Vibram© Vibram© FiveFingers Men's Kso Trainer

Our Yoga teacher said that we should approach this week's practice by forgetting what we know about Yoga as though we were a two year old or someone who had never done Yoga before; that's a good way to try FiveFingers and other minimilist shoes. Forget what you know about running and training in conventional shoes, run softly, and be aware of your body. Now that might sound 'feely touchy', but if you're a heel striker and don't change your stride, you and your ego are not going to like these shoes. Another bit of 'feely touchy stuff; just trust your body. I haven't run barefoot for 60 years but my body knew how to do it straight off. Take your time when you're new to these shoes and be patient as your feet and legs will take time to adapt, just as they did when you first started running. Unless you have soft grass or chipped bark trails to run on, a treadmill can be a good place to get your feet and legs used to working differently. These shoes may be the Marmite experience for some. Me? I can't stand Marmite but I love these shoes.

I've got used to doing Yoga and Body Balance with bare feet, and that's persuaded me to put my supportive, cushioned trainers to one side and try Vibram Five Fingers shoes for gym work. Although I land on my mid-foot when I run, I'm not a natural for minimalist shoes. I have low arches, I pronate, my knees have many years of wear and injuries, and at 72kg I don't have the whippet-like build of a club runner.

What are KSOs like?
The 3.5mm flexible sole is attached to a nylon and mesh upper that has individual pockets for each of the toes; the sole material extends up the front of each toe. A strap runs around the outside of the heel cup, through a loop over the arch of the foot, and then across the top of the foot were it is adjusted for width and secured by Velcro. KSO stands for `keeps stuff out', a reference to the mesh stopping grit getting into the shoe. There is an EVA insole that is 2mm thick, and a pair weigh around 12 ounces in total taking up so little space in my gym rucksack compared with my Kayanos or Zooms. They don't have the really flat inner seams that you get in a premium road shoe, so there may be the odd blister but stick with it as these shoes may just ignite that passion for running that you felt when you started.

If you're looking for information on sizing, models, and adapting to running in minimalist shoes, type `birthdayshoes' into Google and you'll find a very good resource in the States; don't go to a UK site of a similar name. Try "birthdayshoes.com/the-beginner-s-guide-to-five-fingers". Looking around the Internet, be careful when online retailers are offering massive discounts, as thay may not be the genuine article.

Sizing
Type `five fingers sizing video' in Google to see a short video on YouTube. There is anecdotal advice on the Internet that black KSOs are smaller than other colours. Secondly, although the sizing chart in the video and at UK online retailers shows a size 43 KSO for an 11 inch long foot, the current chart on the Vibram FiveFingers European website shows a size 44 KSO. The current shoes may be sized differently as I have an 11 inch foot and my new taupe coloured (grey) KSO size 44 fit me although the Velcro strap will not tighten much further on my smallest foot. I hope that the shoes don't stretch.

Vibram say that the KSOs are suitable for Yoga and Pilates. I disagree as the sole is far too thick and if I wanted to cover my feet for Yoga, Pilates or Body Balance, toeless socks with grippy soles like the Stick-E range are better and cheaper than KSOs. On the other hand, they grip like limpets to the gym mats used for post-exercise stretching.

Gym
According to Vibram, there isn't much that the KSOs can't be used for. Day one in the gym:
* Fitball class - generally better than trainers, balance was much better;
* Treadmill - 1km at 11kmh was as comfortable as running in conventional trainers provided that my foot strike was around the ball of the foot, and a shorter stride with a quick turnover (taking it slowly despite the 'high' from running in KSOs - so easy to see how people overdo it when they first try them);
* Cross trainer - comfortable and no problems;
* Static bike - comfortable and no problems;
* Concept 2 rowing machine - couldn't strap my feet in as securely as I would have liked;
* Jonny G spin bike - uncomfortable and I will stay with my stiff soled cycling shoes;
* Post-exercise stretching - great, I don't have to take off my trainers to do Yoga stretches.

No unusual aches or pains.

Day two in the gym:
* Treadmill - 2km accelerating up to 12.6kph (no slapping, shoes are doing this so easily);
* Cross trainer - 20 minutes at a good work rate;
* Static bike - 6 minutes of cadence work.

Slight tightness in right soleus, small rub on the left foot from the seam of the arch attachment (I pronate on my left foot). Other than that, feeling really good.

After effects
Big smile, I'm now aware of my toes in a positive sense when I'm away from the gym - I keep wiggling my toes - and that's got to be good for my Yoga both body and mind. Will I ever go back to conventional trainers?

One week on
Still smiling. Adding 0.5km on each of the two treadmill runs per week. In the Kayanos I always warm up at 10.2kph but that feels slow and 'clunky' in the KSOs. Once I'm at 11 to 12 kph I just relax and let it flow. Compared with the Kayanos, my heart rate is lower with the KSOs at the same pace. Although I don't have much upper body movement on a treadmill, I have even less with the KSOs. Still some tightness in the right lower leg.

Injinji toe socks
I've bought some Injinji performance micro socks (original weight) that like the KSOs have separate pockets for the toes. I've tried wearing them with the KSOs for treadmill and cross-trainer sessions. They really work well, the shoes fit like gloves, they are comfortable, there's no rubbing, and the 70% Coolmax construction of the socks means that my feet didn't get sweaty.

Two months on
I've only worn conventional trainers once in the gym and once on the treadmill because eccentric heel raises on pilates equipment aggrevated a Baker's Cyst behind my knee (nothing to do with the KSOs). I've also worn them on a country walk including on gravel footpaths. Due to atrial fibrillation I haven't increased distance and I've dropped back to 10.7 to 11.0 kph, but it feels good to be wearing the KSOs. My balance still needs work but my soleus and calf muscles do feel stronger. On the otherhand my Kayanos felt clunky and unnatural on the treadmill; I hadn't realised I had adapted so much to the KSOs.

The top of the heel cup on one shoe has become partially unstuck. As the on-line retailer that I bought them from (nothing to do with Amazon) has ceased trading, I contacted Vibram but no response. So it's a job for the epoxy glue.

Really happy with the VFFs.

A word of caution - if you are planning on taking up barefoot running or running in VFFs take it really easy and allow your body time to adapt, especially if you have been running in "normal" running shoes for some time. My weekly milage has halfed and I've been taking it really steady, trying to run off-road when I can. Get on a running website and search for forums on VFFs - runnersworld or fetcheveryone are good. Lots of tips.

I used to do I lot of bare-foot running when I was young, so I was really excited about this product. The problem I have with it is that my toes don't match the profile of a perfect human foot envisaged by the designers. I didn't think my toes were so bad, but there's just no way in hell I can my two smaller toes to fit inside properly. This thing is expensive, and personally I wouldn't buy it without a chance to try a fitting first.