New Barefoot Training Clinics

Barefoot running is getting a real foot hold in Cornwall - so much so that I am now offering running clinics at the following locations:

Truro - Trizone Triathlon Store

Penzance - Bolitho School

St Ives - St Ives Leisure Centre

By popular demand there will also be weekly running evenings to keep a check on your barefoot technique and make sure that you are on the right track.

Monday eve is Touch Gloves (Penzance) running club night and Wednesday eve is St Ives TRACC running club night.

Drop me a line for further info!

New Testimonial

"I have been barefoot running for about five years injury free and thought I didn't need a coaching session however decided it wouldn't do any harm as I know my standing posture can be pretty poor so I imagined it would affect my running posture. I now recommend these sessions to anyone considering barefoot running or has been running for a while.   I learnt so much and it is only due to very good luck that I haven't picked up an injury because my technique was less than perfect.  I valued Jonno's gently encouraging style and now enjoy my running even more as well as having a bunch of exercises that have helped me loosen up and improve my posture standing, walking as well as running.  If you are considering a session - do it!"   

Thanks again

Russell

Elite Athlete Testimonial - Cassie Patten

Cassie Patten is an Olympic Bronze medallist in the 10km swim and won silver at the World Champs too - having retired from competitive swimming she has recently announced her intension to turn her focus to Triathlon, particularly Ironman. 

Obviously her swimming is amazing so she should be first out of the water but that's where the work begins as Cassie has spent her life swimming with limited biking and running. 

As we know, technique is everything and I was only too pleased to be able to help Cassie with her running form which once perfected will give her an efficient and effective run off the bike.

We will be working all winter on technique but this is what Cassie had to say after our initial session:

'I have been a competitive swimmer my whole life until injury forced me into retirement and onto dry land. I wanted to take up running to stay fit, but due to poor running technique I  kept suffering injuries. I was recommended that I visit a running coach by a friend who competes in Ironman so I contacted Jonno and had my running assessed and filmed. Watching it back I was amazed how heavy footed and laboured it was. After an hour of drills and skills I was filmed again and it looked like a different person. In fact I looked and felt like I was running like a rhino at the beginning of the session - after which I was transformed into a gazelle! I am now planning to compete at Triathlons myself and I highly recommend anyone who wants to improve their running to contact Jonno for their own running transformation.'

Watch this space for regular updates!

Barefoot Brownlees

I'm often asked if any well known athletes run with the barefoot technique and my reply is always the same - the fastest and best elites in the world all run with a natural and barefoot technique - it's just that they wear shoes and don't call it 'barefoot'.

Here's a perfect example - the Brownlee brothers, currently the World's most talented Olympic distance triathletes...awesome technique allowing them to run at insane speeds having already done an intense swim and bike ride.

Check out the following video and spot the upright posture, forefoot contact and barefoot drills.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/triathlon/4od#3415567

The Debate Goes On...

Not many people on this planet will argue with the body's natural biomechanics - apart from maybe cushioned running shoe manufacturers and podiatrists. But even they are coming around...

So what do you think?

Raw Fest Cornwall

This weekend is RAW FEST Cornwall - barefoot running is the RAW version of the cushioned shoe 'jogging' variety so sits well alongside RAW food and RAW Fitness.

So if you want to learn how to improve the health of your body via what you put through it and what you put it through, visit RAW FEST CORNWALL this weekend.

See me on my Barefoot Running stand for free technique analysis!

There's something in the mud...

There's Something In the Mud...

Last week, for no apparent reason, I developed a painful split on the sole of my foot - I'm thinking it was due to dehydration - anyway, whatever the cause, I needed it to heal up fast as I have important triathlons approaching fast.

I tried various natural remedies as well as the dreaded 'plastic skin' but nothing seemed to help.

Then yesterday I was with friends who decided to go for a dog walking session in the local woods - the ground was covered in all kinds of spiky holly leaves, thorns etc but due to our lovely summer (by that I mean days of torrential rain) there was a lot of mud.

Ok so while I spend a lot of time barefoot and also spend plenty of time in Vivobarefoot shoes and on this occasion I would have definitely opted for some Breatho Trail Shoes thanks to both the potential for punctures and also the painful split in my foot.

But thanks to clearing out my van the day before (remind me to just stay messy) I had taken out all my shoes and arrived for the walk with nothing but my bare soles.

I like to go with the flow and believe in things working out whatever happens so off we went on our hike - the first few steps were pretty painful as that split in my foot screamed at me but after squelching through the deep mud for a while the pain subsided. In fact the overwhelming pleasure of feeling the mud between my toes was amazing - ok so I had to pull a few holly leaves out of my feet which wasn't so nice!

Anyway, the point to my story is that I woke up this morning to find that the hole in my foot had closed up and was no longer painful to stand on!

Coincidence?

Well without analysing the content of the mud I will never know the exact science behind this natural healing event but I'd highly recommend taking your bare feet to a mud bath near you on a regular basis to help keep your feet in tip top condition!

Check out the Cornwall Barefoot Festival at Godolphin House this Sunday August 19th for more barefoot ideas - they have a barefoot trail with plenty of mud too!