The Integra Blog

Vibram Five Fingers

I’m late to the game.

The Vibram Five Fingers have been around for a while now, but I only just picked some up in Boulder, CO last week.

I’ve been walking and training barefoot in my studio for many years understanding the need to actually use the muscles in my feet, rather than strap them all up in shoes. We have a ton of joints within the foot (and subsequent muscles that are capable of supporting these joints), so why strap them up?

So while I am barefoot in the studio, I don’t often get outside barefoot…

There are some activities I do that require supporting footwear: when I am on my motorbike or when I am climbing. But running doesn’t require the same support or protection from impact. My usual running shoes have been flat-soled Pumas or Nike’s Free, but I am going to start testing the Vibram’s outdoors.

The main issue I will find is that my feet are not used to the higher level of impact they will get from running (vs barefoot walking, for example); so I am going to take it slowly and build up gradually.

I’ll post some updates / feedback on my progress as I go along and also post an article on the benefits of barefoot vs shoes and the impact on not only your posture and your biomechanics, but also on your brain (how it affects ‘processing speed’ and cognitive ability…).

And yes, they do look a bit strange :)