vibram five fingers.... your thoughts please | Page 2 | FerrariChat

vibram five fingers.... your thoughts please

Discussion in 'Health & Fitness' started by Edward 96GTS, Oct 1, 2010.

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  1. airspyder

    airspyder Rookie

    Sep 27, 2010
    28
    Chicago, sometimes
    I use to run with orthotics. Several of my orthotics were plastic with a leather cover, several were made from a hard foam with leather cover. Things improved when I did away with the orthotics for running. But I was still landing on my heel and it hurt. Switched to barefoot with and without Vibram FiveFingers and I'm happy. Now I land on the ball of my foot and I have no pain. Still looking for running places in Chicago, my new home.
     
  2. live2boutside

    live2boutside Rookie

    Feb 1, 2008
    28
    I'm a heel striker also, and I've ended up with some achilles problems. So are you saying that as soon as you shifted to barefoot running, you no longer heel struck? It seems like you had to have changed your stride somehow?

    As I get older, I find that I'm going to have to run smarter.
     
  3. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2003
    2,001
    Nicosia, Cyprus/Cali
    Full Name:
    Zacharias
    you still have to work on it, it's not automatic. but the difference is so noticeable that you will soon be avoiding the jarring sensation that comes with the heel strike (which is the impact forces traveling all the way to the base of your skull). your heels will also impact when you get tired during your run and you get more careless about your running style, at least until your calves can take it all the way through your long distance run.

    you also have to give yourself time to build up your calf and quad muscles. start off with smaller distances. in time, you will gain both speed and stamina.

    enjoy!
     
  4. Evolved

    Evolved F1 Veteran

    Nov 5, 2003
    8,700
    #29 Evolved, Oct 12, 2010
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2010
    I run and workout in them pretty much exclusively now. Have been wearing them for a couple years. I use the 5 fingers for 10k's and will use them for a marathon next year.

    I haven't found anything negative to say about them yet save they are a tad tough to put on quickly. That they are catching on with hipsters is imo unfortunate.
     
  5. GordonC

    GordonC F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 28, 2005
    4,119
    Calgary, AB, Canada
    Full Name:
    Gordon
    For learning a more efficient, low impact running style, I can recommend 2 sources - Chi Running, by Danny Dreyer, and POSE Method of Running, by Romanov. Both series offer books and videos available on Amazon or local book stores; Chi Running is the more popular, the POSE Method is a bit more 'radical' in their technique to get you off your heels and developing a mid-foot running style. The POSE guys really preach the minimalist shoes, lots use the Vibrams.

    I took up running in April 2009 after pretty much 2 years off due to a bad bout of Plantar Fasciitis, and the weight had crept up as well. I worked on the POSE technique from the start when I joined a marathon training program, and ran the Honolulu Marathon 8 months later. Honestly, though, that was a bit too aggressive - I had two injuries in races that year, due to weak core conditioning (one injury was a groin pull, other a twisted knee due to a stumble 2/3rds through the marathon). I did finish the marathon, though, but a half marathon training program would have been more appropriate. This year I'm doing Honolulu again, but I am much stronger and better conditioned, having a good base level before starting back into the training program in April this year.

    I wear an Adidas Adizero RC minimalist shoe, pretty much a racing flat, for all my runs. It took a couple of months to build up my calf and foot strength to handle the longer runs with the midfoot running style, but just had aches from fatigue and training, the good kind, no pain! It was only this year that the Vibrams became available locally, I will be checking them out for next year.
     
  6. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2003
    2,001
    Nicosia, Cyprus/Cali
    Full Name:
    Zacharias
    If you have managed to adapt your running method with flat-soled, minimalist shoes, you really don't need vibrams.

    Consider barefoot? :)
     
  7. live2boutside

    live2boutside Rookie

    Feb 1, 2008
    28
    Thanks guys. I have the "Chi Running" book; I'll take the time to really read it. I'm looking forward to getting back to running, especially with trying to change my foot strike.
     
  8. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2003
    2,001
    Nicosia, Cyprus/Cali
    Full Name:
    Zacharias
    There's a really good book put out by Gordon Pirie's grandson. It's freely available on the web. Google it and get it. I highly recommend it. He was a true pioneer of the Pose Method.
     
  9. Tanner13

    Tanner13 Karting

    Jul 4, 2010
    87
    hopefully not of topic , but back when I could dunk , I've showed up to the court a few times in my flip-flops not planning to play and got to shooting around and found I could jump alot higher barefoot than with shoes. The cons obviously were I had to make sure and hang on the rim afterwards and drop to the ground slowly, and also potential for blisters. I think there is alot of pros to running barefoot if you can get conditioned to do it.
     
  10. Lemke

    Lemke F1 Rookie

    Oct 27, 2004
    4,644
    Vancouver, WA
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    I bought a pair of the Treks. These things are brilliant. They take some getting used to and they can be a pain to get on (for some reason my right pinkie toe just does not want to go into its slot(?) or whatever you want to call it). I run a lot of trails (I find running on a treadmill or in the neighborhood to be some of the most boring things ever) and these things are perfect. You can feel what you are running on. The mud or little stones or that tree root you just tripped over, you feel it. But when you are done with your run, your feet feel fine. Thats because instead of being shielded from everything like a "normal" running shoe would do, these things let your feet and toes flex and move around, which is what your feet should be doing.
    I went running with an old pair of running shoes that I still have and I didn't make it 100yds. It felt to weird.
     
  11. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2003
    2,001
    Nicosia, Cyprus/Cali
    Full Name:
    Zacharias
    it doesn't matter if you jump up or down or if you hang on to the rim and then drop to the ground. you will always hit the ground at the same speed for any given height you drop from or jump up to and then fall back down from. the difference must be either psychological or from the way you land, not whether you hang on to the rim at the top or not.
     
  12. NousDefions

    NousDefions F1 Veteran

    Nov 7, 2009
    7,635
    NC
    Full Name:
    Brian
    Because I'm a puss I still run long runs (>5 miles) in running shoes, but my form stays the same as it was in the VFFs. I haven't quite developed serious man feet yet in the VFFs, and it hurts to run 10 miles in them. I tried once, and was sorry I did for about a week afterward.
     
  13. Lemke

    Lemke F1 Rookie

    Oct 27, 2004
    4,644
    Vancouver, WA
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    My form is largely the same. I mean I haven't had myself recorded running the VFFs so I could be wrong. But anyways my feet feel fine after my runs. Tomorrow I'm going hiking with the girlfriend and I'm going to be wearing the VFFs. I guess my feet just took to VFFs really quickly.
     
  14. Tanner13

    Tanner13 Karting

    Jul 4, 2010
    87
    The reason for hanging on the rim after I was dunking barefoot is because I didnt have any shoes on, and it does'nt feel good landing on concrete without shoes after dunking on a 10ft. goal. Last time I checked my basketball shoes have more cushion on the bottom of them than my bare feet do.
     
  15. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2003
    2,001
    Nicosia, Cyprus/Cali
    Full Name:
    Zacharias
    I understand that, but you said you dropped to the ground "slowly". You can't drop slowly. You always drop at the same speed. Of course the extra cushioning in shoes will allow you to dissipate more impact forces than you could if you were barefoot.
     
  16. Tanner13

    Tanner13 Karting

    Jul 4, 2010
    87
    actually you can drop down slowly.Let me explain so you can get it this time. Once you're hanging on the rim you climb down the net and drop from there,for me hanging from the net only leaves me with about a one foot drop, not a big deal when barefoot. Wasn't trying to get to scientific for anybody. If you're ever in AZ I can show you.
     
  17. Komotep

    Komotep Karting

    May 5, 2008
    102
    Massachusetts
    Full Name:
    steve
    I've used Vibrams for over 2 years now.


    They kick ass. I could care less about funny looks at the gym, I'm listening to gangster rap and death metal to push my T levels through the stratosphere. That's why people work out right? results and focus.

    The farthest I've run in them is about a mile for a warmup, but the majority of my time spent in them is doing cleans, squats, gymnastic movements, and MMA type stuff. I have nothing but great stuff to say about these shoes.

    I rate them 9.0 out of ten. the 1.0 left out due to not being as robust as I had hoped.
     
  18. speedy4500

    speedy4500 Formula Junior

    Sep 19, 2004
    339
    Real men just have calluses.

    Seriously, I'm so sick of people walking into the gym with all kinds of new and special apparel as if it's going to make them instant Olympians. Gym bags filled with 3 kinds of shoes depending on their activities, gloves, straps, belts, whatever, and they don't even have above average fitness or strength. I laugh when I see some idiot put on lifting shoes, straps, a belt, take a swig of energy/protein shake and then go deadlift 100kg while making enough noise to make me think he's hauling the Titanic up from the floor of the North Atlantic. Gimme a break. They spend so much money on gym **** and have so little to show for it. I'm still waiting for a research publication to expose the entire fitness culture to be a study on placebo effect.
     
  19. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

    Dec 18, 2003
    2,001
    Nicosia, Cyprus/Cali
    Full Name:
    Zacharias
    Funny post, and very much on point.

    I noticed the same thing both at the krav maga studio and at 24 hours fitness clubs.
     
  20. MaxPower

    MaxPower Two Time F1 World Champ

    Mar 28, 2006
    20,786
    At sea ... aahhh ...
    Full Name:
    MP
    oh u get this type pretty much everywhere mate ... just ignore them & go ahead with yr own workout ...

    altho i hv to say that sometimes i hv to stop cos i'm laughing so hard ...

    :D:D
     
  21. Buggin

    Buggin Karting

    Dec 8, 2006
    169
    Farmersville, TX
    Full Name:
    die langsame
    #46 Buggin, Oct 27, 2010
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2010

    To the contrary, your post here may very well get me running again.

    I have had an aversion to it after being in the Marines, where we run, everywhere.
    Due to the physical stresses of being in the infantry, I dislike running, and stairs, as both cause my ankles and knees to pop and crack.
    (my spine is no great shakes either, falling 30+ feet with 120lbs of gear on is never advisable, much less landing on your feet)

    I have long had a habit of sprinting on the balls of my feet, but I was never able to keep it up for the longer runs. Maybe going to a thinner sole will help.

    I really need to get back in shape.
     
  22. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    I've been running in Vibram classics since earlier this year.

    Impressions
    - what? I paid how much for this?
    - ooh, nice and grippy!
    - I feel like a kid again and I can run run run!
    - I can feel everything! ewe.. is that a pebble?
    - ouch! my calves! (after first few weeks running in em)
    - what? where did my backpain go?
    - I bet I look like a total dork wearing these.
    - maybe it is just a placebo effect? (actually thought it was, but proved myself wrong many times, even though I would have bought shoes for a placebo effect of runnign mro efficiently/better)

    That sums up it in brief. There are times when I hit a particular groove in these shoes and I can just run for as long as I'm awake. That theory hasn't been tested. My feet move quicker, land even more gentle than they ever have, and running in the VFFs, remind me to avoid heel strikes. It is inefficient and sends a shock up my back - I know the difference.

    When I do evening runs with my gf, while she's in normal shoes, I can hear her breathe harder, strike harder on the ground, while I'm feeling more relaxed and just trotting away. I might not have the correct form. I'm certainly not doing any 'pose' form of leaning forward into the stride, but more upright, breathing better, chin up, eyes just above the horizon. With running shoes, I tend to do the opposite. Better for some, just not for me.

    I ran one 5K in normal running shoes a few weeks ago for the Livestrong Challenge. With my normal running shoes, I was less efficient, I had that backpain problem, even when I modified my running stride to be similar to that in VFFs. It helped, but not entirely. When I run in normal shoes, I can easily twist an ankle. With VFFs, I can adapt to a drop off, dip, or slip much easier than I could with shoes.

    Next 5K - Warrior Dash in a week and a half. With that, I'll be running in normal shoes, because I don't want to ruin the VFFs, even though they can easily be washed.

    If you are on the fence about these, do what I did - wait for the REI 20% off one item coupon, order online, wait a few months for them to come in, cross your fingers that you measured correctly, and try em out - risk free! The VFF classics come to about 65 bucks with tax and all if you do it that way. If I don't like em? I take em back.
     
  23. Lemke

    Lemke F1 Rookie

    Oct 27, 2004
    4,644
    Vancouver, WA
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    This is perfect write up. Now that I've had them a few weeks my calves are hurting a bit when I run. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one.
    When I was running xc in high school I was a bit of a ground pounder. I didn't have the lightest of steps. Now I'm much lighter on my feet.

    oh and yes we do look like complete dorks where them but who cares.
     
  24. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    #49 Schatten, Dec 1, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    A few weeks ago, I did the Warrior Dash in my KSOs. Less than a week old, they required no break in period. They worked very well, and post-event, threw em in the washer, hung them to dry and back to new condition. I felt very planted at all times and a bit more nimble through the tires. If I had been wearing shoes, I'm quite sure I'd have twisted an ankle. Pictured below, coming towards the fire near the end, me and my buddy Chad, with Yodas on our backs - cause we're training Jedi's.

    These aren't for everyone. I tried and tried to get my gf to get some. I sized her, ordered em up. A month and a half later, they came in. They were one size off, so we went to the local REI, and they had her size. But they just didn't fit right. Her foot was too narrow and her toes would be forced outwards in order to fit into the slots. Maybe another minimalist shoe is in her future, like the Nike Free's, but not the VFFs... until they make a narrower shoe.

    Like I said before, if you are on the fence about it, get them through REI - try them out. Take them back if you aren't happy with them or they are doing nothing for you. As for me, even if it is a trend, or a placebo, I'll enjoy that... sore calves and all are much better than any ounce of back pain.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  25. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    Update...

    Oh my, I can just run run run in these things without any problems. My back still has its normal issues but there's no extra pain from running. I must be doing something right, and the VFF's just remind me - avoid hitting your heel on the damn pavement in any way shape or form.

    Signed up for the Tough Mudder at the end of a soon to be frigid wet January. I'll be sporting the KSOs.

    Also, best usage for the KSOs so far - putting up Christmas lights on the roof.
     

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