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Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat: We’re not talking about long-distance barefoot running or even running in minimal shoes. We’re not even advocating you go run a mere two miles with bare feet. This is about kicking off your shoes
any kind of shoe just for a few quick striders to encourage a sensory, neuromuscular effect that can have profound benefits for improving your body awareness, and therefore form and efficiency.
“When you stick a cushy membrane between your foot and the ground, you’re impairing a lot of feedback, which allows you to ignore a lot of the imbalances you might have in your gait,” says Jay Dicharry, physical therapist, biomechanics researcher, and director of the REP Lab in Bend, OR.