The gentlemen who started the living history club I belong to is also a published author on Fiore and a HEMA instructor. He's found that removing HEMA from the context of the proper equipment, including the proper authentic medieval footwear is in many ways detrimental to the understanding of the techniques in the various fighting treatises. Some modern interpretations simply don't work with medieval footwear (suggesting that they are bad interpretations!), while other techniques suddenly make sense when you are wearing proper medieval footwear. On the topic of the technique needed just to walk and run in period footwear, I liken it very much to the current movement in minimalist footwear. Learning to run barefoot or in those goofy five-toed shoes (which I've run and worked out in for years) translates perfectly to wearing period footwear. You learn to become a fore-foot striker and rebuild the stability and musculature in all the places you've neglected over the years as a result of wearing modern shoes that compensate for what our body was designed to do naturally.
Just started running in my "goofy five-toed shoes" and thinking how much this was like fighting in period shoes. Still will take some time for my feet and lower legs to fully adjust to not landing on my heels.
As a medieval and Tudor reenactor - I find this video fantastic and really true. Going from modern fencing (long over-dramatic lunges) to sliding on completely flat leather shoes was a shock. Even just walking up a slightly damp, slightly angled hill became a challenge.
One thing many people obviously don't know is that before the advent of heel design in boots and other forms of added padding, people used to run a lot by springing forward with the forefoot, so to speak. The human metatarsus is strong enough to do so. In fact, considering how common athletic training was in the Ancient World, the depictions of people running by springing with the metatarsus, _not_ the heel should be more prominent in analysis!
+Panagiotes Koutelidakes I've watched a few kids learn walking and I cannot remember one of them not walking on the forefoot. One of my cousins was even given special shoes with squeaky things in the heel so that she would learn to walk 'normally'. Also these days I walk a lot barefeet & I can say from experience that it is quite uncomfortable to walk like you would with trainers i.e. rolling over my heel
Wooden shoes are still used in Asturias (North of Spain), where I live. They are called "madreñas" (Google them) and are made from a single piece of wood with 3 heels, sometimes covered with modern rubber. They are specially useful if you keep in mind that the north of Spain is quite a rainy place and you don't want to sink in mud while you are trying to farm your lands
This was mind-blowing to me on several levels. Firstly, I remembered that all the traditional shoes in Japan are made of wood AND that they still have the tradition of wearing some type of flippers at the loo (but otherwise never inside the house). Secondly I recognize Lloyd's hidden point: that HEMA should be done in high-heels.
Lmao. Got an image of a couple of knights in very shiny armour swordfighting around a stone flagged courtyard in Louis xiiiith fancy heels. Very camp. Thanjs. 😂
I like that you mentioned wood as good shoe material. A few hundred years ago wood platforms became popular in Japan as a way to keep their nice slippers clean when they went outside. Even today you sometimes see people in Japan walking down the street wearing wooden geta. One of my favorite pairs of shoes are vintage geta. People ask me why I'm wearing wooden flip flops on stilts, but they're not flip flops. They fit differently than flip flops do. You walk differently in geta than in flip flops. Instead of loudly going flap-flap-flap they make a soft clop-clop sound. When geta are worn correctly the effect is much more graceful and flowing than striding around in flip flops. It takes practice to wear them with confidence but it's worth the effort.
I used to do HEMA and in my school one of the first things that we were encouraged to buy (or make) was a pair of authentic-style boots for just this reason. I could definitely tell the difference when practicing on a basketball court.
Another wonderful video! I wear flat soled moccasins full-time and I noticed a change in my step when I first started years ago, I learned to subconsciously step more lightly on my heel without making my stride look silly or exaggerated
What you describe is pretty much standard for "barefoot" runners. Mind you, they don't usually run completely barefoot, the common call is to get a set of shoes with very little heel, and very flexible, thin soles. There's a lot of crossover, it seems.
MrPanos2000 Sure, running on the balls of the feet is actually the natural way.All animals are doing it and all native people all over the world too. Our "civilized" deformed way of motion to step on the ground with the heal first is the main reason for most knee-, back- and even neck problems that we have nowadays. To walk on the heals first is just as stupid as walking on the knees, you miss a joint that was actually made for this.
RubberKidney - I do the same, and I almost always walk on the balls of my feet. Including just standing still if it's not longer than a few minutes. And even if I'm wearing modern running shoes, I still don't plant my heels as much as most people. I find it gives you a better stride.
MrPanos2000 I have a pair of flat soled "running shoes" that I found great for hiking and walking, specially on rough "natural" ground. Without thinking about it I once wore them to my fencing club practice and it took me six months and a pair of orthotic insoles to recover. I don't need the orthotics any more, but without them my feet never would have heeled.
As a HEMA practitioner I completely agree - though there is a middle ground between buying or making authentic boots. I use Vivo Barefoot shoes, but there are many other brands. Going "back to the basics" on shoes is a thing for many HEMA people, but also for runners (many of the olympic record runners run in these or in bare feet) and other sports. I am also a reenactor and my vivo barefoot are basically the same to walk in as my flat, thin-soled medieval boots. They are also strikingly simialr in design. Basically, in my club in Copenhagen, we train with modern rubber shoes until about the time footwork is adequate. At that point an instructor will recommend you move to either "barefoot" shoes or shoes with individual toes and very thing, flat soles - I don't recall the brand name. I've also done some HEMA in bare feet on grass. Great feeling, and it is something everyone should try. Once again (for me, personally) practice tips from lindy dancers are worthwhile for fencers also :) - Dan
I've often preferred walking around barefoot or in flat-soled shoes. I had no idea there were brands catering to it. May well be ordering some Vivo's in the futures :D Thanks for the info.
Curiosus medieval shoe fact: during middle ages, king Sancho II of Navarra (by the way, acording to a familiar legend, I would be his descendant) got the surname "Abarka". The abarka is a tipe of shoe used by basque sheepers for ages. It is basically a hardened leather shoe atached to the leg by crossed laces around heavy wool socks. Acording to history, king Abarka imposed that shoe to all his army. Thaks to that, basque armies where able to cross up an down the pyrenees much faster than outsiders armies and obtained a lot of victories as a result.
Very good video and very good points. Maybe some will see it as nitpicking, but as someone who wears orhtopedic insoles I can tell you that a small change makes quite a big difference not only in your balance but also in the way your leg muscles work. I used to train in jujitsu, and so I would naturally take off my shoes and enter the tatami with bare foots. I quickly realized that after wearing insoles for some time, I had grown accustomed to it and would tire much faster running with bare feet - you can actually feel that your muscles are not working the same way. Some are more relaxed than usual, some face a greater strain. It reminded me how the first time I used insoles I was also quite tired after long walks. Another thing to note is balance : a well-fitted shoe gives you not only a good balance because of the hardness of the sole, but also because it grips the foot pretty well. Ever since I started wearing insoles, the grip is lighter and I've lost a great deal of balance : I noticed for example that I really need to hold onto something when riding the bus, for example. I've also gotten a couple of injuries just running, because if your foot is slightly tilted one way or the other any physical activity can be much more demanding. Because of all of these reasons, I would say that any HEMA practitioner should consider wearing shoes that imitate the effect of authentiboots, because it is only by doing so that he can see the actual limits and physical context of ancient martial arts.
Nah, I dont interpret Matt as being passive aggressive at all. Seems kind of a sweet guy actually. Soemtimes a bit bad at phraseing himself though. But mabye I miss something, I dont know.
have you ever seen the shoes found in the irish bog? it was featured in the national geographic. The worksmanship was incredible. I heard something ages ago about pine tar or hide glue and sand or pebbles stuck on the soles that acted as a grip
Trivia about clogs. The French word for Clog is Sabot. The French equivalent of the Luddite used to chuck wooden Sabots into the works of machinery they wanted to damage - hence the word Sabotage.
I reenact 18th century Rogers Rangers .We found out people coated their boats with Pine Sap & lil Charcoal . Looks like crap but it keeps feet dry. I'd think they was smart enough to do that.
You should check out the Bata Shoe Museum if you are ever in Toronto. Tends to focus on feminine shoes, but it has a lot of stuff there about historical shoes.
As a kid I had wooden shoes. I allways put them on when my neighbour below us was too noisy and then I kept walking clack-clack-clack... it was amazing how load such shoes can be.
I saw your Hitler rant mention authentic medieval boots and it made me curious as to what they were. So I looked it up and here your video is. Very clever, Lindyberge. Edit: Lindybeige
There was a guy in my High school from a poor family who made his own school shoes from cut offs(he worked part time at a farm where the guy made his own leather products) and bark for soles from a tree just outside the school grounds. We only noticed it in our matrick year.
Are you sure he didn't become a Bond villain? Considering how many of them there are, there are bound to be some of them we haven't heard about yet. Perhaps he's just good at hiding and haven't gotten caught yet.
I really like your videos not only are they interesting but I find some of your chats very soothing. I really do not mean you are boring because you aren't I just find some of your chats soothing
I'm about to embark on a journey toake what I'm calling "visigoth boots" I'm going to make a platform out of wood, stain it black and then for my upper have it resemble historic leather boots. I found you while spiriling down this rabbit hole haha
People are running over heels just last 30 years because they invented soft durable material in Adidas. Running over heels is very unnatural, unpractical, painful and ineffective. Don't do it people :(
People told me off for running on the balls of my feet, but it covers a greater distance faster, reduces the strain on my calves, allows me to 'spring' my step which reduces the impact on my knees, one step carries over into the next one. Walking on the heel has always felt unnatural to me. Nowadays with women's shoes there is a problem with the toe area getting smaller and smaller to the point where it squeezes your toes. Started wearing men's shoes because of it. Miles more comfortable.
Mr. Lindybeige, do you think you could do a video about winged hussars? (if you've already done one, please ignore this) I've always found them really interesting.
I don't know, something about their formations, maybe? Perhaps then would also be a good time to talk about morale? (i.e. the morale of the hussars vs the morale of the enemy)
I have considered this, myself. I do wear leather-soled (heeled) boots quite often, just for style, and many times, I look at HEMA matches, and realize that much of what is done would be impossible given period-accurate footwear. I suppose that duels were fought in the lists on grass, and probably hobnailed boots were worn for those, but still, it isn't quite the same. I like HEMA, and I participate in it, but footwear is one of those things that makes HEMA more of a sport than a reenactment or true historical recreation, in my opinion. Other examples are the amount of padding we use, and even the weapons themselves. A feder was to the longsword what the fencing epee was to the smallsword: A nimbler, springier, safer version of a weapon meant for killing. Even our rule sets edge us off from authenticity, just in the fact that we would probably disqualify someone for, say, dropping their sword, tackling their opponent, and beating them about the face and neck with their fists. That may sound ridiculous, but it's in several treatises, so it must have been done at least occasionally in desperate situations. People tend to forget things like that. Personally, though, I'm fine with HEMA being somewhat "sportified." I think it makes it safer, more fun, and more accessible, but there's a lot to be said about that, and I've rambled too long as it is.
Has anyone else noticed that many people tend to walk with their feet like this: \/ rather than like this | | (viewed from above) I don't know exactly how to explain it, but their feet are pointing outwards when they walk instead of forward. Is that normal? I always find it odd when I walk behind people who don't walk straight.
lukutiss1324 \/ is a more stable platform. Try to push someone over standing with feet pointing 90 degrees away from eachother is much harder than than someone who stands like | | no matter how far apart their feet are. Not that this is in anyway important. Nor is there a normal.
stability and also you are less likely to trip over your own feet when like \/ , toes pointing outwards slightly, what is bad is when people are pigeon toed- /\ then you are much more likely to trip up and you can't move your leg's backward and forward in a line, but have to do this ( (left leg), ) (right leg) which is weird and not very energy efficient :D
Well I decided to research this for myself. Feet facing outward puts strain on the big toes and is bad (according to this source). Feel free to respond with any other sources you find that support or contradict this. www.active.com/fitness/articles/prevent-injuries-with-proper-foot-alignment?page=2
First off, those "Authentiboots" you made are gorgeous!!! I wear American military issue combat boots, preferably 1960's or earlier- but the eBay A-holes have gotten up most of them and made them $900+ unaffordable. So, what used to last 15 years is now lucky to have made it through 1 before cracking horribly at the edge of the eyelet strip. I've kept every single pair because I've had a fascination with making my own boots since I was about 7 or 8 and saw my first pair of elfin-esque Roman or Greek ankle boots. Maybe I'm off all together on that but I know the middle/dark ages produced many wonderful designs that I also took note of back then. But jumping many years ahead I've found that there is something aesthetic that I am so attracted to with metal eyelets, so I am hoping to one day find a use for all of these boots and their parts. I have a pair of incredibly old boots yours made me recall that were in mint condition that I called my Breadline Boots because they looked very much like those worn by out of work men during the Great Depression. The heel, while made of very early rubber, was the newest piece on the boot, are very, Very low so I was able to follow what you were saying completely about the difference it can make to the wearer. I was forced to take them out and wear them daily when my usual boots were damaged and I couldn't afford to replace them. Those old ones fit like a glove with absolutely Zero ankle bulk (my favorite fit!) but one day I was in a careless hurry and pulled the tongue right out while putting them on. There is a cobbler here in Minneapolis who has been in business 60 years that I would trust with this repair, but a large part of me wants to lovingly take care of it myself. Do you know anything about handling this type of issue?
Running on the ball of your feet is how we naturally have been running for thousands of years. Its inadvisable to run barefoot on any hard surfaces though because we've coddled the soles of our feet and they're all soft and quite fragile. If you are on a designated running track however in the sprawling outdoors and the ground if covered in woodchips or just trampled earth, give it a go the feeling is very natural and almost playful. Just make sure you land flat with your foot or slightly on the ball, saves your heels and saves your knees regardless of footwear. 10/10 would run again.
Hahaha...You've got to love all leather shoes. I once was at a reenactment for the Battle of Hastings and I had on a pair of new leather shoes (no modern soles). There was a break in the action and a bunch of us got mugs of mead (yeah, that's a good idea). We had sort of lost track of time (I have no idea why) when suddenly, we get the call to assemble on the field. We start to run down this hill and that's when those lovely, new shoes suddenly became skates. I perfectly flew into the air and landed on the most padded part of my anatomy (thank God). Equally fortuitous...I didn't spill a drop of mead, nor feel the pain of my impromptu landing (at least not for several hours). Yes, you do indeed walk differently in shoes that lack modern additions. BTW, I can actually run, jump, and dance in heels. ;)
great video, just got back from a larp weekend with a little bit of bracing march camping! And i can totally appreciate what you're saying here, i was wearing hiking boots the whole time and if i had to wear something flat soled and less waterproof it would have been a lot lot worse.
The best shoes I ever owned are Vibram FiveFinger minimalist shoes :) They require you to walk as if you were barefoot, with no heel strike, putting the outside-front part of the foot first on the ground, then the inside-front and finally the heel. Quite similar to how some historians believe our medieval ancestors used to walk. I mean, it's the most intelligent way to walk, using all of your feets features, not burying them over thick layers of soles and heel compensation. Nowadays most people don't really walk, they tend to "fall".
Lindybeige Excellent video, I do enjoy these that are about less talked about topics. An interesting thing regarding turnshoes and getting better traction is something that was found on the Bocksten Man(mid 14th century), he wrapped his shoes(with feet in them) in the rags of an old linnen kirtle, resulting in protection from mud, rain, snow... And good traction. When I start with fighting in terrain, this is what I will use. :)
As a young child in the 60s I saw some of the oldest women wear wool oversocks on their boots for traction in the snow. Textiles decompose quite quickly so old examples are rare. Practical ideas from poorer people, without fancy shoes and their pattens, tend not to be recorded by those wuth an eye for fashion as they're not stylish or prettied up.
Good call. I've fought both SCA and kendo/naginata, and given both kendo and naginata are done barefoot, I found it did wonders for my SCA fighting stance.
Obviously the modern stuff is great, but one would think that felted wool or cork would have been used for padding and cushioning the insoles if you could get it. (I have some modern sandals with cork, and once broken in it's really comfy.) Other than that, it's likely thicker socks were worn then than we're accustomed to these days. Heels on boots from what I understand came about with horsemanship and use of stirrups. They prevented feet from sliding through and getting hooked, which obviously would be a bad thing. I also heard that in WWI the military was thinking of getting rid of the heel on the boots, as horses were being phased out as modern mechanization took place and a few other tests showed that it may not have been so great for endurance or posture. But after a few tests, it was found the heel was quite useful for not sliding off motorcycle foot-pegs, and perhaps keeping foot position on vehicle pedals, so the heel was kept.
Traditional shoes where I come from (espardenyes) have soles made out of jute, and have very long linen straps to tie them around your ankles. It has very good grip on dry ground, it is the footwear we use for the popular dances (La Sardana)
I laughed when he started talking about heel strike in a light run😁 Only someone who lives in a city would think it weird or wrong to run on the balls of ur feet. I grew up in a conservation area in Canada, spent a lot of time barefoot, and I played league soccer, running on the balls of my feet is the most obvious thing in the world to me. It is more work for ur calf muscles, but if u are used to it it is just normal. On the other hand it is more comfortable, faster and (key in hunting/fighting context) quieter. Even if u are trying to walk carefully and quietly u would want to walk on the balls of ur feet so u can test the ground before committing to a step
To be fair, a lot of people nowadays wear Volleys, which are not ~all~ that different from shoes of old. The "grip" on volleys wears out in a pretty short amount of time (although yes, admittedly it is still usually more grippy than authentiboots) and the canvas encasing is about as waterproof as air. My standard shoe is the volley, and in wet, rough ground conditions I do long for a more hi-tech shoe. So we don't have to stretch our imaginations too far.
I've never taken shoes for granted since seeing the Civil War film "Glory", where improper footwear was made abundantly clear to be a serious problem. It's like when Lindybeige talked about spiked armor, and how that sort of thing was unlikely to be used in an army due to the sheer pain in the ass it'd be to travel in. A soldier has to take that into consideration, then and now.
I used my self made authentiboots (autistiboots as we call them) all summer just because they are pretty much the most comfortable shoes I own. But in bohurt (related to HEMA, but full armour, full contact) they are dreadfully slippy and the extra weight of the armour isn't helping. So yes, authentiboots in combat do call for better footwork and less prancing about.
What you are talking about shoes without heels and cushioning reminds me about the natural running movement where you have shoes without a "drop", that means a differential in height between the heel and the forefoot. I use those kinds of shoes and they give your brain an instant feedback on what you're walking on in a way that cushioned shoes with a heel doesn't and your feet will adapt to what's is under them instantly by using the muscles in the foot. Use these kinds of shoes long enough and you've built up the muscles in your legs, back and feet to improve your balance alot while running or walking. This should apply to swordfencing aswell, I believe, if the shoes have enough traction to keep you from slipping and losing balance.
Just noticed one of the points made about moving in Armour conflicts with the DnD 4E video; not to say moving in armour well is unique to fighters, but that it makes sense in that they've practised it more.
I used to LARP in the 80's wearing a faithful old pair of pixie boots (see the cover of the first Bon Jovi album for an example), which I kept going well past their normal end of life by the simple expedient of glueing leather off-cuts onto the soles to cover up holes. I went skating many a time. You essentially have to walk and run as though you are on ice, especially when you are in an old Accrington Mill whose smooth concrete floor had been liberally smeared in the wallpaper paste which we used to coat weapons with so that hits could b marked up after a combat. Happy days...
I own large steel-toed boots with those rubber heels and I DO appreciate them whenever I leave the house. In the Vietnam war, there were a lot of Vietcong soldiers that traveled and fought with bare feet. In the jungle. At night... that sounds incredibly painful.
Modern shoes are great but people must have been used to the hardship back in the days. I am quite sure they had tricks to keep themselves comfy. Humans are very, very creative when it comes to killing eachother or being comfy. Maybe they waxed shoes or something.
I don't know if Lloyd or many of you guys knew this, and I was only very recently made aware of it; the fact that until recently in history, people did actually walk on the balls of their feet, instead of their heels, pretty much for the same reasons Lloyd gave for why he did it. It was certainly done in the medieval era, and I would imagine it was done in ancient times too, seeing as they also lacked heels then. Some parts of the world still walk like this, and you also probably do it when walking barefoot, especially through grass.
What beautiful boots. Impressive craftwork. ...I have some boxing boots I use for anything needing some nimbility... performing, drumkit playing... They're very similar to your authentiboots.
in argentina there are some shoes with ROPE soles that can grip in any surface, i used them for tricking AND trekking... my specialty was wallruns, so it grips...
Interesting, I've seen theories about Agincourt that the English victory was in part to do with the English having a lot poorer type of shoe/boots, which whilst a lot less armoured and poor at keeping your feet dry, were also soft and pliable making them much better at breaking the suction created by mud.
You’re describing the exact phenomena of barefoot running (or in your reenactment/LARP time periods, it was just called “running”). The heal strike was popularized in the 1970s and 1980s with the advent of the elevated/padded heel running shoe. Running manuals and basic running instruction before this period was based on running exclusively on the forefoot. Running on the heel, at any speed, in your delightfully non-padded 0-drop boots, is against human biomechanics. The heel is a position of rest, used to by-pass muscle and load the skeleton while recovering from bouts of forefoot running. Only those with very low bodyweight and high strength can tolerate an actual heel-strike running pattern without inevitable injury.
Now, interestingly, with regard to running, runners usually recommend not landing on your heel (at least not with your weight). And some recommend trying to run barefoot, because it will really teach you proper running technique. Having less padding will really emphasize any mistakes in your technique!
I have a pair of very light old army "sport shoes" that are made of canvas with a leather sole. They're like strapping a couple of dozen greased up eels covered in ice cubes to your feet. Unless you are on gravel you will slip and fall.
Here in Denmark it's not too uncommon to see people wearing clogs. In the past we also used shoes made out of rushes here, but I'm not exactly when they were used as they're not the most sturdy footwear in rough terrain.
The trouble with authenticity is that a Viking only needed his knees for 40 odd years, whilst my right one's already missing a tendon and needs to last 80+. Regardless of authenticity, I'll be covering my turn shoes in latex or rubber under the bottom where it's not so visible.
I think that Roman sandals had thin risers on the heel called a march heel. Not anywhere near as pronounced as a modern running shoe, but it was there.
Try moccasins. You will learn not put your feet down hard. They were repaired or replaced frequently. You always carried an extra pair, patching material plus plenty of grease to treat them.
There are a few medieval accounts of Welsh warriors going barefoot and crude illustrations that seem to show them only wearing one shoe. Some people believe it was just xenophobic propaganda aimed at portraying them as barbarian but is it believable that the Welsh did this because shoes were impractical for fighting in their native rough terrain? Could this be practical in the longer term such as on the march as well as during battle? Do you have a view on the one shoe, one barefoot idea?
Dewi Bevan There are many accounts of American soldiers in the RevWar being barefoot. Nowadays this is usually used to show how poorly supplied they were (which was definitely a problem) and how much they suffered in the wintertime. However, there are some who suggest that, at least during the warmer seasons, some Continentals and militia preferred to march barefoot, thereby saving their shoes for the colder seasons when they needed them more. No doubt anyone who grew up on a farm had pretty tough and calloused feet. It's an intriguing idea, but I haven't seen enough primary documentation to back it up, so for now it's just a thought experiment among reenacting nerds.
dajolaw Even in the winter, there are tales and paintings of poor unfortunate barefoot soldiers. In my own experiements with the barefoot in the deep of winter, I found my en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulatory_anastomosis kicked in and instead of instant frost-bite, I found that my feet started pumping out heat, keeping my feet warm (as long as I got out of the wet, and back onto something dry every so often, like concrete or just putting my feet up).
Eric Godfrey correct. I have the same experience. When the extremities get cold (and that includes the hands and feet both) heat tends to get drawn out of the body core to keep them from freezing (at least for a while). I think the accounts of soldiers going into battle barefoot in winter are not generally true. Of course in the time period in question battle campaigns tended to not run through the winter in the first place, they started in late spring and ran into early autumn. So a battle in snow or otherwise frosty conditions would be rare (though in the little ice age it might well have happened very early or late in the campaign season). As to poor supply situation causing soldiers to have to go barefoot, I doubt it's that simple. In those days shoes were a luxury. Most people (and especially in rural areas) owned very few pairs, often only a single pair that was worn to church and maybe other occasions like weddings. Apart from that they might own a pair of wooden clogs, and that's about it. 99% of their lives would be spent barefoot or in winter wearing cloth or leather wrappings around the feet (stuffed with straw for extra insulation) as protection against the cold. The majority of the soldiery then would be used to being barefoot almost permanently and think nothing of it. In fact they'd probably be more agile, more comfortable, barefoot than wearing heavy footwear.
I have to agree - different shoes, and different terrains, allow you to get away with various amounts of poor technique. However, the most notable difference I've found is the resting position. Many people, for some reason, seem to lean with their large heavy thing (usually a shield, if large enough, but I have seen swords and axes used) resting on the toes of their boots. Cue widespread amusement when they forget their wearing authentiboots and attempt the same thing.
It seems that proper footwear should be a staple for any reenacting. Walking in their shoes is quite literally a foundation for feeling what life was like for an man of the past.
Lots of people in HEMA like those minimalist footie shoes or wrestling-type shoes that are flat. Still have a little distortion with the extra grip rubber gives though.
i also think braises and hosen also require a bit of extra effort to wear. i'm a newbie in a norman battle re-enactment soceity and i think wearing the shoes and the braises and hosen is my less favourite bit. the scots in our period wear things call trews and i envie them.
One thing, I strangely enough really like, are the japanse straw sandals. The name escape me presently (wa....ja... something). Easy to make; easier and cheaper than leather.
Surely the point about lindy hoppers practising in high heels to show up deficiencies in their technique pretty much equally applies to male lindy hoppers (assuming that they can get stilettos in their size)
I'm of the belief that thick cushy soles, stiff ankle support, and a heel incline all contribute to weaker foot and calf muscles, as well as poor running, jumping, and landing technique. I switched to minimalist shoes 2 years ago and noticed that I no longer roll ankles, and have completely eliminated knee pain even though I run harder and jump further than before. There's a lot of opinions out there, but I have empirically proven it to myself, and most established traceurs (parkour practitioners) hold the same opinion. I must stress that it took a year to let my feet catch up in strength and conditioning.
I've been wearing a normal flat-soled canvas converse since I was 15 (except in winter), simply because it's the closest thing I can wear to an authentiboot every day without looking like a complete loon ;)
i've hunted and lived in moccasins in the woods, and after working sewer crew, we live in our Servus's, it's what separates us from all sorts of animals
This is a perfect Lindybeige video: stuff about medieval combat, everyday life back then, something you have made yourself and dance.
And dancing!
Venedlor DANCING!
i got you 130th like, also I gave a video 3000th like lol
The gentlemen who started the living history club I belong to is also a published author on Fiore and a HEMA instructor. He's found that removing HEMA from the context of the proper equipment, including the proper authentic medieval footwear is in many ways detrimental to the understanding of the techniques in the various fighting treatises. Some modern interpretations simply don't work with medieval footwear (suggesting that they are bad interpretations!), while other techniques suddenly make sense when you are wearing proper medieval footwear.
On the topic of the technique needed just to walk and run in period footwear, I liken it very much to the current movement in minimalist footwear. Learning to run barefoot or in those goofy five-toed shoes (which I've run and worked out in for years) translates perfectly to wearing period footwear. You learn to become a fore-foot striker and rebuild the stability and musculature in all the places you've neglected over the years as a result of wearing modern shoes that compensate for what our body was designed to do naturally.
Just started running in my "goofy five-toed shoes" and thinking how much this was like fighting in period shoes. Still will take some time for my feet and lower legs to fully adjust to not landing on my heels.
As a medieval and Tudor reenactor - I find this video fantastic and really true. Going from modern fencing (long over-dramatic lunges) to sliding on completely flat leather shoes was a shock. Even just walking up a slightly damp, slightly angled hill became a challenge.
One thing many people obviously don't know is that before the advent of heel design in boots and other forms of added padding, people used to run a lot by springing forward with the forefoot, so to speak. The human metatarsus is strong enough to do so. In fact, considering how common athletic training was in the Ancient World, the depictions of people running by springing with the metatarsus, _not_ the heel should be more prominent in analysis!
+Panagiotes Koutelidakes I've watched a few kids learn walking and I cannot remember one of them not walking on the forefoot. One of my cousins was even given special shoes with squeaky things in the heel so that she would learn to walk 'normally'. Also these days I walk a lot barefeet & I can say from experience that it is quite uncomfortable to walk like you would with trainers i.e. rolling over my heel
You might say we're a bit flat-footed these days. ;)
Wooden shoes are still used in Asturias (North of Spain), where I live. They are called "madreñas" (Google them) and are made from a single piece of wood with 3 heels, sometimes covered with modern rubber. They are specially useful if you keep in mind that the north of Spain is quite a rainy place and you don't want to sink in mud while you are trying to farm your lands
This was mind-blowing to me on several levels. Firstly, I remembered that all the traditional shoes in Japan are made of wood AND that they still have the tradition of wearing some type of flippers at the loo (but otherwise never inside the house). Secondly I recognize Lloyd's hidden point: that HEMA should be done in high-heels.
Lmao. Got an image of a couple of knights in very shiny armour swordfighting around a stone flagged courtyard in Louis xiiiith fancy heels. Very camp. Thanjs. 😂
I always try to be appreciative of the comforts of modern times but I never considered the comfort of modern shoes.
I like that you mentioned wood as good shoe material. A few hundred years ago wood platforms became popular in Japan as a way to keep their nice slippers clean when they went outside. Even today you sometimes see people in Japan walking down the street wearing wooden geta. One of my favorite pairs of shoes are vintage geta. People ask me why I'm wearing wooden flip flops on stilts, but they're not flip flops. They fit differently than flip flops do. You walk differently in geta than in flip flops. Instead of loudly going flap-flap-flap they make a soft clop-clop sound. When geta are worn correctly the effect is much more graceful and flowing than striding around in flip flops. It takes practice to wear them with confidence but it's worth the effort.
I used to do HEMA and in my school one of the first things that we were encouraged to buy (or make) was a pair of authentic-style boots for just this reason. I could definitely tell the difference when practicing on a basketball court.
Another wonderful video! I wear flat soled moccasins full-time and I noticed a change in my step when I first started years ago, I learned to subconsciously step more lightly on my heel without making my stride look silly or exaggerated
I like how much you admit not knowing stuff in this video. It's refreshing.
What you describe is pretty much standard for "barefoot" runners.
Mind you, they don't usually run completely barefoot, the common call is to get a set of shoes with very little heel, and very flexible, thin soles.
There's a lot of crossover, it seems.
nice video! once, my sports team doctor told me that because of modern shoes with built in heels we have forgotten how to walk properly!
That's why I walk barefoot at home :) at least there.
RubberKidney - yeah and it also helps how we stand
MrPanos2000 Sure, running on the balls of the feet is actually the natural way.All animals are doing it and all native people all over the world too.
Our "civilized" deformed way of motion to step on the ground with the
heal first is the main reason for most knee-, back- and even neck
problems that we have nowadays. To walk on the heals first is just as stupid as walking on the knees, you miss a joint that was actually made for this.
RubberKidney - I do the same, and I almost always walk on the balls of my feet. Including just standing still if it's not longer than a few minutes. And even if I'm wearing modern running shoes, I still don't plant my heels as much as most people. I find it gives you a better stride.
MrPanos2000 I have a pair of flat soled "running shoes" that I found great for hiking and walking, specially on rough "natural" ground. Without thinking about it I once wore them to my fencing club practice and it took me six months and a pair of orthotic insoles to recover. I don't need the orthotics any more, but without them my feet never would have heeled.
As a HEMA practitioner I completely agree - though there is a middle ground between buying or making authentic boots. I use Vivo Barefoot shoes, but there are many other brands. Going "back to the basics" on shoes is a thing for many HEMA people, but also for runners (many of the olympic record runners run in these or in bare feet) and other sports.
I am also a reenactor and my vivo barefoot are basically the same to walk in as my flat, thin-soled medieval boots. They are also strikingly simialr in design.
Basically, in my club in Copenhagen, we train with modern rubber shoes until about the time footwork is adequate. At that point an instructor will recommend you move to either "barefoot" shoes or shoes with individual toes and very thing, flat soles - I don't recall the brand name.
I've also done some HEMA in bare feet on grass. Great feeling, and it is something everyone should try. Once again (for me, personally) practice tips from lindy dancers are worthwhile for fencers also :)
- Dan
I've often preferred walking around barefoot or in flat-soled shoes. I had no idea there were brands catering to it. May well be ordering some Vivo's in the futures :D Thanks for the info.
They are great. I would be wearing a pair daily, if it weren't for them matching very poorly with a suit :(
Dan True have a look at Lems Nine2five. also Newbalance Minimus are nice,
Lucias Just look for "minimal shoes" or "minimal souls" when searching for shoes. It's become its own little subculture of running right now.
Uh, and I see Vivo actually carries a style which is suitable for office work. I'm off to buy new shoes.
I guess Wellington Boots might also prevent soldiers from getting... cold feet about fighting.
:)))))))))))))
Curiosus medieval shoe fact: during middle ages, king Sancho II of Navarra (by the way, acording to a familiar legend, I would be his descendant) got the surname "Abarka". The abarka is a tipe of shoe used by basque sheepers for ages. It is basically a hardened leather shoe atached to the leg by crossed laces around heavy wool socks.
Acording to history, king Abarka imposed that shoe to all his army. Thaks to that, basque armies where able to cross up an down the pyrenees much faster than outsiders armies and obtained a lot of victories as a result.
Very good video and very good points. Maybe some will see it as nitpicking, but as someone who wears orhtopedic insoles I can tell you that a small change makes quite a big difference not only in your balance but also in the way your leg muscles work.
I used to train in jujitsu, and so I would naturally take off my shoes and enter the tatami with bare foots. I quickly realized that after wearing insoles for some time, I had grown accustomed to it and would tire much faster running with bare feet - you can actually feel that your muscles are not working the same way. Some are more relaxed than usual, some face a greater strain. It reminded me how the first time I used insoles I was also quite tired after long walks.
Another thing to note is balance : a well-fitted shoe gives you not only a good balance because of the hardness of the sole, but also because it grips the foot pretty well. Ever since I started wearing insoles, the grip is lighter and I've lost a great deal of balance : I noticed for example that I really need to hold onto something when riding the bus, for example.
I've also gotten a couple of injuries just running, because if your foot is slightly tilted one way or the other any physical activity can be much more demanding.
Because of all of these reasons, I would say that any HEMA practitioner should consider wearing shoes that imitate the effect of authentiboots, because it is only by doing so that he can see the actual limits and physical context of ancient martial arts.
Matt is going to have a field day with your plastic soles in his passive aggressive implied response video.
Is this Matt from scholagladiatoria?
Who is this "Matt" who responds to Lindybeige? That sounds interesting. Can you share a link please?
Nah, I dont interpret Matt as being passive aggressive at all. Seems kind of a sweet guy actually. Soemtimes a bit bad at phraseing himself though. But mabye I miss something, I dont know.
Peter C Matt Easton, Schola Gladiatoria channel. And he's not aggressive at all, he's an uncommonly polite youtuber
Tullio238 i'm surprised he isn't Canadian.
I've always preferred the feel of thin soled shoes or even no soled ones; moccasins are wonderful.
have you ever seen the shoes found in the irish bog? it was featured in the national geographic. The worksmanship was incredible.
I heard something ages ago about pine tar or hide glue and sand or pebbles stuck on the soles that acted as a grip
Trivia about clogs. The French word for Clog is Sabot. The French equivalent of the Luddite used to chuck wooden Sabots into the works of machinery they wanted to damage - hence the word Sabotage.
I reenact 18th century Rogers Rangers .We found out people coated their boats with Pine Sap & lil Charcoal . Looks like crap but it keeps feet dry. I'd think they was smart enough to do that.
This is Thrand! Great video on foot wear and I agree :D
You should check out the Bata Shoe Museum if you are ever in Toronto. Tends to focus on feminine shoes, but it has a lot of stuff there about historical shoes.
Lindy shirts, lindy haircuts, lindy boots, lindy armor. We're getting close to a complete set.
You should make a video on how to make authentiboots or at least some patterns for the ones you made. I would love to make some
As a kid I had wooden shoes. I allways put them on when my neighbour below us was too noisy and then I kept walking clack-clack-clack... it was amazing how load such shoes can be.
I saw your Hitler rant mention authentic medieval boots and it made me curious as to what they were. So I looked it up and here your video is. Very clever, Lindyberge.
Edit: Lindybeige
There was a guy in my High school from a poor family who made his own school shoes from cut offs(he worked part time at a farm where the guy made his own leather products) and bark for soles from a tree just outside the school grounds. We only noticed it in our matrick year.
Are you sure he didn't become a Bond villain? Considering how many of them there are, there are bound to be some of them we haven't heard about yet. Perhaps he's just good at hiding and haven't gotten caught yet.
Who would have guessed a 6 minute video about old shoes would be so fascinating! You are a majestic dolphin swimming in the muddy waters of RUclips.
I really like your videos not only are they interesting but I find some of your chats very soothing. I really do not mean you are boring because you aren't I just find some of your chats soothing
What I like the most is your obvious enthusiasm 👍
I'm about to embark on a journey toake what I'm calling "visigoth boots"
I'm going to make a platform out of wood, stain it black and then for my upper have it resemble historic leather boots.
I found you while spiriling down this rabbit hole haha
People are running over heels just last 30 years because they invented soft durable material in Adidas. Running over heels is very unnatural, unpractical, painful and ineffective. Don't do it people :(
+Štěpán M. that was the first thing i learned in cross country
People told me off for running on the balls of my feet, but it covers a greater distance faster, reduces the strain on my calves, allows me to 'spring' my step which reduces the impact on my knees, one step carries over into the next one. Walking on the heel has always felt unnatural to me. Nowadays with women's shoes there is a problem with the toe area getting smaller and smaller to the point where it squeezes your toes. Started wearing men's shoes because of it. Miles more comfortable.
If lloyd naturally ran on his heels before these shoes, then he really wasn't taught proper running technique
I've cheated by wearing waterproof socks hidden under wool stockings inside my hand made Gillies... Who would know but me ;)
Mr. Lindybeige, do you think you could do a video about winged hussars? (if you've already done one, please ignore this) I've always found them really interesting.
I could. They are pretty. I do have shots I've taken in museums. Don't know what I'd actually say, though.
I don't know, something about their formations, maybe? Perhaps then would also be a good time to talk about morale? (i.e. the morale of the hussars vs the morale of the enemy)
you should make a video on making old shoes like that I would love a pare of them
Trust me, you wouldn't
Yes I would
Others on yt have them...
I have considered this, myself. I do wear leather-soled (heeled) boots quite often, just for style, and many times, I look at HEMA matches, and realize that much of what is done would be impossible given period-accurate footwear. I suppose that duels were fought in the lists on grass, and probably hobnailed boots were worn for those, but still, it isn't quite the same.
I like HEMA, and I participate in it, but footwear is one of those things that makes HEMA more of a sport than a reenactment or true historical recreation, in my opinion. Other examples are the amount of padding we use, and even the weapons themselves. A feder was to the longsword what the fencing epee was to the smallsword: A nimbler, springier, safer version of a weapon meant for killing. Even our rule sets edge us off from authenticity, just in the fact that we would probably disqualify someone for, say, dropping their sword, tackling their opponent, and beating them about the face and neck with their fists. That may sound ridiculous, but it's in several treatises, so it must have been done at least occasionally in desperate situations.
People tend to forget things like that.
Personally, though, I'm fine with HEMA being somewhat "sportified." I think it makes it safer, more fun, and more accessible, but there's a lot to be said about that, and I've rambled too long as it is.
Has anyone else noticed that many people tend to walk with their feet like this:
\/ rather than like this | |
(viewed from above)
I don't know exactly how to explain it, but their feet are pointing outwards when they walk instead of forward. Is that normal? I always find it odd when I walk behind people who don't walk straight.
I tend to walk like |/. And have no idea why.
lukutiss1324 \/ is a more stable platform. Try to push someone over standing with feet pointing 90 degrees away from eachother is much harder than than someone who stands like | | no matter how far apart their feet are. Not that this is in anyway important. Nor is there a normal.
stability and also you are less likely to trip over your own feet when like \/ , toes pointing outwards slightly, what is bad is when people are pigeon toed- /\ then you are much more likely to trip up and you can't move your leg's backward and forward in a line, but have to do this ( (left leg), ) (right leg) which is weird and not very energy efficient :D
Well I decided to research this for myself. Feet facing outward puts strain on the big toes and is bad (according to this source). Feel free to respond with any other sources you find that support or contradict this.
www.active.com/fitness/articles/prevent-injuries-with-proper-foot-alignment?page=2
It's called pigeon toed. They would not survive out in the wild.
First off, those "Authentiboots" you made are gorgeous!!! I wear American military issue combat boots, preferably 1960's or earlier- but the eBay A-holes have gotten up most of them and made them $900+ unaffordable. So, what used to last 15 years is now lucky to have made it through 1 before cracking horribly at the edge of the eyelet strip. I've kept every single pair because I've had a fascination with making my own boots since I was about 7 or 8 and saw my first pair of elfin-esque Roman or Greek ankle boots. Maybe I'm off all together on that but I know the middle/dark ages produced many wonderful designs that I also took note of back then. But jumping many years ahead I've found that there is something aesthetic that I am so attracted to with metal eyelets, so I am hoping to one day find a use for all of these boots and their parts.
I have a pair of incredibly old boots yours made me recall that were in mint condition that I called my Breadline Boots because they looked very much like those worn by out of work men during the Great Depression. The heel, while made of very early rubber, was the newest piece on the boot, are very, Very low so I was able to follow what you were saying completely about the difference it can make to the wearer. I was forced to take them out and wear them daily when my usual boots were damaged and I couldn't afford to replace them. Those old ones fit like a glove with absolutely Zero ankle bulk (my favorite fit!) but one day I was in a careless hurry and pulled the tongue right out while putting them on. There is a cobbler here in Minneapolis who has been in business 60 years that I would trust with this repair, but a large part of me wants to lovingly take care of it myself. Do you know anything about handling this type of issue?
Running on the ball of your feet is how we naturally have been running for thousands of years. Its inadvisable to run barefoot on any hard surfaces though because we've coddled the soles of our feet and they're all soft and quite fragile. If you are on a designated running track however in the sprawling outdoors and the ground if covered in woodchips or just trampled earth, give it a go the feeling is very natural and almost playful. Just make sure you land flat with your foot or slightly on the ball, saves your heels and saves your knees regardless of footwear. 10/10 would run again.
Hahaha...You've got to love all leather shoes. I once was at a reenactment for the Battle of Hastings and I had on a pair of new leather shoes (no modern soles). There was a break in the action and a bunch of us got mugs of mead (yeah, that's a good idea). We had sort of lost track of time (I have no idea why) when suddenly, we get the call to assemble on the field. We start to run down this hill and that's when those lovely, new shoes suddenly became skates. I perfectly flew into the air and landed on the most padded part of my anatomy (thank God). Equally fortuitous...I didn't spill a drop of mead, nor feel the pain of my impromptu landing (at least not for several hours). Yes, you do indeed walk differently in shoes that lack modern additions. BTW, I can actually run, jump, and dance in heels. ;)
I used to have people running next to me into battle, at full tilt, then I accelerated... :D it was funny!
great video, just got back from a larp weekend with a little bit of bracing march camping! And i can totally appreciate what you're saying here, i was wearing hiking boots the whole time and if i had to wear something flat soled and less waterproof it would have been a lot lot worse.
This video rocks because practical history rocks. Footwear!!
The best shoes I ever owned are Vibram FiveFinger minimalist shoes :) They require you to walk as if you were barefoot, with no heel strike, putting the outside-front part of the foot first on the ground, then the inside-front and finally the heel. Quite similar to how some historians believe our medieval ancestors used to walk. I mean, it's the most intelligent way to walk, using all of your feets features, not burying them over thick layers of soles and heel compensation. Nowadays most people don't really walk, they tend to "fall".
Lindybeige Excellent video, I do enjoy these that are about less talked about topics.
An interesting thing regarding turnshoes and getting better traction is something that was found on the Bocksten Man(mid 14th century), he wrapped his shoes(with feet in them) in the rags of an old linnen kirtle, resulting in protection from mud, rain, snow... And good traction.
When I start with fighting in terrain, this is what I will use. :)
As a young child in the 60s I saw some of the oldest women wear wool oversocks on their boots for traction in the snow.
Textiles decompose quite quickly so old examples are rare. Practical ideas from poorer people, without fancy shoes and their pattens, tend not to be recorded by those wuth an eye for fashion as they're not stylish or prettied up.
Good call. I've fought both SCA and kendo/naginata, and given both kendo and naginata are done barefoot, I found it did wonders for my SCA fighting stance.
Obviously the modern stuff is great, but one would think that felted wool or cork would have been used for padding and cushioning the insoles if you could get it. (I have some modern sandals with cork, and once broken in it's really comfy.) Other than that, it's likely thicker socks were worn then than we're accustomed to these days.
Heels on boots from what I understand came about with horsemanship and use of stirrups. They prevented feet from sliding through and getting hooked, which obviously would be a bad thing. I also heard that in WWI the military was thinking of getting rid of the heel on the boots, as horses were being phased out as modern mechanization took place and a few other tests showed that it may not have been so great for endurance or posture. But after a few tests, it was found the heel was quite useful for not sliding off motorcycle foot-pegs, and perhaps keeping foot position on vehicle pedals, so the heel was kept.
Traditional shoes where I come from (espardenyes) have soles made out of jute, and have very long linen straps to tie them around your ankles. It has very good grip on dry ground, it is the footwear we use for the popular dances (La Sardana)
im getting some clogs now... and a woollen sweater
I laughed when he started talking about heel strike in a light run😁 Only someone who lives in a city would think it weird or wrong to run on the balls of ur feet. I grew up in a conservation area in Canada, spent a lot of time barefoot, and I played league soccer, running on the balls of my feet is the most obvious thing in the world to me. It is more work for ur calf muscles, but if u are used to it it is just normal. On the other hand it is more comfortable, faster and (key in hunting/fighting context) quieter. Even if u are trying to walk carefully and quietly u would want to walk on the balls of ur feet so u can test the ground before committing to a step
you're on a roll lindybeige! keep it up!
To be fair, a lot of people nowadays wear Volleys, which are not ~all~ that different from shoes of old. The "grip" on volleys wears out in a pretty short amount of time (although yes, admittedly it is still usually more grippy than authentiboots) and the canvas encasing is about as waterproof as air.
My standard shoe is the volley, and in wet, rough ground conditions I do long for a more hi-tech shoe. So we don't have to stretch our imaginations too far.
I've never taken shoes for granted since seeing the Civil War film "Glory", where improper footwear was made abundantly clear to be a serious problem. It's like when Lindybeige talked about spiked armor, and how that sort of thing was unlikely to be used in an army due to the sheer pain in the ass it'd be to travel in. A soldier has to take that into consideration, then and now.
I used my self made authentiboots (autistiboots as we call them) all summer just because they are pretty much the most comfortable shoes I own. But in bohurt (related to HEMA, but full armour, full contact) they are dreadfully slippy and the extra weight of the armour isn't helping. So yes, authentiboots in combat do call for better footwork and less prancing about.
What you are talking about shoes without heels and cushioning reminds me about the natural running movement where you have shoes without a "drop", that means a differential in height between the heel and the forefoot. I use those kinds of shoes and they give your brain an instant feedback on what you're walking on in a way that cushioned shoes with a heel doesn't and your feet will adapt to what's is under them instantly by using the muscles in the foot. Use these kinds of shoes long enough and you've built up the muscles in your legs, back and feet to improve your balance alot while running or walking. This should apply to swordfencing aswell, I believe, if the shoes have enough traction to keep you from slipping and losing balance.
Just noticed one of the points made about moving in Armour conflicts with the DnD 4E video; not to say moving in armour well is unique to fighters, but that it makes sense in that they've practised it more.
I used to LARP in the 80's wearing a faithful old pair of pixie boots (see the cover of the first Bon Jovi album for an example), which I kept going well past their normal end of life by the simple expedient of glueing leather off-cuts onto the soles to cover up holes. I went skating many a time. You essentially have to walk and run as though you are on ice, especially when you are in an old Accrington Mill whose smooth concrete floor had been liberally smeared in the wallpaper paste which we used to coat weapons with so that hits could b marked up after a combat. Happy days...
We actually promote authentic shoos or flat less grippy ones (chucks are a good compromise).
The reason is that some techniques rely on some "sliding"
A friend of mine loves her custom wooden clogs, she swears they are very comfortable.
I own large steel-toed boots with those rubber heels and I DO appreciate them whenever I leave the house. In the Vietnam war, there were a lot of Vietcong soldiers that traveled and fought with bare feet. In the jungle. At night... that sounds incredibly painful.
Modern shoes are great but people must have been used to the hardship back in the days. I am quite sure they had tricks to keep themselves comfy. Humans are very, very creative when it comes to killing eachother or being comfy.
Maybe they waxed shoes or something.
I don't know if Lloyd or many of you guys knew this, and I was only very recently made aware of it; the fact that until recently in history, people did actually walk on the balls of their feet, instead of their heels, pretty much for the same reasons Lloyd gave for why he did it. It was certainly done in the medieval era, and I would imagine it was done in ancient times too, seeing as they also lacked heels then. Some parts of the world still walk like this, and you also probably do it when walking barefoot, especially through grass.
What beautiful boots. Impressive craftwork. ...I have some boxing boots I use for anything needing some nimbility... performing, drumkit playing... They're very similar to your authentiboots.
in argentina there are some shoes with ROPE soles that can grip in any surface, i used them for tricking AND trekking... my specialty was wallruns, so it grips...
"very wood idea" UURRGHHH
A *PUN*
Your sewing skill is impressive
Interesting, I've seen theories about Agincourt that the English victory was in part to do with the English having a lot poorer type of shoe/boots, which whilst a lot less armoured and poor at keeping your feet dry, were also soft and pliable making them much better at breaking the suction created by mud.
You’re describing the exact phenomena of barefoot running (or in your reenactment/LARP time periods, it was just called “running”). The heal strike was popularized in the 1970s and 1980s with the advent of the elevated/padded heel running shoe. Running manuals and basic running instruction before this period was based on running exclusively on the forefoot. Running on the heel, at any speed, in your delightfully non-padded 0-drop boots, is against human biomechanics. The heel is a position of rest, used to by-pass muscle and load the skeleton while recovering from bouts of forefoot running. Only those with very low bodyweight and high strength can tolerate an actual heel-strike running pattern without inevitable injury.
We've always had clogs at home. Very practical while in the garden, when fetching the mail and such.
Damn, Lloyd!
That's a great point you got there!
Great video, once again!
Ja Suomi mainittu
Yay Finland!. Luulin että Lloyd vain vaihtoi lentoa täällä karhujen ja piispantappajien maassa....
Now, interestingly, with regard to running, runners usually recommend not landing on your heel (at least not with your weight). And some recommend trying to run barefoot, because it will really teach you proper running technique. Having less padding will really emphasize any mistakes in your technique!
Here in Denmark every person in my has a pair of clogs that are used on the same occasions as those pattens you showed.
I have a pair of very light old army "sport shoes" that are made of canvas with a leather sole. They're like strapping a couple of dozen greased up eels covered in ice cubes to your feet. Unless you are on gravel you will slip and fall.
Here in Denmark it's not too uncommon to see people wearing clogs.
In the past we also used shoes made out of rushes here, but I'm not exactly when they were used as they're not the most sturdy footwear in rough terrain.
Yeah. We had dozens of clogs when I grew up in the Danish countryside.
The trouble with authenticity is that a Viking only needed his knees for 40 odd years, whilst my right one's already missing a tendon and needs to last 80+. Regardless of authenticity, I'll be covering my turn shoes in latex or rubber under the bottom where it's not so visible.
“I was in a boot factory in Finland.” Say no more 😂😂
I think that Roman sandals had thin risers on the heel called a march heel. Not anywhere near as pronounced as a modern running shoe, but it was there.
Really interesting points. I wonder if, flat-footed as I am, authenti-boots would in some respects cause me less pain than modern arched shoes.
Try moccasins. You will learn not put your feet down hard. They were repaired or replaced frequently. You always carried an extra pair, patching material plus plenty of grease to treat them.
There are a few medieval accounts of Welsh warriors going barefoot and crude illustrations that seem to show them only wearing one shoe. Some people believe it was just xenophobic propaganda aimed at portraying them as barbarian but is it believable that the Welsh did this because shoes were impractical for fighting in their native rough terrain? Could this be practical in the longer term such as on the march as well as during battle? Do you have a view on the one shoe, one barefoot idea?
Not just the Welsh. The Greeks escaping from the siege of Plataea did the same thing.
Dewi Bevan There are many accounts of American soldiers in the RevWar being barefoot. Nowadays this is usually used to show how poorly supplied they were (which was definitely a problem) and how much they suffered in the wintertime. However, there are some who suggest that, at least during the warmer seasons, some Continentals and militia preferred to march barefoot, thereby saving their shoes for the colder seasons when they needed them more. No doubt anyone who grew up on a farm had pretty tough and calloused feet. It's an intriguing idea, but I haven't seen enough primary documentation to back it up, so for now it's just a thought experiment among reenacting nerds.
dajolaw Even in the winter, there are tales and paintings of poor unfortunate barefoot soldiers. In my own experiements with the barefoot in the deep of winter, I found my en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulatory_anastomosis kicked in and instead of instant frost-bite, I found that my feet started pumping out heat, keeping my feet warm (as long as I got out of the wet, and back onto something dry every so often, like concrete or just putting my feet up).
Eric Godfrey correct. I have the same experience. When the extremities get cold (and that includes the hands and feet both) heat tends to get drawn out of the body core to keep them from freezing (at least for a while).
I think the accounts of soldiers going into battle barefoot in winter are not generally true.
Of course in the time period in question battle campaigns tended to not run through the winter in the first place, they started in late spring and ran into early autumn. So a battle in snow or otherwise frosty conditions would be rare (though in the little ice age it might well have happened very early or late in the campaign season).
As to poor supply situation causing soldiers to have to go barefoot, I doubt it's that simple.
In those days shoes were a luxury. Most people (and especially in rural areas) owned very few pairs, often only a single pair that was worn to church and maybe other occasions like weddings.
Apart from that they might own a pair of wooden clogs, and that's about it.
99% of their lives would be spent barefoot or in winter wearing cloth or leather wrappings around the feet (stuffed with straw for extra insulation) as protection against the cold.
The majority of the soldiery then would be used to being barefoot almost permanently and think nothing of it. In fact they'd probably be more agile, more comfortable, barefoot than wearing heavy footwear.
I have to agree - different shoes, and different terrains, allow you to get away with various amounts of poor technique.
However, the most notable difference I've found is the resting position. Many people, for some reason, seem to lean with their large heavy thing (usually a shield, if large enough, but I have seen swords and axes used) resting on the toes of their boots.
Cue widespread amusement when they forget their wearing authentiboots and attempt the same thing.
Questions:
1. What are all the materials you used to make those boots?
2. Where did you get the pattern, or did you make those without a pattern?
It seems that proper footwear should be a staple for any reenacting.
Walking in their shoes is quite literally a foundation for feeling what life was like for an man of the past.
5:47 DAT DETAIL!!! * _ *
thank you lindy always wondered about footwear
Lots of people in HEMA like those minimalist footie shoes or wrestling-type shoes that are flat. Still have a little distortion with the extra grip rubber gives though.
I have worn Corcoran Tanker boots for years and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
i also think braises and hosen also require a bit of extra effort to wear. i'm a newbie in a norman battle re-enactment soceity and i think wearing the shoes and the braises and hosen is my less favourite bit. the scots in our period wear things call trews and i envie them.
One thing, I strangely enough really like, are the japanse straw sandals. The name escape me presently (wa....ja... something). Easy to make; easier and cheaper than leather.
I still use clogs, it's such a pain to put on shoes when you just want to feed the chickens or need something from the store.
Surely the point about lindy hoppers practising in high heels to show up deficiencies in their technique pretty much equally applies to male lindy hoppers (assuming that they can get stilettos in their size)
I'm of the belief that thick cushy soles, stiff ankle support, and a heel incline all contribute to weaker foot and calf muscles, as well as poor running, jumping, and landing technique. I switched to minimalist shoes 2 years ago and noticed that I no longer roll ankles, and have completely eliminated knee pain even though I run harder and jump further than before.
There's a lot of opinions out there, but I have empirically proven it to myself, and most established traceurs (parkour practitioners) hold the same opinion. I must stress that it took a year to let my feet catch up in strength and conditioning.
thats why you wear softsole moccasins. Barefoot feel, and the most comfortable and natural shoes you will ever wear. Watch out for water, though. :)
I've been wearing a normal flat-soled canvas converse since I was 15 (except in winter), simply because it's the closest thing I can wear to an authentiboot every day without looking like a complete loon ;)
i've hunted and lived in moccasins in the woods, and after working sewer crew, we live in our Servus's, it's what separates us from all sorts of animals
I never had any trouble doing anything with my leather-soled cowboy boots with 3'' heels.