Laurel of Leaves

getting back to my roots: my journey in true health and natural living

Form Focused Fitness

Lose the Shoes & Keep Your Head Up

September 9, 2011

Have you lost your shoes yet? Last week I introduced my new Lose the Shoes series where I’ll offer up a new barefoot & minimalist running tip each week leading up to my very first 5K race. I asked you what you wanted to know about barefoot running and heard lots of great ideas! I will be incorporating many of your questions (and my answers) in my series posts, but also on Facebook & Twitter, so make sure you’ve connected with me there as well.

Lose the Shoes: Barefoot & Minimalist Running Tips

The first thing you want to remember about barefoot running is that it’s not all about the feet. It’s actually best to start from the top and work your way down when ‘re-learning’ how to run properly. So your first tip is:

Keep your head & torso up

There are quite a few reasons to keep your head and torso upright when running:

  1. It sets the tone for good posture throughout your whole body.
  2. It opens up your lungs for more air.
  3. You face the direction you want to travel (which, I assume, is forward)
  4. You can actually SEE your surroundings.

Let’s be honest. Isn’t #4 a huge reason for running in the first place? There are plenty of ways to get fit and exercise. You might like running in place on a treadmill (I, for one, can’t stand it), but THIS is why I run:

Please excuse the huffing and puffing and bouncy video. Just bob your head along with it and pretend you’re running with me along a rural road in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. The warm spring sun is shining after a week of rain & snow. Baby lambs are scattered throughout every paddock in the country. Life is good and you get to run through it!

Don’t miss out on what’s around you by hunching your head down and staring at your feet. Running shouldn’t be a chore that requires you to hunker down and just press through it. Chin up, my friend. You’ll breathe easier and enjoy it quite a bit more.

Series Posts

Lose the Shoes & Keep Your Head Up
Lose the Shoes & RELAX Your Shoulders
Lose the Shoes & Bend Your Knees
The All-Important Barefoot Running Landing
Lose the Shoes & Feel Like You’re Falling
Conserve Energy When Running Barefoot
Training Plan for a Barefoot 5K

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  1. Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit

    September 11, 2011 at 9:54 am

    I have similar surroundings when I go for a run. So awesome, right? I’m still on the fence about the whole barefoot running. 53% done born to run though (as my kindle says)

    1. Lori Winter

      September 13, 2011 at 10:05 pm

      That’s so great! It helps to have amazing scenery to enjoy.
      Are you liking Born to Run? I love how the Kindle tells you how far along you are. :)

  2. Peggy

    September 17, 2011 at 8:09 pm

    You’ll be happy to know that I just invested in a pair of minimalist shoes! The store I went to had limited selection. I tried on a pair of the Fila Skele-Toes, but they didn’t feel very ventilated and they felt a bit lose in the heels, even with the straps adjusted; nor did the shoes come in half-sizes. So I opted for a more transitional shoe, the Merrell Pace Glove. They feel soft and flexible — and they breathe well! They have purple trim, and I adore purple, so it’s a good fit! I was planning to do nothing this late afternoon, but, like a kid, I had to test out my new pair of shoes. They got me moving again!

    1. Lori Winter

      September 18, 2011 at 1:19 am

      That’s fantastic Peggy! I just saw those Merrell shoes in a shop window today and was admiring the colors too ;)

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  4. Teppo

    November 27, 2011 at 7:57 pm

    Ha! If only I had views like that. I’d love to visit New Zealand, just for the awesome sceneries alone. Heck, I’d love to LIVE there. Alas, I’m stuck here in boring Finland, and in a city these days, no less. Still, I hope to visit NZ and/or other places actually worth seeing, some day… and then I’ll definitely keep my head up :)

    Scenery aside, minimalist/barefoot running, that I’m finally venturing into, certainly is more fun than running with shoes. Although I’m currently treading into the dreaded “too much too soon” territory and need to pull back a bit before even properly beginning. Such a bummer!

    1. Lori Winter

      November 28, 2011 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Teppo–great to connect with you! It’s true, New Zealand is a really gorgeous country. I actually stayed with someone outside of Christchurch who was from Finland. What are the odds?
      Glad to hear you’re working your way into barefoot/minimalist running. It’s easy to do too much too soon, but make sure you take it easy to avoid injuries :)

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