Any legitimate concerns about weight training barefoot?

[todome]

Yeah. Even though my feet are probably cleaner than most of the shoes in the place from a group perspective the hygiene thing wins the day.

[GeoGiant]

The problem is that one person (ok, its probably a guy) that does not practice good hygiene creates a big problem for everyone else. I know my gym has had an issues with athletes foot in the locker room - GROSS. I've walked in to the locker room on numerous occasions and saw someone with their bare butt on a bench or someone not using shower shoes.

[white owl]

todome, It is safety and hygenie to you and to all memembers of the gym. I know my husband at home likes to lift in his bare feet and he also likes lifting in his wrestling shoes he says that they almost feel like he is barefoot. Maybe give them a shot.

[Kuma]

If your gym won't let you lift barefoot, grab a pair of Converses a half size bigger than you normally wear. Almost the same thing.

[todome]

I did, Kuma. They'll do but it's just not the same.

I can accept that hygiene is a concern even though I do think its overstated but I don't think anyone can convince wearing sneakers makes me any more safe in the weight room. If a serious enough weight lands on my foot the only thing a sneaker is going to slow down is the emergency medical team.

[mr_obvious]

Here's another factor -- liability. I've on occasion forgot to wear closed-toe shoes, and the gym owner (whom I know fairly well) explained to me that "they" really don't care what I wear, but their insurer does. So I respect that

[Alex86]

Have you ever heard of Vibram FiveFingers? They are shoes specifically designed to mimic being barefoot. I just bought a pair about a month ago because I hate working out with shoes (must be from doing martial arts since I was five, lol). They look really weird, but they are so comfortable and light that it's the closest thing to being barefoot that I have found.

Here is a link to there product page: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_footwear.cfm

I have the Classic design, but I would like to try a pair of Sprints.

Hope you find what you're looking for.

-Alex

[GeoGiant]

As a person that likes to workout barefoot, i think these... shoes? ...heavy weight socks?... look interesting although I think I'd do a double-take if you walked by me in those .

[sperki]

Interesting topic, and timely! I've been reading the book "Born to Run" which basically says Nike and running shoes are the reason distance runners have knee, ankle, foot, and associated joint injuries - our feet evolved to support the weight of our bodies while we run. A lot of his arguments make pretty good sense to me. The author says that by wearing shoes we allow the muscles in the feet and ankles to atrophy which leads to additional problems.

In the gym though, I do think there are some good reasons to wear shoes, and liability is only one of them. Todome, I agree about hygiene; if you don't mind swapping foot fungus and sweat with random folks that's your decision. But there is a safety perspective. I don't know what style of weights your gym has, but mine has some of the steel plates with 90 degree corners. If you drop a 45lb plate on your bare foot it doesn't matter if you're wearing shoes or not, it's going to hurt. But you're less likely to draw blood if you're wearing shoes. And if you do bleed it's contained to your footwear and not a health hazard to your spotter. And yes, as and EMT I would cut your shoe off if my ambulance responded to your broken foot. But in the meantime your shoe is providing compression (RICE), leave it on and ice your foot through the shoe (stick it in a bucket of ice water if necessary).

I think there's a strong argument for exercising barefoot, but I'm not convinced that it should be done at the local 24-Hour Fitness with a bunch of meat-heads.

[todome]

IMO risking a skin tear and some additional edema should be, in an ideal world, my choice. If it's about bleeding on the floor I gotta tell you I figure bleeding noses are far more likely.

I also understand what you're saying from an EMT perspective but yet again would have to say that if I had the option I'd still take the risk. Hell's bells I've got some of the toughest people in the city taking practice shots at my noggin on a weekly basis. The way I see it, letting something drop onto my foot its my own damn fault.

Nevertheless very informative post, though. Thanks. Please don't be offended that I'm only taking it under advisement. Not that it matters, really. I'm wearing some Chucks. They're really not a ll that bad but I'd still rather be barefoot.

Mr. O.: good point about liability. hadn't though about that but now that you mention it, that DOES provide some leverage for my next project around there... encouraging them to replace the squat rack with a power rack.