What’s Your Experience with Vibram 5 finger Barefoot Shoes
Vibram shoes
The Funny Shoes That Feel Good
My Vibram Shoes
I own two pairs of Vibram Fivefinger shoes. The first pair was bought in the kangaroo leather “preforma” style, and I soon felt that they were only for indoor workouts. I loved them, and didn’t want to wear them out by exposing them to hard outdoor wear.
How I Discovered The Barefoot Shoes
A post on an exercise site, one which listed this very shoe on the wishlist of the personal trainer who ran the site, made me want a pair for myself. She described the shoes as being super comfortable and great for workouts. The idea of barefoot comfort was compelling.
So I ordered a purple pair, just like the ones I saw in the post. They were so comfortable for yoga and dance workouts that it seemed important to have a pair for outdoor activity. Soon I had my stronger constructed Vibrams.
My feet have been intolerant of poor shoes for a number of years now, so Vibram shoes were a “godsend”.
Sizing
Sizing is different, so pay attention to the directions for getting the proper size fit.
Five Fingered Shoes Look a Little Weird
Gray 5 finger shoes by Vibram
Why Buy A Pair Of These Shoes?
They are comfortable
Vibram shoes are manufactured in different styles for specific activities
Vibram shoes are constructed well
Their barefoot running technology are believed to be healthier for feet than normal shoes
I own two pairs of Vibram fivefinger shoes and I love both of them. I have a very soft flexible pair for yoga and indoor exercising, a more durable pair for outdoors.
— Ilona
Women’s Bikila – Made for running
3
Notes on Sizes
– there are stores that carry Vibrams and they will fit you expertly.
– there are instructions on the Vibram company site
Shoes that are good for runners. “Keep runners on their feet.”
Different Models for Different Folks
There are different models of shoes made by the Vibram company. These are known by the names given the shoe, not just a mere style variation. There are 16 models for women to choose from.There are 13 shoe models for men.
Below is an example of some features of three of the men’s models.
https://youtu.be/uzeZluK6tOM?si=pYVJjU-fsC3E3HuT
3 Men’s Styles
Komodo
Bikila
Seeya
best for gym and running
best for running
walking
reputed to be most comfortable
thicker and more sturdy
lighter construction
LS=laces
laces or straps
3 Women’s Styles
KomodoSport
CVT Ls
KSO EVO
running and fitness
casual wear
casual and fitness
stitch-free footbed
lightweight
lightweight,sole grip
support and comfort
slip-on with laces
speed lace
Cleaning Your Shoes
Most of them are machine washable using the gentle cycle. You might try simply making sure your feet are clean before using your barefoot shoes, and I’ve never had a “smell problem”, but for those who do a sports wash may be a good idea.
Now that I’ve worn Vibram shoes for awhile, would I buy them again? A resounding yes, I would.
My favorite use of these shoes is for indoor yoga, which is an activity I do barefoot, normally. I like the feel of the shoes and they give me traction.
I bought a heavier model for outdoors, but find I don’t use them as much. When I used them during my trip to the arid West they got very dusty, which I dealt with my simply whacking them on my hand.
In my normal climate of Ohio it can get very muddy, with heavy dew in the mornings even in dry months of summer. I don’t want to ruin my shoes with mud. In fact, I’m careful to use shoes I don’t care about in muddy conditions here. That means street shoes, athletic shoes, etc. So, it is no reflection on the barefoot shoe, just a fact of life in rural Ohio that has a muddy season.
Boys Running Shoe
Great for light trekking, running, fitness, watersport or casual wear.
This unique footwear comes in sizing for kids, too.
From Their Website: Barefoot Running Training Schedule
Barefoot Running Guide Guide for getting used to “barefoot running”. Strengthening your feet.
Whatever your age or difficulty, it seems training with weights can help you. Eventually, a whole body regimin could be introduced into your exercise routine, but where (and how limited) would you like to start? I chanced onto Jane Fonda's routine in "Complete Workout".
As I look back, my activities could have pointed out weaknesses: my legs, through ballet, bicycling, and walking were my strength and my poor performance in softball and chin-ups indicated a weak upper body.
When we're busy juggling child care, housework, all the car travel time, collapsing on the couch, I don't think we have time to assess our loss of good posture, muscle strength and flexibility.
From adolescence we're thinking "What shape am I?" However, that simply clouds our viewpoint even more.When it hurts to turn your neck while driving, or exhausts you to lug groceries from the car, or your two-year-old outruns you, that the hint starts growing in your awareness.
So, where's your weak spot? Your back and shoulders? Lower back? Legs,abdominals? All of the above? Get yourself some wristweights and/or dumb bell free weights or even some soup cans.
My Method When Using Weights
Stretch a little first - the "cat" where on all fours the back is arched, then slowly dropped to a concave position: then get up to stretch your hands as high as possible circling outward and sweeping slowly up.
Move your head around, or better yet, get a book on stretching and another on weight exercises ( the libraries always have several )and go through a series as recommended.
Shoulder Shrugs
After you've warmed your muscles, take your hand weights and shrug your shoulders while keeping a straight arm, roll down and shrug again. Repeat these moves in repetitions of 8-12. I like to start here and add these in between more taxing moves. Ready for more?
Work Those Abs
Something people don't always realize is that strengthening the abdominals improves your back strength and relieves lower back pain. As you improve the strength of the back and abdominal muscles, your posture improves, as well.
That benefit alone can make you look ten pounds thinner! Benefits, benefits!
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography
One way to use weights is to add some challenge to other exercises with wrist or ankle weights that strap on with velcro. Try the leaning camel and then get some floor work done with your crunches.
So, flatten your back to the floor and crunch a little; this is one of the exercises that you can do daily. Confession: no, I don't do these daily, but I think I'll try, how about you?
Cross train
Cross training programs such as The Firm series of videos combine aerobic and weight training. In the video above a workout in a pool of water takes the stress off joints.
There are many books to guide your in the how-tos, and plenty of online information. A set of weights, a video or book, plus a small amount of time, and you are ready to get fit!
Pilates uses resistance as weight training
Weight training has benefits in many areas of health. Indicated for prevention of osteoporosis problems, increases metabolism once muscle mass is increased, besides helping to sculpt your body shape.
If you are like many Christians, it is a temptation to make such a division between the spiritual and the physical that the two realms almost seem mutually exclusive. Or you may not have a spiritual emphasis, but an intellectual one. It is as if to be truly spiritual or intelligent, we must almost deny we have bodies.
This is a grave mistake and not what scripture refers to when we are told to deny the flesh. Since that statement demands some exegesis (or whatever you call bible study), it will have to wait for an addition in the bible section of my page. For now, let's just look at the matter practically and ask these questions:
Things To Ask Ourselves
* Do I need good health to carry out my responsibilities to my family? * If I have physical strength, can I work more effectively taking care of the elderly, the needy, or others who have need of my services? * If I have more energy, could I additionally serve the Lord? In other words, will it prepare me for future ministry?
If You Answered Yes
Now, perhaps you feel more virtuous praying "God, help me lose weight, help me overcome fatigue, or this besetting illness" and then sitting back in faith. Or in your intellectual quest, you are willing to read book after book of self-help or the latest diet.
Now it is time to add works to your faith. Add action to your knowledge.
That is not to say those spiritual things (looking to God for help or asking to be healed) aren't necessary, they are, but we need to add a little balance . Try to eat right, exercise, rest properly...all those things that are the attributes of moderation. And if you carefully read much of the scientific findings on good health you will see it all boils down to being moderate.
"Let your moderation be known to all men".
Philippians 4:5
A word here on what exercise won't do. There is a scripture ( I Timothy 4:8) that states "bodily exercise profiteth little". And that is absolutely true: it profits something, but doesn't take the place of character and spiritual building. One look at the number of athletes with moral problems ought to illustrate that point most eloquently.
Let's say you're ready, convinced that exercise is going to be part of your life, what choices are out there and how will you fit them into your life? What are some choices and what considerations are there for Christian women?
Weight training is important when you live a Western lifestyle (when was the last time you hauled water from a well?). For healthy bones and maintaining muscle strength some form of weights should be used. If you have a body type that bulks up easily, a program like The Firms cross training should work fine since it combines aerobics and light weights.
Martial arts and workouts such as the Tae-bo type should fulfill your aerobic needs, as long as you skip some of the Oriental Philosophy involved. Actually, many forms of exercise have philosophies and sometimes religious beliefs included; if you have qualms about this just avoid that type and make your own program.
Yoga was one form I avoided for awhile since it comes from an Eastern religion, but I found myself doing many of the exercises in my tapes. The stretches are wonderful and you may find the ones you need in one of the Wharton's books, or in a Pilates program, as well as in many videotapes available. The flexibility that stretching gives your body is necessary, the yoga program is not. Choose according to your conscience.
Dance gives gracefulness along with flexibility and aerobics in a fun format. Again, though, some people have reservations and should follow their choice to other forms. But for those who like this way of getting a workout, there are so many types of dance- each with its own feeling and demands. Ballet is athletic, jazzercise is fun way to get fit, bellydance is feminine and sensual, etc.
Take yourself outdoors to witness the glory of God's creation. Begin walking or gardening and if the nasty little creatures are bothering you find some Avon "Skin So Soft" and learn to praise the Lord for the day when there won't be such curses!
What I'm not trying to do is make judgment calls on the forms of exercise and whether you should engage in them.
The Biblical hierarchy is always spiritual first, soul second, body third. One does not nix another, as in forgetting about the body or soul in pursuit of spiritual growth. It might help to remember how interdependent the heart, soul, and body are. How many times is physical health undermined through the damage done to a person's heart and mind? Or vice versa?Â
The Bible addresses "wholeness", and others may use the term "holistic", but the idea is that we are not compartmentalized beings, and fragmenting our view of ourselves leads to poor health.Â
Exercising the body is one part of the wholeness. Not more than building good character or growing spiritually, but alongside these important goals.
There are so many ways to get the bodily exercise you need that there is no reason to wound your conscience by engaging in a type that you are disturbed about.
How can I find the time to exercise? This can be tough when your schedule is already full or you have small children at home (duh, same difference). It is terrific to know that small bites of exercise throughout your day are an accomplishment that can give you results.
Points to Keep in Mind
Move exercise time to the top of your priority list.
Strategize the best times of day to develop a habit.
Determine that your health is important enough to not tolerate competition from other demands.
Vary your exercise efforts and incorporate an element of fun and enjoyment.
Consider using a fitness app or watch to spur you on to exercise regularly throughout the day and week.
Aim for the three to five full workouts, but understand that you will, many times, have to skip some of them. Just be prepared with exercises you can do in the car and at your desk, free weights in the bedroom for some back and arm exercises for five minutes between coffee and the rest of your day or at night while you watch that video or wait for SOME peoples pages to load. We've all been there...
I joined Curves to provide a consistency to my efforts; I found that exercising together with other women in a positive environment is very helpful. We all talk about how it is time that we take for ourselves, because we need it. We are the better for taking the time and those around us are better for it, too!
After Curves, our family signed up for a membership at our local YMCA. I haven't taken classes there, but used the equipment, including treadmills and ellipticals. My grown kids have joined gyms, and these are all helpful ways to stay motivated and put in the time for fitness.
Exercise Will Do You Good
You know it is sort of an overused joke that people who go to fitness clubs jockey for the closest parking spaces. Make up your mind to do a little extra walking, stair climbing (in real life), etc. during your day. This is a great stress reliever, as well; instead of fuming about that creep taking the spot you were waiting for, you are actually thinking Pollyanna thoughts of how good the exercise is since you won't have time for the regular workout this day. REALLY.
This is a totally new way of thinking and very freeing. The workouts you do ought to pay off in more strength for those everyday chores. All work is some sort of exercise! The reason for structured workouts is so that you are building muscles that are somewhat neglected in your daily activities, compensating for the fact that you overwork some muscle groups while underusing others.
Stretching exercises can be squeezed in almost anytime. Stretches, once learned, can be worked into the day to increase flexibility - you won't believe how much better you function after working on lengthening some of your poor contracted muscles!
My favorite way to learn stretch exercises is through (have you guessed?) - a video. Although I did find books from the library and magazine articles which illustrate a regimen to try. However, it is just that I love someone else thinking up the sequences and moves, while I just follow along with music and timing all worked out for me.
How I've been making time for exercise lately
You know how we waste time on Facebook? Frittering away more time than is reasonably rational. Well, we can turn at least some of that into a creative way to get a bit more exercise. All we have to do is use some of the posted videos to turn some of that time into a fitness routine.
I thought about starting here because exercise is so foundational to good health. My equation is HEALTHY=BEAUTIFUL as well as its reverse (I knew it, algebra was worth something!).
In the last few years, I've been regularly exercising-originally to combat back spasms, rising blood pressure and eye pressure. My pressures are down, back spasms no more, and I have some other truly valuable benefits besides. I've shaped up (my husband is so appreciative), I have more energy (needed that!), and (what I most appreciate) I'm stronger. Much stronger. Human beings, being compound organisms require compound components, so exercise is only part of what's needed, but that's the part addressed right here.
Key to consistent effort in exercise is finding something you like, so you keep working with it. In my twenties, running was really popular and my husband was interested in it, so I thought I'd try that. I did, once. It was so boring for me.
What I find I really like, many women I talk with find boring: exercise videos. I love exercise videos. My "Jane Fonda Complete" started me out in weight training. I'm so grateful, Jane! This was when I began to notice my strength improvement - and have found many references in medical articles on the necessity of this type of exercise.
Fitness On Video
Susan Powter is great in this respect, too. Her videos are a great workout with "real people" partners. Kathy Smith has the best pregnancy workout, and her "Body Basics" was the first video I purchased.
There are so many fitness types and stars of every type to lead us in routines that cater to every level of ability that there is really no excuse to delay creating your plan. Stretching, yoga, Latin dance, even chair exercises to deliver personal training right in your living room
I always rent or borrow videos to work with before I buy and it gives variety to my routine. So this is my main form of aerobic exercise, which I supplement with free weights.
Since I first wrote these tips, so much has changed on the video fitness front. Now, you can choose from DVDs to Youtube, and I notice that Amazon Prime offers a wide range, as well.
One that I have fun with lately is "Body Groove" - check it out! I like its loose, fun style that fits the fact that I need movement and don't have lots of ability right now.
Tactics to Tackle Exercise
I keep some dumbbells in my bedroom so that I can fit in exercise easily. Please, no jokes about that last sentence. I know none of this is new, mostly it's just a pep talk - you have to "just do it".
The observation I have at this point is that so many times we limit ourselves to activities which don't fulfill our needs: team sports, good weather activities, gardening. These activities are exercise, but usually they're marathon efforts with long absences between sessions.
Find something to fill in the spaces of everyday activities.
I would compile it this way:
stretching exercises
aerobic of your choice
recreational events(hiking,skiing,double digging a rose bed)
weight training
Women, particularly, need to take responsibility for their wellbeing. We'll be more purposeful in our lives, feel better, prevent diseases, alot of things because we add exercise. It's not the answer to all of life's problems - I believe only Christ is -but bodily exercise is a key to bodily wellbeing. You already know I like exercise videos, but thought I'd list the ones I like best:
jumping rope is good exercise
Oldie but Goodies
The Firm series: these are tough and effective; be sure to pace yourself and add the weights in carefully.
Jane Fonda series: I like the dance moves, variety of weights and spot exercises.
Kathy Smith Body Basics: This is the best warmup, and best ab and leg work in my opinion.
Marilu Henner Dance Aerobics: fun dancing
Susan Powter: no nonsense strength training and shaping. Great attitude!
Various Pilates-type videos: Kathi Smith, Denise Austin, and many more to try. Concentrated.
There are so many more to choose from now than when I started. I have especially liked the wide range of Yoga workouts.
yoga time
Many of the stretches and strength exercises were given to me when I had to have some physical therapy in recent years. I believe we lose fitness without being completely aware of what's happening.
This is all the more reason to create a deliberate plan and stick to it. It is the habit that is important, the challenge level or even the forms ( dance, aerobics, yoga) may well change to adjust to our interests and needs, but the fact that we need to keep using all our muscle groups remains the main goal.
A fun way to get aerobic exercise is in a dance class. There are many forms of dance, jazzercise, ballet, modern, but an unusual type I tried was bellydance...
I have some pages on the many aspects of belly dance, including the costuming part of it. They are:
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