How do I start wearing barefoot or minimalist shoes?Updated a month ago

The short answer: start slowly. Your feet have muscles that conventional shoes rarely let you use, and your gait will change as they wake up. Give yourself time to adjust, to relax, and to let your body find its natural stride.

The first few weeks

Wear your Xero Shoes for short periods at first — around the house, on errands, on a short walk — and build up over several weeks.
Mild muscle soreness in your feet and calves is normal early on. Sharp or persistent pain is not; ease off and give yourself more time.
If you have an existing foot or leg condition, or your healthcare provider has recommended supportive footwear, check with them before switching.

Walking naturally

Walking in minimalist shoes is mostly about letting your foot land lightly and relaxing rather than striding hard. Our blog has a walkthrough of proper walking form, in bare feet or shoes.

Running naturally

Running is where the “start slowly” advice matters most. Here’s the approach we recommend:

Start with a very short run — as little as 30 seconds.
When that feels easy and fun, add about 10 seconds to your next run.
Repeat. Let “easy and fun” be your guide for when to add more.

If it’s not fun yet, that’s useful information — pull back a little rather than pushing through. Our blog post on how to run barefoot walks through form and common mistakes.

More resources

Running, the Natural Way — our collection of barefoot running tips
Barefoot Myths… and Truth — free video series
The Xero Shoes blog — where we talk about natural movement often

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