BLOG
Everyone knows you can run efficiently with Xero Shoes since they don’t change the shape of your foot, and therefore allow your foot to use its natural function. And of course, many people are doing yoga in them. I mean, they’re the next best thing to being barefoot, why wouldn’t you?
That’s not what I’m going to share with you today though. Today I’m going to share with you five DIFFERENT ways you can move in your Xero Shoes.
Of course, barefoot is always better, however barefoot is not always a feasible option. So whenever I’m out and about in my Xero Shoes, I feel ready to do any of the following movements at any time, I don’t feel limited by my shoes.
In my typical fashion of, “less talking, more moving” – let’s get right into it!
1. Ground Movements – these movements are the foundation of all your movement practice. These include various sitting positions and transitions, crawls, rolls, and get ups/downs. No matter what you do for movement/sport/exercise, ground movements can benefit you greatly. There’s a reason why babies start here! And there’s a reason why adults get injured so often, because they forget their foundations. Wearing Xero Shoes can remove any excuses for not wanting to do these movements outside when it’s cold, and believe me—they’ll warm you up quick!
2. Climbing – I love climbing! To achieve a greater position or point of view, to elevate myself (physically & mentally), to engage my full body and mind, there’s no shortage of reasons to climb. And not just rock climbing either! I’ll climb trees, walls, poles, you name it, in my Xero Shoes. They provide great grip, with minimum size and maximum feel.
3. Jumping – perhaps my favorite movement domain of all. The aliveness my legs feel after a good jumping session is unmatched. Whether from one line or circle on the ground to another, or between rocks, up, down, at a height, or balancing, there’s many forms of jumping. And wearing Xero Shoes can give your feet the protection to jump farther, especially if you’re not regularly conditioning your feet like some weirdos (me).
4. Lifting – people are starting to realize that lifting barefoot is better. I mean, who honestly thinks that a pair of shoes is going to protect your feet from dropping a couple hundred pounds on them? If anything is going to protect you from that, it’s mindfulness (and good grip, and quick-reflexes, if all else fails). Well, we already know that wearing Xero Shoes is essentially like wearing zero shoes, minus putting your skin directly on the likely unclean gym floor. Lifting rocks barefoot outside on some dirt is a different story (dirt is not dirty, y’all)
5. Walking – Of course, right? But I’m not just talking about walking to/from your car and house. I mean walking all day, every day, parking far away from your destination, leaving the car at home sometimes, and going for those long (say 5, 10 or 50-mile) treks everyone once in a while.
Want some suggestions for how to get moving your Xero Shoes, whether at the gym, outdoors, or in your home? Head over to MovNat Online Coaching and request me, Nate, as your coach.
– Xero Hero and Movement Specialist @nate.amado