I often get asked about my choice of shoes. It’s normally along the lines of “I’ve never seen those shoes before, what are they for?” and “where did you get them?” My typical answer is ‘the martial arts store on Courtney Place, they cost $45, go check it out”. The next question is invariably “why, what are they good for?” Great question…they’re good for nothing! Let me explain…

For as long as I can remember I’ve always loved shoes. I love the many styles, colours, and shapes. I love the way shoes can just make a whole outfit stand out from the crowd! But if I’m honest about it I’ve never really liked wearing shoes. My feet get hot, they feel squashed and I can’t move my toes. I hate wearing socks as it makes this feeling even worse! I don’t even wear socks with dress shoes, they just annoy me. I remember being at high school and going to detention every day for wearing plain black sneakers (and a few other indiscretions) because I hated wearing black leather school shoes. Man, those things were heavy, clunky and just plain ugly. Not to mention painful for my feet. I’d always get cramps in my arches so any chance I got they were discarded. To be totally honest I think it was torture to make us wear those things on our feet all day! But why?

Well, it’s pretty much like the squat in relation to sitting. One is our normal resting position and one is artificial. Shoes are like sitting for the feet. Our feet have evolved to be feet, not be wrapped up in shoes. Before I go on it’s important to make this point. Many modern problems with the body can simply be solved by looking back to our past, enough said.

Our feet are the most sensitive parts of our bodies. They connect with the ground and provide information to the brain about the surface we are moving over. The brain responds by sending signals to the body about the best way to cope with that surface. Your joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles will apply varying loads and levels of tension to correspond with the surface you are on. When you are in shoes that are soft and supportive the information that is sent to the brain is distorted. All of a sudden the foot doesn’t have to do its job like it should. And just like sitting in a chair it becomes lazy and stops working. After years of doing this the most sensitive part of your body has become numb, tight and restricted! Seriously, the amount of people I see who have lost basic control of their toes without knowing it is worrying. So, what can we do?
For a start, go barefoot whenever you can. The first place to start is at home. There are obvious reasons for leaving your shoes at the front door. Going barefoot for the benefit of your feet is a nice addition. And if you can, when you’re at work (hopefully standing at your desk) take your shoes off. Yeah I get it, if you have to go to a meeting sure, throw your shoes on. But for the rest of the time leave them off if you can.

Now, If you’ve gotten this far and you’re thinking “does this have anything to do with squatting?” Yes it does. The most common restriction I come across with an inability to squat is the ankles. I have found recently the best way to improve ankle mobility is by addressing weakness in the feet. And this is where Michael Jackson comes in. Remember the music video “Smooth Criminal” where he does that crazy lean forward? Well, if you try that barefoot it’s a great way to strengthen the feet. The cool thing about it is you can do it anywhere, anytime as long as you are standing up. I’ve added a quick video to talk you through it.
Back to my shoes, I wear ‘'Kung Fu shoes made by Feiyue. They have minimal support, no heel, flat soles, they allow my toes to move and work like toes should when I’m moving. The fact that they cost a quarter of the price of most big brand sneakers is also an added bonus. I don’t see the point in paying $200 plus for a pair of shoes that will inhibit my ability to move well.

So, there you go folks. With summer on its way it’s the perfect time to start going barefoot more.