![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/barefoot-running.jpg\" "\\"barefoot")
<\/a><\/p>\nNew research published in PLOS ONE from George Washington University looks at foot strike patterns of barefoot Kenyans. In a nutshell, the study found that even those who are always barefoot while running have a varied foot strike. The biggest argument for barefoot and minimalist shoes<\/a><\/strong> was that they would help you run more naturally like the champion Kenyans. The shoes were supposed to help you land on your forefoot and be more efficient.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t misread, there are countless positive studies behind the minimalist movement. When used properly, many runners were getting stronger as a less stable shoe built up unused muscles. Many people found a great benefit from the movement. However, the study points out that no shoe can make you run like a Kenyan.<\/p>\n Well + Good NYC<\/a><\/strong> reported these findings and interviewed Jonathan Cane, the co-founder of City Coach MultiSport. Cane\u2019s remarks pretty much summed up what many of us who held off on jumping on the bandwagon were saying all along. The idea that one single element, footwear, was the magic formula to making one a top racer, was simply laughable. Many shoe store owners will tell you that many\u00a0casual\u00a0runners who were overweight and out of shape would come in to buy Vibrams<\/a><\/strong> or another minimal shoe because they read or heard this would make them a great runner. Cane put it best with his remarks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe notion that footwear is the biggest difference between a 180-pound American who runs a few miles a day a few days a week, and works a desk job, and a 120-pound runner from the African desert who runs every day at speeds that the Americans can only imagine is ludicrous.\u201d<\/p>\n To put it more consciously, Cane said, \u201cSimply running barefoot … isn\u2019t going to magically transform the middle-of-the-pack runner into a race winner.\u201d<\/p>\n The minimalist movement isn\u2019t dead, but I think many can say it has matured. Taking training advice from a fad or a few individual stories is never a good idea. When it comes to running, like most things, there\u2019s really nothing new under the sun. Our gear will get better and we\u2019ll understand more about our bodies with each season, but, no single element will make us run like a lean Kenyan. Trust me, if that train comes to town and it\u2019s legit, I\u2019ll be the first one in line to buy a ticket. Until then, train hard, eat smart, and do the research.<\/p>\n Also Read:<\/strong><\/p>\n Australian Couple Runs a Marathon a Day in 2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The Dirty Side of Distance Running<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n How to Get Cameron Diaz’s Sexy Legs<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Running, like most things, has its trends. One rage that has died down a bit is barefoot and minimalist running, and maybe for good reason. The science is fascinating and my running shoes are much lighter than they were five … Continue reading