Minimalist Shoes
EXCLUSIVE REPORT
The New Barefoot-Style Running Shoes
2012 Edition
Nicholas Pang
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2012
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
Additional information about minimalist running shoes or barefoot-style shoes can be found at the author’s official website:
Introduction
_________________________________
2012 is certainly heating up to be another banner year for minimalist running shoes. For the past two years, I've been on a journey to search for the perfect minimal shoe for myself. Fortunately, I've been able to wear-test almost every pair of barefoot-style running shoe on the planet. My bare feet have tested more minimalist running shoes in every sub-category (road, trail, casual, recovery, water, fitness) than Runner's World and Running Times combined - almost 100 to date!
I recycled all my heeled and cushioned running shoes and all my narrow toe box dress and casual shoes. My closet is now filled with shoes that makes my feet happier! I no longer get lower back pains when I run. My plantar fasciitis no longer flares up unless I'm testing a minimal shoe that has too much cushioning and a toe box that is too narrow. But what I found is that there is no one shoe (the holy grail that I was looking for) that suit all activities and all runners. I wrote about this in my book, The Minimalist Runner, over a year ago, about the one shoe and the Minimalist Lifestyle. What a difference a year makes! Every minimal shoe have its own purpose and niche to fill. Every runner is different and my perfect shoe for a certain use could be the shoe from hell for you. And I have my share of injuries caused by testing a shoe that does not fit me (much too narrow for my foot ) but I wanted to give it a chance thus injuring myself in the process. Here's an awesome article title, 'Proper Fit Explained', by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella from the Natural Running Center.
With the second generation minimalist running shoes, I expect more from footwear manufacturers and I will simply not test any shoe that does not meet these minimum requirements - lightweight, wide toe box, flexible, 4mm or less differential (zero-drop preferred), minimal cushioning. Some of you may only choose zero drop if anything like 4mm affect your running form - it does not for me. Even some shoes that are 10mm drop works well for certain terrains and conditions. Test them out yourself.