Start with the shoes.
The most logical thought in the world is that if I go to a shopping for shoes I should get one with a lot of support. It just makes sense.
It makes no sense that a shoe company would make a shoe that is going to give me all kinds of joints issues.
But it happens.
Hear me out. Most people would agree high heels can cause a lot of foot issues, so let’s start there and then we will move on to athletic shoes.
Why are high heels bad?
High Heels
- The heel is noticeably higher than the ball of the foot. No duh, right? That creates instability in the foot.
- The toes are smashed together and unable to move freely.
- The angle of the foot causes you to learn forward. To feel balanced you have to counteract that force by arching your lower back.
What people don’t realize is that a lot of running and gym shoes also have a height difference between the ball of the foot and the heel. This is called an offset. This offset won’t get as crazy as a pair of high heels but a 12 mm offset is a pretty big deal.
Also, a number of running and workout shoes are very narrow and pointy. This is for fashion and definitely not function.
Whether you knew it or not, the shoes you are wearing to workout and run in are very similar to high heels and just as destructive.
As a mobility coach I can see a number a side effects.
- The achilles tendon is shortened and over time will become tighter.
- The toes can’t do the natural splay because they are crammed into a tight space resulting in a loss of muscle function.
- The bottom of the foot is not in a natural position to disperse landing forces.
Anytime you shorten the muscles on the bottom of the foot you are likely to start getting issues up your posterior chain. This is fact.
What that means in plain english.
- Plantar fasciitis
- Sore achilles tendons
- Tight calves
- Knee pain in the back, sides and front.
- Tight hamstrings
- Sore lower back
- Disc pain
- Upper back stiffness
- Neck pain.
My job training clients os to find the source of their pain and help them fix it so get to play detective. Some people can get away with wearing high offset shoes all their life and never have an issue. Others develop chronic pain and all I am suggesting is that a probable cause could be the feet. In fact that is the logical place to start.
Why barefoot (theoretically) is the best way to lift weights
Lifting barefoot is the healthiest way to lift. Having the foot flat allows the foot and ankle muscles the freedom to move and counter forces the way the were made to. And in doing this get stronger. The RKA Kettlebell guys recommend training barefoot so the feet can grip the floor for added stability. Heck, even yoga practitioners train barefoot.
Caution: You may need to build up to this. If you have weak feet, going barefoot is going to be a big shock and could lead to lead to a different set of problems, so please take it easy.
2 Reasons to train barefoot summarized.
- You will build up the muscles in the foot and make the foot stronger and healthier.
- You put the hips and spine in better alignment to bear weight.
Flat shoes are the next best thing to barefoot.
Yup, the old Chuck Taylors are the choice for a lot of powerlifters. These are guys lifting massive amounts of weight both in the squat and deadlift. They need the foot in as natural a position as possible. if they do this, wouldn’t it make sense for you to think about it too? Is this too much of a fashion faux pas for you? Alright, just look for a shoe that has a minimal amount of padding and a flat sole. Deck shoes are another great choice.
A Word of Caution
Depending on the condition of your feet, this can be uncomfortable at first. Walking in “basic” shoes can make your arches sore. That soreness is just dormant muscles waking up. You may feel funny walking or that your foot slaps against the ground. Don’t worry, all this is normal.
What is wrong with a Cross-Trainer Shoe?
A cross trainer shoe was developed for the person who wants to run and do other things. Running shoes are designed to go in a straight line. They don’t have the lateral stability for sports such as tennis. Even though a Chuck Taylor was originally a basketball shoe, I wouldn’t want to play tennis with one. The cross trainer gives you the best of both worlds. A shoe you can kind of run in and a shoe that has lateral support for sports such as tennis. Just realize that by trying to do 2 things at once the cross trainer is not great at either. But that may not be an issue for you. A cross trainer is versatile. I wear them when I play tennis or basketball.
But the bottom line is this. I wear running shoes to run and flat shoes for working out.
Here is a short video I put together for my online training people about the importance of Warm-ups and Cool-downs.
