I’m everything opposite of what you are looking for

As I scroll through Instagram I can’t help but see sexy women wearing the tightest two piece outfit you’ve ever seen flushing their wonder pill down with some type of revolutionary new drink. Wearing matching shoes with their outfits, long flowing hair and the whitest teeth I’ve ever seen! Then you have the guys working out at some big box gym not wearing a shirt (doesn’t every gym have a shirt on policy?) with his body that looks like a sculpture and has just the perfect amount of sweat, not too dry and not quite dripping. He makes a grimacing noise while performing some acrobatic movement with a kettlebell while most likely on an unstable surface. They all have some type of cliché motivational quote that I’m sure will make you want to run to the gym!

And here I am watching these images and videos on my phone drinking a half flat Mountain Dew and 83 pounds overweight according to a BMI calculator! I weigh 255 pounds and haven’t seen 172 since middle school! I grew up in a house where my mom made biscuits and gravy with bacon every Sunday. I like food and beer. I just keep using the term “big boned”, hahaha!

The crazy thing about today fitness world and false reality is that looks are the most underlying resume and prerequisite the public uses. People never ask about education, certificates, and background knowledge or work experience. Instead, the general public will look at a person’s physique and assume that if this person looks the way they do then surely they can get me to look like that as if we are all machines and have a universal code that only people with 3% body fat know.

I am everything opposite of those videos. I love to eat. Although I hate doing it, I eat fast food at least once a week. It’s not because I choose to but because I have a crazy schedule. Trying to juggle the life of 3 young children as well as never ending tasks as a homeowner, it just happens. In a perfect world I work out twice a day, be a vegetarian and have a fiber intake of 25 grams a day. I try my best, I eat fruits, vegetables, and I consume plenty of protein. I definitely don’t have the ideal body that most guys would want but when comes to knowledge; I would put my resume up to most in social media.

The point of this post is for people to understand that you can’t compare yourself to those images and people on social media. They have freak genes, probably don’t have a job and are given supplements (which most likely play a 1% role in their appearance). If you chose to find a Personal Trainer, don’t choose one based off of appearance. Ask questions, do your research!

Do what you can. Try to add more whole foods in your diet and try to add 3 days a week of exercise for 30 minutes. Will you look those people you see in the videos? I can pretty much guarantee no! BUT, you will feel better, move better and hopefully add a couple more days onto the end of your life for you watch what the next Instagram model does.

Greatness

The day following Muhammad Ali’s death, many paid homage to his success in and out of the ring. Just about every social media post coined the hashtag “Greatest” when mentioning his name. With this powerful phase it made me think just what it takes to be called that in the sports world.

For me, being great has to have two different yet equal parts. First, you have to be the top 1 percent in your sport statically. At the end of the day we have to have a measurement or number that we can compare athletes to from generation to generation.

But the second aspect is the one I want to think hard about. These are the things that some might not see. These are things that many not know how to do or even want to do. For me, these are the foundational concrete that forms greatness together. What are these aspects? There maybe be too many to even write but I’ll jot down a few:

Determination; you have to be able to be trusted when the moment of adversity and despair arrive. When adversity looks you in the face do you run or do you face that obstacle in the face and find a way to overcome it?

Morals; you can see this off the playing field. Ali was great at fighting against the Government during war. He stood up for his morals and ethics. He was willing to risk his boxing achievements and belts, to throw it all away in order to take a stand to the inequalities in our country. Sometimes you will need to stand up against the rest of the crowd in order to make change.

Hard Work; this factor of sports is one that has to be intrinsic. You can’t always have a coach or parent wake you up to go to weight training or practice. You have to want it. You’re going to have to make sacrifices, miss hanging out with friends, parties, girlfriend/boyfriend, and sleep. You will have to work harder than your counterparts in school who aren’t playing sports. You will have to balance school work with sports which many cannot do.

Taking Risks; there will be times when taking a chance seems scary. These will be the times when you will face your fears of failing. Maybe you will fail, maybe you won’t. But can you live with yourself years later not knowing what would have happened if you didn’t take that chance? Wayne Gretzky said it best “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”!

Being great isn’t easy. Very few should even be mentioned in the same breath as Ali. It is an obtainable goal but the recipe has to be created on and off the court!

 

Eat more, supplement less!

Browsing the web you can see all kinds of supplements from pre-workout stimulants, post-workout recovery, etc. I probably get requests to sell these supplements about 2-4 times a month. I’ve worked at 2 different nutrition stores years ago and have seen EVERYTHING under the sun when it comes to powders, pills and bars. We have to realize that losing weight or adding muscle isn’t always considered “healthy”.

My biggest issue training high school kids is their everyday diet. Most skip breakfast, lunch consists of a bag of chips and a Gatorade and diner might be a decent meal or fast food. Today’s young athletes are missing fruits, vegetables, fiber, protein and raw ingredients.

Then we have the overly used stimulants such as NO Xplode or C4. These supplements are taken way too much for high school kids. These stimulants are giving kids a false sense of energy and can be quite dangerous with kids who might have undiagnosed cardiac issues.
There are also large pyramid companies that have deep pockets and now have big named athletes to support their products. We can look at these supplements and see the holes that are missing and why we should be eating whole foods. One of these products is a Post Workout Recovery Sports Drink. The first protein ingredient is Soy Protein. 90%-95% of all Soy produced in the US is genetically modified. GMO’s have a long list of negative interactions with humans. Soy has also been proven to disrupt hormones and cause miscarriages according to a study in 2009 preformed on rats. (http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Safety/gmo/genetically_modified_soy_diets_0910100128.html)
Another questionable product is a Post-exercise Restore supplement. First ingredient is Vitamin A in the Beta Carotene form which has 2,200 IU per pill. Although this is a good form of Beta Carotene, the recommended dosage according to Dr. Weil, who is a leader in natural medicine, is about 14,000 IU (http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02759/facts-about-vitamin-a) That’s about 7 pills at a time! The third vitamin listed is Vitamin E in the DL-Alpha Tocopheryl form which is a synthetic form. The DL form is cheap and is only 50% absorbed by the human body at most. (http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=21476) Why would we consume anything synthetic?!?!
I only recommend one supplement and that is a protein recovery shake called Rockin Refuel.

I’m sure there are better shakes out there but there are 3 things I look for when recommending a product. First, the ease of use, they are already made. Second, the carb to protein ratio, which is 2:1. Third, it’s fairly natural. Derived from cows and it isn’t sitting in a warehouse for months on end, it has to be refrigerated. There are multiple studies showing regular chocolate milk is a superior post recovery product over other commercial products. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19234590)
I make no commission nor do I get paid for selling them. In fact, I’ve given up the chance to create an extra source of revenue to sell pyramid type supplements just based on the fact that I can’t support a product that I don’t believe in.
As a culture we must look at what we put in our bodies. It’s hard for us to eat perfect but we can start with limiting or not even using supplements. Try to consume as much food and protein as you can through food. Eat organic, eat natural. Support your local farmer by buying local. Ask them questions about the raising of livestock and growing of crops. Stop relying on powders and pills to reach your health goals and start doing it the right way……through food!

What Do I Make?

This is a follow up post to Boston Red Sox Strength Coach Mike Boyle’s from his “What Do I Make” blog. Mike talks about what he makes. He says” I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make them push through self-imposed limits… I make them competitive and teach them how to win with humility and lose with honor… I make a difference”. I thought this was a wonderful quote. I guess, some get into the private sector to create their own business and perhaps be profitable and rich one day. Then there are others who do it for the love fitness, the love of sports and the challenge to make an athlete better.

I think as a Strength Coach we have to look at “What we make”. We need to do an annual analysis on ourselves to make sure we are on the right path that we set out when we started our careers. We need to make sure that at the end of the day we can look in the mirror and like who we see looking back at us. Running a facility is physically and mentally draining. We are continuing to better ourselves through continuing education, making sure the facility is running properly and making revenue. After all of this we have to make sure we are making a difference, not producing a watered down cookie cutter program and creating athletes through proper programming.  

So I challenge every coach out there to write down a sentence stating “What do I make” and stick with those values day in and day out. At the end of the day all we have is our beliefs and foundations that create who we are. 

 

Why high school coaches handcuff today’s athletes

Why high school coaches handcuff today’s athletes

Today’s athletes are surrounded by Strength & Conditioning Trainers, Speed Coaches, Position Coaches, Combine Coaches, Recruiting Services, etc. Parents are always trying to get a hand up on the competition and make their child better than the rest. Sports coaches will seek out a lineman coach to make their Offensive line better. A baseball coach will look for a pitching coach to make his pitchers better. But why don’t sports coaches seek out Strength & Conditioning Coaches to make their athletes stronger, faster, better conditioned and decrease risk of injuries? I get resistance from multiple coaches from an array of sports who view me as the enemy like I’m trying to take their kid away from their sports program or school. Coaches say that the Spring is the time to build “team unity” and “team work”. I say this is the time to make an athlete better. The summer is the time for team work. We have many coaches threatening parents and players that if they don’t show up off-season workouts then their starting position might be in jeopardy. So as a sports coach are you telling me that you care more about off-season weight-lifting participation or do you really care about kids getting the best training available? So a high school weight room with 50-80 kids and a football coach running it with no exercise science background will be more beneficial then a group of 5 kids going to a small training facility training with a qualified trainer? Some sports coaches seem to think that exercise isn’t a science, just lift weights, jump over a few hurdles, do some ladder work, run a couple of miles and be done. As a sports coach you must realize what is within your realm of specialty and what you need to sub out. Sports coaches can’t recognize overtraining, sports injuries, when to increase or decrease weight in the weight room, volume of plyometrics, and how to teach Olympic Lifts.

We live in a world where parents, coaches and athletes live by the old saying “No pain no gain”. Well this just isn’t true. Sure, you should be exerting energy and that will cause fatigue but my job of being a Strength Coach is to make you feel and move better. If you are sore day in and day out then I’m not really helping you! Sports coaches and some parents think that if an athlete is sweating, tired and sore the next day then it must be working. This is not true! Parents, educate yourself. Coaches, realize what you are coaching and realize that you are putting a child at risk when you are outside of your expertise. Talk with a Strength Coach with REAL credentials and who can work with your athletes to make them better. Remember why you got into coaching…..to help kids!

 

Sacrifices of an Athlete

Sacrifices of an Athlete

Today’s athletes are becoming more and more demanding with increases in TV access, large sneaker contracts, full ride scholarships and the demand for a starting spot on the team. In order to become an elite athlete there are quite a few sacrifices and decisions an athlete needs to do in order to call themselves elite. I see and hear many kids saying they want to be the next Lebron or the next Adrian Peterson. In order to become great you must become a master of your trade. Malcolm Gladwell explains in his book Outliers that in order to call yourself a master you must perform 10,000 hours on practice alone.  That is a long time! To become a master you must practice day in and day out. You must be willing to sacrifice your time and attention to something that doesn’t have an instant reward but for something that will reward you months or even years down the road. This is why so many athletes quit. As humans we want instant gratification and want to reap rewards now.

When we look at what it takes to become an athlete it all sounds pretty crazy. I’ll use football as an example because that’s what I played. The football season started in August. We woke up and had practice at 6:00am. It was dark outside and the coaches used to bring their cars on the field and turn on their headlights. The grass had enough dew on the ground to get you soaked. Nothing worst then playing in wet football pants! Practice was for 3 hours, then another practice in the afternoon then another walk through in the evening. We did this for weeks. While our school friends were sleeping in bed, we are grinding and hitting. I missed many parties, family events and sleep. In addition to things I missed, sports took a toll on my body. Lots of running, weight lifting the wrong way and contact drills. This was the era before Code Red days because of heat, concussions and how many 2-a-days were allowed. Football was for men and if you complained you were off the team. If your parents wanted to complain the coaches would set them straight too! Football was a sport that took lots of sacrifice.

Sacrifice and being the best have seen to become synonymous. I have many past and present athletes tell me how they want to be the best but when it comes down to it they only want to be the best when it is convenient. Don’t tell me you want to be the best but there is this house party this weekend that you have to go to. Don’t tell me you want to be the best but I just got my license and there are some things I have to do.

Being the best doesn’t start 2 weeks before the season. There is no off-season in today’s sports. You have to be eating right year around. You have to stay strong and be in good cardiovascular health all the time. Being the best doesn’t mean you are the fastest guy on the team. Doesn’t mean you have the highest points per game or the fastest pitch. Separating yourself means you are open to learning. This means listening to your coaches and understanding what they are trying to instill in you. Being elite means you don’t care about going out on Friday nights during the off-season because you’d rather be in the gym training. Being elite means when everyone else around you quits you dig deeper. Being elite means when you get knocked down or miss the game winning shot you get back up and tell yourself that it’s not going to happen again. It’s putting hours in the gym training harder than the competition, mastering your specific position and looking your opponent in the eye on game day and seeing that he has already been defeated before the whistle even blows.

If you want to be an elite athlete in today’s sports, you have to make more sacrifices then the next guy. It starts with looking in the mirror and asking yourself “Is this really what I want”.

Are year around sports bad for our youth?

Today’s sports are increasingly becoming specific, more intense and now, year around. From AAU basketball, select soccer to youth football. Some coaches say that training specifically with one sport will make the athlete that much better. Year round athletes can become elite at their sports because of the repetition, game time scenarios and coaching. These athletes can increase their chances of getting a scholarship and eventually become a professional superstar!

Lets take a look at the facts. One interesting article that was written by Grant Hill who states that specialized athletes suffer from mental & physical burnout, loss of influence from other coaches and loss of social contact. Wiersma (2000) speculated that specialization would limit range of skills and overall motor development. Another article written by Ewing & Seefeldt, 1996; Gould, 1987; Weiss & Petlichkoff, 1989 have shown that there was a large number of athletes who dropped out because of lack of fun and sometimes transferred to another sport all together. Vern Gambetta who is one of the greatest Speed Coaches out there says that the broader the athletes exposure, the broader his motor development range. There are also studies showing the concussion rates in soccer, football and basketball are growing. Concussion rates seem to be higher in females compared to males according to the Journal of Athletic Training. Once one athlete has had a concussion, they are 3 to 6 times higher to receive another one compared to those who have never had one. One alarming study shows that 30-80 percent of athletes who received a concussion had post-concussion symptoms 3 months after being injured, 1 in 7 had symptoms a year after. So if many athletes are still having symptoms weeks and months after injury then why are we still putting them through the same intense training without a break?

So what do we do when a child wants to play the same sport in the offseason? We as parents and responsible coaches need to step up and educate the athlete on long term effects of injury due to prolonged seasons and let the athlete pursue other sports or hobbies. Parents and coaches need to look at the evidence and research. All evidence shows that athletes have a high percentage of suffering from injury, fatigue, burn out and/or mental stress. Parents think that if they let their child play the same sport year round that they will become great and receive a scholarship. Coaches think that if they have their athletes play year round that the team will have more unity and have better chemistry from season to season. So who really wants the athletes to play? The parents/coaches or the athlete themselves?

We need to let our children be children. Open them up to new activities. Let them relax from the stress of a specific sport. Let kids work on getting stronger, faster and reduce their risk of injury through weight training. How can a football player become faster when all he does is jog laps around the field as part of his conditioning? How can a basketball player jump higher when all he or she does is shoot 100 baskets each day? How can soccer players reduce their risk of injury if he or she is only practicing dribbling and corner shots? Working on your game is a big contributor to becoming a better athlete but I would say that to be a well-rounded athlete you must be open to other avenues of athleticism not just one sport!

Here are a few links of articles/resources-

http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-rates-high-school-sports

http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/4422/

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/40364616?uid=3739704&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=56210182073

http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5002496722

http://www.functionalpathtrainingblog.com/youth-sports/page/2/

These two articles are great resources

http://strengthcoachblog.com/2008/10/24/youth-sports-early-specialization/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/19/sports/ncaabasketball/19athlete.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2

I Could Be The Most Boring Trainer Around!!!

In today’s world of Athlete Training there is about as much variety as there are flavors of coffee at Starbucks! From the “Speed” training to Crossfit, training methods vary. When I take a look at websites and YouTube videos of training I seem to think my style and programming is really boring! I created a list of training types I don’t do.

1.) Crossfit- I don’t like it and its one of the worst training methods for young athletes. When technique is thrown out of the equation and numbers of reps are important, then it’s not for me.

2.) Speed Ladders- Good for proprioception, worthless for speed.

3.) Balance training- Great for rehabilitation, not that wonderful for strength, power or endurance. This is a big one for me. Risk vs. Reward. Does the benefit outweigh the risk of injury? You can see trainers having their athletes doing pushups on balance balls, standing on balance balls, military presses on Bosu Balls, etc. All of these exercises are a great way to injure your athlete without really reaping many benefits.

Here are the boring exercises I do program for my athletes.

1.) Olympic Lifts- the best exercise for any athlete. Creates power & strength.

2.) Plyometrics over hurdles and on top of boxes. My athletes don’t jump on balance balls or med balls. Again, I’m boring.

3.) Single limb movements- Single arm dumbbell bench press, not trying to max out on barbell bench every day. Lots of single legs squats & split squats, not maxing out on back squat each week either. Athletes move with one leg at a time (running, football linemen in a 3-point stance, etc.) why not train that way?

4.) Lots of stretching and prehabilitation- stretching is boring and it’s taking time away from throwing around a bunch of cool weight! Stretching is one of the most important parts of my programming. Athletes get tight from moving bad, lifting heavy weight at school without stretching beforehand and they get hurt during games and practice. Stretching helps reduce the stress and tension as well as prehab helping with mobility and stability.

I love to quote my idol and trainer Mike Boyle, “Be brilliant at the basics”. Be good at the small things and pay attention to detail. Don’t buy into the hype of the latest fads and gadgets. As a trainer I don’t try to reinvent the wheel. I don’t try to make up exercises. I just read, listen and educate myself from the ones who have come before me and have succeeded such as Mark Verstegen, Mike Boyle and Charlie Weingroff. These individuals are the ones have laid down the path for trainers to walk down.
So maybe it’s not that my programming is boring maybe I’m just focusing on the foundation and core of athletic movement?

Top 10 Misconceptions Made By Athletes

Top 10 Misconceptions Made By Athletes

 

1.)    Agility ladders can make you faster- Agility or “Speed” ladders are a tool that some coaches and trainers use to better help with feet work and quickness. Although there might be a small truth to this, the fact is the only real benefit to a ladder is for proprioception training. Getting the feet to work with the brain and help with coordination. It is also a decent tool for warmups. If a coach or trainer says that a ladder will make you faster, run the other direction! Plyometrics & Olympic Lifts are what make you faster.                                                                                                                                                         

2.)    Lifting weights will make you slower– There is a misconception that lifting weights will make you stiff and slow. Some athletes such as basketball players and track runners will shy away from weight lifting because gaining muscle might not let them jump as high or fun as fast. This is the complete opposite. ALL athletes need to include weight lifting into their program in order to strengthen muscles that would otherwise not be worked during their practice. Focus on single leg exercise to make you a more complete athlete.

                                                                                                                                                               

3.)    (Females) Lifting weights will make me look like a guy– Almost every female athlete I train is afraid of getting big muscles and looking like a guy. The truth is that males & females have very different types of hormones. Most women out there can’t look like a male even if she wanted too. We are genetically different. So ladies, if you play sports please lift weights, it will make you a better athlete and there is no chance of you looking anything like a guy!                                                                                                                                

 

4.)    Doing bench press shows overall strength- The holy trinity of weight lifting. The forsaken question, “How much do you bench?” This has to be the most overrated question at any gym. My answer, “Who cares!” The bench press is only a small piece of the pie when it comes to athlete training. There are far more important aspects of training that have much more functionality and carry over to the field then a bench press. I would much rather want to know how much can you deadlift, single leg squat or run a 300 yard shuttle in. Don’t get caught up in the sexy exercises and start focusing on the functional movements and athletic movements.                                                                                                                                                          

 

5.)    Arm curls mean something- Arm curls have to be top of the list for the most non-functional exercise ever. The only sport I can think of where this might have any type of significance would be in MMA where head locks are needed. If you want to get stronger biceps do chin-ups. That way you are using other muscles together instead of isolating them. Arm curls are for body builders not athletes!                                                                                                                                                                         

 

6.)    Stretching isn’t necessary- I think stretching is the number one most underutilized part of an athletic program. Dynamic stretching is part of any good movement prep program. Athletes need to foam roll, stretch and activate the muscles to prime them for the workout ahead. This lengthens the muscles, increases muscle temperature which allows them to stretch and it just makes the athlete feel looser. Do not skip warmups and make sure you perform them with perfect form. Stretching properly can decrease your risk of injury.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

7.)    Being strong & moving well are different- This misconception is big for lots of high school kids. They pick up their favorite issue of Flex or whatever bodybuilding magazine is out there. Most athletes want to be big and do lots of bench press and arm curls. NEVER take advice from ex-bodybuilders. They are lifting to get big period, athletes are lifting to get better at their sport. These are two different methods. Perform mostly compound movements that work multiple muscles and joints. When we run and jump we use multiple joints…why not train like that?                                                                                                                                                                           

8.)    Nutrition isn’t that important- A big problem with high school athletes is their daily eating regimen. Most kids skip breakfast, eat snacks for lunch, workout after school then eat McDonalds for dinner. Athletes need to eat something for breakfast to jump start their day. Eat some oatmeal or whole grain cereal with fruit. For lunch, look for balance in food groups. Make sure eat a source of protein, a vegetable and a piece of fruit. Think the same thing for dinner as well. In between meals throw in some snack such as fruits, nuts, protein/fiber bars, protein shakes, yogurt, etc. You need to eat and eat good to be at your peak during workouts and during your games.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

9.)    Running long distances will help your cardio for your sport- Cardio is an aspect of training that all sports have in common but cardio differs from sport to sport. Cardio is different from football which has very short (about 6 sec.) burst of speed compared to MMA fighting in which rounds last 5 minutes. So if your sport requires short quick bursts why are you jogging for 3 miles? Train for your sport and cardiovascular demand. If you are a long distance runner, train for long distances, if you are a football player then train by doing short quick intervals with short rest periods.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

10.)   Technique isn’t that important as long as you can get the weight up- The number one rule when lifting weights- never get up technique for weight. Always start slow and work your way up to heavier weight. Lift within your mean and take your time. If you feel that the weight is too heavy or that it is slipping, stop and take off some weight. The easiest way to hurt yourself is to use too much weight and your form is compromised.  

Running Mechanics & Proper Shoe Wear

             The shoe world has vastly become a huge moneymaker for companies that are involved in the athletic shoe kingdom. From Shapeup’s from Reebok to the funny looking toe shoes, you can find shoes that claim to make you faster and even make your butt firmer. But with all different companies out there how the heck can you tell the difference between which shoe will best fit you? We first have to take a look at what makes shoes companies differ from each other. You have wide shoes like New Balance and you have narrow shoes such as Nike’s. Even within each company you have different forms as well. For instance, Nike has Shox which have a huge heel and a stiff sole compared to their Free’s which are very flat and offer very little support. We also have high tops, mids and low top to think about as well.
          Through the years shoe companies have used every type of cushion from air, gel and 3M foam. But as research is starting to show, less cushion is actually better. With all this cushion causes heel elevation which in turn alters our natural biomechanics and gait pattern. When we look at the gait pattern of a run with shoes on compared to barefoot, we can see a difference. The biggest difference we see is that when the person wears shoes there is a strong heel strike compared to those who were barefoot.

(www.barefootrunningshoes.org)
You can see a sharp and instant force with shoes on compared to a more gradual force when running barefoot. With shoes on, humans tend to produce the heel strike which produces much more shock on the joints compared to that of running barefoot which does a much better job distributing force with a forefoot contact instead.
We can also look at other health risks to wearing the traditional running shoe such as ankle sprains. A high top or mid type shoe, and even low tops, can actually treat the foot as if it is in a cast. If we have too much support surrounding the foot how can it become stronger? If the foot lacks mobilization and range of motion the muscles are basically non-functioning and paralyzed. We must activate those muscles so that we are not dependent on the shoe for this support.

         Most shoes also reduce neural feedback from the lower extremities to the brain. If we have no feedback to where we are in space, we tend to get injured because of foot position and decrease in function of mechanoreceptors.

(www.barefootrunningshoes.org)
         Barefoot running has shown to decrease ankle sprains, knee ligament damage, plantar fasciitis, hip and lower back pain. Although research has proven that barefoot training has much more benefits than running in the traditional running shoe, this just isn’t an option for most athletes and general public. Luckily shoe companies are starting to see the research and come out with barefoot alternatives. Although there are many types out there, the top 3 I would recommend would be the Vibram Five Fingers, Nike Free’s and New Balance Minimus.

        These shoes are the lightest, have the least amount of support/restrictions, have the least amount of heel height and have the greatest sole flexibility on the market. Although the Nike’s and New Balance shoes are the most attractive and are more popular, the Vibrams are actually the best shoe of the three because of their softness. The Vibram company makes the sole for the New Balance Minimus. Shoes I would stay away from; Reebok Shapeup’s, Nike Shox and ladies…..high heels! Reebok claimed that their Shapeups would actually make your butt firmer and tone your legs. Reebok actually had no proof of this and eventually got sued for false advertising and agreed to pay a $25 million dollar settlement . Nike Shox are very similar as high heels since their shoe also has an elevated heel. Studies have shown that an elevated heel can increase knee flexion torque and increases the work of the quadriceps muscle, increases strain through the patella tendon, and increases pressure across the patellofemoral joint. Over time, these stresses can cause injuries.
         As with any change of exercising, barefoot training duration is important to pay attention to. You should start off with short runs and listen to your body. You might feel more soreness in many parts of your body. These are areas that are now active in stability and balance that your previous shoe was not doing for you before. Take your time in your progressions and you will start to see the benefits of how our primitive ancestors once roamed the earth without the movement injuries we are seeing today.

Resources:
-http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm
-http://barefootrunningshoes.org/2010/01/04/study-shows-running-shoes-cause-damage-to-knees-hips-and-ankles/
-http://www.pmrjournal.org/article/S1934-1482(09)01367-7/fulltext
-http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100104122310.htm
-Dewey Nielsen for his thought provoking Facebook status, lol