Activating the Gluts to Barefoot Transition Safer

My youth TOTT runners all seem to have the same challenge:

* how to fire consistently from the gluteal muscles as part of the proper running muscle firing sequence

I have developed a series of drills designed to specifically help them achieve this. The goal is to lock in safe, efficient technique as they shift to barefoot running. These are drills that any runner can do at home or on the road (so to speak). No fancy equipment is required, in other words.  Below, you will find a sample series of exercises that may be of value:

* standing 1-leg swings (forward/backward – tightening gluts on back-swing). 10 per leg

* push-up position running action. Drive leg forward to chest & back with power & speed alternately. 60 secs

* bridge position – brace core & fire 1 leg straight out & back. Repeat with other leg. Force out from knees at same time. 6o secs

* standing low squat, alternately lift leg so that upper leg is parallel to ground. Hold for 2 count, lower & repeat with other leg. MUST forcefully contract gluts as lift leg. 60 secs

* single leg lift in running action, keeping hips square & forcefully contracting gluts. Must touch foot in exact spot of takeoff for a split second with no noise. Repeat with other leg. 6o secs/leg

Doing these daily will mentally lock in the feeling of the gluts firing as the 1st phase of the running action.  Your quads, calves & hams will follow naturally. Here’s to running light & firing correctly!

 

coach Jeff

 

Upper Body Stabilization Circuit for Barefoot Running

One of the most neglected aspects of preparation for safe, efficient squat/scoot running is the upper body.  To better prepare yourself for the rigors of faster, longer barefoot runs, incorporate the following circuit:

* standing overhead lateral rotations

* forward lateral rotations (sitting on a stability ball) with palms up rotated to palms down as arms finish parallel to ground

* alternate arm forward raise (2 positions – forward and to a 45 degree angle)

* running arm swings (on Bosu Ball) 10 reps arms extended, 10 reps arms bent)

* bent over (with support leg straight) row. Alternate legs every 10 reps

* chest flyes (on inverted Bosu Ball) – ttoal flex of chest muscles as weights come down with gravity is key)

Do these with dumbbells that you can lift with good technique for 60 secs. Also, do these balancing on 1 leg alternately.  Fit the circuit into your weekly training on 2 to 3 days. You will notice a major improvement in your ability to hold the upper body strong deeper into hard, long runs. This translates into less likelihood of letting the core go & dropping the feet hard with gravity onto the running surface.

 

coach Jeff

 

 

Coach Jeff Sets ‘Unofficial’ Record!

Race Day at the Toronto Scotia Waterfront 1/2 & full marathons broke wet, warm & dark. By the 3km mark, the rain stopped & there was only a mild swirling wind. I decided to latch onto the 1:40 pace bunny considering there was only 1 other barefooter in the 1/2 field (and 2 in the marathon). If I was going to set the new Canadian barefoot running 1/2 marathon record of under 1:42, it would be on the heels of the bunny (or so I thought). Having never run with a pace bunny, I had no idea what to expect. Well, he shot out of the starter’s gate (after a slow walk up to the line – massive crowd of runners ahead of us) &, after 3 kms. of 4:30 mins/km – a full 15 secs/km below what I needed – I pulled back & never saw the bunny again! All but 1 who started with him did the same.  I’ll never make that mistake again…

I settled in after gathering myself & held a strong pace till I overheard a couple of guys saying we were averaging 4:35 min kms – this at the 12 km mark.  As you probably gathered, I don’t use any technical devices to monitor my runs – personal choice! Pace-wise, I pulled back once again, thinking I wouldn’t have enough for the final 5 kms. Bad move! I flagged somewhat from 14 to 17 kms and then pushed hard on a few slight climbs before finishing quite strong in a clock time of 1:41:24. I didn’t know my chip time exactly but knew I was close to sub-1:40 (my goal time) & the barefoot running record!

If only it would be that easy…upon getting home, I tried to pull up my result but, lo & behold, I had NO finishing time! Even though my chip activated at the 10 km & 13 km mats, it didn’t fire on the finishing mat!! Talk about a mental downer…! I’m trying to get an official time with no luck yet. Based on my clock & chip 10 & 13 km times, I ran a 1:39:54. I’ll wait for the photos of me finishing & then work backwards from others’ bib #s who finished with me.

It won’t be totally accurate but I’m claimin’ the record anyway! I can tell you that I never saw the other barefoot 1/2 runner once I ran away from him at the start but did see the 2 full marathon barefooters both finish in under 3:23! Amazing pace. I can also tell you that the crowd could not believe I could hold a sub-1:40 pace barefoot at age 59 (finished 29th out of 263 in my 55-59 age bracket).  I never felt a twinge of discomfort – just power, efficiency & quiet feet! It was almost effortless from 4 to 14 kms. Now, I work on going faster over longer distances. Look the hell out! Finally, I can tell you that ‘shod’ runners don’t like being passed by barefooters – especially OLD barefooters! Well, get used to it ’cause there are more where I came from.

As a veteran coach & racer, I still make mistakes. I do try to learn from them but it doesn’t always go according to Hoyle. I will say that once you develop the tough skin on your soles & the musculature of your feet, you’ll never run in shoes again…and you’ll never get an avoidable ‘running-related’ injury.

Bring on the next challenge!

coach Jeff

Colder Temp Barefoot Running Tips

Living in the southern part of central Ontario, Canada, I encounter a wide range of nasty winter running conditions. These become particularly challenging when you run – BAREFOOT! Over the years, I have developed certain strategies to improve my odds of running barefoot throughout MOST  Canadian winter weather. Depending where you live, some of these may be applicable to your situation.

1.  above 10 degrees Celsius – no special adjustments are required (normally). The odd time, you get cool, wet conditions. In these rare cases, I warm up barefoot indoors for a few extra moments before heading out…and avoid running through cold water puddles. That’s about it.

2.  5 to 10 degrees Celsius – usually, this is a perfect temp. range for barefoot running. I recommend warming up the feet indoors for 5 to 10 mins. – especially if the starting temp. is at the low end of this range. That includes quick pace running on the spot, single leg hops, box & forward/backward 1-legged hops, ankle rolls, toe gripping etc. At the higher temp. range, you should warm up the feet indoors for 2 to 5 mins. and outdoors for 2 to 3 mins. This will get the blood flowing to your extremities & make the transition to running easier

3.  0 to 5 degrees Celsius – it starts to get a tad more challenging now. If there is snow on the ground & a cold, strong wind, look the heck out! Not only do you need to warm up the feet indoors for 5 to 10 mins. pre-run, you also need to start running quickly with a fast foot turnover (minimize ground contact). Avoid slushy, cold water puddles (these are the worst for causing cold toe syndrome!). Also, be aware of the feelings in your feet. If they start to tingle, get home ASAP. Otherwise, you will be fine

4. -5 to 0 degrees Celsius – we’re getting near my bottom limit for barefoot running. Whenever temps go below 0 Celsius, you need to exercise more caution than normal. That goes without saying. I recommend for those new to sub-0 barefoot running, carry your ‘minimalist’ running footwear with you or start out running in them. Either way, your feet MUST be well warmed up prior to hitting snow-covered &/or ice-covered terrain. The toughest conditions are slushy salt-infested roads with choppy ice particles. It’s best to dodge these or run lightly & quickly over them. As your feet warm up or cool down, put your shoes on or take them off. You could also try spreading a light skin barrier cream.

5. -10 to -5 degrees Celsius – this IS my bottom limit!! It’s not often I run barefoot @ -10 C but I do on occasion. The best preparation is the regular runs I’ve done through the earlier part of the winter. This helps toughen my feet and condition my sensitive nerve endings to handle the more severe temps. I also will carry my Five Fingers (Bikilas) just in case and keep my distances below 12 kms. At these temps, you’re always running over icy patches, snow-covered terrain or (mainly) cold, harder-than-normal asphalt, concrete and trail. Oh…don’t forget to do an extra long indoor barefoot warm-up!:-))

Winter barefoot running is my favorite – it takes discipline and mental toughness along with a keen ssense of when your feet are close to being frost-bitten (you DON’T want to go there!!). I’ve never been injured but HAVE frost-bitten my right big toe. Lesson learned…!

Happy (and safe!) barefoot running this winter!!

 

coach Jeff

Barefoot Weights Circuit to Improve Balance/Endurance

One of the main sources of trouble for my runners (and for most runners  as a matter of fact) is imbalance between right & left legs. Virtually everyone has 1 side that is stronger (and, thus, more dominant) than the other. This usually leads to what I term avoidable soft tissue injuries from running unbalanced. Thus, I developed the following circuit (1 of many) to help my runners improve their balance & balance endurance. Give it a try as part of your transition to barefoot running:

* stork stand pulls – stand on 1 leg, lean forward & bring other leg to parallel behind you, hold dumbbells or kettle bells at full arm extension under you, pull weights to chest and back. Repeat for 60 secs/leg

* same as above with eyes closed (work up to 60 secs.)

* Bosu Ball hops – on 1 leg, hop forward onto the rounded side of the BB and backward to the floor on same leg. Repeat but switch legs. Must go quickly and land close to the ball. Repeat for 60 secs.

* Squats – 1 legged with weights held against chest. 60 secs./leg

* repeat above with eyes closed

* Medicine Ball Crossovers – use M/B that bounce. Select one that you can drive off the floor to should height repeatedly for 60 secs. Balance on 1 leg, drive the ball off the floor on an angle & catch it at shoulder height. 4 repeats on 1 leg, then switch to other leg – alternate for 60 secs.

No break between exercises. Build up to 4 circuits. You will notice better running balance, virtually no soft tissue injuries & better running technique endurance.

 

coach Jeff

Barefoot Cadence Drills

There are a few things re: running that ALMOST drive me to drink…and, for a non-drinker, they MUST be quite severe! I am going to highlight one & then provide a few drills that help my runners (and, hopefully, YOU) overcome the ‘flaw’.

Here we go:

* letting go in the core (especially the key gluteal muscles) that result in a ‘flat’ foot strike & slight over-stride

When I train people in how to perfect the squat/scoot technique of mid-foot running, this is the single hardest aspect for them to grasp.  It’s just too damn easy to let the gluts & other key core muscles ‘go’, thus giving in to gravity.

* the result is almost always an extended stride length followed by the proverbial ‘flat foot slap’ – a bane of my existence…

The following circuit (done barefoot) helps you overcome the above, thus ensuring a safe, efficient landing & push-off:

1. brace the core & run on the spot, each foot strike landing in the same spot with heels ‘flicking’ toward the buttocks – 60 secs. x 3 reps. There should be NO noise from each strike

2. brace the core, keep knees bent slightly, lift up on toes & fall forward. Let your feet catch you & then quickly turn over your feet & drive forward for 50 metres. Repeat x 10. Again, you should not hear your feet

3.  repeat #2 above re: start position but run in a straight line forward for 60 secs. Count each foot strike. You want to get 180 to 240 strikes in the 60 secs. Repeat x 3. Again, you should NOT hear your feet

4. lean forward on 1 leg at a 30 degree angle. Fire the ‘free’ leg forward & backward & drive the arms in a powerful running action. 60 secs./leg x 3

Doing these 2 to 3 times/week will help you eliminate the ‘impact noise’ (& resultant high risk of injury and/or fatigue) and get your running as if you’re on the ‘magic carpet’!!

 

coach Jeff