Should Athletes Wear Minimalist Shoes?
Of all athletes’ clothes, none garner more attention than the shoes. And I’m not just referring to games, where athletes generally don’t have a choice in what they wear because it’s a uniform. There is always a variety of choices for shoes, however. And that choice carries a lot of weight. Shoes are a statement of fashion, of a type of status, if you will.
Over the years and generations, shoe brands and types have come and gone in popularity and will continue to do so. What shouldn’t change for any athlete, however, is searching for maximum performance, and that includes choice in attire. Remember basketball in the 2000s? Those shorts were touching the ankles of some players. Long, baggy shorts were all the rage. But let’s be honest, there’s no way that wasn’t slowing them down or hindering their mobility a little. Shorter shorts are in, and long, baggy shorts are probably never coming back. Thank goodness, because I have a beautiful set of legs I enjoy showing off.
Another trend I’m excited about is the rising popularity of minimalist shoes. And no, I’m not talking about those five toeshoes that started the madness, though they are legit, and they’re still around. Minimalist shoes are a great idea for every athlete, but of course each sport dictates certain designs.
Why Athletes Should Wear Minimalist Shoes
- Lighter is faster. This one is obvious. The lighter you are, the faster, more agile, more explosive you can be.
- If you don’t use it, you lose it. The bigger and bulkier the shoe, the more support you have. The more support you have, the less reason your feet have to work. The less you use your foot muscles, the weaker they get. The weaker they get, the weaker you get. Get it?
- Less material doesn’t mean less durability. Ok, maybe it does mean less durable. However, barefoot/minimalist shoe design and technology has come a long way in recent years. Thin, minimalist shoes are tough, and there are many different designs that are optimized for different sports.
What Qualifies as a Minimalist Shoe?
There are no specific criteria for what qualifies as a minimalist shoe, but there are some fairly universal commonalities.
- Heel drop: Almost every shoe ever made has an elevated heel, whether you realize it or not. This helps propel a person forward, which makes walking, running, and even sitting easier, as it removes stress from the lower leg. But again, less stress means less strong, less mobile, and less powerful. You don’t want that.
- Wide toe box: In the name of fashion, shoe and sock makers have built footwear to come to a narrow point-ish figure at the toes. It’s fashionable, which is why we do it. But it causes toe bunions and restricts natural toe movement, which can reduce balance and strength and power up the kinetic chain, which is why we shouldn’t wear such shoes.
- Low stack height: Stack height refers to how much added height the shoe gives you. This is the greatest variable in the minimalist shoe world. Some stack heights are extremely low, like 3 millimeters low. With a low stack height, you feel the ground under you, forcing the feet to work harder to navigate the variables of the surface. However, most man-made surfaces are harder and flatter than the surface of the earth, and being as barefoot as possible may not be the best idea, as it can put too much stress onto the feet.
Training vs. Performing
I’m of the firm stance that not only every athlete but every able-bodied person should practice, exercise, and walk in the park with minimalist footwear. As I’ve explained, I think it’s only rational. There are more bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerve endings in the foot than anywhere else in the body. It is the only body part that comes into contact with the ground. The feet are built like a complex supercomputer. And when we cram our feet into socks that squeeze our toes together, restricting their movement, and we cram those feet into shoes that disconnect us to the ground and raise our heels, shortening our Achilles tendons into a chronically weak and shortened position….we are doing ourselves a disservice.
Our feet are meant to be strong and pliable, with explosive coordination to balance and propel us. “Maximal” shoes deny us those physical attributes. Minimalist shoes enable those strengths to be further developed. Additionally, while there isn’t science behind it, it surely would help reduce injuries. Moving better and stronger is always a good idea.
During competition, however, different sports will demand greater support and protection. Some sports require cleats, (and there are minimalist cleats our there) basketball requires high tops to protect the ankles, contact sports need thicker shoes, etc etc.
As I said, the future of minimalist shoes is exciting. There are all kinds of choices that are designed for walking, running, hiking, weightlifting, plyometric/Crossfit type workouts, ones for going out on dates, lounging around, and even formal attire, snow boots, and water shoes. And athletes are getting more options as well with the development of minimalist cleats and basketball shoes.
So, to recap, all atheltes and people should move in minimalist footwear for maximum lower leg health, likely improving the health of the whole b dy. For games and competition, more traditional, “maximal” footwear may be necessary.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
MOST POPULAR
Should Athletes Wear Minimalist Shoes?
Of all athletes’ clothes, none garner more attention than the shoes. And I’m not just referring to games, where athletes generally don’t have a choice in what they wear because it’s a uniform. There is always a variety of choices for shoes, however. And that choice carries a lot of weight. Shoes are a statement of fashion, of a type of status, if you will.
Over the years and generations, shoe brands and types have come and gone in popularity and will continue to do so. What shouldn’t change for any athlete, however, is searching for maximum performance, and that includes choice in attire. Remember basketball in the 2000s? Those shorts were touching the ankles of some players. Long, baggy shorts were all the rage. But let’s be honest, there’s no way that wasn’t slowing them down or hindering their mobility a little. Shorter shorts are in, and long, baggy shorts are probably never coming back. Thank goodness, because I have a beautiful set of legs I enjoy showing off.
Another trend I’m excited about is the rising popularity of minimalist shoes. And no, I’m not talking about those five toeshoes that started the madness, though they are legit, and they’re still around. Minimalist shoes are a great idea for every athlete, but of course each sport dictates certain designs.
Why Athletes Should Wear Minimalist Shoes
- Lighter is faster. This one is obvious. The lighter you are, the faster, more agile, more explosive you can be.
- If you don’t use it, you lose it. The bigger and bulkier the shoe, the more support you have. The more support you have, the less reason your feet have to work. The less you use your foot muscles, the weaker they get. The weaker they get, the weaker you get. Get it?
- Less material doesn’t mean less durability. Ok, maybe it does mean less durable. However, barefoot/minimalist shoe design and technology has come a long way in recent years. Thin, minimalist shoes are tough, and there are many different designs that are optimized for different sports.
What Qualifies as a Minimalist Shoe?
There are no specific criteria for what qualifies as a minimalist shoe, but there are some fairly universal commonalities.
- Heel drop: Almost every shoe ever made has an elevated heel, whether you realize it or not. This helps propel a person forward, which makes walking, running, and even sitting easier, as it removes stress from the lower leg. But again, less stress means less strong, less mobile, and less powerful. You don’t want that.
- Wide toe box: In the name of fashion, shoe and sock makers have built footwear to come to a narrow point-ish figure at the toes. It’s fashionable, which is why we do it. But it causes toe bunions and restricts natural toe movement, which can reduce balance and strength and power up the kinetic chain, which is why we shouldn’t wear such shoes.
- Low stack height: Stack height refers to how much added height the shoe gives you. This is the greatest variable in the minimalist shoe world. Some stack heights are extremely low, like 3 millimeters low. With a low stack height, you feel the ground under you, forcing the feet to work harder to navigate the variables of the surface. However, most man-made surfaces are harder and flatter than the surface of the earth, and being as barefoot as possible may not be the best idea, as it can put too much stress onto the feet.
Training vs. Performing
I’m of the firm stance that not only every athlete but every able-bodied person should practice, exercise, and walk in the park with minimalist footwear. As I’ve explained, I think it’s only rational. There are more bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerve endings in the foot than anywhere else in the body. It is the only body part that comes into contact with the ground. The feet are built like a complex supercomputer. And when we cram our feet into socks that squeeze our toes together, restricting their movement, and we cram those feet into shoes that disconnect us to the ground and raise our heels, shortening our Achilles tendons into a chronically weak and shortened position….we are doing ourselves a disservice.
Our feet are meant to be strong and pliable, with explosive coordination to balance and propel us. “Maximal” shoes deny us those physical attributes. Minimalist shoes enable those strengths to be further developed. Additionally, while there isn’t science behind it, it surely would help reduce injuries. Moving better and stronger is always a good idea.
During competition, however, different sports will demand greater support and protection. Some sports require cleats, (and there are minimalist cleats our there) basketball requires high tops to protect the ankles, contact sports need thicker shoes, etc etc.
As I said, the future of minimalist shoes is exciting. There are all kinds of choices that are designed for walking, running, hiking, weightlifting, plyometric/Crossfit type workouts, ones for going out on dates, lounging around, and even formal attire, snow boots, and water shoes. And athletes are getting more options as well with the development of minimalist cleats and basketball shoes.
So, to recap, all atheltes and people should move in minimalist footwear for maximum lower leg health, likely improving the health of the whole b dy. For games and competition, more traditional, “maximal” footwear may be necessary.