a "look", which can be polarizing, but I move better in than than anything else
Loved the review. Thanks for going over the shoe options. I’ve been wearing Vivo for years and I’ve recently discovered the Feel Grounds. I love them both and they are all I wear.
I just got the Xero Prio and haven't worn a regular shoe since. It's been about a month and I took them to disneyworld 2 weeks after getting them (first minimalist shoe) and we walked about 13 miles that first day there. No issues. They feel great. Can be kind of harsh on concrete but maybe something you get used to or adapt to? I love them. Probably never go back to normal shoes. You hear doctors and people you know saying you need a sole with arch support but I think that's bs. People didn't need arch support back before they invented shoes. Why would you need it now? Shoes with arch support in the soles have always been quite painful for me. These Xeros are great. Nice and flat with no added height in the heel and I love how light and flexible they are. The price is beyond ridiculous. Especially after I got them and saw the Made In China printed on the sole. $130 for a shoe that's made in China and probably cost $5 in materials is absurd. There's other minimalist shoes on Amazon for $35-$45. No reason these Xeros should be $130 and made in China.
Also, the Xero Prio shoes have terrible grip on wet surfaces. Dry is good but as soon as they get wet at all, that grip is the worst of any shoe I think I've ever owned before.
I tried them but they were so narrow. Also some say they have arch support which shouldn't be needed in a barefoot shoe. It's a great option and widely available (like I tried mine in a hypermarket).
My knees have never felt so good since I started walking in barefoot shoes. I have also had Altberg UK make a heavy walking shoe in the same fitting. G fitting. Now I have winter boots made for the army with a barefoot width to the last.
This video was great I have been trying to look for shoes with a wider toe box because it seems like everyone is making narrower shoes these days and it’s frustrating! I use to have great running shoes years ago and haven’t found ones I love since. I just ordered a pair of xeros thanks to your video!
I got the Merle Vapor gloves awhile ago for the gym. Just started using them as a daily shoe and I can feel the difference in balance and muscle building around my feet and ankles.
What shoes would you recommend for nurses? Im a scrub nurse in theatre and my feet, especially my heels just burn all day, I've tried heaps of different shoes thinking it was the arch, I prefer no shoes, I don't train in shoes or wear shoes really other than work, so would appreciate any recommendations 😄
Not sure if you have tried MOZO. Non slip sole, very flat shoe, no cushion, no support, wide enough (could be wider but it's hard to get an industry shoe with a really wide toe box). I'm also on my feet for hours and I also prefer to be barefoot and they are the most comfy shoes in that respect that I have tried. I get Maven by MOZO.
Thank you for telling it like it is dear brother. That's one of the most informative videos on RUclips on why we need footwear that fits our feet. Stay blessed. 😌🌎✨
I'm kind of amazed you didn't mention 'drop' at all in this video. Surely that's a key factor in this type of shoe in relation to squatting and weight lifting. It will have a huge impact on ankle mobility and squat depth and be a key consideration in when and how to use them?
This is a well timed video for me. I had some Nikes for working out that were awesome and light but squeezed the hell out of my toes and forefoot and started causing me pain because of my wide feet. I also have high arches, though, and am wondering about how well some of these shoes that seem flatter would jive with my feet during my workouts (strength training, primarily, with some explosive movements thrown in like power cleans, box jumps, occasional jump rope, etc.). I got lazy one day and didn't change out of my flat Olympic shoes years ago and it destroyed my feet for a while, so I'm a little leery of flat shoes.
I'm wondering how these would preform at work? We have really hard concrete and we are on our feet for 10 hours. Would minimalist shoes be functional for those conditions?
You have to slowly transition into Barefoot or Minimalist Shoes. If you make the switch too fast you will hurt your feet. I've made the switch years ago and I'd never go back to traditional Footwear. 👣 ❤
@@smeatknight I would recommend to start ( LEMS Primal 2 ). Great online company to deal with and exchanges too. The Primal 2 have a breathable mesh on the front tops and sides for air. I from time to time hand wash them and sun dry. You can deduct these on your income taxes as used for work. Very comfortable and durable. 👣
"Feelgrounds" the more stylish pair of the bunch (black and white high rise) is out of stock for virtually all Men's sizes. This is a company in Germany and shipping is $18+. Price of the shoe is $129.00 (not sure if this includes tax). Just FYI for anyone who was hyped by this video and planned to order from their website.
Feelgrounds shoes are hands down the best looking. They’re actually incredibly durable and comfortable as well. My fabric still looks almost new and I’ve had them for maybe 8-9 months?
I have wide feet and incredibly flexible/wide spreading toes. (For reference, the widest part of my feet is 10.6cm.) I got the Be Lenka Whiz, and they fit me SO perfectly. No rubbing on the sides of my toes/feet, and no slipping in the back. So if you're extra wide and interested in barefoot shoes, I highly suggest the Be Lenka Whiz. (I also think they look so slick.)
What about toes separated shoes, live the five finger from Vibram? Are they recommended as training shoes ? I've been wearing five finger socks for years, and I can tell you that my feet love this kind of socks ! No more sweat between toes, plus it really feels like going bare foot.
Love my Xero's and my Altra's (not discussed). Thanks for info on other barefoot brands! Really enjoyed this. I switched to barefoot about 4 years ago and my torn meniscus rarely hurts now. Maybe connected, maybe not but I'll never go back.
Glad you liked the video - my only pair of Altra's are like 5 years old and really beat up so I didn't include them in this video - but I do like them too.
I wear the Fivefingers in the gym or trail running. Vivobarefoot is my go to for work, lost of professional leather options. Need to get a pair of those moccasins. They look comfortable
Thanks Doc! Great recommendation on the Feelgrounds. Now I wear them at work all day. The transition was pretty quick and my feet were begging for the change.
@@allanchino35 Funny thing I never looked till you asked. There is slight wear on the nubs in a foot shaped pattern I might add. In all honesty if I had to get a new pair every year I'd still be happy.
Just climbed a mountain bare foot lmao. Ouch. Took a week to feel better. I used the vivo magna trail. They have more feel than my ursus. Walking through stream beds was bad lolll
Hello Dr. Horschig, I've been wearing Vivobearfoot shoes and ditched my custom orthotics about 4 months ago since watching your video and listening to your podcast. Knee and back pain have not deteriorated, if anything, combined with physical therapy, may have improved in combination. However, recently, the outside of my right toe has developed an extreme sensitivity to near-ground contact to the point where I am now wearing callous pads when going outdoors. I have flat feet, and my PT's last Rx for me in to increase the strength of my tibilias posterior with specific movements. In the meantime, I'm thinking of having my old custom orthotics cut to fit these Vivobearfoot shoes so that pad the toe, but would it also defeat the purpose of strengthening the tibialis posterior? What do you advise? Thanks in advance!
neuromuscular reeducation is key. after doing airplanes, clamshell, single leg rdl, I fixed my knee cave and eliminated ITBS and pain free when cycling and running. Thank you Squat University.
Loved the video - I've been singing the praises of wide toe-box, zero-drop shoes for many years. The only problem I have is that I have "Viking toes" (my second toe is significantly longer than my big toe). If you notice the shape of the ends of the toe boxes of the shoes in this video, they slope down pretty quickly from the big toe side, getting shorter and shorter as they move toward the pinkie toe. This causes horrible issues for me because the unusual shape of my toes. If anyone else has the same issue, but still wants to try zero-drop shoes, I've found that Inov-8 shoes don't slope away from the big toe side quite as quickly as other brands (try the Bare-xf 210 V2 as a flexible day/workout shoe and the Terraultra 260 as a moderately-padded trail runner). This video also gives excellent advice about transitioning slowly (especially for running) - be conservative in your transition plan, as your Achilles tendon will be under more strain until it lengthens to accommodate the removal of the heel wedge. Definitely worth making the change!
I would try a few different brands to see if you find one that fits. My 4th toe is pretty long and almost all shoes slope too steeply for me. I have really enjoyed Xero’s Prios. I have a couple other of their styles too.
I'm in the wide foot club too. I had to send a pair of Vivos back because they were way too tight in the toes and instep. I sure wish these companies would make wide widths that I can take on the trail. I'm wearing Freet Feldoms right now. They're the best thing I've found.
I’ve been using the Adidas Total Shoes for a year now. Wide toe box (maybe not as wide as these), low to the ground and decent cushion so I’m not walking on the ground. And a decent price point!
That's why I love my Altra lone peaks ... I can hike 20 30 miles in one day with no problem, other narrow hiking shoes and I start to get tired around 10...14 miles
Love the video. Could use some clarification on whether it is optimal to squat in a barefoot shoe or in a weight lifting shoe? I use zero drop for all the rest of life, but Rippetoe had me convinced I needed an elevated heel to squat properly?
I recently discovered barefoot shoes and I’m super excited about them. I have always had the hardest time finding the right shoes. It feels like this issue is mostly caused by me having Charcot Marie tooth disease. Because of this disease, I had a triple arthrodesis when I was 15 on both feet. Would you recommend barefoot shoes for someone who has had the surgery? If you’ve never encountered this before, could you recommend some resources that would help me find the answer?
You have a very wide barefoot toe and I of course I agree that should be the case after hearing about natives whom run super marathon in the book "Born To Run". Nevertheless for a slim tall athlete (180cm, 30" waist) as myself I found that the Nano's have a pretty wide toe box as compared to commercial high name brands. Of course the flexibility is definitely not the same as the barefoot branded shoes but for now the toe box of the Nano's work for me until my toes expand even further of course. I broke my ligament and fractured the peroné bone on my right foot and have surgical scars on both sides of my ankle. I've definitely been noticing how my balance is substantially better just by spreading my toes to widen the foot's "triangular" shape. I definitely support the promotion of barefoot shoes and your content on IG has given me endless wisdom. So thank you doc!
Great video. I'm surprised you didn't mention altra. I've been wearing them for years and they cured my lower body aches and pains. But I'd like to try the zero shoes for crossfit and gym training. I use the altra solstice for crossfit and other altras for distance running road and trail. Thanks for the video.
I don't think altra's are a actually a minimalist shoe. They are "foot shape" but other than that still majorly restrict the movement of your feet. I have had several pairs of Altras but after trying the Xero shoes you can really feel the difference and there's no going back! I put the Altras in my garage for yard work-but I still end up wearing my xero shoes always!
No. You just have to consider shoe SHAPE and remember that shoe sizes are given in LENGTH. Birkenstocks has always been foot shaped (Clown Shoes) and you can go by foot length to size your Birkenstock. Others, not so much. I used to wear 8.5-9 in regular shaped shoes: Now I wear 11.5-12. I still wear 9 in Birkenstocks. Actually that's how I found out I needed to wear 11.5-12. I need protective footwear for work (boots), and the boot sizes that fit a size 9 Birkenstock replacement footbed was a 11EE (wide) or 11.5D (regular) boot. Add 1/2 size up for dress shoes like Florsheim Kenmoors and regular narrow shaped sneakers like Nikes to 12.
The best transitional shoes are the ones we wear in daily life. Most of the time we're wearing shoes we aren't working out, we're at work or getting the groceries or some other gentle activity. Wear minimalist shoes in daily life for a while (years?) before going full bore into running, HIIT, etc. in them. It's a good way to avoid injury, learn some natural movement again, and try out a bunch of other shoes before jumping into working out in them. Switching to minimalist in the gym but no where else probably isn't going to be all that effective either.
If anyone is on the fence about barefoot shoes, I'd say go for it. I have both bunions and tailor bunions on both feet. The big toe on my left foot isnt as bad but I can't tell you how great it feels to have your toes able to splay out naturally. I have 4 pairs of barefoot shoes now. 2 pairs of Altra shoes and now I just got 2 pairs of Splay shoes. The problem with most barefoot shoes for men like me who like a sense of style is that most have that 'athletic' look. I recommend anyone who likes to dress up nice to take a look at Splay. They have a great all white and all black sneaker. Now I just need to find an affordable mens barefoot dress shoe now.
After years of major problems with my feet/toes, I finally realised that I didn't have a foot problem I had a shoe problem!
These days I try to go barefoot as much as possible and if I have to wear shoes I wear Vivobarefoot trainers when I am out for my daily walks.
And I'm delighted to say that my foot problems are now a very distant memory👍
let me ask. Did you have a daily walk before buying these?
@@MrMakaronai what a great question, possibly not.
I have always been a keen walker and now that I am retired I have the time to go for a daily walk. As for the timeline I switched to barefoot type footwear approx 10 years ago and have been retired for 5 years, so barefoot shoes predated my daily walks.
Also approx 10years ago I started using a product called "Correct toes" to help get my toes back into their correct alignment. I had been struggling with Morten neuroma for years due to toes being badly misaligned due to wearing "convention footwear. I hope that helps, but if you need any clarification please feel free to ask👍
Thanks for sharing
@@ndjubilant8391 my pleasure👍
Is Correcttoes really so different than other toe spacers? ie. Is it justified to pay 4x as much as you might pay for other brands?
I would get a sore knee in my ASICS almost every run. Went to minimalist shoes and it’s been a game changer. I’m working my way up. Typical run was about 7 miles, now 2.2 miles. Working my way up and legs feel stronger already.
What brand shoe did you get that is helping you out?
What about the impact on the knee as we walk on hard surface?
I can’t wear Nikes
@@AbeC116 whitin on Amazon is what I bought as a starter, I really like them. I didn’t want to dump a shit load of money into something I may not like.
I love how he's in a squat the entire time haha, getting ready for the next squat session AND creating great content
haha glad you caught that
total slav
Practice what you preach. Squat 4 life.
Can you wear arch supports.
@@johnmerrick6180 arch supports would defeat the purpose. The Xero shoes creator had a demo that shows that supporting the arch actually weakens it!
Your bare feet should be strong and flexible enough to act like springs.
The Chase Mountains channel has videos on exercises that would help get your arches in shape to prepare for barefoot shoes.
The Exercising Health channel is also a great resource of exercises for transitioning to barefoot shoes:
ruclips.net/video/nSuqDiW4pYQ/видео.html
These shoes hurt my eyes but what doesn't hurt is my lower back and knees anymore since switching from regular shoes. It's almost like it's a conspiracy that 98% of shoes have a wedge to them like they want you to be in pain....bastards
Best lookin barefoot shoes are the vivos for me. Got a pair in complete black. Look like normal sneaker
Could not agree more, I was a huge sneaker head as a kid and giving up my jordans rly hurt lol
@@ironsavior1171 are your vivos the ones he showed in the video? Thanks!
It's a system. One thing leads to the other. Yes, have no doubt, they do it on purpose because of their ego and greed. They create a system of money and wealth if there's no problem, there's no "Cure." How else will the big medical system stay in business if not because their buddies create a problem. It's all just a bug loop.
@ironsavior1171 What are the exact shoe name (model) that you have?
I am 73 year old and i went all the way in barefoot shoes over 4 years ago. I wear Vibram five finger toe shoes. Nothing else comes close. Forget transitioning, I would be 80 before i got anywhere. Go toe shoes all the way, all the time. Sure you will get tendonitis. Pain is part of life. Tough it out. I am still working on my feet but I have splay in my toes, no more heel pain, no more bone on bone hips, I am cured. Forget surgery, go natural.
"Sure you will get tendonitis. Pain is part of life. Tough it out." 🙄 Tendonitis is not something to be taken lightly.
@@dinadeira you won't get inflammation anywhere from walking or anything like that. Your body doesn't inflame any part of your body unless it's in a unhealthy condition of acidosis. If I drink a Liter of coca cola a week my arteries will be so inflamed (by my bodies reaction to all the oxidation that is happening to my arteries) that I will have arthritis in 20 years. Maybe youre damaging the ligaments by not walking correctly and hitting the heel to much but nobody ever will get chronic inflammation in their feet (tendonitis) by walking barefoot. Said it and i meant it
@@yeahnahyeahnahprivateacc i don't really know about any of that. All i was taking issue with was how lightly the OP was talking about tendonitis/tendinosis. For many including myself it can be life altering to develope tendonitis in, for example the knees. Not just "a part of life" that comes and goes, but literally changing the course of one's life.
@@dinadeiratendonitis isn't that serious, every athlete deals with it
@@ChasingChevy it is that serious though, if it isnt properly dealt with it really can affect someone for the rest of their life
Happy to hear that you like our shoes!
They're some of my favorites!
Keep in mind if you wear socks with barefoot shoes, make sure the socks are also wide/loose enough. It won't help to have a wide toebox shoe if the socks are still cramming your toes together. I plan to try some toe socks like Injinji and see how that feels...
Yeah that's why I buy zonks instead
I wish I knew this information 45 years ago. It would have saved me a lot of pain and stress. You are 100% right about modern shoes.
No one:
Aaron: aight imma flex on y'all with a 13 minute squat
Lol
aight imma?
What language is that from? 🙄
As an asian who squat down to poop that's normal 😅😅
@@Monkey80llx It is a shortened form of "Alright, I am going to...", it is a very common expression found across North American English dialects and is primarily heard in urban areas.
Hopefully this helps!
@@mfa-FH I can relate
I got some vivos recently and as soon as I put them on my feet felt instantly better! Couldn't even wear my old shoes anymore so I was straight into them full time! 😅 Saying that, I only exercise barefoot and have been working on foot strength so much recently from old injuries, these have helped so much and I love being able to spread my toes!
I’ve been wearing vivobarefoot S for over 3 years due to knee hip and back pain. It does take time to transition but hardly feel any pain at all now. Maybe just achy sometimes. Best thing I did as I felt I was heading for a wheelchair at some point.
I wish more people had this information.
I’m tired of reading that folks developed foot issues , including bunions, during the pandemic because they started going barefoot. Their answer to any foot issue is support support and more support, like normal human feet are unable to function without lots of support 🙄
I had started to develop a bunion and I had been wearing Saucony running shoes. When I switched to Xero Prio’s, the big toe started straightening, and no more bunion pain, I also use toe spacers.
How do people get bunions going barefoot?
I just finished a marathon using sauconys and I can hardly jog since then . I feel like I hurt my feet so I’ve been researching barefoot shoes and sounds to me it has worked for everyone can’t wait
@@reedcole5780 I only ever had bunions while wearing normal shoes.
Love my Xero shoes! They were definitely a big help being a "transitional shoe." Great for everyday walking and working out! 🌟😎👍🌟
Love this video! As a personal trainer, I've been wearing and recommending barefoot shoes for years. I'm glad to see this topic getting some love. Will share with my clients. 👍💪
Glad you liked this one!
If the soles are so thin, would it not be able to absorb the impact of running? Will our feet hurt more from the impact when running shoes have very thin soles? Appreciate your advice
@@mantingfoo8697 Great question. A complete answer would require a physical assessment. However, normally, one would want to start off with only a small amount of barefoot activity, and gradually increase that over time, as you feel able.
Also, be aware that running isn't an optimal option for every body. Based on current weight, potential issues with your feet, posture, etc. A safer option would be walking or other aerobic activity not involving continuous impact.
Start with just wearing barefoot shoes during daily activities and see how you feel!
@@andrews.7280 Thank you for advice!
I am obsessed with my Xero shoes! They are incredible!
You are absolutely correct. I started running barefoot and was doing little over a mile everyday on grass and concrete tiled surface until one day i ran little faster than my usual pace and my forefoot started hurting. After searching i found that it is called metatarsal injury.
It has been almost 10 days that i can't even walk properly with my cushioned shoes leave aside walking barefoot.
While transitioning please be very slow initially for a month or so.
There are some small companies that can make barefoot shoes tailored specifically to your feet, for a price similar to what you'd pay for a pair of Vivobarefoot (Gea Soles in Spain, for example).
If this guy goes missing I’m gonna assume Nike put a hit out on him.
Got a pair of the ursus about 2 months ago because I saw them in one of your posts. They work amazing for lifting and feel great. Definitely not winning style contests but function over fashion anytime 🤙🏻
I'm glad you like them!
The barefoot shoes remind me of the old Nike free runs…man I miss those…
Nike frees were my favorite. All this time I thought it was hindering my joints and feet…turns out it was helping. Who knew? Lol
Mourns. I still have an old pair I dig out.
As a slav I approve your squat position, heels on the ground, no amerykanski spy technique!
🤣
Barefoot shoes and sandals are the only footwear I have now unless I'm barefoot. The traditional shoes most Americans wear used to make my feet hurt, not anymore. 😎 👣
The fact that you can squat like that for the whole video is a testament to foot strength and what these shoes can do for us long term
Feelgrounds are fantastic. My first barefoot shoes, luckily I come from a martial arts background so complete barefoot training is a must.
Just a note - I have the prio's and they are VERY slippery on wet surfaces - smooth floors and wet rocks. Otherwise they're great, but mine only lasted about 7 months w/ an average of 8-12k steps daily
Thanks for adding in your experience!
I went to the site and they have a Prio SR = slip resistant. Don't know when they added, but it's there now.
Love it. Do one for weightlifting shoes next! I can't find shoes for my wide feet
Fully agree with the need for transition! That was a surprise for me when I switched to my Altras. Great review! I just learned about some more great brands.
Glad you liked the review!
Two questions:
1) Is there a shoe with a heel, for those of us who need a heel for squat, that has more room in the toe?
2) Have you checked out the Topo shoes and what are your thoughts if you have? If you are not familiar with them, Topo Athletic is a running shoe brand whose shoes have a wider toe box and little to no drop from heel to toe.
Thanks for the great content.
you don’t need a heel to squat when your feet get stronger which allows your ankles to become more mobile as well. heel lift problems go away quickly
Topos have arch supports in them and are not a true flat minimalist type shoe. The arch support acts as a cast for your arch and prevents some of the strengthening in your arch to occur
I am using the Hykes Pinnacle barefoot shoes and love them, best shoes I have ever owned.
The first barefoot wide toe box shoe I wore was in the late 80’s. They were split toe ninja tabi boots. You could feel everything and they did need a bit more protection, but were awesome and cured my feet pain. I have extremely flat feet, so much so that when I went in for a MEPS test for the military at 19 the two doctors who checked our physical examinations had not seen feet that flat in a long time. They were going to “waive” that, but I told them I could out march everyone in the room. I walked 20 miles a day or more, often long distance.
Great video! Although I've been running and hiking in zero drop / wide toe box shoes for years now, I recently decided to really take care of my feet including getting some casual and professional enough (for the office) barefoot shoes to keep my feet, ankles, knees, etc. happy. This was a super helpful video! Thanks for sharing!
Which brands have you been using?
@@paceandpowerSA I have a wide variety for different things. I'll try to summarize. 😆
-Nicest Pair = Birchbury Brenston - I work in a professional setting so when I go into the office or meet with clients in person (not very often anymore) I need shoes that look as normal and nice and possible. I wish they were a tiny bit wider in the toe box, but otherwise they are great.
-More casual, but ok for my business casual office = Vivobarefoot Gobi II. I love these shoes. Super comfortable and I think they look great. I don't wear them with a suit, but love them for more casual slacks or jeans
-Gym - Vibram 5 fingers or Xero Shoes Prio
-Trail Running / Hiking / Backpacking - Altra (almost every model), Topo Runventure, and Lems Primal Pursuit
-Mountain Biking (flat pedal) Lems Primal Pursuit. it's a trail running shoe, but more stiff than others, so it works great for mountain biking for me
-Sandals - My favorite are from Paisley Running Sandals. It's a guy in Colorado that custom makes every single pair based on an outline of your foot on a piece of graph paper. He teaches school during the year, so not making sandals now (shop opens again in May). Already planning to order like 3 more pair when he opens. Also Xero sandals. They aren't as wide and I don't like them near as much as the Paisleys.
I can tell you two things from a life time of running in all different kind of terrains, once your knees are damaged (like mine with cartilage damage). 1st: if you continue running, you'll end up semi crippled, 2nd: if you use shoes without cushioning (even for walking after the damage) you'll make the damage even worse. The other bit of advice is give up running when your 50 and use bike instead, I kept on running until I was 62 and then next day after a good 8 mile run (last 4 miles 7 min/miles) I could hardly walk. No indication, no prior warning, they just went; sometimes you get a warning that something is going wrong (which many fanatical runners like me would have ignored anyway, I suspect). A year after that my left foot arch collapsed, probably due to the compensating way I was now walking.
The next mistake I made was following the suggestions of another runner and use bare foot shoes for walking, this exacerbate everything and then some. Six years later and now I require the support of shopping trolley to get round the supermarket to make it tolerable, I can walk on pavement for around 5 minutes, I can walk on soft surfaces like grass and sand for a couple of miles but that's about it. I bought a pair of Cloudmonster running shoes a month back and found that they make it significantly easier to walk on hard surfaces, you can draw your own conclusions from that, Cloudmonster are about the most cushioned shoes you can get.
I feel like you gave up on barefoot shoes too soon and are not stretching enough. I agree that worn down cartilage is irreparable, but your pains sounds like something a good Asian Squat and bare foot shoes regimen would fix.
@@kelimanjaro1091 I was a mixed martial artist, rock climber, trail and hill runner, so I trained using calisthenics, Pilates and yoga and I also used weights and resistance cables, it varied depending on what discipline I was focusing on at the time. There is not much I haven't done and there isn't much I don't know either, since I started competing in Karate first when I was 12, I've never stopped training, I now cycle around 140 miles on the road per week and I also cycle to the gym each alternate day for weights and yoga and I also include some knees over toes workouts. But walking along a pavement is torturous, so there is no point in doing holidays, no sight seeing anymore and sitting around a pool or beach was never my scene. You reap what you sow at the end of the day. The point is this though, now that my knees are damaged, why is that that cushioned soles make a significant difference as to how far and how well I can walk? If I attempt to even walk across the road to my daughters house, about a hundred yards from me, in a pair of my old barefoot shoes, I'm hobbling immediately, why that? By the way I used barefoot shoes for three hand half years.
Very good and informative video.
I can also recommend integrating sandals into the mix. Brands like Shamma with the Warrior sandals are build to even be able to run with them and let your toes widen without any constrain as they naturally should. I needed a couple of months to get used to them but now 5-6 mile runs are no problem or normal walking the whole day and it's interesting to see how the toes are starting to widen again after years with normal shoes. Even some barefoot feel a little bit narrow now
Be careful with the sandals. I only wore my Xero sandals outside of my Air Force boots and my toes started relaxing and spreading. Now putting on my work boots hurts my feet.
I have Xero shoes and I LOVE them!
Me too!
Wearing barefoot shoes is like me awakening my inner ninja warrior. Teaches you to be softer on foot but also another way to fortify your foot, ankles, and glutes. However I learned that when wearing barefoot shoes, you have to take care of your calves. Also to walk on different paths like trail to prevent shin strain or pain. For this reason, it might be a good idea for you to wear minimalist shoes (or trainers) and/or motion controlled shoes. But hey, really good video as always!
You missed the Merrill Trail Gloves. I went from going totally barefoot, to running sandals, to the trail gloves. Super nice.
I prefer the Merrell vapor glove, but it's quite the same. You should give a try
Shit shoe, too narrow
@@Uncle-Bull It's because your feet isn't that wide you moron. I have literal duck feet
Switched to barefoots got a stress frature in my knee from the tightening of my band. If you do go barefoot do not toughen it out, ease your way into them. I felt no pain for two weeks and then pain.
I realy love your channel !
I’ve made the transition from maximalists shoes to minimalists 3 months ago
I do everything with them now ( casual,hiking,workout etc)
Tough it was not easy by no means
I had to do it increasingly having in mind that i absolutely want to avoid injurys
The results are spectacular so far.
Highly Improving mobility and stability of my feets ,ankles and pelvis ( so far it help to correct my anterior pelvis )
I walk a lot and always had lower back pain after a walk ! The pain is still there but nothing compare to the way it was before.Feets feels strongs and i realy like the fact that i feel more connected with my day to day environement . It was a test to see if those shoes live up to their promeses and all i have to say is that i will NEVER go back in those narrows shoes ! Toes freedom for everybody 😄
I realy like the xero HFS for my workouts
Feelgrouds are my most confortable casual day to day
Vivo ´s are very solid barefoots too
Very well made 👌
Check out wildling shoes for an absurdly minimalist casual shoe. I love mine. They've got a "look", which can be polarizing, but I move better in than than anything else
Putting an order for more waterproof shoes. I have tanukis and my feet are almost laughing when I put them on after work
Loved the review. Thanks for going over the shoe options. I’ve been wearing Vivo for years and I’ve recently discovered the Feel Grounds. I love them both and they are all I wear.
Love the review of these shoes, especially the Xero shoes, which I just bought. This was quite informative.
I just got the Xero Prio and haven't worn a regular shoe since. It's been about a month and I took them to disneyworld 2 weeks after getting them (first minimalist shoe) and we walked about 13 miles that first day there. No issues. They feel great. Can be kind of harsh on concrete but maybe something you get used to or adapt to? I love them. Probably never go back to normal shoes.
You hear doctors and people you know saying you need a sole with arch support but I think that's bs. People didn't need arch support back before they invented shoes. Why would you need it now? Shoes with arch support in the soles have always been quite painful for me. These Xeros are great. Nice and flat with no added height in the heel and I love how light and flexible they are.
The price is beyond ridiculous. Especially after I got them and saw the Made In China printed on the sole. $130 for a shoe that's made in China and probably cost $5 in materials is absurd. There's other minimalist shoes on Amazon for $35-$45. No reason these Xeros should be $130 and made in China.
Also, the Xero Prio shoes have terrible grip on wet surfaces. Dry is good but as soon as they get wet at all, that grip is the worst of any shoe I think I've ever owned before.
I only wear barefoot, I'm surprised you didn't review, the Merrell vapor glove 4, I got 3 pairs, in my opinion they are second to the vivo,
I tried them but they were so narrow. Also some say they have arch support which shouldn't be needed in a barefoot shoe. It's a great option and widely available (like I tried mine in a hypermarket).
I don't why companies still make shoes that are not foot shaped!!
cant believe that this account with this type of quality content is still under 500K. SUPPORT THIS MAN GUYS!!!!!! love your work aaron, keep on going
I live New Zealand children here used to never wear shoes barely until high school. hence myself and other have rather wide feet
That’s awesome!
In minimalist shoes since 2008. I can't recommend it enough.
My knees have never felt so good since I started walking in barefoot shoes. I have also had Altberg UK make a heavy walking shoe in the same fitting. G fitting. Now I have winter boots made for the army with a barefoot width to the last.
This video was great I have been trying to look for shoes with a wider toe box because it seems like everyone is making narrower shoes these days and it’s frustrating! I use to have great running shoes years ago and haven’t found ones I love since. I just ordered a pair of xeros thanks to your video!
I got the Merle Vapor gloves awhile ago for the gym. Just started using them as a daily shoe and I can feel the difference in balance and muscle building around my feet and ankles.
I squat without shoes. Always made me feel right.
What shoes would you recommend for nurses? Im a scrub nurse in theatre and my feet, especially my heels just burn all day, I've tried heaps of different shoes thinking it was the arch, I prefer no shoes, I don't train in shoes or wear shoes really other than work, so would appreciate any recommendations 😄
Not sure if you have tried MOZO. Non slip sole, very flat shoe, no cushion, no support, wide enough (could be wider but it's hard to get an industry shoe with a really wide toe box). I'm also on my feet for hours and I also prefer to be barefoot and they are the most comfy shoes in that respect that I have tried. I get Maven by MOZO.
I'm obsessed with my feelgrounds
Have you tried speaking to a podiatrist?
I’m a nurse as well. Curious which pair you went with and how it worked out?
Xero Shoes Prio is the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn.
If these shoes didn’t cost an arm and a leg I would go for it. Until they get reasonable prices 🤷🏾♂️
Impressive squat
Thanks
I started wearing Altra shoes years ago... wide footbox, zero rise, more conventional sole that "barefoot" shoes, more sturdy sides and top
Just got some Altras. So good for running I ran twice as far on my first go.
Few brands I would like to list: Mukishoes, Lems, Xero , WIldling, Groundies, Feelgrounds, zaqq, senmotic, tadeevo , som footwear, freet etc..
Would you say any of them are entry level?
@@crazyfresh04 Yes Lems imo are entry level. They have relatively thicker soles compared to other brands
Thank you for telling it like it is dear brother. That's one of the most informative videos on RUclips on why we need footwear that fits our feet. Stay blessed. 😌🌎✨
I'm kind of amazed you didn't mention 'drop' at all in this video. Surely that's a key factor in this type of shoe in relation to squatting and weight lifting. It will have a huge impact on ankle mobility and squat depth and be a key consideration in when and how to use them?
Any plans on shooting updates for shoes? TY
I was looking for a video like this. Great info as always!
Thanks!
This is a well timed video for me. I had some Nikes for working out that were awesome and light but squeezed the hell out of my toes and forefoot and started causing me pain because of my wide feet. I also have high arches, though, and am wondering about how well some of these shoes that seem flatter would jive with my feet during my workouts (strength training, primarily, with some explosive movements thrown in like power cleans, box jumps, occasional jump rope, etc.). I got lazy one day and didn't change out of my flat Olympic shoes years ago and it destroyed my feet for a while, so I'm a little leery of flat shoes.
I'm wondering how these would preform at work? We have really hard concrete and we are on our feet for 10 hours. Would minimalist shoes be functional for those conditions?
I've worn them for 12hours of walking at work. I don't have a problem but I would suggest working up to it.
You have to slowly transition into Barefoot or Minimalist Shoes. If you make the switch too fast you will hurt your feet. I've made the switch years ago and I'd never go back to traditional Footwear. 👣 ❤
@@rubencohen2936 I had considered that, it seems that the FIEYUE shoe might be a good start. Would you recommend those as a starting point?
@@smeatknight I would recommend to start ( LEMS Primal 2 ). Great online company to deal with and exchanges too. The Primal 2 have a breathable mesh on the front tops and sides for air. I from time to time hand wash them and sun dry. You can deduct these on your income taxes as used for work. Very comfortable and durable. 👣
Training your feet is a good idea
Using cushion is also a good idea
"Feelgrounds" the more stylish pair of the bunch (black and white high rise) is out of stock for virtually all Men's sizes. This is a company in Germany and shipping is $18+. Price of the shoe is $129.00 (not sure if this includes tax). Just FYI for anyone who was hyped by this video and planned to order from their website.
Feelgrounds shoes are hands down the best looking. They’re actually incredibly durable and comfortable as well. My fabric still looks almost new and I’ve had them for maybe 8-9 months?
Glad you've liked those too - and yes I agree - very good looking
Best looking are Groundies. Hands down
I have wide feet and incredibly flexible/wide spreading toes. (For reference, the widest part of my feet is 10.6cm.) I got the Be Lenka Whiz, and they fit me SO perfectly. No rubbing on the sides of my toes/feet, and no slipping in the back. So if you're extra wide and interested in barefoot shoes, I highly suggest the Be Lenka Whiz. (I also think they look so slick.)
Hykes Escapes for me, love the barefoot lifestyle, best decision ever.
What about toes separated shoes, live the five finger from Vibram? Are they recommended as training shoes ? I've been wearing five finger socks for years, and I can tell you that my feet love this kind of socks ! No more sweat between toes, plus it really feels like going bare foot.
Absolutely, I’ve been wearing them for 10 years now. Walk, run, weightlifting.
Altra all the way. I have 5 pairs and Escalante Racer are my most favorite.
is it wider than three brands mentioned here?
Love my Xero's and my Altra's (not discussed). Thanks for info on other barefoot brands! Really enjoyed this. I switched to barefoot about 4 years ago and my torn meniscus rarely hurts now. Maybe connected, maybe not but I'll never go back.
Glad you liked the video - my only pair of Altra's are like 5 years old and really beat up so I didn't include them in this video - but I do like them too.
I wear the Fivefingers in the gym or trail running. Vivobarefoot is my go to for work, lost of professional leather options. Need to get a pair of those moccasins. They look comfortable
Thanks Doc! Great recommendation on the Feelgrounds. Now I wear them at work all day. The transition was pretty quick and my feet were begging for the change.
How are the soles holding up? I want to get some but I’ve heard their soles wear away very fast
@@allanchino35 Funny thing I never looked till you asked. There is slight wear on the nubs in a foot shaped pattern I might add. In all honesty if I had to get a new pair every year I'd still be happy.
I've now have 3 different pairs of Vivo's.. changed my life 🤣
Just climbed a mountain bare foot lmao. Ouch. Took a week to feel better. I used the vivo magna trail. They have more feel than my ursus. Walking through stream beds was bad lolll
Great video... especially the recommendations about how to begin the transition to this shoe style. Nice!
Great video! Re-visited the idea of bigger toe box/neutral shoes after coming back from skiing in CO. My foot strength was not what I expected.
Hello Dr. Horschig, I've been wearing Vivobearfoot shoes and ditched my custom orthotics about 4 months ago since watching your video and listening to your podcast. Knee and back pain have not deteriorated, if anything, combined with physical therapy, may have improved in combination. However, recently, the outside of my right toe has developed an extreme sensitivity to near-ground contact to the point where I am now wearing callous pads when going outdoors. I have flat feet, and my PT's last Rx for me in to increase the strength of my tibilias posterior with specific movements. In the meantime, I'm thinking of having my old custom orthotics cut to fit these Vivobearfoot shoes so that pad the toe, but would it also defeat the purpose of strengthening the tibialis posterior? What do you advise? Thanks in advance!
Just bought a pair of those bearfoot ursus shoes and i can’t stop wearing them. They feel so good on my feet.
neuromuscular reeducation is key. after doing airplanes, clamshell, single leg rdl, I fixed my knee cave and eliminated ITBS and pain free when cycling and running. Thank you Squat University.
additionally, doing the McGill Big 3 helped in my day to day household chores.
I have learned so much from you man!
Loved the video - I've been singing the praises of wide toe-box, zero-drop shoes for many years. The only problem I have is that I have "Viking toes" (my second toe is significantly longer than my big toe). If you notice the shape of the ends of the toe boxes of the shoes in this video, they slope down pretty quickly from the big toe side, getting shorter and shorter as they move toward the pinkie toe. This causes horrible issues for me because the unusual shape of my toes. If anyone else has the same issue, but still wants to try zero-drop shoes, I've found that Inov-8 shoes don't slope away from the big toe side quite as quickly as other brands (try the Bare-xf 210 V2 as a flexible day/workout shoe and the Terraultra 260 as a moderately-padded trail runner). This video also gives excellent advice about transitioning slowly (especially for running) - be conservative in your transition plan, as your Achilles tendon will be under more strain until it lengthens to accommodate the removal of the heel wedge. Definitely worth making the change!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I would try a few different brands to see if you find one that fits. My 4th toe is pretty long and almost all shoes slope too steeply for me. I have really enjoyed Xero’s Prios. I have a couple other of their styles too.
what I fail to understand is why big brands like Nike and Reebok haven;'t introdocued a range of barefoot wider shoes if they're so popular right now
I put my barefoot shoes on right away and just kept using them, my feet didn't hurt
I'm in the wide foot club too. I had to send a pair of Vivos back because they were way too tight in the toes and instep. I sure wish these companies would make wide widths that I can take on the trail. I'm wearing Freet Feldoms right now. They're the best thing I've found.
Barefoot shoes were doing a number on my knees. I got some new shoes and my knees feel much better.
I’ve been using the Adidas Total Shoes for a year now. Wide toe box (maybe not as wide as these), low to the ground and decent cushion so I’m not walking on the ground. And a decent price point!
That's why I love my Altra lone peaks ... I can hike 20 30 miles in one day with no problem, other narrow hiking shoes and I start to get tired around 10...14 miles
great content! do u know of any foot shape boxing/wrestling shoes? U deserve the attention of all the athletes world wide
Always been a big fan of barefoot shoes, had some inov8 trail shoes that were awesome, i think ill be getting some xeros, keep the good videos coming
Love the video. Could use some clarification on whether it is optimal to squat in a barefoot shoe or in a weight lifting shoe? I use zero drop for all the rest of life, but Rippetoe had me convinced I needed an elevated heel to squat properly?
IF you have very poor ankle mobility then you should wear a heel. It just makes easier to squat deeper. Try it out!
@@AnqaOdyssey ankle mobility is fine. So no squat shoe needed? Thanks!
@@aarondraper1547
Not really, although I find it pretty hard to do front squats in barefoot shoes.
I recently discovered barefoot shoes and I’m super excited about them. I have always had the hardest time finding the right shoes. It feels like this issue is mostly caused by me having Charcot Marie tooth disease. Because of this disease, I had a triple arthrodesis when I was 15 on both feet. Would you recommend barefoot shoes for someone who has had the surgery? If you’ve never encountered this before, could you recommend some resources that would help me find the answer?
Great content as always! Thanks for all you do
You're welcome! Glad you liked this one Jon!
when you wear these, are socks not recommended?
I always wear socks with my barefoot shoes. They wick moisture and keep the shoes from stinking.
Surprised you didn’t mention Lems. They’ve been making these type of shoes for a couple decades and they have dress shoe options.
You have a very wide barefoot toe and I of course I agree that should be the case after hearing about natives whom run super marathon in the book "Born To Run".
Nevertheless for a slim tall athlete (180cm, 30" waist) as myself I found that the Nano's have a pretty wide toe box as compared to commercial high name brands.
Of course the flexibility is definitely not the same as the barefoot branded shoes but for now the toe box of the Nano's work for me until my toes expand even further of course.
I broke my ligament and fractured the peroné bone on my right foot and have surgical scars on both sides of my ankle.
I've definitely been noticing how my balance is substantially better just by spreading my toes to widen the foot's "triangular" shape.
I definitely support the promotion of barefoot shoes and your content on IG has given me endless wisdom.
So thank you doc!
Great video. I'm surprised you didn't mention altra. I've been wearing them for years and they cured my lower body aches and pains. But I'd like to try the zero shoes for crossfit and gym training. I use the altra solstice for crossfit and other altras for distance running road and trail. Thanks for the video.
I don't think altra's are a actually a minimalist shoe. They are "foot shape" but other than that still majorly restrict the movement of your feet. I have had several pairs of Altras but after trying the Xero shoes you can really feel the difference and there's no going back! I put the Altras in my garage for yard work-but I still end up wearing my xero shoes always!
Altras have a wide toebox but are not barefoot shoes, they have a lot of cushion
No. You just have to consider shoe SHAPE and remember that shoe sizes are given in LENGTH.
Birkenstocks has always been foot shaped (Clown Shoes) and you can go by foot length to size your Birkenstock. Others, not so much.
I used to wear 8.5-9 in regular shaped shoes: Now I wear 11.5-12. I still wear 9 in Birkenstocks. Actually that's how I found out I needed to wear 11.5-12.
I need protective footwear for work (boots), and the boot sizes that fit a size 9 Birkenstock replacement footbed was a 11EE (wide) or 11.5D (regular) boot. Add 1/2 size up for dress shoes like Florsheim Kenmoors and regular narrow shaped sneakers like Nikes to 12.
The best transitional shoes are the ones we wear in daily life. Most of the time we're wearing shoes we aren't working out, we're at work or getting the groceries or some other gentle activity. Wear minimalist shoes in daily life for a while (years?) before going full bore into running, HIIT, etc. in them. It's a good way to avoid injury, learn some natural movement again, and try out a bunch of other shoes before jumping into working out in them.
Switching to minimalist in the gym but no where else probably isn't going to be all that effective either.
Vibram 5 Fingers Funny Feet are the best, and been around for sometime. Natural foot form to the max. Luv them.
Vivo barefoot also makes Primus trail FG, and walk and run. All are light, durable and true to their name.
I just bought the vivos. Just because it’s in my opinion a great allrounder! I use it for basically every occasion.
If anyone is on the fence about barefoot shoes, I'd say go for it. I have both bunions and tailor bunions on both feet. The big toe on my left foot isnt as bad but I can't tell you how great it feels to have your toes able to splay out naturally. I have 4 pairs of barefoot shoes now. 2 pairs of Altra shoes and now I just got 2 pairs of Splay shoes. The problem with most barefoot shoes for men like me who like a sense of style is that most have that 'athletic' look. I recommend anyone who likes to dress up nice to take a look at Splay. They have a great all white and all black sneaker. Now I just need to find an affordable mens barefoot dress shoe now.