One Monday after my Nia Class, I went to a store down the street from the studio in San Jose. I went to a shoe store in Willow Glen. I had decided that I was going to buy myself some MBTs. MBTs have been around since 1996. I would say since 1997 I have wanted them. But they were huge, clunky, and EXTREMELY expensive. I had never even tried any on because I could never bring myself to spend over $200 on tennis shoes.
I am very excited to have FINALLY purchased a pair of MBTs. I spent almost two hours in the store trying on different styles. I was fortunate that I liked the ones that were on sale. Yay! Even though the price of tennis shoes has probably caught up to the price of MBTs. I still couldn’t bring myself to spend $200 on tennis shoes. I figured if they help me walk properly they really are worth it, but I am still glad I saved my Christmas gifts so I could splurge on these “shoes”.
What are MBTs you ask?
MBTs are the “antishoe”. Their websites states: “MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology) was born in 1996 when we discovered that natural instability can have positive effects on the human body. We made this discovery by observing the wonderfully agile Masai people walking barefoot on natural, uneven ground.” Because the shoes were designed to allow us to experience walking on uneven ground even as we walk on flat ground the idea is that one needs to give the body time to adjust. I looked on the site to see if they have a guide as to how to acclimate the body, but I didn’t see anything.
Kind people keep telling me to go slow, but unfortunately I don’t think I will have the opportunity to get to that point where I need to take a break because my legs need a rest. Ya see, as you might know, I injured my toe about five months ago. I want it to be completely better and function as it used to, but it is not. It is MUCH better, but nowhere near where it used to be. It gets tired. I still have to rest it. I still have to pay way too much attention to it. But that is what I have to do. My toes are the reason I finally decided to treat myself to my long lusted after MBTs.
The sole of an MBT is curved so the idea is to encourage the wearer to walk heel toe. Those of you familiar with Nia know that is one of the “body’s way” movements we practice doing. The ankle was designed to flex and extend and walking heel first, rolling through the foot to the ball/toe is good for the ankle and lower leg. With my toes as they are, I can’t roll through my foot so I thought the MBTs would be perfect to help me/allow me to do that.
Well, the shoes are great. They do allow me to walk whole foot and through my whole foot. It is easier to do that in these shoes than in regular shoes, but my toe still gets tired. I think my toe gets tired and makes me take my shoes off long before my legs get to the point of being tired. I think that my toe will be the guide I need to acclimate myself into using these shoes–or shoe I say these “anit-shoes”. 😉
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