1. After my workouts my feet feel like they actually participated in the workout.  I have been working out for a long time and have never had that same feeling after workouts (unless training barefoot in the sand).  It’s a weird feeling for your feet and lower leg to be just as a sore as your hamstrings and glutes.
   - The foot is free to move through the full range of motion and activate muscles during athletic movements.
2. During jogging, running and sprinting I feel more aware of what part of foot is striking the ground and where in space (under or in front my center of gravity).
   - Increased proprioception is a major benefit to barefoot training.
3. I have seen an increase in proprioception carry over even when I am wearing regular athletic shoes.
   - Training barefoot has a transfer to athletic performance in court shoes, cleats,  and turfs.
4. There is a feeling of being more connected to the ground when doing strength training exercises such as deadlifts.  Athletic shoes with all the fancy cushing and arch support limit the feeling of gripping the ground with your feet.  We know grip strength during exercises is important for activation of the shoulder musculature.  The same is true for the foot and leg.  If the foot is activated and gripping the ground the signal will be sent through the rest of the muscles in the leg.
   - Barefoot training can enhance strength performance.

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Here are my new Vibram Five Fingers:

I think we will begin to see more competitive athletes train barefoot or with shoes like the Five Fingers.  Athletes that first come to mind are volleyball and basketball players.  Most court athletes wear ankle braces and supportive athletic shoes when they compete.  Practicing and training braces and shoes weaken the muscles in the foot and ankle.  This increases the risk of injury not only to the foot and ankle but also up the chain – knees, hips, and low back.  Athletes need their foot and ankle to function properly to maximize athletic potential.

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Lessons from the trenches

I came to Pierce College with a ton of good training ideas (so I thought). One thing I got a lot of rift about from the football players was front squatting and not barbell bench pressing (this will be another post). Here is my rationale on front squatting: I believe in programming front squats into a workout routine before I introduce back squats. The front squat is a great core dominate exercise that requires the athlete to maintain a rigid torso (emphasizing core stabilization). At Pierce, we front squatted for 6 weeks. We never did heavy singles, doubles or triples because we were still in the foundation phase of our program. Even with relatively low loads on the bar, many of the athletes said their legs had never been that strong. In fact, we tested the back squat (using this number as a baseline for the next training phase which did include back squats) after 6 weeks of front squatting and most of the athletes said they beat their PR on the back squat. We didn’t even back squat though! Now this didn’t take place with every athlete, but I think it does illustrate that the front squats helps to build a stronger chain between the lower half and the torso. With back squats I tend to see a lot of hip/lumbar flexion and extension. The athletes tend to have greater forward tilt with their torso. With the front squat you don’t have that option – if there is excessive forward tilt of the torso you will miss the lift.

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Hip mobility is extrememly important to help protect the lower back and knees. There is a limited amount of motion that takes place at the lower back, so the hips actually need to be the area where the greatest range of motion comes from in the core.

Shown below are a few simple stretches that will definitely help improve flexibility of the muscles of the hip and enhance mobility of the entire joint.

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Other forms of recovery are just as important and beneficial.  Proactive recovery methods would also include stretching, massage, myofascial release (self-massage), hot or cold bath, and proper nutrition strategies.  These methods also help with lactate removal, muscle soreness, and improving future performance.

Passive recovery (no exercise) is important and worth discussing.  I am specifically speaking about quality and quantity of sleep.  Athletes require more sleep than the average person who sits around all day and does not push their body to their limits.  All other recovery strategies do not mean anything if an athlete is not getting enough quality sleep.

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This video takes you through jump and then bound progressions in multiple planes of motion.  This series would benefit every athlete (it may not help a billards player – but every other athlete).

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Here is some more information about this topic:

• You do not have to buy and use a foam roller to perform myofascial release techniques.  You can use a tennis ball, baseball, softball, or golf ball as a way to release the tissue.  In fact these objects would be better suited for certian areas of the body such as the bottom of the feet or around the shoulder blade.
• Muscle adhesions and trigger points alter the length and function of the muscle.  These altered movements patterns are what cause over-use injuries over time.  It is extrememly important to take care of you muscle and fascia (connect tissue).  A cheap and easy way is self myofascial release techniques.
• Once you have done the mysofascial release technique, it is then recommended to stretch the effected muscle.  Desensitizing the trigger point and reducing/eliminating the adhesion will help restore the proper length and function to the muscle.  This would be the appropriate time to stretch – Increase the functional flexibility of the muscle and surrounding tissue.

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How to perform self myofascial release with the foam roller:
You would start by identifying an area of muscle tension, tightness, or sensitivity.  Then you would lay on the foam roller so that particular muscle group is pressed against the foam.  The key is to find the area of sensitivity and hold that spot for 10-30 seconds.  After holding it, then you can roll back and forth in that area.  Once you release the tissue, then it would be recommended to perform range of motion exercises (stretches).  Repeat this on a daily basis until the muscle tightness or sensitivity begins to subside.

Be sure to email with any specific questions regarding myofascial release techniques.

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Train Hard – Train Smart
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