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Barefoot Running Step by Step
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Trade in Barefoot Running Step by Step: Barefoot Ken Bob, the Guru of Shoeless Running, Shares His Personal Technique for Running with More Speed, Less Impact, Fewer Injuries and More Fun for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £2.40, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Plus, get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
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Review
Actually delivers the promise on the cover. If you're going to try it, this book will be a valuable companion.
--Men's Running, October 2011
--Men's Running, October 2011
Product Description
Barefoot running has garnered lots of attention due to the mega-bestseller Born to Run while products like the Vibram FiveFinger Shoes have tripled in slaes and top athletic complanies like Nike and Adidas are declaring barefoot running the next best thing. The Complete Book of Barefoot Running explains the pros and cons of barefoot running., explores the science supporting it, and debunks myths surrounding it. Readers learn the proper techniques for running barefoot and incorporating the practice into their running regimen for a better stride, longer endurance, and fewer injuries. Written by noted barefoot runner and instructor Ken Bob Saxton and running journalist Roy Wallack, The Complete Book of Barefoot Running is the most comprehensive book on the hottest athletic trend.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Firstly, I am new to barefoot running, and the barefoot running world, having only discovered its existence a few months ago. I was impressed by the many claims that with proper technique, and careful transitioning from shoes to no shoes over a period of time, many running injuries tend to lesson dramatically, and the niggles and pains experienced by many runners in thick-soled running shoes, disappear entirely. In order to find out a bit more about the background, methodology, techniques, facts and myths about this topic, I decided to get this book.
This book has been written by experts in this field, two men who have been running barefoot since 1987, and regularly complete full marathons and other athletic events wearing nothing on their feet, as well as leading classes and giving seminars around the world on barefoot running technique. Ken Bob Saxton is known as the 'Guru' of shoeless running, and this book certainly isn't out of line with that premise.
It is very nicely produced and published, a good size, with thick pages, all full-colour and packed with photographs, and is broken down clearly into the following chapters:
An introduction to the authors, and the basic premise of barefoot running.
The Technique, head to toe.
Cautions about barefoot running, and the transition to barefoot running.
Barefoot Shoe solutions (Vibram Five Fingers etc) and why to avoid them at first.
Why barefooting will make you faster.
Lastly a chapter on real-world feedback from runners, and a last section on looking to the future.
There is a lot of writing in the book, it is not merely a 1, 2, 3 guide of how to run, instead there are many stories of past experiences, lessons that were learned, and at what cost. In many ways this book is a semi-biography of Ken Bob Saxton, which sometimes feels as if it is getting in the way of the real reason you bought the book - to learn how to run! In any case, it is well written, in a humorous style, and is very candid, Ken reveals all the ups and downs along the way.
The photographs are excellent, and as well as all the expected photos of healthy smiling people jogging through beautiful scenery barefooted, there are plenty of detailed close-ups of foot landing positions, and what good barefoot form looks etc.
I found the sections on technique, and how to slowly change to barefooted running including plenty of preparatory exercises and drills very useful. Overall this is a good read, and will inform you about the development of the modern-day barefoot running movement, as well as showing you how to make the transition as painlessly as possible. Recommended!
This book has been written by experts in this field, two men who have been running barefoot since 1987, and regularly complete full marathons and other athletic events wearing nothing on their feet, as well as leading classes and giving seminars around the world on barefoot running technique. Ken Bob Saxton is known as the 'Guru' of shoeless running, and this book certainly isn't out of line with that premise.
It is very nicely produced and published, a good size, with thick pages, all full-colour and packed with photographs, and is broken down clearly into the following chapters:
An introduction to the authors, and the basic premise of barefoot running.
The Technique, head to toe.
Cautions about barefoot running, and the transition to barefoot running.
Barefoot Shoe solutions (Vibram Five Fingers etc) and why to avoid them at first.
Why barefooting will make you faster.
Lastly a chapter on real-world feedback from runners, and a last section on looking to the future.
There is a lot of writing in the book, it is not merely a 1, 2, 3 guide of how to run, instead there are many stories of past experiences, lessons that were learned, and at what cost. In many ways this book is a semi-biography of Ken Bob Saxton, which sometimes feels as if it is getting in the way of the real reason you bought the book - to learn how to run! In any case, it is well written, in a humorous style, and is very candid, Ken reveals all the ups and downs along the way.
The photographs are excellent, and as well as all the expected photos of healthy smiling people jogging through beautiful scenery barefooted, there are plenty of detailed close-ups of foot landing positions, and what good barefoot form looks etc.
I found the sections on technique, and how to slowly change to barefooted running including plenty of preparatory exercises and drills very useful. Overall this is a good read, and will inform you about the development of the modern-day barefoot running movement, as well as showing you how to make the transition as painlessly as possible. Recommended!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
My favourite time of day is my early morning runs along the coast but like the majority of runners, I'm regularly plagued by injuries which have prevented me from going out for weeks at a time. This has ultimately made it difficult to get into a regular routine & has made we wonder how in the long-term I could continue doing the sport I love the most without causing myself some serious problems. So when somebody mentioned the seminal Born to Run & how it touches upon barefoot running & its unparalleled effectiveness for keeping people injury-free, I was instantly intrigued. It totally turned my preconceptions on their head - for instance, did you know that the more expensive the running shoe, the more likely it is to injure you? And that running-related injuries have not decreased in the last 30 years, despite all the advances in technology by Nike & their rivals? But when you think about it, it makes sense - after all, our ancestors would run barefoot for hours, literally chasing animals on the savannahs until their prey collapsed from exhaustion.
However, this is an area where just a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. I read Born to Run before this book came out & was impatient to get started, so armed myself with a bit of advice from a few random websites. While I utterly enjoyed the tactile sensations of my first barefoot run, afterwards my tendons were so sore due to bad technique that I had to rest them for about 10 days. Thus I discovered the hard way that you really do need to build up slowly & learn the correct skills. And as this book has been written by one of the barefoot movements' pioneers, it's the perfect introduction.
This is a very informative guide, crammed with advice that has been tried & tested since the late 1980's. There's also lots of testimonies from different runners, not just the authors themselves. Ken Bob can ramble somewhat when he starts on his anecdotes, bless him, but these tend to be kept separate from the actual pages on technique, so can be skimmed over if desired (although they are rather charming). This makes it easy to pick up & get what you want from it.
While the advice is practical, the authors are also keen to emphasise the importance of fun. Not only does enjoying your runs keep you coming back for more, they say, but it also helps to keep you relaxed (particularly your calves) & thus capable of absorbing more impact. As most of their tips focus on good posture & relaxation, they remind me in essence of the Alexander Technique.
This book has enabled me to figure out what was causing the tendon issue & adjust my technique accordingly (I was arching my feet to avoid heel-striking & landing too heavily on the ball of the foot, so now I'm letting them fall straighter & more naturally, although still front-first). It has also added an incredibly enjoyable dimension to my running. Even running on pavements has become an incredibly tactile experience & no, so far I've never stood on any broken glass or dog muck - or even seen any on the roads I run on. If you want to run barefoot, then I believe this book is a necessity, being much more practical than its competitors.
However, this is an area where just a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. I read Born to Run before this book came out & was impatient to get started, so armed myself with a bit of advice from a few random websites. While I utterly enjoyed the tactile sensations of my first barefoot run, afterwards my tendons were so sore due to bad technique that I had to rest them for about 10 days. Thus I discovered the hard way that you really do need to build up slowly & learn the correct skills. And as this book has been written by one of the barefoot movements' pioneers, it's the perfect introduction.
This is a very informative guide, crammed with advice that has been tried & tested since the late 1980's. There's also lots of testimonies from different runners, not just the authors themselves. Ken Bob can ramble somewhat when he starts on his anecdotes, bless him, but these tend to be kept separate from the actual pages on technique, so can be skimmed over if desired (although they are rather charming). This makes it easy to pick up & get what you want from it.
While the advice is practical, the authors are also keen to emphasise the importance of fun. Not only does enjoying your runs keep you coming back for more, they say, but it also helps to keep you relaxed (particularly your calves) & thus capable of absorbing more impact. As most of their tips focus on good posture & relaxation, they remind me in essence of the Alexander Technique.
This book has enabled me to figure out what was causing the tendon issue & adjust my technique accordingly (I was arching my feet to avoid heel-striking & landing too heavily on the ball of the foot, so now I'm letting them fall straighter & more naturally, although still front-first). It has also added an incredibly enjoyable dimension to my running. Even running on pavements has become an incredibly tactile experience & no, so far I've never stood on any broken glass or dog muck - or even seen any on the roads I run on. If you want to run barefoot, then I believe this book is a necessity, being much more practical than its competitors.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a great book if you have got the nerve and time to practice it, I have suffered with plantar and shin splint injuries for a nmber of years and actually feel more comfortable walking around the house in barefeet , however it is different kettle of fish outdoors . The theory I believe is correct and I am sure is the way forward for walking and running, if you can suffer strange looks and the odd laugh whilst practicing the methods in this book, then you will reap the rewards long term, and save money on footwear !
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