I finally got my new Vibram Fivefinger KSO
shoes. I know, I know, those “foot gloves” are mighty trendy right now. Which is why I had to place an order and wait a month for my size (42, ironically, for all you Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fans out there), since it seemed to be sold out everywhere.
Now that I have them, I’m sold. Here’s the experience I just had in a circuit training class.
The format of the class is this: you do a series of 10 exercises, each for a full minute, then move to the next with as little rest as possible. Then you do it again. It’s gruelling, but an amazing workout. The exercises vary somewhat, and dumbbells are involved. Ultimately, you work out your whole body and get a wicked blast of cardio besides.
I’ve done this class at least a dozen times before. But today, I left the class on shaking legs, the right leg in particular. That’s the leg that has more natural turn-out than the other, as my acupuncturist pointed out. Barefoot running, he told me, was an excellent way to bring your body into its natural alignment. Good running shoes, with all their structured padding and support, can actually allow your body to move out of alignment, as the cushioning of the shoes cradles your feet in an unnatural way.
Today, I discovered how much assistance all that spring can give you when you exercise. This workout was all me, the power of my feet and legs and nothing else. I’ve got a long way to go. I have been struggling with four years of chronic back pain and lately nothing has helped: not yoga, not physical therapy, not visits to the sports medicine doctor, not muscle relaxers. I’m a very active person, so anything that messes with my exercise messes with my life. I just had an MRI, so we’ll see what that says.
But right now, I can’t wait to get out and run!
A lifetime of creativity 
And now you understand why I barefoot all the time; the grocery store, fast food, the library, driving, walking around town, just about everywhere. I even checked the MTA rules page, and it’s not against the rules on the subway.
I know, I know, “how dirty.” Not really.
Think about it, when was the last time you washed the bottom of your shoes. Yet you wear them everywhere.