Why you should train barefoot
Maybe it’s time to stop wearing sneakers during home workouts. That’s why…
The choice of sportswear should be taken seriously. The quality of the workout and its duration depend on how comfortable you feel in your sportswear. This is especially true for women. Uncomfortable straps of a sports bra can rub the skin, which will make you think about its speedy completion, not to mention that it should perform its direct support function perfectly. The same goes for leggings. Poor-quality material will disrupt heat exchange and rub your feet. And don’t forget about socks. Preferably with a high content of cotton, since synthetics will start to “smell” quickly, and the health of the skin of the legs can be harmful and provoke a fungus. By the way, I don’t understand at all the fashion that men have started in recent years – to wear shoes on bare feet. Somehow it’s not comme il faut. And in the gym or on a jog, such a fashion will definitely not lead to good.
But when I’m going to work out, the last thing I think about is shoes. No, not because it’s not important. On the contrary, it is very important to choose the right shoes for running, otherwise you can get injured. But if you do strength training or yoga, then it is much more comfortable and useful to do it without shoes. And it is already more familiar for many after a year spent in self-isolation, when many had to study at home. And at home, the meaning of shoes is somehow lost, and I don’t want to trample the rug once again. And it can be hot in the apartment, especially in winter with central heating, when the pipes are fried so that at least you can cook scrambled eggs.
Although running shoes are very necessary to absorb the shock load on the joints while running, this function is the opposite of what is needed for strength training. In strength training, we need to optimize stability. The absence of sneakers helps to keep the foot more stable. This way we feel better grip on the floor surface and better transmit the impulse of force through the body to lift weights, which, in general, will increase the effectiveness of training. Especially if preference is given to unilateral exercises in training.
If you allow your legs to settle down naturally, it will also protect you from injury. especially if there are problems with the ankles or the arch of the foot. Barefoot classes will allow you to feel your legs better and concentrate more on the technique of exercises, which always reduces the risk of injury, and not only the legs.
What you need to pay attention to when doing barefoot:
Sneakers can be neglected if you are engaged in power. They are not needed at all if we are talking about yoga or Pilates classes. But for running or high-intensity training with jumps, sneakers are simply necessary to absorb the shock load, and in this case it is better not to save on buying special sneakers.
If you train barefoot, do not forget to wear socks. This is a matter of hygiene. Socks can be neglected only in the case of yoga classes in the fresh air on the grass, if you are sure that the ground is not polluted by splinters and some other piercing objects. Yoga classes barefoot on the grass just have a very positive effect on the feet, especially if you have to be on your feet for a long time in uncomfortable strict shoes. This will allow the legs to relax and gently massage all the energy points of the foot. Even just walking barefoot is already a lot of use. I often do this in the summer.
Sometimes in the gym they can look askance at fans of barefoot workouts. If you do not feel discomfort from this, then everything is fine. And if you are experiencing, then you can warm up and stretch in shoes, but you can already approach the Smitt simulator barefoot. And make sure the socks are fresh. Sports make not only the body sweat intensely, but also the legs, so if you can wear your favorite dress or shirt to work several times quite calmly, using antiperspirants, this will not work with socks. They should be worn fresh for every workout.
And how are you doing with “barefoot” workouts? Do you prefer sneakers or bare feet are more familiar?