Should You Work Out Barefoot? Doctors And Trainers Have A Surprising Answer

Want to know more about barefoot training and whether it’s right for you? Below, experts weigh in on everything you need to know about barefoot training, including the benefits, risks, and tips for getting started.

Meet the experts: Jessa Zinn, SIP, is a NYC-based, structural integrator, fascia expert, and therapist as well as the owner of The Fascia Lab, an online platform offering guided, science-based fascia release techniques. Emily Lawrence, CPT, is a personal trainer and yoga instructor. Gregory Alvarez, DPM, is a podiatrist at Ankle and Foot Centers of America.

Why train barefoot?

As the name suggests, barefoot training is quite literally exactly what it sounds like: training or working out without shoes, or with shoes designed with minimal cushioning to simulate bare feet (these are our favorite barefoot training shoes).

Ditching the shoes allows your feet to better connect with and grip the ground beneath you, which forces your body to learn to stabilize, adds Lawrence. “This not only strengthens the muscles in the feet, but also engages the fascial network—the complex network of connective tissue that surrounds and supports every organ, muscle, bone, nerve, and blood vessel in the body—by enhancing foot mobility, stability, and increasing overall body awareness,” says Jessa Zinn, SIP, a board-certified structural integrator, fascia expert, and therapist.

The secret sauce behind barefoot training comes down to the fact that most shoes cause the small muscles in your feet and ankles to be neglected, says Gregory Alvarez, DPM, a podiatrist at Ankle and Foot Centers of America. Think about it: in shoes, your feet—specifically, your toes—can’t really grip onto anything. “The big toe is like the rudder of your ship (a.k.a. your body), and it helps to propel you, stabilize you, and allow you to move side-to-side better,” says Lawerence. “If you have shoes on, the feedback of the big toe is diminished significantly.”

Without the cushioning and support of footwear, these muscles must work harder to stabilize your body, promoting muscle engagement and strength development, according to Alvarez. “This strengthens the intrinsic muscles that support your arches, which can then improve foot function and how efficiently you move,” he says.

Benefits Of Barefoot Training

• Improved stability and coordination. Training barefoot fires up your proprioception, or your body’s ability to sense position and movement, says Lawrence. “I like to say proprioception is how well we can move and feel our body in space, and going barefoot allows for more sensory feedback from the ground up,” she explains.
• Increased mobility. “Going barefoot allows for greater range of motion in the foot and ankle joints, leading to improved flexibility and mobility, which is particularly helpful for women looking to increase movement fluidity in daily life or during exercise,” says Alvarez.
• Reduced risk of injury. Strengthening the small muscles in the feet can reduce the risk of ankle and foot injuries by helping correct imbalances in your gait, says Alvarez. In turn, this may reduce the likelihood of common injuries like plantar fasciitis or shin splints as your feet become more resilient, he says. Not to mention, the increased proprioception that comes from barefoot training can help reduce the likelihood of falling or tripping, adds Lawrence.
• Enhanced posture and alignment. Good posture comes from the ground up, beginning with your feet. “Barefoot training encourages the body to use natural alignment starting at the feet, which can help improve posture, reduce back pain, and enhance overall movement efficiency,” says Alvarez.

How To Ease Barefoot Training Into Your Routine

Before we get into the specifics, it’s important to distinguish what type of workouts may be a fit for barefoot training. Yoga, pilates, bodyweight exercises, balance practice, and most fundamental strength training exercises are ideal for training shoe-free, says Lawrence. On the flip side, barefoot training is not a good idea when it comes to high-impact activities like running, jumping, plyometrics, or Olympic lifting, since the cushioning a shoe provides is important for those activities, she says.

Before you start any barefoot training session, it’s best to warm up your feet by rolling a ball under the foot, says Zinn. Most people’s feet aren’t used to a ton of stimulus since we wear shoes often, so this step is essential to loosen and warm-up the fascia before jumping into more movement. Stretching your feet and ankles before and after training can also help prevent the strain and soreness that can come with working your foot muscles barefoot, according to Alvarez.

Once your feet are warm and ready to go, ease your way into barefoot training. “Begin by incorporating barefoot exercises such as balance work, yoga, or pilates, which allow your feet and fascia to adjust to the change, and start on soft surfaces (like mats, sand, or grass),” says Zinn. “It’s essential to ease your feet into barefoot workouts by focusing on slow, controlled movements.” So, start small and get used to being barefoot before jumping into heavier, more intense workouts.

If training barefoot is totally new to you, Lawrence also recommends incorporating just a few barefoot exercises in a typical session, such as a squat or deadlift, and taking note of how your body feels compared to wearing shoes while executing the movement. You don’t need to do a full session without shoes to test the waters and reap the benefits! Once you adjust to the feeling and build up strength in your feet, you can up the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of your barefoot workouts, she says.

Potential Drawbacks Of Barefoot Training

Exercising barefoot certainly has its perks for some training styles, but that doesn’t mean it’s risk-free. First and foremost, you want to ease your way into barefoot training because doing too much, too quickly can cause overuse injuries in the feet, says Zinn. Most of us aren’t used to working our foot muscles all that much.

People with flat feet, bunions, and existing foot or toe conditions like plantar fasciitis may also experience discomfort or worsened symptoms without the proper support from shoes, says Alvarez. If that’s the case, low-profile, barefoot-style shoes (see our top picks below) may be a better option to still reap some of the benefits, without causing extra stress on the feet. If foot pain worsens or persists, it’s also best to check in with a podiatrist, notes Alvarez.

And last but certainly not least, take note of safety considerations. Without the protection of shoes, there’s an increased risk of cuts, scrapes, or injury from objects on the ground. As a result, it’s crucial to ensure the ground is clear, safe, and sharp object-free before taking off your shoes for a workout. Slipping is also a potential risk, so you want to watch out for slick surfaces like squat platforms or gymnasium floors, says Lawrence. Grippy socks or barefoot-style shoes can help decrease potential slippage, but always stay alert.

Best Barefoot Training Shoes

Not quite ready to go completely barefoot? No prob. Here are some of the best barefoot training shoes to try, tested by WH editors and experts.

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite Knit

Merrell Vapor Glove 4 Cross Trainer

Xero Shoes Barefoot Shoes

186 Reviews Motus Strength Womens

WHITIN Low Zero Drop Shoes

Now 15% Off

Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. She’s a mass consumer of social media and cares about women’s rights, holistic wellness, and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she has a love for all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.