Try these walking shoes that make you feel like you’re barefoot.[header=The Right Way to Walk Barefoot]Do: Focus On Your FoundationTake a walk around and see where you feel the weight land in your foot. Notice where it lands first and how it travels through your foot. If it goes from your heel to your big toe right away, experiment with shifting your weight so that the weight goes from your heel to your little toe and then across to the big toe. The bones in the outer part of the foot are the largest and the best equipped to support the weight of your body, says Matthews, whereas landing on a heel and going directly to your big toe collapses the arch inward. This small change—learning to use the larger, outer foot bones to create the foundation of your walk—can help support your knees, your pelvic floor, and even the deepest muscles of your abdomen. You’ll feel the difference right away, but over weeks of practice, these core muscles will get stronger from the inside out.Don’t: Be Afraid To Land Heel FirstAccording to the barefoot running craze, landing heel first is a no-no, but a healthy walking stride is different from a healthy running stride and a heel-first landing is fine for walkers. This is because runners leave the ground completely, whereas walkers always have one foot on the ground. To improve your stride, think about taking shorter, softer steps, which subject your joints to less impact. Place your foot down before you put any weight on it—something that will likely come naturally if you’re barefoot—and try to avoid stepping hard onto a sharp rock. Your 10 Biggest Walking Pains, SolvedDo: Scout For Safe SurfacesThe softer ground you can find, the better it will feel on your feet. While some die-hard barefooters go bravely across concrete, for most of us, there’s no need to ask that of our hardworking soles. After all, the feel of grass or sand between our toes is half the fun, right? As a beginner, a grassy park or a beach—if you’re lucky enough to live near one—is a great place to start. If you find you want to get serious about logging miles barefoot, the rubber track at a local high school should be a relatively safe and forgiving surface once the soles of your feet get used to the knobby texture (this could take a couple of days or a couple of weeks, depending on how sensitive your soles are). Dirt trails are another back-to-the-earth option that many barefoot hikers swear by. Steer clear of gravel trails, at least to start, but as you get used to feeling things underfoot (and your soles get tougher), you may find that gravel is not such a big deal after all. Don’t: Be Afraid Of GermsSure, the world is a pretty gross place if you think about it, but as long as you don’t have any broken skin or open wounds, the skin does a pretty good job of protecting us, says Matthews, who spends much of her life barefoot in yoga studios and clients’ homes. “After all, it’s damp, dirty socks inside of shoes that really harbor bacteria,” she says. Still, the NYC dweller doesn’t take to the sidewalk shoeless. Rather, with years of barefoot practice, she’s learned to tune in to her feet even when they’re in shoes. The Best New Walking Shoes [header=Where to Walk Barefoot]Do: Become A Barefoot TouristDo Robert Redford and Jane Fonda (of Barefoot in the Park fame) one better and plan a trip to visit a park that specializes in going barefoot. Over 100 shoe-free parks and paths were founded across Europe in the past 20 years, offering the ultimate sensory experience with specially designed walking paths that meander over grass, logs, smooth stones, water, and even mud. While you can certainly kick off your shoes in any park, these destinations typically offer a setup that includes a secure place for your shoes and a means to wash off the dirt when you’re done.Stride Off Excess Fat with This 8-Week Training WorkoutDon’t: Go Bare All At OnceThe same rules apply for any new exercise—too much too soon can leave you sore or, worse, injured. And barefoot walking is no exception. If you’re a regular walker, end your walk in a grassy field, where you can take off your shoes and do a couple of laps au naturel. Start with no more than 20 minutes and listen to your body, easing off if it feels uncomfortable and icing any sore areas that may crop up. If you find your walking pace is slower than normal, that’s okay, but if you feel any sharp or shooting pain, or have discomfort that keeps you from walking normally with or without shoes, lay off the barefoot walking until you can discuss it with a doctor.
