Ken Bob Saxton is an expert in the field of barefoot running. He’s been using the technique for years and teaching those who want to follow in his footsteps. When done properly, barefoot running can reduce injuries, fix posture and even save you money. In Barefoot Running Step by Step: Barefoot Ken Bob, The Guru of Shoeless Running, Shares His Personal Technique For Running With More Speed, Less Impact, Fewer Leg Inguries, and More Fun Saxton and Roy Wallack will walk you through proper technique and then get your out the door with drills to practice for perfecting your shoe-less stride. Retraining your body to run without shoes after years of doing otherwise takes time and guidance. Look to the experts to get off on the right foot.
To get started on your barefoot journey, here’s Ken Bob’s most important lesson to barefoot running:
Bending your knees—a little more than you might think necessary—is easily my number-one principle for fun, injury-free, lifelong running, barefoot or not.
This book is full of barefooting dos and don’ts, but it all starts with bending the knees, or at least “unlocking” them as you stand, walk, or run. doing that effectively turns your whole leg into a spring instead of a rigid stick (as i’ll elaborate more on in chapter 3), and changes practically everything.
Bend your knees a little more than you might think necessary. note the bent knee and slightly squatted position here. more bend means more spring, with no additional effort to push forward.
The key movements from the bent knee to the foot. relax your calves so that after initially landing ball-of-foot-first, the entire sole settles into the ground, distributing your weight evenly across a larger surface.
note the lightness of the feet and the distance from the ground, as the bent knee enables a runner to have softer, lighter landings. and note that the feet are not heel striking!
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“Barefoot Ken Bob is The Master. Long before anyone else was even talking about barefoot running, he was perfecting the art . . . Now, after twenty years of teaching, experimenting, and “merry marathoning” (as he calls it), the first and best source of barefoot-running knowledge is bringing his ideas to print. And it’s about time.” —Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and The Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen“Ken Bob Saxton, a pioneer of the modern barefoot running movement, has logged more miles in his birthday shoes than just about anyone I know, and he has helped countless people run barefoot. As one would expect, this delightful book, full of wit and wisdom, is an invaluable guide for anyone who wants to run barefoot, avoid injury, and have fun.” —Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
“This is a wonderful guide from the Godfather of barefoot running!” —Irene Davis, Ph.D., director of Spaulding National Running Center, Harvard Medical School
Learn Barefoot Running From the Master!
Almost overnight, barefoot running has exploded onto the fitness scene. However, it involves more than simply taking off your shoes. In fact, everything you’ve learned about barefoot running is probably wrong—unless you’ve learned it from Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton. The leading instructor and proponent of unshod running, he has completed 76 marathons barefoot, survived an astounding marathon-a-month challenge in 2004, and gone on to top that with 16 marathons in 2006, including four in a 15-day period—all barefoot.
Barefoot Running Step by Step separates the facts from the hype, outlines Ken Bob’s personal techniques, and details the latest research on the newest trend in mankind’s oldest sport. Whether you barefoot run occasionally, part-time, or full-time, you’ll find methods for improving your form, staying injury-free, dramatically improving your speed and performance, and having more fun.
The Bent Knee: Here is the hidden secret to perfect running form. Learn how this crucial adjustment will keep you running stronger and injury-free for life.
Vibrams and Minimalist Shoes: Barefoot running is not a transition from shoes to minimalist shoes to bare feet. It’s the other way around. Discover why you need to run barefoot before you use other footwear.
Start From the Head: Proper barefoot form doesn’t start at the feet. Discover how to get the correct body biomechanics.
Ease Into It: Here are the steps you need to take to make the transition from running in shoes to barefoot running as painless and easy as possible.
Improve Speed: Barefoot running’s injury reduction benefits are well-touted; however a new landmark study proves that barefooting—even part-time—can make you faster.
Barefoot Running Step by Step is filled with series photos and illustrations that show you the “do’s” and “don’ts” of barefoot running, the latest research, and Ken Bob Saxton’s personal experiences and insights for running barefoot for life.
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