Barefoot hiking/hill running with poles (not an ethnic joke)

swedishpimple

Barefooters
Jul 18, 2010
180
2
18
Anyone out there ever do any barefoot hiking/hill running with poles?

This is a type of training I have done in the past (while shod) in preparation for cross country ski season. I've always enjoyed these workouts, and I am looking forward to trying them in the bare.

Anyway... just curious. Thanks.

S. Pimp.
 
In addition to joining BRS, I

In addition to joining BRS, I also joined my local barefoot hiking club. We go on a few hour hike every month on a different trail. It's fun, but I always feel like taking off running on the trails we go on. Also, barefoot hiking seems to beat up my feet more, since it's harder for me not to push off and heel strike. But still pretty fun.
 
You're right - barefooting

You're right - barefooting with Poles is not a joke. You know what does feel funny, though? Barefoot running with clowns. :p
 
Poles don't hike or run, they

Poles don't hike or run, they stumble. That's an ethnic joke though. I'll go over in the corner and hide now... ;)
 
 I've questioned the use of

I've questioned the use of poles for hiking... Just as shoes provide a crutch that prevents our feet from performing naturally, would poles negatively effect posture or balance? I used hiking poles when in hiking boots, before freeing my feet, and they seemed to help me keep upright and share some of the workload with my arms, but were they also doing any damage? Hmmm.
 
inbetweenmytoes wrote: I've

inbetweenmytoes said:
I've questioned the use of poles for hiking... Just as shoes provide a crutch that prevents our feet from performing naturally, would poles negatively effect posture or balance? I used hiking poles when in hiking boots, before freeing my feet, and they seemed to help me keep upright and share some of the workload with my arms, but were they also doing any damage? Hmmm.



I've never used poles for hiking, other than grabbing an occasional tree branch on a couple of occasions when i had a sore knee, but i've always wondered if i was placing undue stress on my legs by not using them, or if its actually made my legs stronger?????
 
Ok, a serious answer from me

Ok, a serious answer from me then (gasp!): When I was younger I used to go on multi-day hikes with my dad and on those I'd use a single pole. This was way before I even thought about thought about going barefoot but back then it really helped with sharing the load from my backpack. I'll have to try this again next summer.
 
 I guess I could have opened

I guess I could have opened the thread with the terms Nordic walking, ski walking, hill bounding or, ski striding... but Hiking with Poles had more potential entertainment value. ;) Here is a Wiki link on Nordic Walking . The claimed benefits are:
  • increased overall strength and endurance in the core muscles and the entire upper body
  • significant increases in heart rate at a given pace
  • greater ease in climbing hills
  • burning more calories than in plain walking
  • improved balance and stability with use of the poles
  • significant unweighting of hip, knee and ankle joints (depending on the style used)
  • density-preserving stress to bones of the upper and mid body
  • increased stride length and walking speed - Okay so this is probably not the best "benefit" for Barefooting form.
Anyway... I have always liked these workouts in that they mimic one of my favorite activities cross country skiing.

It's certainly not the same as BFR... and using the poles too much might indeed be counter productive to that end. But, I could see some potential benefit for barefooters wanting or needing to spread the workload out a bit due to injury, or even just tenderness.

S. Pimp.
 
I've used them for hiking,

I've used them for hiking, but not barefoot hiking or for running. They do help immensley for descending and climbing steep grades. For gradual grades they are less beneficial.

Try em out and let us know how they work? It might be hard to keep your cadence up? From what I remember (it's been a while since I used them) they helped increase my stride length, which would counter the barefoot benefits quite a bit.