Are minimalist shoes good for working out?

What makes a good workout shoe?

If you are fitness aware, then I am sure you love working out. Many working-out activities require the best cross trainer that allows shock absorption and stability. Some people love setting up goals on their training schedules to manage performance in a specific area. Investing in suitable footwear that will sustain all the necessary activities is the way to go. 

If you do High-Intensity Interval Workouts, which involve box jumps and weight-bearing activities like squats and lunges, you need the perfect shoe for this. Your boots have to absorb impact, be lightweight and agile with a stable base for strength and very quick movement. Choose a workout shoe that has the following features:

• Good padding or cushioning for shock absorption
• Lightweight for agility  
• Lateral support that is strong enough to help stabilize the feet
• Flexible enough to allow the foot to move freely and naturally 

If you involve weight lifting in your working out, you need to check out for other features that involve choosing a working out shoe: 

• That features are firmer
• That has a stable heel and is lightweight
• That has cushioned agility 

If your workout involves weightlifting and strength training, you need to prioritize stability, grip, and strength to optimize lifts. You require a working out shoe that have:

• High-density heels for better ankle mobility
• A rigid or dense sole to enable the force to be driven on the ground, especially when carrying powerful lifts
• Avoid cushioned soles that compress
• Supportive uppers that are intensified

Is it safe to exercise barefooted?

It’s not always a good thing to exercise barefoot though it has many health benefits. What you need to understand is that your pointy-toed high-heels and those favorite sneaks can negatively affect your feet. 

Some researchers found out that those cushioned shoes can affect your stability, foot strength, and balance. Your feet’ natural posture is eliminated because of the cushioned layer between your feet and the surface. It compromises the communication between your feet and your brain. 

Cushioned shoes can also lead to weak ankles. 

Walking or running barefoot helps strengthen the muscles and joints of your feet. The feet are spread naturally, toes aligned, and joints mobile. You can gain foot strength by allowing the natural posture of your feet to relax. People move differently when in cushioned shoes compared to barefoot. Those longer strides affect the limb’s absorption of ankles, knees, and hips. 

Going barefoot sends excellent communication to your brain and results in balance improvement as well as agility. Doing that for a long time will help your feet build natural calluses for your feet’ protection. 

However, walking barefoot can have its cons, including stepping on a sharp object and slamming your feet on hard ground. 

Take time to adjust to walking and running barefoot so that you get used to it. Start by walking short distances or just moving around at home, then walk long distances, then start running. If you feel any pain, make sure you rest before continuing. 

Properties of minimalist shoes

When you look at minimalist shoes, an ideal of the natural foot design comes into mind.  The whole idea of minimalist shoes is to design shoes that allow your feet to move naturally in them while getting protection. The features of minimalist shoes include:

Minimum heel-to-toe drop

There’s a need for support on our arches, meaning the heel, ball, and toes of the feet to strike a balance. It helps maintain a good posture, stability, and harmony in the mid-stance. Toes should stay in extension and need a shoe that minimizes toe spring, that is, the upward curve at toes.

Flexibility

Minimalist shoes are primarily flexible, allowing your feet to bend naturally in them. Many shoes cannot bend at the foot ball and are very stiff in the middle.

Wide toe box

Shoes with a narrow or pointed toe box cannot allow the big toe to aid in balance and propulsion. The toes are squeezed together in one place, leading to the dysfunction of the arch’s front end. Minimalist shoes are wide open in the front allowing your toes to move freely.

Not too thick or thin 

The purpose of minimalist shoes is not to miss that ground feel. Being able to feel the ground when walking or running in minimalist shoes helps your body adjust to the interferences of running perfectly. 

The shoe should be thinner and firmer, and that way, you may feel the ground surface.

Benefits of minimalist shoes

Minimalist shoes help improve leg and foot strength. 

There’s a restoration of muscle strength on feet and legs when you use minimalist as your shoe routine. Zero to minimum cushioning feature allows your feet to move naturally in them. It is like barefoot feeling the surface of the ground. A lot of support on the feet weakens the tendons. Good strength will always give you comfort. This is why we recommend minimalist shoes even for the office.

You can naturally walk or run. 

We always liked to jump and run barefoot vigorously, and we enjoyed that when we were kids. We had no problems, and we were very healthy. Now that shoes are a norm to us, we do not know that some make us feel pain in our ankles. These cushioned shoes mainly cause foot problems in the long run.

Minimalist shoes mimic our natural feet; we can walk or run efficiently like natural barefoot walking. 

Reduces pain 

Because minimalist shoes help strengthen the foot and leg, you can hardly feel the pains you feel when walking or running with conventional shoes. Muscles are well aligned, and ankle stability improved, thus enabling pain relief on your back. When you start using minimalist shoes, you can note the difference because most ankle pain or injured knees will vanish. 

Risks to consider

Walking or running in minimalist shoes is tricky, especially when transitioning from cushioned shoes. Some people complain of feeling like they are falling backward. It is because of getting used to the comfort of the heel on cushioned shoes. With time this impression disappears. 

You can feel some soreness, especially on the first days of your transition, and this also diminishes with time as you take time to do some stretch exercises. 

Because you were used to cushioning shoes, you can find yourself slamming your feet sometimes. Minimalist shoes are lightweight and do not require any strength when walking. Getting used bit by bit is the only solution to avoid this risk.

Stepping on something gross and resulting in you getting bacteria or fungi.

You can drop something with weight or equipment on your feet. 

How to start exercising Barefoot

Remember that starting exercising barefoot is good but not without risks. 

You have to start small, that is, begin by walking small distances or just walking around the yard at home, letting your feet adjust to different ground surfaces. 

Make sure you are careful not to tremble on malicious objects. 

Try yoga exercises to help your feet get the strength required to start walking or running barefoot. It is also safe to do these yoga exercises because there is no risk of objects falling on your feet. You can even get to know your feet better. 

After some time, proceed to walking or running barefoot, minding the ground surface you are walking or running on. Or else you can choose to wear minimalist shoes.

Barefoot Vs. Minimal Vs. All Other Shoes for workout

Barefoot	Improves foot and leg strength You can move your foot naturally without restriction It’s healthy since you will be exercising almost every time you walk.	You need time to get used to barefoot; otherwise, it can be painful. You can slam or bruise your feet on complex grounds, especially if you’re doing strength activities.
Minimal	It adds more protection and is almost the same as barefoot. You can naturally move your feet in them in a better position than cushioned shoes.	Because your feet and ties are covered, there’s still a restriction of movement. After a long time of use, mobility and flexibility of the feet diminish.
Cushioned	Guarantees ankle and foot protection when doing high-impact activities. You can efficiently train for a long time using cushioned shoes on high impact movements	Your feet can become weak with time. There’s a limitation of mobility and flexibility

Are barefoot shoes suitable for the gym?

One podiatrist says that minimalist shoes have become popular to the extent that people are using them for cross-training besides running. 

Using barefoot shoes in the gym is possible, and it has become a common thing. Manufacturers are designing a wide range of new minimalist models for strength exercise. 

Spending many years wearing and using these cushioned shoes has a significant health effect on our feet. 

Barefoot shoes allow you to be stable from the ground when you lift a barbell or jump onto a box. Some trainers say that they found themselves lifting more weight when wearing barefoot shoes. 

There’s increased ankle mobility and strength of muscles when you use barefoot shoes at the gym. A specific gym trainer confirmed that he is seeing a lot of changes to the clients that were using barefoot shoes in the gym. He said that their performance is improving.

Can you wear barefoot shoes in the gym?

It is possible to wear barefoot shoes in the gym, but it’s not always the norm. You should confirm with your gym trainer if the rules allow you to bring barefoot shoes. 

People are gradually using barefoot shoes in the gym, but not all have adapted to the changes.

Are minimalist shoes good for flat feet?

Recently, minimalist shoes have been prescribed a cure for most foot problems. Because they are lightweight, they allow one to exercise efficiently, like barefoot. A flat foot is a one-foot condition whereby the tendons and the arch muscles are not strong enough to support the bones of the foot. 

Recently, doctors recommended that people with flat feet utilize barefoot shoes to strengthen and build their muscles in the foot.