Vibram Five Fingers

Here I am sitting at my computer on a really fabulous mid-August day with the scent of lavender and sunshine pouring in through my window. So why I am here and not out on my sun-drenched decking? Good question! But one I am not privy to answer. :-)

I do have a little something to share so my sunshine deficiency meter is somehow not feeling so gutted. But you’ll have to thank my husband for this one. If it weren’t for his extremely disciplined ways and near- obsession with exercise I may not have made this discovery. 

You may sense the gloatiness in the next few lines, but I am the proud owner and wearer of a pair of Vibram Five Fingers shoes. Okay so what is the big deal about these babies? Well they are by far the healthiest shoes for feet – ever. That might be a bit of an extreme statement, but I am rather bold like that. 

My lavender beauties give each of my toes space to act individually. If any of you have ever been to one of my yoga classes you’ll know what I am on about. I am a self-admitted toe-spreading addict. The importance of being able to move your toes in such a fashion is near-critical to a stable yoga practice. You can fully root and ground yourself before embarking on the yogic odyssey of bendy bliss.   

However, if you are the sporty type, which I make no claims to be, you can up the anti in your performance. These shoes were designed to allow you to run the way your body is supposed to. We aren’t actually meant to run heel to toe, which is why there are so many running injuries. Without going into depth I’ll refer you to a really enlightening read called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. This book is a fascinating read and must for runners.

By the way, running is only one of the many sports that this shoe is great for. You can read more about them by going directly to the Vibram website.

I have indulged in a bit of beach yoga wearing them. They did offer great grip in some of the balancing yoga postures, but I have to confess I prefer walking and doing yoga on the beach barefoot. Since going barefoot is not always appropriate, my lilac Vibram stunners give me the next best thing.

Without a doubt I can guarantee that you will strike up some interesting conversations while wearing these in public if not get a few blatant stares (if you are trying to meet someone romantically this could be the trick!). A friend says I look a bit like I have frog feet when I wear them, but I don’t think I have ever seen a frog with cute purple-hued toes! The benefits of having free toes and improving my yoga are well worth any smart comments.