Written by Barefoot Dawsy
There are literally dozens of tips, tricks, and techniques that I can (and will) show you about barefoot running, but there is one simple tip that rules them all: Relax!
When you’re relaxed, running becomes a wonderul, enjoyable experience. Without tension in your body, you use less energy just flexing unnecessary muscles. You will run farther, and may even find yourself smiling like an idiot at the passersby.
You may have heard this tip before, and wondered how to implement it. It can take a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, it quickly becomes second nature.
To begin with, get yourselff relaxed before you even take your first step. Stand in place, and, starting from the top of your head, allow each and every muscle between there and your toes relax, one by one. As you do this, breathe in slowly through your nose, hold for a moment, then exhale out your mouth.
Once you’re fully relaxed, lean your hips forward and let your bodystart to run. Keep breathing at a nice, even pace. As you run, you will notice tension begin to slowly creep in to your neck, shoulders, legs, etc. Try to spot these pressure points early on and focus on relaxing them again.
Be careful not to let yourself get too relaxed. You don’t want your feet to flop about and your legs to turn into jelly. The art is to learn to relax yourself just enough.
Keep practising, and you’ll start to notice a big difference in your enjoyment and mastery of running.
