Whole Body Barefoot

by Katy Bowman

Overview

Many work hard on good posture and better walking and running alignment, but it's critical to understand how what you put on your feet each day can play a bigger role in the function of your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine than you might realize.

By applying the principles in this book, you will be able to restore your foundation and prevent dysfunction. ―Ray McClanahan, DPM, inventor of Correct Toes

Biomechanist and author of Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief, Katy Bowman offers walkers, runners, and health professionals alike clear, accessible lessons on how the shape of shoes can play a role in painful feet, knees, and hips―and what to do about it.

When we have painful feet and weak ankles it seems like stiff, supportive shoes are the answer, but this solution can be temporary, especially if our issues stem from foot and leg weakness. In short, humans come with great foot technology, we just need to learn how to use it.

Minimal footwear―shoes that protect your feet while still letting them move freely―is gaining traction (get it?). Being barefoot is a natural human movement, but research shows simply kicking off our shoe-shackles and releasing our feet into the wild can result in injury. Whole Body Barefoot will help you safely and effectively transition to minimal footwear, reaping the enormous benefits of freeing your feet without injuring yourself along the way.

Whole Body Barefoot presents:

• 25 exercises to create strong, supple, feel-better feet
• The mechanics of bunions and pronation
• How to strengthen weak ankles and arches
• How to figure out your true shoe-size
• The importance of walking on natural surfaces―Vitamin Texture!

With clear, science-based explanations, Bowman lays out the ways in which conventional shoes and artificial environments leave us with sedentary feet as well as the steps necessary to restore lost foot function, and improve health...naturally!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780989653985
Publisher:	Uphill Books
Publication date:	04/15/2015
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	364,673
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Bestselling author, speaker, and a leader of the Movement movement, biomechanist Katy Bowman, M.S. is changing the way we move and think about our need for movement. Her 10 books, including the groundbreaking Move Your DNA, have been translated into more than 16 languages worldwide.

Bowman teaches movement globally and speaks about sedentarism and movement ecology to academic and scientific audiences such as the Ancestral Health Summit and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Her work has been featured in diverse media such as the Today Show, CBC Radio One, the Seattle Times, NPR, the Joe Rogan Experience, and Good Housekeeping.

One of Maria Shriver's Architects of Change and an America Walks Woman of the Walking Movement, Bowman consults on educational and living space design to encourage movement-rich habitats. She has worked with companies like Patagonia, Nike, and Google as well as a wide range of non-profits and other communities to create greater access to her move more, move more body parts, move more for what you need message.

Her movement education company, Nutritious Movement, is based in Washington State, where she lives with her family.

Table of Contents

Foreword xv

Introduction 1

Section 1 Think 9

The problem with shoes (is not just about shoes or feet) 10

The heel 13

Heels and "body neutral" (and that diagram that everyone uses to explain the need for minimal shoes) 14

There are more "parts" to your body than you realize 20

Transitioning out of a heel 24

The flip-flop flaw 25

Ankle schmear 27

Let's check if your schmear is affecting your shoe size 34

Terrain and the trouble with the "natural" argument 36

So, what's natural? 38

Your mission: mobilize your feet, in the lab and on the field 39

Section 2 Move 43

Stance habits to change 44

Stretching the intrinsic tissues of the foot 52

Stretching the extrinsic tissues of the foot 59

Strengthening the intrinsic tissues of the foot 69

Strengthening the extrinsic muscles of the foot 72

Strengthening your walk 80

Un-duck your feet 87

Conclusion 95

The Program 97

Appendix 119

Index 134

About the Author 138

Editorial Reviews

"Katy Bowman has done it once again. Her books and articles are always cutting-edge sources of practical advice that is easy to implement, and Whole
Body Barefoot is no exception! As a barefoot/minimalist shoe advocate myself, I often struggle with guiding my clients through the often confusing process of making the transition without injury. But now I have a done-for-you guide that shows exactly how it's done, from strengthening to stretching to shoe choice and more! This is a must-have book for anyone with feet." --Ben
Greenfield, athlete and author of the New York Times Best Seller Beyond
Training: Mastering Endurance, Health and Life

"Her detailed approach to understanding barefoot biomechanics is impressive on its own, but there is much more. Katy does a wonderful job of offering useful exercises alongside constructive critique, and an absorbable lesson in physiology. This insightful book will lead you to clearly understand that it is not the product you do or do not use, but rather the role you play in your physical health. Read it." --Eric Goodman, DC,
Founder of Foundation Training

"Whether you're playing field sports or simply moving through daily life, success begins from the ground up. Whole Body Barefoot
explains the 'why' and provides the 'how-to' in a logical, step-by-step plan to treat your feet and help you to move better." --Chip Morton, Pro Football
Strength & Conditioning Coach, Cincinnati, Ohio

"As an endurance sports coach, most ailments I see can be linked to the feet. I am always looking for resources to provide athletes with practical reasons and solutions to common foot related issues--such as 'duck feet' and over-pronation--and this book is one of the best I've found! Once again, Katy inspires us to take charge of our body's 'shape' and be proactive instead of reactive--and exercise alone won't cut it. Whether you're a clinician or amateur athlete, Whole Body Barefoot is a comprehensive guide on biomechanics, anatomy and movement that will make us all more aware and stronger from the feet up! I even discovered new things about my feet and form in this book, and will be putting to use Katy's step-by-step guides on standing correctly, corrective exercises, and more." --Tawnee Prazak, MS, CSCS,
endurance sports coach, strength training specialist, athlete, and host of the
Endurance Planet podcast

"Whole Body Barefoot delivers by taking the complex,
wholebody, biomechanical issues of barefoot running and making it digestible for runners looking to begin barefoot running. I would highly recommend individuals looking to engage in barefoot running to read this book." --Joshua
Stone, MA, ATC, PES, CES

"In Whole Body Barefoot, Katy Bowman clearly outlines how most footwear changes the natural shape of our feet, and by extension, the function of our entire body. By applying the principles she teaches, you will be able to restore your foundation and prevent dysfunction. This the best form of healing, and it is for all of us." --Ray McClanahan, DPM, creator of
Correct Toes(R)

"Most people in the Paleo community have tried switching to more minimalist footwear, with varied success. Unfortunately, a lot of these new converts revert back to 'regular' shoes after

experiencing increased foot pain, back problems and plantar fasciitis.
If only these poor folks had this book! Whole Body Barefoot is an indispensable guide for anyone looking to make the successful transition to minimalist footwear, with the added bonus of improving the function of their entire body!" -- Cain Credicott, Paleo
Magazine

"As Katy Bowman knowledgeably--and often humorously-- explains,
the concepts of barefoot biomechanics and minimal footwear aren't just about feet. Whole Body Barefoot offers a nuanced discussion of minimal shoes as just one potential component of a whole-body solution to what so often is really a whole-body problem." -- Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor, Lower
Extremity Review
Magazine

From the Publisher