Minimalist Just Starting Advice

Stoplookinatme

Barefooters
May 20, 2012
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Whether you are an official coach or not, there are many of us who know friends or in my case my son, who is just starting minimalist running. What do you tell someone who is just starting? From my experience I know that it is much more dangerous to say too much than to say too little.
You can give them a book list, which they will not read or you can tell them they should first try it barefoot to learn the form, which they will not do, or you can tell them to take it slow, which they will believe they are doing, when in fact they are not, or you can tell them to go out and have fun which they cannot avoid.
Your thoughts?
Jim
 
All I say is that it takes years to be able to do full-time. That works for both the serious and casual inquirer.

Then the serious ones go research and learn for themselves, which they should because there really are no experts. And the casual ones lose interest, which they should unless they decide to be serious.
 
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My son is 16 and a part time barefoot runner. He enjoys it, but won't commit fully. It is amazing at what he can do and how fast he does it. I drop hints and give advice, but like you said, they don't want to be bogged down with all the details, and we all know if you pressure a teen too much, they will do the opposite. We can only hope that they have enough sense not to get hurt.
 
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I just tell people, really briefly, not to heel strike, the reasons why and to take their time so they stretch their Achilles and build the muscles in their feet.
From there I've been letting them work it out themselves and being there to listen to issues and let them know what I found worked... without, where possible, being preachy. I found if I got too into it, telling them exactly what to do, they tend to recoil and leave it, coming back at a later date.
I also found that, with my teenage cousin, by reading the Ken Bob Saxton book in front of them and telling him it was too advanced for him to read, then leaving it down and going elsewhere, worked wonders. :)
A bit of reverse psychology and leaving them to it. The little guy is getting good now too!
 
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