Nordic walking with barefoot shoes

Nordic Walking mit Barfußschuhen - ZAQQ Barfußschuhe

Nordic Walking has long been one of the most popular mass sports. Many shoe manufacturers have jumped on this trend and offer special walking shoes. But do you really need special shoes, or can you do Nordic Walking barefoot or with barefoot shoes? In this article, we delve into the topic and show you our ZAQQ barefoot shoes that are perfect for training.

The Origins of Nordic Walking

As early as the 1930s, cross-country skiers trained with poles during the snow-free months of the year to stay in shape and prepare for the next ski season. It wasn't until the 1970s that a Finnish cross-country coach referred to this snow-free training method as Nordic Walking.

The breakthrough for this sport came in the 1990s when a sports equipment manufacturer brought the first special Nordic Walking poles to market. With the appropriate marketing measures, this sport received more and more attention and is now one of the most popular activities among recreational athletes. And this is not surprising, as Nordic Walking is simply good for the body and soul.

Benefits of Nordic Walking

Nordic Walking is one of the most popular mass sports for a reason; it can be practiced almost anywhere. You only need your poles, and you can get started. There are no more excuses because you can walk on asphalt, in the park, in the forest, or even on the beach.

Nordic Walking is much easier on the joints than jogging and not only works the leg muscles but, when using the poles correctly, also the arm and back muscles. By individually adjusting the training intensity, this sport can be practiced at any age - alone, in pairs, or in groups.

In addition to strengthening the muscles, Nordic Walking can also have many other positive effects on the body:

Improvement of endurance and resilience
Strengthening of the immune system
Reduction of stress
Relief of tension in the neck, shoulders, and spine
Stimulation of fat metabolism
Improvement of oxygen supply in the body

Now the question arises whether you need special shoes or if Nordic Walking can also be done barefoot.

Nordic-Walking-Barfussschuhe

Doing Nordic Walking Barefoot

If you want to practice your favorite sport barefoot, you should have already trained barefoot walking. Due to the constant wearing of shoes, the foot must gradually get used to it. It's not just the skin that initially perceives every prick as pain, but also the muscles and tendons that need to adapt to barefoot walking.

In modern shoes with cushioned soles, which are usually far too thick and inflexible, the foot cannot roll properly. The active footwork, which is so important for Nordic walking, is therefore significantly hampered in conventional shoes. Due to a heel elevation that almost every conventional shoe has, the foot lands hard on the heel when walking and therefore needs to be supported by the cushioning properties of the shoe.

When walking barefoot, the natural movement and rolling provide cushioning. However, many have forgotten how to walk naturally. When transitioning from modern footwear to barefoot walking, the foot muscles must first be built up. You can read about how to proceed correctly in our magazine:

https://www.zaqq.de/magazin/barfuss-laufen/barfusslaufen-die-technik-kurz-erklaert/

Radical barefoot walking is not an option for many, despite its advantages, because firstly, your feet are not protected at all (e.g., from shards) and secondly, societal norms forbid it for many. If you are looking for a golden middle ground, the advantages of our ZAQQ barefoot shoes will absolutely convince you.

ZAQQ-Barfussschuhe-Nordic-WalkingNZqOXYSYiTJAg

Nordic Walking with ZAQQ Barefoot Shoes

In Nordic walking, good and precise technique is important. Active footwork, i.e., rolling, is particularly important in this sport. To achieve a higher walking speed, the foot is pushed off powerfully from the ball and toes after rolling. The active footwork is supported and coordinated with the poles.

Our ZAQQ barefoot shoes are so-called minimal shoes. They offer your foot maximum freedom of movement with sufficient space in the toe area and an especially thin and flexible sole. ZAQQ barefoot shoes are super light and protect your feet during Nordic walking from shards, stones, dirt, and moisture. At the same time, you can roll your foot optimally and feel the ground with every step to adjust your entire movement accordingly.

If you have already practiced Nordic walking in conventional training shoes, you will immediately notice in our barefoot shoes that the active footwork is much easier and more efficient to perform due to the thin and highly flexible sole. However, the muscles are also stressed much more intensively. If these are not yet built up and your goals are set too ambitiously, it can lead to overload.

As with all other body areas, your muscles must gradually get used to the load. You will quickly notice that with regular wearing of barefoot shoes, your foot muscles are strengthened, and you develop a natural and, above all, joint-friendly gait again.

Barfussschuhe-Nordic-Walking

Which barefoot shoes are suitable for Nordic Walking

In summary, you can practice Nordic Walking in all our ZAQQ barefoot shoes, as all have these features:

thin, highly flexible sole
sufficient space for your toes

Ultimately, it all depends on your personal preferences regarding material and design. Since many prefer a particularly light and breathable shoe for sports, we have categorized our barefoot shoes into different categories. Among our ZAQQ running shoes, you will find all models that are the perfect companions for all sporting activities due to their material and cut.

ZAQQ-Barfussschuhe-Walking