A focus of the book Born To Run is that running injuries have skyrocketed partially due to the increased use of unnaturally-padded running shoes. Though the sporting goods industry would have us believe otherwise, millions of years of natural selection has molded the human foot into the ideal mechanism for supporting weight and distributing impact force during distance running, an activity unique to humans.
I used to run frequently to stay in shape, but I always had nagging injuries such as foot pain, shin splints, and metatarsal stress reactions. I attributed this to having flat feet, and every year I would buy a brand new set of heavily-padded shoes and wonder why the injuries continued to mount. After searching for ways to end this cycle, I decided to try minimalist running shoes and have not looked back since buying my first pair of Vibram Fivefingers. I go “barefoot” for both distance and sprinting, and have used these shoes for a half marathon, scores of 10-mile runs and hundreds of hours of lifting in the gym. My recurring injuries have completely subsided.
Barefoot running is a big adjustment, requiring changing footfall patterns to run on a different part of the foot. Padded shoes encourage us to land on the heel and then slam the rest of the foot down, creating an unnatural deceleration that can lead to injury. Barefoot/minimalist shoes promote running on the middle of the foot, distributing the force of impact more evenly throughout the body.
When switching to barefoot-style running, it’s best to temporarily ramp down both distance and frequency. There are muscles and tendons in the legs that are underused with a heel-first strike in conventional shoes, so some minor soreness for the first week or two is normal. Once your footfall is altered and you have acclimated to the shoes, though, your legs will be stronger and less reliant on unnatural padding.
Besides added resistance to injury, barefoot running gives a more natural feel to the exercise, and a more minimalist running experience. The shoes make economic sense, costing $100 for a pair that will last for several years, unlike normal running shoes that are supposed to be replaced multiple times a year under normal use. They are waterproof and machine washable, and take up less space during travel.
Going “barefoot” is not only beneficial for runners. Wearing Vibrams in the gym gives you better feel for the ground, improving balance and creating a slightly lower center of gravity on compound lifts such as deadlifts and squats. I used to do these exercises in sneakers, but noticed an immediate improvement in stability after switching to the barefoot shoes.
Though Nike and other mainstream companies have begun to emulate Vibram’s design, the shoes are still fairly counterculture and you’re going to get some weird looks from time to time. Barefoot running may not be for everybody, but in the long term it may help you to avoid injury and get more out of your runs.
Read More: Why High Heels Are Attractive On Women
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
This is bad advice for anyone that participates in a sport where an aerobic base is important (eg. boxing, soccer etc). You simply can’t get sufficient eccentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle through weight training. This adaptation requires high volume (45-90 mins) at fairly low heart rates (130-150). This is because eccentric hypertrophy occurs by the left ventricle actually stretching out due to being full of blood for the long duration.
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
thanks for the link, could you elaborate more on this from a scientific point of view though?
i’m from the doug mcguff school of thought [body by science] who seems to think weight training is enough for cardiovascular conditioning and outlines why using a rigorous scientific approach in his book. It’s from reading that i fell into the ‘weights training is enough’ camp.
And as interesting as the information above is [as its from people with an MMA background] i only accept arguments on the basis that it is established from correct premises, good data/evidence and sound reasoning, rather than arguments from authority [guy X says this].
I am genuinely interested in having my views challenged especially if they are wrong, which is why i’d like to see the scientific evidence for Joel Jamieson’s assertion
I don’t have access to many journals, but a quick google bought up this study discussing concentric and eccentric hypertrophy in strength and endurance athletes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2300466/
You could also email Joel over on 8weeksout where he often responds to questions. I’m sure he’d be able to point you in the right direction.
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
For anyone interested in the different adaptations, here is a great post from Joel Jamieson, a strength and conditioning coach to several top MMA fighters, taken from sherdog.net:
“I’ll give an example of one of the principles I’m talking about and then you can feel free to decide for yourself if I know my shit or if I’m wasting your time with such posts or not.
The MMA Conditioning example I’ll use to give a better idea of what I’m talking about and give you practical advice is the principle of eccentric vs. concentric cardiac hypertrophy. While it’s obvious that the cardiovascular system (your heart and peripheral vascular network) is responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles, most athletes and coaches aren’t aware of exactly how your training methods cause distinct and specific changes to your heart itself.
How you train (heart rates, volume, loading, etc.) determines exactly which type of cardiac adaptation takes place and is one of the most important factors that determines your conditioning levels.
First, it’s important to understand that there are many properties of the heart that determine how well it functions and how well it’s able to do its job.
The volume of your heart chambers (most importantly the size of the left ventricle), thickness of the cardiac walls, the specific isozymes of myocytes (types of cardiac muscle cells) the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic tone, etc. are all important regulatory factors that determine how much blood your heart is able to deliver.
Obviously the more blood your heart and vascular network is able to supply to your working muscles (cardiac output) the better your conditioning will be – up to the point that cardiac supply is no longer the limiting factor at least.
There are two categories of structural changes, known as concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, that take place in your heart as a result of how you train. Which category of hypertrophy you have plays a large role in your cardiac output and thus how well conditioned you are.
Eccentric hypertrophy is largely the result of high volume, low intensity, and low pressure training that typically takes place in endurance training programs. This kind of hypertrophy results in greater left ventricular volume and increased blood volume per stroke. This means that every time your heart beats it’s able to deliver a greater amount of blood and thus your resting and working heart rates are lower.
Concentric hypertrophy primarily takes place under high load, higher intensity, high pressure (high resistance) training like that of Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Wrestlers. Concentric hypertrophy means the heart’s walls are thicker, meaning they are able to contract with greater velocity, but the chamber volumes themselves are often not any larger than average.
This means that although the heart may be stronger, cardiac output is not improved much, if at all, and the heart must work harder to deliver the necessary blood. The end result is your power can be higher, but you will fatigue much faster.
Keep in mind that thicker walls also means they are more resistant to stretching and makes it much more difficult to increase cardiac output.
Fighters who have the characteristics of eccentric hypertrophy will typically have fairly good endurance (although this depends on many other factors as well) but they will lack power, especially at higher intensities. Those with concentric properties will tend to have greater power but lack endurance and will gas much more quickly.
Training to improve your conditioning depends greatly on your specific cardiac system development. Fighters who have low cardiac output are limited by their heart’s ability to deliver oxygen and their conditioning methods should be completely different from those who have good cardiac output. Using the wrong training strategies can reduce your conditioning potential by causing too much concentric hypertrophy – as well as other negative adaptations.
The average person can get an idea of where their development lies by looking at their resting heart rate and their heart rate response to increasing intensity of activity. In my experience coaching, the optimal resting heart rates for fighters in the UFC (3-5 x 5 min rounds) is in the upper 40s to mid 50s beats per minute. Because of the longer 10 minute round, the well conditioned Pride fighters I worked with typically had lower resting heart rates (mid to upper 40s and low 50s). I also use a series of heart rate conditioning tests that are very informative as well.
Keep in mind this is only one part of the conditioning equation, but it is a very important part and is a good example of why following a generic conditioning program is unlikely to lead to the best results.
How you train leads to very specific changes in the cardiovascular system, the central and peripheral nervous system, within the muscle tissue itself, etc. For some people following high volume low intensity GPP type programs will work miracles, for others they won’t do much at all.
Likewise, sometimes high intensity intervals are absolutely great, and sometimes they are completely the wrong thing to do and will do more harm than good in the long run.
The key is knowing when and how to use the right methods at the right times. Conditioning and training in general is a science, not a guessing game or a crapshoot.”
Link to the thread which is a great read is here: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f13/how-finally-solve-your-conditioning-problem-788235/index3.html
Sure, if you do sport, practise that sport on top of your weight training, but for general fitness and body composition of the average Joe, running is not very effective.
By the way, eccentric hypertrophy is pathological condition of the heart…so check your “facts” before labelling my “bad” advice as bad.
You might want to read around a little more yourself (maybe start with the quote in my post below). Eccentric hypertrophy is a desired adaptation for any athlete involved in a sport requiring an aerobic base.
You might want to read around a little more yourself (maybe start with the quote in my post below). Eccentric hypertrophy is a desired adaptation for any athlete involved in a sport requiring an aerobic base.
Maybe for professional atheletes, but in pathology that I study at medical school it is considered pathological adaptation for general population. But we are generally on the same page except I wouldn’t recommend running for someone who is not running pro, that’s it.
I agree that running can be injurious for some (particularly for women due to the high Q angle caused by wide hips), however steady state low intensity cardio should be part of most peoples program (especially for any athlete that requires an aerobic base). It doesn’t have to be running (jump rope, elyptical trainer, stationary bike etc are all fine), but weight training is an inefficient substitute if you wish to improve cardiac output (see my post below for a more detailed explanation why).
Ok, I’ll check it out. Have a look at this paper.
http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/JEPonlineJUNE2012_Steele.pdf
It has to be done to failure to replace “cardio”, but it works.
Sure, if you do sport, practise that sport on top of your weight training, but for general fitness and body composition of the average Joe, running is not very effective.
By the way, eccentric hypertrophy is pathological condition of the heart…so check your “facts” before labelling my “bad” advice as bad.
This is bad advice for anyone that participates in a sport where an aerobic base is important (eg. boxing, soccer etc). You simply can’t get sufficient eccentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle through weight training. This adaptation requires high volume (45-90 mins) at fairly low heart rates (130-150). This is because eccentric hypertrophy occurs by the left ventricle actually stretching out due to being full of blood for the long duration.
i think the dude that can run a mile without stopping is going to last longer than one who cant, all else being equal, in “trying situations”
ah yes, very familiar with dream, james steele and the 21 convention.
Anthony is a good lad, and he’s managed to create a hellova crossover in terms of covering fitness, health, relationships, and other manosphere compatible concepts
he’s also a cocky arrogant fucker, but that comes with the territory of having grand visions i would imagine
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
How to minimize risk of injury? Do not run and get your cardiovascular conditioning and strength/hypertrophy in one package through High Intensity Weight Training. With running, injury risk is always very high, barefoot or not, and there are no valuable running specific adaptations you couldn’t get from strength training if done with adequate amount of intensity, unless you train for running competition. Intensity is the driving force of adaptation, not training modality. Mechanical work with muscles is mechanical work with muscles, it’s just that with proper strength training it’s more efficient and effective.
As a side note, if you do buy vibram fivefingers, please do not wear them except when exercising. I have the misfortune of knowing several people who wear them as they do regular shoes. regardless of how good it may be for your feet you will be a laughing stock when you aren’t looking.
As a side note, if you do buy vibram fivefingers, please do not wear them except when exercising. I have the misfortune of knowing several people who wear them as they do regular shoes. regardless of how good it may be for your feet you will be a laughing stock when you aren’t looking.
It goes like that everytime something new comes out. Imagine all those Nike shoes and how silly would they look back in sixties.
i wear fivefingers everywhere. it’s good that other people laugh when i’m not looking, as laughter has been shown to be a factor in increased health, well being, and lifespan. i’m saving lives.
p.s. when worn all the time, they do not last for years. i go through a pair every couple of months. also, most models of fivefingers are not waterproof.
I wear them around everywhere with my cowboy hat that has my bear claws on it.
I had a feeling there was some peacocking potential in them.
As a side note, if you do buy vibram fivefingers, please do not wear them except when exercising. I have the misfortune of knowing several people who wear them as they do regular shoes. regardless of how good it may be for your feet you will be a laughing stock when you aren’t looking.
As a side note, if you do buy vibram fivefingers, please do not wear them except when exercising. I have the misfortune of knowing several people who wear them as they do regular shoes. regardless of how good it may be for your feet you will be a laughing stock when you aren’t looking.
As a side note, if you do buy vibram fivefingers, please do not wear them except when exercising. I have the misfortune of knowing several people who wear them as they do regular shoes. regardless of how good it may be for your feet you will be a laughing stock when you aren’t looking.
I do crossfit and the vibrams are great in general. However for squatting it’s helpful to put small plates under the heel of the foot, it’s tough squatting with a completely flat foot.
I would only put a plate under your heel if you don’t have sufficient range to squat without the plate. Raising the heel increases the movement of the knee over the toes which can stress the knee a little more. If you don’t have the ankle range then certainly use the plate but also add some stretching and mobilisation work so that you can progress to doing the squats without the heel raise.
I know what you’re saying, and mobility is important.
I wanted to share the plate trick with as guys as going from normal gym shoes to vibrams is a big shock when squatting. The sense of balance is all off and the plates help.
I do crossfit and the vibrams are great in general. However for squatting it’s helpful to put small plates under the heel of the foot, it’s tough squatting with a completely flat foot.
I do crossfit and the vibrams are great in general. However for squatting it’s helpful to put small plates under the heel of the foot, it’s tough squatting with a completely flat foot.
I do crossfit and the vibrams are great in general. However for squatting it’s helpful to put small plates under the heel of the foot, it’s tough squatting with a completely flat foot.
I do crossfit and the vibrams are great in general. However for squatting it’s helpful to put small plates under the heel of the foot, it’s tough squatting with a completely flat foot.
Well, thank God for this bit of sanity in the at times vicious debate over fitness regimes. I run a brisk 1-2 miles maybe 3 times a week, with about 20 pushups a day, and I am buff as hell.
And nothing works the muscles and coordination like BALLROOM DANCING. Why, during my heyday as a Dance Sensation, I had warshboard abs, thick, juicy calves, and moved with the grace of a young lion. The bitches be screamin when old Elmer came around.
Well, thank God for this bit of sanity in the at times vicious debate over fitness regimes. I run a brisk 1-2 miles maybe 3 times a week, with about 20 pushups a day, and I am buff as hell.
And nothing works the muscles and coordination like BALLROOM DANCING. Why, during my heyday as a Dance Sensation, I had warshboard abs, thick, juicy calves, and moved with the grace of a young lion. The bitches be screamin when old Elmer came around.
Well, thank God for this bit of sanity in the at times vicious debate over fitness regimes. I run a brisk 1-2 miles maybe 3 times a week, with about 20 pushups a day, and I am buff as hell.
And nothing works the muscles and coordination like BALLROOM DANCING. Why, during my heyday as a Dance Sensation, I had warshboard abs, thick, juicy calves, and moved with the grace of a young lion. The bitches be screamin when old Elmer came around.
Well, thank God for this bit of sanity in the at times vicious debate over fitness regimes. I run a brisk 1-2 miles maybe 3 times a week, with about 20 pushups a day, and I am buff as hell.
And nothing works the muscles and coordination like BALLROOM DANCING. Why, during my heyday as a Dance Sensation, I had warshboard abs, thick, juicy calves, and moved with the grace of a young lion. The bitches be screamin when old Elmer came around.
Good article with solid advice. Personally I am a big believer in minimalist running. I ran my first and only marathon in a pair of worn out old converse. In Born to Run most of the running Chris McDougall does is trail and off-road running. From my own experience of treating people who have experimented with minimalist running I believe that the transition from running in padded running shoes to Vibrams of Nike frees or even Converse should be done off road. The idea of barefoot running comes from the belief that our ancestors ran in their bare feet and therefore it is the way we are best adapted to run. Our ancestors did not run on concrete. If you choose to removed the cushioning effect of your specialist running shoes I would advise you to do your running off road on grass, sand or trail, initially anyway. Once your foot strike has adapted to land on the midfoot you will have a better ability to absorb shock and therefore will be better protected when running on tarmac or concrete surfaces.
I tried out Vibrams for about a year and a half. And in that time I realized that even with padded shoes I don’t personally heel strike. Also I found that I tended to suffer much more when running on pavement. Part of what made me come around is recognizing that I already preferred doing certain things barefoot, such as playing volleyball or ultimate frisbee. I also used shoes that had no padding when I ran cross country in high school, so it’s definitely a running form that I do naturally. But on pavement, especially if you a bigger guy (I’m personally 280 lbs) padding is best.
You currently weigh 280 lbs and ran cross-country in high school?
During a bad time I got up to 220, cross-country and rugby in high school, it’s tough when you get into college and stop doing sports…
How the hell do you run at that weight? You must be very tall. Im only 5-9 and do a lot of weight lifting. If I bulk up to over 200, my running is very weak.
hahah, when I was running I was at 180 and 5’10 (matter of fact I think I’m still 5’10), I meant to say that after the cessation of sports it is easy to pick up pounds.
Yes. I’m 6’3 and extremely broad for my height. I did once do a fun run 5k in under 20 min while I was at college and 230 lbs. Today I’m both bigger and fatter. I can still do 5k in under 25.
This is what they diplomatically call “clydesdale” class.
Vibrams are great for running, but I would never, never use them for heavy barbell squats. Squat/weightlifting shoes are essential for squatting weights heavier than 225.
I do all my heavy lifting (kettlebells, squats, deadlifts) in my Vibrams. I’ve even done it barefoot on a couple of occasions when I forgot them at home. I can’t wear running shoes because the arch support hurts my arches (since they don’t need the support in the first place). Hell, I can’t even wear flats like Chucks or Airwalks because they mash my toes together and make my pinkie toe go numb. I wear Keens during the winter months because of their wide toe box but, even then, the arch support hurts my feet after wearing them all day. Find me a pair of Five Fingers that I can wear in a foot of slushy snow and I’ll be a happy cracka.
Sid, I’ve never used vibrams, I actually go barefoot as in really barefoot for parts of my workouts.
If 225 proves to be the absolute ceiling for barefoot lifting, then so be it.
I’ll have found the structural limits of my body and avoid injury by respecting them. Also, I imagine using equipment that allows you to cheat can just set you up for worse injuries.
The idea, for now, is to develop my body as a single unit, no parts left out.
And just preventing my running shoes from getting flattened!
I’m just working out in a dusty basement so I don’t care about impressing anyone while I’m busy. I’m also not trying to be a weightlifter, weights are just one tool for working on general athleticism and fitness. I honestly think cardio is far more important but gets neglected simply because the heart can’t be flexed and shown off.
I’ve only been doing deadlifts barefoot at lighter weights so far, so my feet and calves are able to gradually adapt to those stresses.
It will be fun to see how far Wolf’s principle applies here.
I suspect I’ll discover that the shoes are mostly just a necessary cheat for people who never tighten up their support ligaments with barefoot work and who are used to the more rigid mechanics when you have shoes to do all the balancing for you.
Granted, I imagine some kind of support equipment is always going to be necessary at very high amounts of weight just to redistribute weight from the tiny bones in the feet.
But I can’t think of too many real life reasons I’d ever need to do one rep maxes with “competitive” amounts of weight.
Now if they could only make Fivefinger shoes that don’t look so stupid and ugly, I would be a buyer. They look as bad as Crocs.
try merrell barefoot shoes. the bottom is vibrams
i’ve got a pair of merrell barefoot life reaches (they’re casual-type shoes, not running shoes), and while they’re a little better than typical shoes, they still don’t compare to the fivefingers.
it’s like comparing a catcher’s mitt to a latex glove.
I was a little skeptical at first, but once I started I don’t want to run any other way. I really encourage everyone to try it for a month.
Um, sorry, it’s not shoes. The spike in running injuries is due to one thing: THE JOGGING CRAZE.
Humans are *not* designed to “jog”. We are designed to run full speed. or to walk. Jogging is totally destructive to tissues, with 10X or more shock loads per step, compared to full-speed running or fast walking.
But still, you see these stupid people jogging, usually with a smug “look at me I’m so healthy” look on their faces.
And by the way, primitive societies NEVER jog. Soldiers in ancient times NEVER jogged. They would run a mile (run, not jog) and walk a mile. Hunters in ancient times would run full speed, or run-walk.
Knee replacement surgery is completely avoidable, just stop jogging.
“..Humans are *not* designed to “jog”….”
The whole biological design of a human, from our arched springy feet to our long springy tendons to our hairless, sweaty skin to our superior cardiovascular ability, makes PERFECT sense if you assume that our ancestors spent a lot of time running hoofed animals to heat exhaustion. See “Persistence Running Hypothesis”.
Oh, and ditching running shoes for sandals was the healthiest decision I ever made…
the persistent running hypothesis has been critiqued quite extensively in the outer edges of the manosphere [chaos and pain etc], the conclusion being that look at a sprinter and how they look physically [big strong usain bolt looking motherfuckers, healthy and cocky and strong], and look at marathon runners [weak as shit skinny, very emaciated individuals that may have endurance but dont have strength, or even look particularly healthy] its clear to see the superiority of one over the others.
I think that’s one of the most stupid hypothesis ever. To me the fact that we are so good at joggingrunning marathons is more of a byproduct of chance than the result of our ancestors jogging game to death, which is a completely stupid thing to believe in. Is there any shred of evidence supporting this despite the fact that we happen to be proficient at jogging and marathoning? And what about the obvious destructive effects of extreme long distance training
I’ll repeat just in case you didn’t understand the post.
We are designed to run and walk, and in fact humans are some of the best long distance runners and walkers of all time. Human legs, springy feet, relatively huge liver, etc, are designed to make us superior long-distance travelers.
However we are NOT designed to Jog. (jog = up and down slow running). Jogging is an extremely destructive “gait”. Huge shock loads delivered to knees and ankles. Of course, the worst of all is jogging on concrete, which has zero “give” where running on dirt is a little better.
The way to do it is to run wind sprints” — run full speed for a time, then walk, then run full speed, then walk. Never jog. Either run full speed or walk. Running full speed delivers most of the energy into the forward motion, when the knee and hip joints are rotating. Therefore, huge decrease of shock impact to the cartilage.
Most good Marathoners now follow this approach. It’s well understood in the athletic world. The preferred way to train.
Again, go to primitive cultures where people travel by foot, or look at armies prior to mechanized vehicles. They all knew how to do this run-walk process. This was standardized approach for all forced marches by armies (because they didn’t want their soldiers crippled…duh!)
Only in the last 30 years have we been stupid enough as a culture to jog. Worse, there are millions of people who are too fucking stupid to understand the difference between “jogging” and “wind sprints”. Those are the dumbasses who waste our societies healthcare money on unnecessary and preventable knee replacements.
I’ll repeat just in case you didn’t understand the post.
We are designed to run and walk, and in fact humans are some of the best long distance runners and walkers of all time. Human legs, springy feet, relatively huge liver, etc, are designed to make us superior long-distance travelers.
However we are NOT designed to Jog. (jog = up and down slow running). Jogging is an extremely destructive “gait”. Huge shock loads delivered to knees and ankles. Of course, the worst of all is jogging on concrete, which has zero “give” where running on dirt is a little better.
The way to do it is to run wind sprints” — run full speed for a time, then walk, then run full speed, then walk. Never jog. Either run full speed or walk. Running full speed delivers most of the energy into the forward motion, when the knee and hip joints are rotating. Therefore, huge decrease of shock impact to the cartilage.
Most good Marathoners now follow this approach. It’s well understood in the athletic world. The preferred way to train.
Again, go to primitive cultures where people travel by foot, or look at armies prior to mechanized vehicles. They all knew how to do this run-walk process. This was standardized approach for all forced marches by armies (because they didn’t want their soldiers crippled…duh!)
Only in the last 30 years have we been stupid enough as a culture to jog. Worse, there are millions of people who are too fucking stupid to understand the difference between “jogging” and “wind sprints”. Those are the dumbasses who waste our societies healthcare money on unnecessary and preventable knee replacements.
Jogging is running.
Would you consider sprinting a separate form of human motion from running?
Well said.
I’m always amused when I see girls who I know are failing out of all their classes, just dumb as rocks girls, who plan on marrying rich so they never have to do anything, wrecking their knees jogging.
Sweetheart, when you lose that figure, which you will, drinking all the time and thinking jogging will keep you fit, your knees are going to be your most marketable feature. Why are you ruining them?
Come on down to Texas and run barefoot across the central pastures … loaded with sticker-burrs. Not.
Mountain biking. Very good exercise that is low impact and not monotonous. Just start of spinning in the granny gears for the first week to get the capillaries growing before noshing it up into the second and third chain rings. It also does have upper body benefits.
I switched to minimalist running two years ago. Before then, my knees were hurting so bad I could barely climb stairs. My knees have barely ached at all since the switch. One word of caution, however. I know people who screwed up their feet trying to make the transition to barefoot running. If you decide to switch, take it really slow, like starting at one minute on the treadmill and increasing by one minute a day. It took me three months and I was able to avoid injury.
I do love five fingers [had them for about 2 years now], but through poor early childhood problems [legs bowed a bit] my ankles have fused in such a way that unless i’m running on my toes and mid foot [which is quite hard for me], the whole heel striking thing actually gets worse with the vibrams on. [for manosphere people who are still losing weight via paleo etc this is doubly true, more weight less co-ordination] conversely, getting some padding specifically for the over pronation of my feet seems to have improved my step considerably.
dont get me wrong barefoot and minimalist is the way to go, but its very possible to fuck one’s feet up so much in early life that vibrams is not going to be able to correct it.
I’ve long varied up my workouts with some actual barefoot work and that seems to work out any nascent injuries very quickly.
Shinsplints are mostly just the result of having strong upper leg muscles combined with atrophied support muscles and ligaments in the feet and calves.
Nothing improves form quite like doing some barefoot running. It takes about 30 seconds to figure out you can’t pound your feet like you can with shoes on doing it for the first time. It teaches that you can’t run from your legs putting all your weight down every time you put a foot forward. It forces you to run from your hips and core, which reduces impact, energy spent, and improves speed.
Under 7 minute pace or for more than a mile, a decent pair of running shoes is extremely helpful. And the lessons learned in drills without shoes carry over.
The main thing you’ll notice is quiet and it’ll feel effortless and flowing. If you hear loud footfalls as you go, you’re doing it wrong.
“Barefoot” seems to have become all the rage lately, yet ironically, only by buying more shoes.
There’s weights down in the basement where I’m living so I can do deadlifts with no shoes on without having to worry about other people freaking out. It feels a lot different than using shoes that hold your feet in place. You have to balance a lot more and can’t throw around plates quite as nonchalantly.
Cool Story! Running barefoot for me is a connection of your soul to mother earth> see Abebe Bikila who won marathon gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics while running barefoot.
Cool Story! Running barefoot for me is a connection of your soul to mother earth> see Abebe Bikila who won marathon gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics while running barefoot.
Cool Story! Running barefoot for me is a connection of your soul to mother earth> see Abebe Bikila who won marathon gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics while running barefoot.
Cool Story! Running barefoot for me is a connection of your soul to mother earth> see Abebe Bikila who won marathon gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics while running barefoot.
Yeah baby, lets get primitive! Shoes have by far done more harm than good, and Nike is for fags. Ok, I’ll keep it positive. Basically we are all better off goin back to our roots. Yeah, Africa!
Been wearing Vibrams for years.. But that’s only a transitional device. We are meant to walk barefoot. If you walk barefoot on the earth all times of the year it will make you a fucking badass that enjoys cold plunges. So said some badass in Russia… We evolved in contact with the electrical field of our body in harmony with the earth for millennia. Negative ions are supplied that way, illness dissipates, senses restore, it’s almost erotic.. More nerve endings down there than anywhere else. Look into the Earthing movement for more details. I’m out.
Piece of WARNING here. Humans are built to run away when occasionally a lion appears in front of them on the African savanna and they have to flight.
Running is one of the most damaging things somebody can do. We’re simply not designed for the repeated shocks on our joints and skeleton and a lot of us who do it periodically won’t survive it. Are the ones who are healthy, healthy because they run or are they simply the survivors who had the chance to be able to afford running?
Sure, condition and stamina increases very fast when running, but the rest of the body can’t keep up.
Don’t do it, hit swimming pools or bikes instead ! Statistics are against you and like going to a war: big chance you won’t come back undamaged.
what the heck are you smoking?
People who have told me “you’ll blow your knee out” or “we’re not designed for running” have without exception been sedentary types.
Overdoing anything will hurt you, but underdoing leads to atrophy.
http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/
The above is what you need to show the people who give you weird looks or act weird when you have them on. It amazes the lack of respect for anatomically and evolutionary correct posture by so many in the fitness world. I go barefoot whenever I can at the gym and in life. Deadlifts are simply amazing in your birth soles.
Also check out http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/. Their shoes have the same sole height as vibrams, but look like normal shoes. Except the toe boxes are spread so your toes can spread out like in vibrams. Vivo Barefoot even makes dress shoes so you can be a rebel at that business meeting, and barefoot boots as well.
If you’re running heel-to-toe, you’re doing it wrong. The human gait is specifically designed/evolved (pick one) to use the achilles tendon as a spring to save energy. You shouldn’t be landing on your heel when jogging, you should be springing down and off of the ball of your foot, always.
I agree. My knee used to get fucked up when I ran after a long period of time. I’ve been using Vibrams for the last 2 years and haven’t felt any knee pain from running too much.