Alex’s point raises an interesting question – what happens if we take a traditionally shod, overstriding runner and have them begin to incorporate Nike Air Max 97 Mujer some barefoot training. Does their economy improve over time if they are able to modify their stride in a positive way? This would be a very interesting study to see.All of the above being said, this study does provide some interesting and useful results. To be quite honest, I would not be surprised in the least if most people are more economical when running in a lightweight racing flat than when barefoot. Personally, I would always opt for a lightweight shoe over barefoot in a race if for no other reason than shoes allow me to cut loose and doesn’t require that I pay attention to where I Nike Air Span 2 Dames am stepping. I find the ability to be a bit more reckless in a race to be of benefit. In this sense, this study actually supports my personal approach and beliefs (and yes, though I would not call myself experienced, I have run barefoot and enjoyed Nike Air Max Tavas Mens it on multiple occasions). However, I also suspect that most barefoot runners aren’t doing so out of an expectation of improved economy or performance (How many barefoot runners do you see in a typical race? Answer: Very few.). Enjoyment and escaping injury seem far more often cited reasons, so if that’s why you sun sans shoes, by all means keep it up.Even more importantly, and as is the case with any good scientific research, the limitations of this study raise some excellent questions. What happens if we continue to reduce shoe weight – does the relationship remain linear? How do equal Nike Air Max Axis Mujer weight shoes with cushioned vs. non-cushioned soles compare (e.g., compare the Merrell Road Glove to the Merrell Bare Access). How does true barefoot running differ when compared to running in socks on a treadmill? I’m also very intrigued by the www.johanweststeijn.nl individual variation observed. Why were four of the individuals more economical when barefoot? Why were the others more economical shod? That’s what I’d really like to know.In the end, it’s always important to keep in mind that people are different, and not everybody is going to be best barefoot, and not everybody is going to be best wearing shoes (as was the case here). Factors like fitness, training history (e.g., number of weekly barefoot running miles), and peculiarities of individual anatomy and physiology could all have a bearing on what works best at an individual level. A study like Nike Air Force 1 Femme this can reveal general patterns, but it cannot tell an individual runner what is best for them. It does not “prove” that barefoot running isn’t better for you. That comes instead from knowing your own body, experimenting with different footwear Nike Air Max 270 Dames conditions, and finding out what works for you as an individual.“Alex’s point raises an interesting question – what happens if we take a traditionally shod, overstriding runner and have them begin to incorporate some barefoot training. Does their economy improve over time if they are able to modify their stride in a positive way? This would be a very interesting study to see.”If you reference books like Hollowell’s Complete Idiot’s Guide to Barefoot Running, you’ll see that is *exactly* one of the reasons why they suggest beginning runners learn to run barefoot, regardless of whether they Nike Air Max 2017 Femme plan to continue to run fully bare or in a minimalist shoe. I would think that it also would be interesting to replicate a study like this on treadmill, road and trail. In an environment where a shorter stride is imperative to successful running, I think  you’d see significant variance in each unshod/shod state, which would secondarily indicate that runners’ efficiency is as related to their ability to adapt to the ground as to the weight and outsole thickness and flexibility of the shoes. That said, I’m no scientist. Just someone who runs in a variety of minimalist shoes on a variety of surfaces, and who always varies stride for running stability and speed based on all of those factors.