Ross Tucker from The Science of Sport posted an excellent article yesterday that highlights the polarization that has taken place among the debate on barefoot running. This phenomenon is not limited to the running community, of course, and I really appreciated how Ross compared the barefoot issue to all the paleo diet dogma that is currently being promoted. It’s not that barefoot or minimal running doesn’t profoundly benefit some runners. Likewise, some people are truly much better off when following a low-carb or even a no-starch diet. The problem arises when these positive experiences become the basis for what are portrayed as incontrovertible laws for all humankind.
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April 1, 2012 | Category: Miscellaneous | Leave a comment December 31, 2011 | Category: Miscellaneous | Leave a comment What have you learned in 2011? Hopefully, you know more now than you did one year ago. The real question is, how much of what you think you know is based on fact? Much of the information below will challenge some personal beliefs and popular opinions on health and fitness. In case you couldn’t tell, I’m not a status quo type of guy. I simply refuse to let other people do my thinking for me, and I’m not afraid to question anything. It’s amazing what you can learn when you’re willing to admit that you don’t already know everything. If that desire to uncover the truth is a quality you admire and share, then please stick around in 2012. Anyway, it was hard to limit this list to only 10 items (9 articles and 1 video), but here are my top choices for 2011: 1) Power Balance: >> Read full article November 20, 2011 | Category: Mobility | 2 comments The typical arguments in favor of barefoot running are far from convincing, in my opinion. The barefoot advocates certainly have a lot to say, but the simple fact is that there is no evidence that shoes are the cause of injuries, or that running barefoot will prevent injuries. The claim that a forefoot strike is most optimal for long-distance running is completely unsubstantiated. Where your foot makes contact in relation to your center of mass is more important than which part of your foot strikes the ground first. Heel-striking is not synonymous with overstriding, and correcting an overstride can easily be accomplished while wearing shoes. Furthermore, all of the elite runners wear shoes, and the available evidence suggests that the far majority of elite distance runners are heel strikers. Despite all the indications that shoes are here to stay, I believe there is still value in devoting some time to barefoot >> Read full article September 29, 2011 | Category: News | Leave a comment There is a vast amount of information available on running, however, much of it can be conflicting. For example, shoe companies will promote the benefits of wearing footwear with as much cushioning as you could ever want, yet recent research seems to support the claim that running barefoot will provide optimal results. The proponents of barefoot running have raised some excellent questions about running technique, particularly regarding foot strike. In view of current trends, should you try to change your running technique? How important is your choice of footwear in determining how your foot strikes the ground? Should you ditch your shoes for good, or just replace the ones you currently own? Is minimal footwear the way to go? These questions and many more will be covered in the upcoming free event: Foot Strike Seminar Date: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 September 7, 2011 | Category: Nutrition | Leave a comment Are you drinking enough fluids? How much is enough? According to doctors, mothers and nutritionists everywhere, 8 to 13 glasses of water per day is absolutely essential for health and optimal function. If you exercise or participate in sports, then your trainer or coach may recommend drinking even more fluids before and after, as well as at regular 15-minute intervals during practice, training or competition. The emphasis is not merely on RE-hydration, but on PRE-hydration, the assumption being that any amount of dehydration is deleterious to performance and potentially dangerous to your health. I, too, shared this belief until I considered compelling reasons to question what is generally accepted as stock and standard protocol. It turns out that popular recommendations for fluid intake not only contradict what takes place during actual athletic performance, but may also introduce unnecessary health risks associated with overhydration. August 14, 2011 | Category: Running | Leave a comment Barefoot running has taken off in popularity recently, aided in part by the research of Daniel Lieberman out of Harvard University, and the sales of Born to Run, written by Christopher McDougall. Unfortunately, I think there has been a tendency to blindly adopt and recommend barefoot running without considering all the available facts, or without even considering that some facts are simply not available at present. As stated on Lieberman’s home page:
That’s about as honest as you can get. Personally, I interpret that as a caution against jumping headfirst into barefoot running before considering any potential drawbacks, or any possible contradictions with simple observation. My bias >> Read full article April 14, 2011 | Category: Running | Leave a comment
January 7, 2011 | Category: Strength Training | Leave a comment Deciding what to write for my first article wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Where do I start, when there are virtually an endless number of topics and issues to cover? After some deliberation, I figured that since developing a base of strength should be at the foundation of any fitness program, then I might as well write about that and make it the foundation of my article base. Much of my future efforts will be focused on HOW to train for strength, but first let’s try to establish a few reasons WHY it’s important for everyone to engage in some form of strength training, even if strength isn’t the main goal. I say “some form” of strength training because individual needs and goals vary. If you’re a long-distance runner, for example, then working toward a 600-pound squat will probably not be very high on your priority list >> Read full article |
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Are you an uphill runner, or a downhill runner? No, I’m not conducting a survey on orographic preference. I’m referring to your running technique. Even on completely level ground, many runners adopt a style that would be more suitable for running downhill. Their biomechanical brake lights are on, as indicated by the position of their hips and feet. How do you know if this describes your running form? Well, do your feet spend more time in contact with the ground than in the air? Can you see your feet when you run, even if only in your peripheral vision? Do your feet land in front of your hips? Have you been running for months, or years, without making any improvement in performance? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you may be running with the brake light on.
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