Sunday, April 17, 2011

Vibram Five Fingers - Day Two - God's Shoes?

Well, today was day 3 of wearing & day 2 of running in the new Vibram Five Finger KSO's.  I have to say, I felt much better in them today.  I didn't feel the jarring sensation as much today while running downhill.  I noticed my stride seemed shorter, but my turnover was quicker.  I actually ran 25 seconds faster today than I did yesterday on the same 1 mile route with what seemed like the same effort.

Getting them on is much easier now too.  The first time was like trying to put gloves on a toddler.  Our feet are used to "mitten" like shoes....just one big open space.  Trying to get your toes into the little pockets was a bit tricky at first, but today was pretty quick.

I also realized that these "five finger" shoes oddly seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it.  Then it came to me.  Here's hoping Ed O'Neill gets a cut of every pair made.




Saturday, April 16, 2011

Review of Vibram Five Finger KSO

I couldn't help it!  I found the Vibram Five Finger KSO (Keep Stuff Out) on sale and my curiosity got the best of me.  Yesterday, I wore them for a quick trip to the mall.  Let me tell you - driving in them is totally weird!  It really feels like you are driving with no shoes.  Not to mention what they look like.  I kept joking around that I had Gorilla feet, or that I was a Bigfoot.  My immediate thought was "How cool are these!".  They really felt great walking around.  I could certainly tell I wasn't in Shoe-Kansas anymore though.  This was definitely a new experience.

Today, I wore them for an easy mile run just to see how they felt while running.  I have to be honest and say that I actually have some concerns.  When I was in high school, I would run barefoot during some practices, in the grass, just to change things up a bit and use different muscles.  However, on the road is pretty different.  Perhaps it just takes some getting used to in order to not notice. When you run, it's as if 2.5 times your body weight is coming down on your joints.  This is why heavier people usually start walking and ease into running as they lose weight.  With my Nike Pegasus', I feel great.  Great support, great cushion - just a great experience.  With my Vibrams, I really feel the impact.  Especially on the downhills! I didn't really feel a lack of support, which I find really interesting, but the impact sensation was so noticeable.  I ran off into the grass a couple of times and that was very enjoyable.  Concrete and asphalt however, are not very forgiving.

I will keep running in them and give them an honest evaluation over the next few weeks. For heavier runners, I think I would recommend staying with well cushioned shoes.  These seem (at first try) to be much better suited to experienced runners that are more on the thin side.

I'll keep you posted!

Asheville Weight Loss Coach: Case Study 1

I have my first client since becoming a Certified Personal Trainer & Sports Nutritionist here in Asheville.  I want everyone to follow his progress and cheer him on.  Today is April 16th, 2011.  Michael is a stay at home dad - sedentary - Early to mid 40's.  His stats are as follows:
  • Starting Weight = 166.4 lbs
  • Resting Heart Rate = 66 bpm  (not bad at all for sedentary - Mike is a former athlete)
  • Goal 
    • 145 lbs 
    • Run 1/2 marathon
  • Issues to Overcome 
    • Recent plantar fasciitis on left foot
    • Calf strain on right leg 3 weeks ago
    • Lack of flexibility so prone to further/repeat injuries
    • Poor eating habits
  • Good News 
    • 22 Weeks until 1/2 marathon
    • 22 Weeks to lose 21.4 lbs (1 lb per week) - Very Achievable
  • Mike's Initial "Fitness Do-Over" Plan 
    • Cardio training 4 times per week with focus on running
    • Weight training 3 times per week using body weight, dumbbells, resistance bands
    • flexibility training - daily
    • Nutrition Plan
****Update on Micheal's progress: Micheal was very busy with lot's of things going on in his life.  By the time we got down to business, he had just 6 weeks left.  He still had trouble getting to our workouts and so we had to focus on quality workouts over quantity when he did show up.

Micheal averaged just 2 miles per day for the 6 weeks leading up to the Half-Marathon.  He stayed injury free, lost 3 pounds (he didn't diet at all...) and actually ran the whole way for the half marathon.  While he didn't run as fast as he would have liked, he did complete it - even running all the hills - and felt great after!  Way to go Micheal! 

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