The Xero Blog

Why You Want  to “Run Lighter” Running lighter can have three significant effects on your running: Make running fun Become more efficient Help reduce injury risk How do you run lighter? It just takes a few minor form tweaks that you’ll discover below. Use Sound to Know How “Light” You’re Running The sound your feet make when they hit the ground tells you a lot about your running form. If you hear thuds or slapping noises, you’re “running heavy.” These sounds can indicate that you can improve your running form. Once you address your form, those sounds will not only go away, but you will improve your running efficiency. So, as you explore the tips, below, use the sound of your feet as feedback – your built-in coach. Tips for Running Lighter on Your Feet What changes to your form can help you run lighter? Here are the top tips runners use to improve their form and run lighter on their feet: Make sure your feet land under your body (avoid overstriding) You want to land forefoot or midfoot Let your heels touch the ground Place and lift your foot off the ground as you run Use cues to help avoid plopping your feet Keep your core engaged Pick up your cadence Run barefoot, or in minimalist shoes Let’s dive into each tip. 1) Make sure your feet land “under your body” Landing with your foot too far in front of your body means you’re overstriding. It’s like putting on the brakes each time your foot touches the ground. Why do runners need to overcome this habit? Research shows that overstriding increases forces that go into your joints (rather than letting your muscles, tendons, and ligaments mitigate force). And many researchers believe it's the leading contributing factor for getting injured. When you run, aim to have your feet land under your body, and not out in front. To get a feel for this, we suggest exaggerating this by putting your feet “behind you” when you land. Of course, you won’t actually be able to do this, but if you try, it will highlight what overstriding feels like. 2) Land forefoot or midfoot The type of footstrike is important for running lighter. Ideally, you want a forefoot or midfoot strike instead of a heel strike. When combined with landing under your body, landing mid- or fore-strike means you're using your legs as springs, starting feet first. If you land on your heel, you've lost the first spring in your leg. Do NOT reach out with your foot to land on your forefoot or midfoot - in fact, it’s the exact opposite of what you should be doing. Instead, land with your foot underneath your body (tip #1). When you do this, it's almost impossible not to land on your forefoot or midfoot. 3) Let your heels touch the ground If you're not used to landing on the ball of your foot, it CAN make your calves and Achilles work harder. Some people never let their heels touch the ground (even in shoes!), but there's no inherent benefit for doing that. In fact, if you don't let your heel come down as far as it feels right, you're not fully using your Achilles -- the best spring in your body -- to give you "free energy" when it un-stretches. Once you land on the ball/midfoot, you can let your heel drop if it feels better to do that. It will feel better or worse depending on whether you’re: Going uphill or downhill On a flat surface or an uneven one Moving faster or slower 4) Place and lift your foot off the ground as you run Many runners practically slam their foot onto the ground, especially if they’re overstriding. Instead, think about “placing” your foot on the ground, like how you would place a dish on a table… gently. If you land with your foot under your body (tip #1), and you land midfoot or forefoot (tip #2)  this is much easier to do. In fact, it’s almost automatic. To get your foot off the ground, most runners PUSH their toes into the ground. Not surprisingly, this is called “toe-ing off”. And when you toe off, you’re using your calf more than necessary, wasting energy. Instead, think about lifting your foot off the ground by lifting your knee, or pulling your foot off the ground (both of which, technically, happen by flexing your hip). An image I like to use is stepping on a bee – you wouldn’t PUSH your foot to get off the bee, since that would drive the stinger further into your foot. You would reflexively use your hip flexor to LIFT your foot off the ground. Both “placing” and “lifting” can keep you light on your feet. 5) Use a cue to help you “un-plop” your feet This is actually similar to “placing” your foot but with a twist. Many people “plop” their feet on the ground and leave them there for too long. Ideally, to run lighter, you want your feet on the ground for as little time as possible. The actual amount of time your feet are on the ground will change based on your running speed, but this tip will help you find the ideal time, no matter your speed. Coaches use a few different cues to teach runners how to avoid plopping. It helps to pretend that… You’re running on hot coals or eggshells Your feet are wheels, and you want them to touch where the wheel meets the ground The ground is moving below you like a treadmill, and you want to move your feet at the same speed as the treadmill Think about lifting your feet off the ground before they even contact it Whichever analogy you choose, you must find your own way of meeting the ground lighter with your foot and keeping it on the ground for as little time as possible. Remember to listen to the sound you are making as your foot hits the ground and use that sound as a coach. 6) Keep your core engaged Core engagement is important for light running. But it’s not just having strong abs. When you run, think of your body as a spring. If you collapse in your midsection, you’re weakening the spring and making it less efficient and, therefore, making it harder to run. Keeping your core engaged while running is about maintaining a gentle but consistent engagement of your abdominal muscles. Imagine lightly drawing your belly button towards your spine in a gentle, controlled manner that doesn't hinder your breathing. This should feel natural and sustainable throughout your run. 7) Pick up your cadence Your running cadence refers to the total number of steps you take per minute. Most people think there is a target cadence of 180 strides per minute. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no optimal running cadence. Some successful runners do more, some do less. That said, most runners run with a cadence that’s too slow. Moving your feet faster gives you less time to keep your feet on the ground. That’ll help you learn to place/lift, “un-plop” and avoid overstriding while you run. So, on your next run, pick up the cadence just a bit without running faster. It’ll feel odd at first because you’re doing something different. But once you get used to that new cadence, try picking it up a BIT more. You’ll find a sweet spot that keeps you lighter on your feet without feeling awkward. And, yes, if you’re inspired to run with a metronome, it could help ;-) 8) Run barefoot, or in minimalist shoes Taking off your shoes and running barefoot can improve your technique. Of course, this isn’t always possible, so wearing a minimalist shoe can help. You don’t need to switch to a barefoot shoe, or barefoot running full time, but doing some barefoot running can highlight some form flaws that you would never notice in a “normal” shoe. In short, running barefoot with good form feels good, and bad form feels bad. If you just explore the tips above while running barefoot, you may find that last little “hitch in your giddyup”. If you want to run barefoot, use these tips: Run on a smooth, hard surface. This will give you the most feedback. A sidewalk or bike path is good. Grass is not great because it’s sort of like taking the padding from a shoe and covering the world with it. Plus, the ground is rarely even, and you can’t see things you might not want to step on… or in. Start SMALL. Let your first barefoot run be 20-30 seconds. Yes, SECONDS. Then, the next day, see how you feel. If you’re sore like you just went to the gym, that’s good. Rest and repeat until you enjoy those 20-30 seconds… then add 10 seconds every time you feel ready If barefoot isn’t for you here’s how barefoot shoes can help improve running form: Barefoot shoes have a wider toe box that allows toes to splay, and move naturally, which can improve posture and balance. Plus, it feels great to not have your toes all squished. Truly barefoot-style shoes have a non-elevated heel (a “zero-drop”) which naturally encourages runners to land more on their midfoot or forefoot rather than the heel. Normal shoes with a “drop” will shift your center of gravity forward, and adjusting to that can put strain on your back, knees, ankles, and hips. Minimalist and barefoot shoes are lightweight shoes that do not have unnecessary padding. They let you use your muscles, ligaments, and tendons as natural shock absorbers and springs (better than any man-made foam!) They mimic the feeling of running completely barefoot while giving you a layer of protection. Barefoot shoes don’t “support” your arch which, like supporting any joint, makes the surrounding tissues weaker. Research shows that merely walking in a barefoot shoe builds foot strength as much as doing a foot exercise program.  So barefoot shoes let you build strength in your feet and legs naturally the more you wear them. When your feet and legs are stronger, you can run longer distances without feeling fatigued. Even if you run in “normal” shoes, barefoot shoes are great for active recovery and that strength-building I just mentioned. So slip them on once you’re done with your “normies.” The content of this post does not constitute and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions or concerns you may have about your health or a medical condition.

Experienced barefoot runners find running barefoot light, easy, and fun. If you’re not experiencing the same thing, or if you have various issues like blisters or soreness… you’re doing something different than the people who aren’t having those problems. If you wonder, “What might they be doing differently? What could I change to make this light, easy, and fun?” then you’ll probably figure out the answer (probably without knowing exactly what you figured out!) and find yourself running in the same way. There are tips and ideas we can give you to help in that process, and that’s the point of this series. In this post, I want to talk specifically about barefoot running sandals. Barefoot running sandals, often called huaraches — the term that the Tarahumara use for the sandals they wear — can give you feedback that you don’t get from running barefoot. In other words, just having a little bit of rubber under your foot can give you additional information about your running that, when you attend to it, will improve your running… again, making it faster, easier, lighter and more fun. What’s the specific information I’m referring to? SOUND. When rubber meets the road — literally in this case — you hear something different than when skin meets the road. So, here’s something you should know: When you run in huaraches, you CAN run quietly… Sometimes even silently. That is, A SLAPPING NOISE IS NOT A FEATURE. It’s a pointer to something going on with your form that, once you address, will not only make the sound go away, but should improve your form. Sound is a cue. If you’re not running quietly, the question is: “Knowing that others run in sandals without making slapping noises, what could I do differently to get the same effect?” Slappy story #1 To help you find an answer, let me share a story I got from one Xero Shoes customer, Ron, who was hearing a slapping noise when he walked or ran. I give him my usual suggestions (which you’ll see below), and he called me back a day later. “I noticed something interesting,” Ron said, excited about his discovery. “When I ran up a hill (even a slight one), the noise went away! I’m doing something different with my feet when I go uphill.” “PERFECT!” I responded. “So, the next time you go out for a run, wonder what might be different about your gait when you’re going uphill, and see if you can get that same thing to happen on a flat.” Ron called back the next day even more excited. “I figured it out! I can run quietly now!” I asked what he discovered and, happily, it was everything I recommend to people in this situation: When he went uphill, he put his foot UNDER his body more, rather than reaching out with his foot at all Went he went uphill, he placed his foot on the ground so that it “met the ground”, rather than dropping it onto the ground When he placed his foot, he landed with more of a midfoot strike, almost flat-footed. He didn’t try to land on his foot, but to have his foot moving when it contacted the ground. His “spring” was softer — that is, he flexed his ankle, knee and hip more when he was going uphill, instead of landing with a rigid spring. Here’s the fun part: After noticing these things, Ron didn’t consciously do anything different when he got onto flat surfaces… but the sound had gone away. His body/mind figured out the solution for him. A second slappy story Now, some people need to be a bit more deliberate, and experiment with different ways of moving, but often just wondering and noticing is enough to create change. Here’s another story that highlights the same thing: Jason (definitely not his real name) came to the office to get a pair of Custom-Made Xero Shoes. He told me that he’d been running barefoot for 15-20 miles/week for the last 5 years. “Every now and then, though,” he confessed, “I get some pain in the top of my foot or in the bones near my forefoot.” “Oh,” I said, somewhat offhandedly as I made his shoes, “You overstride.” “No, I’ve been doing this for a long time. I have good form.” “I hear you,” I replied, “but I’m willing to bet you overstride, that with the idea you should land on your forefoot, you’re reaching out with your foot. In fact, I’m willing to bet that as soon as you put these sandals on, you’ll discover the same thing.” “How’s that?” he asked. “You’ll hear a slapping noise when your foot hits the ground.” Sure enough, he put on his shoes and we went for a run and with every one of his steps, you heard “Slap Slap Slap Slap.” He was shocked, but I wasn’t. It’s not uncommon that barefoot runners have some form problems that they don’t notice… just like any runner. In this case the sandals pointed out the problem. “Hey!” Jason said, looking at me as we ran together, “You’re not making any noise.” We stopped and I gave him the cues that I’m about to tell you. Within 5 minutes, his running was totally quiet. But there was another benefit. Looking almost confused, Jason said, “This feels totally different than what I’ve been doing for the last five years!” “How so?” “Easier, lighter, stronger… like I could keep going forever!” BINGO! Me, me, me, me, me I know that the stories above suggest that all slapping noises are caused by form. And, frankly, that’s true 99% of the time. The other 1% is if your sandals are tied WAY too loosely. When you tie Xero Shoes, they should be comfortable. Definitely not tight. And while it’s true that if they’re way too loose, that could increase the chance of making slapping noises, if you walk or run with really good form, even having your sandals practically falling off your feet won’t cause noise. But, if your form isn’t perfect yet, then you may want to try tightening the lace a bit (again, if they feel too tight when you do that, you’ve gone too far). So, assuming too-looseness isn’t the issue… De-slapping So, here are the recommendations for “de-slapping” your running: Simply wonder, “What could people who run quietly be doing that I’m not?” and then experiment with your gait Feet under you — Rather than overstriding, don’t reach out with your foot. Place your foot closer to “under” your body. Exaggerate this for a while if you want to, as if you could place your foot behind you when you land Be soft — think of your lower body as a spring… from the foot, through the ankle, through the knee, into the hip. Catch the ground — rather than “landing” on your foot, imagine that the ground is a treadmill, and you have to “catch” the moving ground under you with a moving foot. So your foot contacts the ground as it’s already moving Try new foot placements — some people land on the ball of their feet. Others land midfoot. Some land flat-footed. Experiment and see which feels right for you. Notice, by the way, that how you land may change depending on whether you’re going up or down hill, accelerating or decelerating. Run uphill — feeling the difference as you run uphill may, like Ron, help you discover how to run quietly Here’s my favorite tip, though: MAKE NOISE! — one way to stop making noise is to deliberately make noise so you understand where the noise comes from. You want to prove to yourself that overstriding causes slapping? Simply run fast and then try to stop quickly — to stop quickly you have to overstride. I bet you hear slapping noises. Want to prove that a “tight spring” could make noise? Pretend you have no knees for a few strides and see what happens when you land almost straight-legged. Get the idea? Let me know what you discover in the comments below.

How Can Barefoot Shoes Help With Posture? Excellent posture is not just about your physical appearance - it’s a cornerstone of your long-term health. And believe it or not, the secret to achieving better posture lies beneath your feet. The footwear you choose can negatively impact your posture. The right type of shoes can help correct posture, providing comfort and better alignment for your body.  Let's take a look at posture to see how the wrong footwear can cause problems, and how the right footwear could help your posture. What Does Healthy Posture Look Like? Proper posture means that your spine should be properly aligned when you stand. There are natural curves in your lower back, mid back, and neck, but excessive curvature in any of those places or flattening in any of those places can be problematic. There are two types of posture: dynamic and static. Dynamic posture is how your body aligns during movement, for instance, walking, running, or bending over to pick up something. Static posture is how your body aligns when you are not moving, like sitting, standing, kneeling, or lying down. How Bad Posture Affects the Body Many people take good posture for granted until they notice negative effects.  Poor posture can have far-reaching consequences that affect our physical well-being. Here are some of the effects of bad posture to be mindful of: Misalignment of the musculoskeletal system Poor circulation Imbalances in the body Pain in the back or neck  Increased number of injuries Stress on the ligaments and joints Lack of range of motion Decrease flexibility Tight muscles Weakened muscles Difficulty breathing  Poor balance Decreased efficiency in daily life or athletic performance What Causes Bad Posture? Several factors contribute to poor posture. You may be doing some of these things and not even realize it.  Here are some common causes of poor posture: Prolonged periods of sitting: Having a sedentary lifestyle, you spend prolonged periods sitting or hunching over a desk, which can negatively affect posture over time. Not getting enough exercise can weaken the muscles that support your posture. Carrying excess body weight can strain the musculoskeletal system. Poor ergonomics in the workplace. This can commonly include improper desk setup, sitting for long periods of time, or incorrect positioning of computer screens. Sleeping position: Sleeping in positions that do not support proper spinal alignment. Stress, anxiety, and emotional tension leads to muscle tightness and increased muscle tension. Wearing improper footwear. Shoes can affect posture, disrupting your foot's natural ability to offer a stable base for your body. At this point, you may be thinking, “what is improper footwear?”. We’ll review characteristics of shoes that can negatively affect posture, and what kind of footwear can help you have correct natural posture.  The Problem With “Normal” Shoes  Many “regular” shoes can actually cause posture problems.. Here’s how shoes can impact posture: Elevated heels of “normal shoes” move your center of mass forward. This alters the body's natural alignment and can put extra pressure on the balls of the feet, ankles, hip, knees, or back to adjust for that change in center of mass.  Padding that “normal shoes” typically have can negatively affect your posture. When foam cushioning wears out unevenly it can misalign your feet and ankles, which creates issues for your knees, hips and back. The narrow toe box of most conventional shoes can squeeze toes together and hinder natural toe splay. This can affect the overall stability of the feet, affecting the body's balance and posture. Thick, Stiff Soles reduced sensory feedback affecting proprioception and balance. Your feet need to provide sensory information to your brain so you can move your body effectively and efficiently. When we lose touch with the ground, our body may lose its ability to make micro-adjustments that help us maintain proper dynamic posture. How does this compare to barefoot shoes? They don’t have these issues.  How Barefoot Shoes Can Help With Posture Barefoot shoes are designed to help improve your posture.  While regular shoes can negatively impact posture, barefoot shoes mimic the feeling of being barefoot while providing the appropriate protection for your feet.  Barefoot shoes can help improve posture in a few ways: No Heel-Toe Drop: Most shoes have an elevated heel, which shifts your center of mass forward. This forces you to adjust with your ankles, knees, hips, and back. Where you will feel the stress depends on which one of these joints is least supported by your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Barefoot (or “minimalist” ) shoes do not elevate the heel. This can keep the body in a neutral alignment and keeps the body weight centered over the feet. Thin (but protective), Flexible Soles: Barefoot shoes have a thin yet protective sole, so you can safely FEEL to ground and give your brain the feedback needed to make dynamic postural changes.  Wider, Foot-Shaped Toe Box: In the same way spreading your fingers provides balance doing pushups, spreading your toes provides you with better balance while you stand, walk or run. Barefoot shoes feature a wider toe box, which gives your toes the freedom to spread out for better balance, stability, and posture.  Additional Tips to Improve Posture Aside from wearing barefoot shoes, here are some other tips to improve your posture that you can begin including in your daily routine: Be Mindful: Being aware of your posture, whether sitting or standing, is essential. Take a moment to check in with your body throughout the day. Make sure your body is properly aligned.  Take Regular Walking Breaks: If you have a sedentary desk job, it's important to incorporate movement throughout the day. Set reminders to get up and take short walks, stretch, or do simple exercises. Vary your movements: By doing a variety of movements, you can help strengthen the muscles that support proper posture. This promotes muscle balance, flexibility, and core stability - all of which contribute to improved posture. Maintain a Healthy Weight: Carrying excess weight can place additional stress on your muscles, joints, and ligaments, affecting your posture. Strive to maintain a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise. What people are saying about improved posture and barefoot shoes from Xero Shoes.. “I work as an ER charge nurse and I’m on my feet nonstop for 12 hour shifts. I recently purchased the prio shoes to use for work and they have been amazing. I was even told that I appear to be walking with better posture. Hopefully I can help others discover the benefits of these shoes.” “I’m on my feet for 12+ hours and I needed shoes that give my feet plenty of support and that fit my foot. The barefoot feeling is ideal for my posture and for the anatomy of my foot. This is my second pair of Xero shoes and they did not disappoint!” Making the Switch to Barefoot Shoes If you’re ready for improved posture, it’s time to slip into a pair of barefoot shoes. Switching from a “normal” shoe to a barefoot shoe may be a bit of an adjustment, given the differences between the two.  The phrase “transition slowly” is a common recommendation people will tell you.  And while this isn’t wrong, transitioning to barefoot shoes is less about how quickly or slowly you make the change, and more about HOW you make the transition and not the length of time it takes.  FEEL What You’ve Been Missing; Natural Comfort, Posture, and Health  Barefoot footwear helps you FEEL the ground you’re walking on, and comes in many different styles of shoes, sandals and boots.  Not sure what type or style of shoe you want? Use this shoe finder quiz to find a few recommended shoes for you. The content of this post does not constitute and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions or concerns you may have about your health or a medical condition.