During that past year you may have noticed a pair of non-traditional kicks popping up in your local health club. And while most people sport these trendy "foot gloves" to perfect their running technique -- even wearing them for a whopping 26.2-mile trot -- others wear them in good fashion. The latter reason is certainly arguable, of course.
The craze
Minimalist running shoes have been growing in popularity ever since they made their debut in 1999. This ultralight footwear, weighing in at a mere 5.7 ounces is meant to help runners mimic a barefoot running style, meaning they strike the ground with the ball of their foot versus their heel.
"Bare feet and minimalist shoes help runners strengthen their feet so they can move in healthy ways," Dr. Irene Davis, a physical therapist at the University of Delaware, told Runner's World. "The highly cushioned shoes may overprotect our feet, preventing their parts from strengthening naturally."
"The basis behind these shoes is that you can increase the blood flow to the forefoot. You can increase your speed with these shoes, and also, individuals who use them say you have a better tactile sensation on the surface you are running on," Dr. Raymond Stolarski, a podiatrist from Group Health Associates and TriHealth told Local 12.
The proper training
And, with more people joining the "minimalist movement," it's important for runners to know how to train to train properly, so they can reap the benefits of this footwear and avoid injuries.
"You have to train slowly and build up with it, and your technique should be followed by a coach or someone who has been doing it for a number of years," Dr. Stolarski says.
A few other training techniques from Running Times include:
- Transition slowly. You're bound to engage muscles in your feet, lower legs and core differently than you're used to, partially because you'll be landing less on your heel with a braking angle and more near your midfoot with a more level landing. That will require a period of adjustment, especially if you haven't been doing general strength or dynamic strength exercises.
- Run barefoot -- briefly. The key is to focus on good form: light foot placements that don't entail heavy breaking, a short, compact arm swing, and an upright, but slightly forward-leaning posture that allows your center of mass to be in front of your steps.
- Do form drills. Drills come in many varieties and you can make up your own to make things more fun, but a few common ones include high-knee strides (alternating every other stride or every third stride with a "knee kick"), butt kicks (an exaggerated rear leg extension in which you alternate kicking yourself in the hind quarters), quick feet (doing as many fast, short strides as possible in about 20 to 30 meters) and acceleration strides (50 to 60 meter buildup sprints that top out at about 90 percent).
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