File :-(, x, )
Last pull for vibrams Anonymous
Dear /fit/

I will be called a viral marketer because I'm advocating a product type, or more particularly a specific product because I have no information concerning similarly functioning footwear. Troll all you wish at me because you don't accept the review I'm about to offer--I'm ready for that much. Just keep in mind that if you were to spend all day googling for this review or all the components of it to see it posted somewhere else, you're not going to have any luck--this is a /fit/ exclusive review.

Now, look at these butt-ugly duckfeet shoes. Who would wear these? You would, if you really wanted to benefit yourself in all foot-related activities, from general running to martial arts to soccer. What's special about these shoes isn't the separation between toes, or the foot shape--it's the potential they offer you in way of running barefoot. I don't know how you can say that these aren't physically better for you--it's like saying machines at the gym are more beneficial than freeweights.

When you run with regular running shoes, what do you get? You effectively get an inch or so of padding under your heel, a bunch of padding underneath your soles and a nice rigid path of sole under your front foot and toes. Let's start with the heel portion and why that sucks. If you can't potentially bring your heel down to the level of your toes when you run, it's like doing pullups and not extending yourself down entirely with straight elbows--it prohibits you from getting that explosive starting position strength. When in vibram fivefingers, you're ABLE to go all the way down with your heel, but that's not the best way to go about it--the point is you're ABLE to go down, meaning you have to use your toes and upper foot to PREVENT the heel from going down all the way, meaning you practive a good amount of explosive power every time you extend yourself another step in vibrams.

Continued in next post.
>> Anonymous
Due to insoles, you're effectively isolated from using the force of your foot muscle contractions except the very last one that pushes you upward. With just the minimum amount of padding, you can run as forward and high as your body was built to go. It lets you run more intensely without tiring yourself out as quickly since you're using compound muscle groups with every step, meaning quicker leg muscle gains all around.

Onto the last point now: the rigid shape of sole between toes and upper foot in regular shoes doesn't give you the full benefit of using your digits' specific calve-long muscle in running--the sole forces you to use primarily the big toe and 2nd toe to push off, which is what builds your common calve muscle. When you use all digits, you form some good definition alongside the bigger calve muscle too, and it's entirely functional. In vibrams, you're free to run barefoot as nature intended, except you're protected from debris due to the tough yet flexible rubber sole.


And here's the part of the review that might mean something to you. I'm an ex-marathon runner, I lost significant weight via running in regular shoes (50lb). I lived by those shoes and refused to toss them even with so many holes and dirt infecting them. But I took the leap to vibrams anyways, because my sister's boyfriend got them one day and I was intrigued by why someone would run in them. So a month ago, I started doing HIIT with the vibrams for the first time. My lungs didn't really care, but boy did those things give my leg muscles a workout.
>> Anonymous
I was sore for days after the first session in the same way you can be sore for a week after doing 100 pushups in a day for the first time in your life. I saw significant gains in my speed--my sprinting maximum speed raised itself from 12 mph to 14. People give you odd looks, but you get used to it and in a second you're already blazing right past them anyways. Now, today since I've overworked myself and done HIIT for a few days straight, I decided to "take it easy" and use my old running shoes for the first time in that month I've had vibrams. From the get-go, I found myself limited and slower and entirely frustrated. Not only was I slow and restricted to the leg muscle I was enabled to use, but the constraints of the shoe's build didn't let my ankles extend the same length as I could otherwise in vibrams, and that was a big downer. I finish the run and threw my old shoes off into the closet. I love vibrams.

Get vibrams if you feel like taking a risk you won't regret, but I understand that maybe I'll get through to maybe 5% of /fit/ here, who live and die by statistics, where counteractive statistics don't even exist yet. I exercise and stay /fit/ in an experimental trial&error way, and I've done a lot that goes against conventional fitness wisdom /fit/ would condemn, with excellent results. Vibrams are one of them, and I wouldn't have written all this if I didn't believe these could benefit anyone looking to improve their fitness.
>> Anonymous
How much are you getting paid? I'll double that for you to gtfo. Just post all your personal info and I can send you the monies.
>> Anonymous
>>177034
Oh I agree completely. If I could run barefoot without having to worry about the soles of my feet getting fucked up by debris, I'd be all for it.

If nothing else then, just take away from this that regular running shoes suck shit.
>> Anonymous
>>177034

Except for landing on a little piece of rock that leaves you in excrutiating pain.
>> Anonymous
theyll be good until you stub your fucking toe
>> Anonymous
>>177034
how the hell do you run on the ball of your foot? youd be on tiptoes the whole time. that would not be energy efficient?
>> Anonymous
>>177047
I run on pavement. What am I going to stub my toe on?
>>177050
Ball means upper foot and toes--basically anything but heel. Google chi running for more details.
>> Anonymous
>>177050
Are you new to running? This is how athletes sprint. They wouldn't do it if it wasn't energy efficient.

OP has a point about normal running shoes screwing up your running form. They teach you to run flat footed.
Here is a example. Go outside and try sprinting bare footed. You will be in consideral pain because you're slamming your feet into the ground on each step. With the ball of foot meathod, this would not happen. That is what OPs shoes are designed for.
>> Anonymous
Hey OP, any chance these come in size 14 uk / 15 american?
Inb4wtfux
>> Anonymous
>>177077

not op but here.

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_sprint.cfm
>> Anonymous
>>177077
It's hard to say, but I'd go with the maximum size of 47 if I were you--note how the sizing chart say its foot length, not shoe size. I found that going by that, the shoes themselves even tend to run a little larger/longer than the chart spells out. All out fails, send it back.
>> Anonymous
>>177047
Wait, how the fuck can you run in a way that stubs your toe? That would mean you're kicking straight forward in your strides. I'm sure you would stop before running into that car.
>> Anonymous
I'm disgusted at this yet intrigued & might purchase a pair for the lulz.
>> Anonymous
>>177015
>Who would wear these?
I have been for 4 months. The Sprints are a great shoe.

>>177034
>You know what would be better than running in these shoes? Running bare footed.
I tried that, but damn the pavement is cold in the winter, and as I recently found out, it's really hot in the summer too. That's more of a deterrent to me for barefoot running than debris are. I also don't want to have to go through the trouble of building up really thick sole skin.
>> Anonymous
>>177171
OP here.

I challenge you to go run in "real" running shoes after using these for 4 months. Tell me how it goes.
>> Anonymous
OP, what RETARD would play soccer in these?
DURP DURP I JUST STUBBED MY TOE ON THE BALL AND I HAVE NO GRIP AND GOT STEPPED ON BY CLEATS DURP
>> Anonymous
>>177276
Hey douchebag

I meant indirectly.
gtfo
>> Anonymous
>>177276

Faggot obviously doesn't play soccer, majority of the time you kick using the side of your foot for greater control, and the top of your foot for distance/power. Only retards kick with their toes.