![]() ![]() Minimalist shoes help you feel the ground: Minimalist shoes’ thin cushioning improves your connection to the terrain beneath your feet.(No study has definitively proven that heel striking causes more injuries than forefoot or midfoot striking, but heel striking is generally considered a higher-impact stride.) Minimalist shoes won’t automatically alter your gait, but they can be a good teaching tool if you want to learn how to run with a midfoot or forefoot strike. Minimalist shoes encourage a low-impact gait: A lower heel-to-toe drop naturally encourages you to land more on your midfoot or forefoot rather than your heel.Learn more about shoes at the other end of the cushioning spectrum in What You Need to Know About Maximalist Running Shoes. It is possible, for example, to find ultra-cushioned shoes-sometimes called “maximalist” shoes-that have a zero heel-to-toe drop. Note, too, that heel drop and the overall amount of cushioning in a shoe are independent of each other. The above info is true for most barefoot and minimally cushioned shoes, but you will also find a few outliers in those categories that have a heel drop that falls outside these ranges. They might also have no drop at all (“zero-drop” or “balanced cushion” shoes), meaning your heel and forefoot are at the same level as they are when you’re barefoot. By contrast, minimalist shoes usually have less than an 8-millimeter drop. Traditional running shoes often feature a “heel-to-toe drop” of 10-12 millimeters (meaning they have an extra 10-12 millimeters cushioning underneath the heels relative to the toes). They’re characterized by minimal amounts of cushioning in the midsoles and, in particular, by a lack of beefy heel cushioning. Minimalist running shoes are loosely defined as shoes that, compared to “traditional” running shoes, more closely mimic the way we naturally run when barefoot while still providing some protection from hazards on the ground. We’ll also offer tips on how to transition from a more cushioned shoe to a minimally cushioned shoe in your training. In this article, we’ll help you learn about minimalist shoes, including “barefoot” running shoes. Proponents of amply cushioned shoes are drawn to their comfort and shock-absorption, while minimalist running-shoe advocates appreciate the benefits of a more natural running gait and improved terrain feel. Evidence over the years has supported the benefits of running with more, or less, or no cushioning at all-but there’s no objectively superior option. ![]() How much cushioning belongs in your running shoes is largely a matter of personal preference. ![]()
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