A Shoeless Geek
I don’t like shoes.
I think they look silly and I think our society gives them too much power. Their main purpose is to provide protection for our soles when we are walking outside on rough terrain but why can’t it end there?
Why do business men and women feel the need to have to wear these silly things all day long? They’re not comfortable.
I spent most of my life as a child not wearing shoes and it’s continued that way into my adulthood. Sure sometimes I get strange looks in the gym but it’s actually been a pretty fun conversation starter. It also allows me the opportunity to teach people a thing or two about their own body.
Why I don’t wear shoes when I workout.
Shoes are designed with the best intentions, protecting our ankles and feet. Unfortunately they put a lot of limitations on our ankle mobility. When our bodies move we create force from the ground up. Our body movements rely on a delicate chain of actions from our ankles, to our knees, to our hips and so on and so forth. If you throw restrictions into the bottom link of that chain, that ground force energy then travels a different path then the rest of the body intended for. Of course you won’t notice this. It happens on a microscopic level. But over time that small energy leak in the system will eventually show itself. It could be in the form of sore knees, tight hips, back pain etc. The average gym goer will pass this off as being from old age, or just some regular wear and tear that we have to deal with when it comes to working out hard.
Sure, I still have a lot of my clients train in shoes. Usually they’re more comfortable that way. A lot of them are also athletes and the wearing of shoes can’t be avoided. If they’re going to play the sport in their shoes then I’m definitely going to train them in their shoes. It all really comes down to what your goals are in the gym. Sports aside, for general health purposes and definitely for rehabilitation I suggest people start working out in their socks and ditch the Nike high tops.
WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY
Jamie Nischan
Jamie Nischan owns and runs a successful fitness coaching business in Stamford CT. Through the use of posture correction and exercise he treats pain often associated with excessive use of computers. More about Jamie can be found at www.thebuffgeek.com.
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Comments
Mase says on October 29th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I also prefer working out barefoot (or at least in my socks). However, my gym has an unfortunate rule that shoes are required. When I explained that whatever they believed the health concerns to be should be alleviated by my wearing socks, they still stuck to their rule (form over function, definitely), saying safety. As the only equipment I use is the barbell with plates, I explained that, were something to fall, were I in shoes would not in any way lesson what would happen to my foot. Again, they stuck to their rule.
Long story short, I wear Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars (low riders) now. C’est la vie.
Alex Cue says on October 29th, 2008 at 11:59 am
If you like being barefoot, you should check out Vibram’s FiveFingers line…I bought myself a pair and they’re simply amazing! All the benefits of barefoot running with more protection for your soles. I have the Sprints, and combining them with the Pose running technique I’ve found myself enjoying my runs quite a bit more.
Jamie Nischan says on October 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Alex,
I’ve had my eye on the Vibrams for quite some time now. Everyone who I’ve talked to absolutely loves them. I really should get myself a pair.
I heard the fitting can be tricky though.
michael kastler says on October 29th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Extended periods of time spent without shoes can lead to a lot of medical issues with your feet and arches, and if you are jogging/running – whether it be pavement or grass – the impact and stress will eventually lead to knee, hip, back and other joint problems. Note that even runners with state-of-the-art footware experience these problems so you can imagine what years of abuse without such protection will lead to.
Working out, such as with weights, is perhaps more reasonable, particularly exercises that could use the stability and support that come from having free feet – I’m thinking squats, deadlifts, clean and press, that type of thing. However, I’ve seen and had more than one weight hit my foot. A sneaker won’t protect you from a barbell direct drop, but without my shoes i doubt that i’d have much toenails left from all the bumps and scrapes – my proprioception may be low, but if you are working out around others it may not matter!
Just my .02 – i don’t think i’d recommend this idea for anyone, as natural and intuitive as it may sound. To your point though I also wouldn’t recommend hightops for anyone not on the basketball court! That’s kind of like the guys i see wearing weight belts for their entire workout (a whole other topic i know).
Chris - Manager's Sandbox says on October 29th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I LOVE lifting weights barefoot. Unfortunately, a lot of commercial gyms won’t allow that – which is why I now workout at home. I get to choose my own music
Chris - Manager's Sandbox says on October 29th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I LOVE lifting weights barefoot. Unfortunately, a lot of commercial gyms won’t allow that – which is why I now workout at home. I get to choose my own music AND workout barefoot!
- Chris
Charles says on October 29th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I think you’re assuming that we evolved while standing on perfetly flat ground. There shouldn’t be aproblem with lifting weights while wearing shoes. Assuming there is any benefit, it is outweighed by how horrible things will be if you drop a weight on an uncovered foot.
Jebadiah Moore says on October 29th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Unfortunately, many gyms require wearing closed-toed shoes at all times. But I agree with you otherwise (though of course some people may just prefer shoes, thinking they’re more comfortable), and do all my non-gym workouts barefoot.
Wind Twister says on October 29th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I am surprised that the lack of the shoe sole doesn’t cause more knee pain. I would think that the additional impact not blunted by the rubber soles of running barefoot would cause problems…or maybe that’s just the sneaker maker’s advertising brainwashing coming out.
Jamie Nischan says on October 29th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Wind,
If Im going to be running, you better believe I’ll be wearing somethig with a sole. But for weight training. Nothing beats going comando.
Dies says on October 29th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Running does not cause knee pain by the way. Runners tend to have healthier joints than non-runners.
The running barefoot works since you actually feel how your foot is placed while running. You can modify how you pronate. With those thick running shoes, you cannot feel anything. It is so much cushioning that you use improper form, which causes the injuries.
Now that said, if you are overweight, you are going to want to wear some shoes. So many Achilles tendon problems occur when overweight people wear bad shoes.
I advise you to read Chi Running if you want to learn more.
I personally run with nike running shoes and do strength training without. A piece of cloth will not prevent a dumbbell from being dropped on it.
Vincent says on October 30th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Interesting article. I believe that in the past, our ancestors doesn’t wear any shoes but who invented the shoes in the first place? Who knows the answer?
Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger
Jay says on October 30th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Forgive the tangent, but I’ve a number of coworkers over the years who have gone barefoot in the workplace, either in socks or completely au naturel. This always struck me as odd, especially given how nasty the carpets were in many of the offices where I worked. Maybe I’m just suppressing my primitive instinct.
Jamie Nischan says on October 30th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Socks at the office FTW!
Barefeet? No no no no no noooooooo.
FrugalNYC says on November 1st, 2008 at 10:54 am
I try to get out of my shoes as often as possible. Its hard to do so, during the work day, in an office environment. I try to do so when at home, in a parked car waiting for someone, pretty much any chance I get and remember to do so.
Getting back to shoes. What mainstream brands and styles are best for office environments? Price ranges would help to.
Ibrahim | ZenCollegeLife.com says on November 3rd, 2008 at 11:17 am
ran across these a few weeks ago, sounds like they would be great for you. They are shoes, but they are like toe socks. Check this out, they are pretty interesting.
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/
Forum - MMORPG - Runescape World of Warcraft says on November 6th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
well see shoes also provide protection in the wordplace, there are so many times thigns have spilled or hit my foot, if i didnt have shoes it be possibly worse 0o. Also tehre might be staples and junk on the floor