Uploaded by bodybyjay on Oct 15, 2010
CrossFit Love Challenge
50 225lb Deadlifts
57 seconds!
50 225lb Deadlifts
57 seconds!
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
86-year old Johanna Quaas demonstration on FX - "Turnier Der Meister" Co...
Top Comments
- I can't understand a word she says, but i am wishing for her the best ! She is a inspiration to all ! Incredible !GR8TM4N 2 days ago 5
- she says that she's sorry, there are no worldchampionchips or europechampionchips for seniors in gymnastics unlike most other fields of sport. Until 1954 (she's from the former GDR) she played mainly handball, but than started with gymnastics again in 1956 (she had already done that until 1933). She is every year in Freyburg because you can do gymnastics in the open air, and the weather ist always great. She isn't planning any thing bigger anymore. It's all about the fun of it.btq28 14 hours ago 2
Burpees Slaughter Workout! - YouTube
Burpees Slaughter Workout! - YouTube
Burpee (exercise)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The burpee is a full body exercise used in strength training and as aerobic exercise. It is performed in four steps, and was originally known as a "four-count Burpee":
- Begin in a standing position.
- Drop into a squat position with your hands on the ground. (count 1)
- Extend your feet back in one quick motion to assume the front plank position. (count 2)
- Return to the squat position in one quick motion. (count 3)
- Return to an upright standing position. (count 4) [1]
Contents[hide] |
[edit] More challenging variants
- Burpee push up
- The athlete performs a push-up after assuming the plank position.
- Knee push-up burpee
- The athlete bends their knees and rests them on the ground before performing the push up.
- Jump up Burpee
- The athlete jumps up as high as they can in at the end of the movement and before beginning the next Burpee.
- Long-jump burpee
- The athlete jumps forward, not upward.
- Tuck-jump burpee
- The athlete pulls their knees to their chest (tucks) at the peak of the jump.
- Jump-over burpee
- The athlete jumps over an obstacle between burpees.
- Box-jump burpee
- The athlete jumps onto a box, rather than straight up and down.
- One-armed burpee
- The athlete uses only one arm for the whole exercise including the pushup.
- Dumbbell burpee
- The athlete holds a pair of dumbbells while performing the exercise.
- Parkour burpee
- Following one burpee on the ground, the athlete jumps upon a table and performs the second burpee on the table, then jumps back to the initial position.
- Hindu push up burpee
- Instead of a regular push up, do a hindu push up.
- Pull-up burpee
- Combine a pull-up with the jump or do a pull-up instead of the jump.
- Muscle-up burpee
- Combine a muscle-up (a variation of a pull-up) with the jump or do a muscle-up instead of the jump.
- Double burpee
- Instead of one pushup, do two in a row. This cancels the drive from landing after the jump and makes the next jump harder. Each part of the burpee might be repeated to make it even harder.
- One Leg burpee
- The athlete stands on one leg, bends at the waist and puts hands on ground so they are aligned with shoulders. Next jump back with the standing leg to plank position. Jump forward with the one leg that was extended, and do a one-leg jump. Repeat on opposite side.
- Side burpee
- The athlete bends at waist and places hand shoulder-width apart to the side of right or left foot. Jump both legs out to side and land on the outer and inner sides of your feet. Jump back in, jump up, and repeat on opposite side.
[edit] Other variants
- 8 count body builder
- A burpee with a jumping jack on the ground. The 8 counts are: (1) squat with your hands on the ground, (2) kick your feet back, (3) kick your feet out to form a Y shape, (4) bring your feet back together, (5) down into a push-up, (6) up part of the push-up, (7) bring your feet back under you, (8) jump in the air.
- Military 8 count bodybuilder
- (1)Squat with hands on the ground, (2) Kick back your feet, (3) Down for push up, (4)Up for Push up, (5)Kick feet back in, (6) Stand up, (7) Motion one of a jumping jack, (8) Motion two of a jumping jack.
- Wall / incline / air burpee
- The athlete kicks his feet up against a wall / up on a table / up in the air, instead of back. Usually, these variants are performed without a pushup.
[edit] Extreme Variants
- Burpee Mile
- The athlete performs the Burpee Excercise, then performs the Standing long jump. These two exercises are repeated until the athlete has complete the distance of a 1 Mile.
[edit] Origin
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the exercise was named in the 1930s for American physiologist Royal H. Burpee, who developed the Burpee test. He earned a PhD in Applied Physiology from Columbia University in 1940 and created the "Burpee" exercise as part of his PhD thesis as a quick and simple way to assess fitness.[2] The exercise was popularized when the United States Armed Services adopted it as a way to assess the fitness level of recruits when the US entered WWII. Consisting of a series of the exercises performed in rapid succession, the test was meant to be a quick measure of agility, coordination and strength.[3][edit] Notes
- ^ "Steps to perform the burpee from VitFit". Retrieved 6 July 2011.
- ^ "Reference extract from Columbia Teachers College archive". Teachers College, Columbia University. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ "Definition of burpee from Oxford Dictionaries Online". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
[edit] References
Monday, 2 April 2012
Vivo Barefoot Ultra Review
Vivo Barefoot Ultra Review
Imagine a minimalist shoe that is lightweight, has a plus-sized toe box, breathes well, provides good ground feel, has virtually no seams, and is basically a sole that wraps the entirety of your foot. What would such a shoe look like? Well, it'd look a lot like VIVO BAREFOOT's Ultra line, which recently expanded to include the $50, sockless "Ultra Pure."
How do the VIVO Ultra's pull off all of the above qualities? They unabashedly take a page from the triple platinum, fuglified shoes that everyone loves to hate (while secretly finding them quite comfortable) — yep, I'm talking about Crocs. It's the EVA foam, baby. That's how they do it.
But is there more to these shoes than meets the eye? Are functional shoes supposed to look cool? I wax poetic on these questions and more, as well as share some slow-motion running footage of the Ultras, and a whole slew of photos after the jump in my review of the VIVO BAREFOOT Ultra!
You can see how the booty has a knob at the instep that fits into a same-shaped hole on the upper of the Ultra's foam shell. It also has a rear knob that attaches to the shell of the Ultra at the heel. Also, if you'll note the two pieces of chevron-shaped fabric that also have the same front rectangular knob — that fabric bit is the tongue of the Ultra, of course! Why would you want a tongue? Basically to reduce or eliminate rubbing of the top of your foot on the laced upper if you're wearing the Ultras without the booty.
You can also wear the Ultras without tongue or booty — just the frame, basically.
Meanwhile, the interior of the Ultra features a knobby footbed; I can only assume it's knobbed to provide additional traction for the foot; personally, I don't see the point and actually find the knobbing irritating, but it, along with the upper, makes for a nifty photograph:
The sole of the VIVO Ultra sans booty is just foam and is reminiscent of the sole pattern you get with the VIVO Evo. The only key difference is that the sole of the Ultra is the insole; it's all one piece. So when you see the curvature of the sole at the arch, you see that same curvature inside the shoes.
The sole is 7mm thick though VIVO says it'll compress to 3mm with wear. I measured mine at about 5mm at the heel. Foam really does break in (more accurately break down) over time, so essentially the Ultra will get more minimally soled over time.
Here's a roundabout of the Ultra, photo-gallery style. Take a look:
I almost forgot to mention the laces! The Ultras come with a bungee cord, speed-lacing system. It works pretty well at tightening up the shoes but I actually found that I just wore them, most of the time, fairly "loose" in the laces. This didn't seem to degrade performance either. So know that the laces are there if you need them, but you might not.
For such a minimalist shoe, the Ultra can be somewhat complex — at least, it's as complex as you want it to be. I think what most will find is that they prefer wearing them a particular way; incidentally, my hunch is that most Ultra fans are likely going to like it in it's most bare-bones configuration as with the "Ultra Pure" — no inserts, no fluff — just the foam shoe.
While the booty on the Ultras makes for an interesting option, I pretty much didn't use it at all. I'm no fan of socks if I can avoid them and the Ultra sockliner, while having a sole structure, is just a little too socklike for my taste; besides, I didn't really have a need for that configuration. One interesting use for the sockliners, should you get the full-optioned Ultra, is that you could run in them sans foamy Ultra frame. Actually, Nick Hind has been doing just that and notes they work well as an ultra-minimalist running option—pretty cool!
I tried the Ultras without the tongue attachment and they seem basically fine in this configuration; however, some might find a little additional abrasion due to the elements of the upper being separated. Where you can imagine irritation is when your foot lifts within the shoes, the point at which the top of your foot meets your ankle will tend to want to move into the lace area, which could cause some annoying rubbing.
Worn without socks or the booty, the Ultra is a fairly comfortable shoe. There is plenty of room within the Ultras for my feet to feel free, toes can splay well, and being "zero-drop" there's no negative impact on my natural biomechanics. If I had to cite one annoying gripe with the Ultra's design, it'd be with the raised knobs or bumps on the insole/footbed of the shoe. These provide a level of stimulation to the foot that I find a little distracting. I'd much prefer a smooth surface here and do not believe it would degrade the shoe's performance dramatically, if at all. That said, it's not so annoying as to make them totally uncomfortable; I'd just prefer it not be there.
Ground feel with the Ultras is muted a bit by the use of EVA foam. EVA foam, like all foams, has little "cells" that contain air; this allows for some structure while also being compressible. Straight up rubber (as with FiveFingers) is denser and flimsier, so you don't get the compression effects. I'd peg the ground feel on the Ultra as slightly better than the FiveFingers Bikila (or Bikila LS or Speed); it's not as good as a KSO, SeeYa or Classic/Sprint, though; it's also negatively effected by those pesky bumps! They add "noise" to the sensations of ground feel. Almost like your feet look at the ground through a filter or screen.
The overall structure of the Ultra, as provided by the EVA foam, makes them easy to flex and bend while still having a springiness to them. One thing I'll point out is that the sole curves in at the arch. Since there's nothing below this arch curve, it's not supportive so much as just a structure that will collapse under your body weight. You'll note that the KomodoSport- and Bikila-soled FiveFingers use EVA at the arch and it's sometimes called "arch support." I think that's a little too hard a line, but you will notice the bump at your arch if you pay attention. Like I said, it compresses on any load, but it's there.
The end-product with the Ultra is a shoe that has just enough structure to stand on it's own but not enough to compromise the functionality of the foot.
Here are some photos of me wearing the Ultras without the sockliner/booties:
As for specific functionality, I mostly used my Ultras a knockaround shoe, but I did manage to run in them for the sake of having done it and to catch any glaring problems. Below are some observations.
Running in the Ultras &mdsah; Hit play on the video below. It's some running footage shot in 60 FPS that I've slowed down by about 50%. It's not particularly exciting footage, but you might like the background music and it should give some idea of how the Ultras function running on the road (behind a Bob stroller anyway). I start busting it down a hill around 7:15 if you want to skip to some "high action." If nothing else I set it to some high-beat music.
Didn't really have any issues to speak of running in the Ultras. I love that they are lightweight; that just makes a huge difference to me. Running sockless in the Ultras also was a pleasant experience. I wore the tongue insert to prevent any chafing, but I don't suspect it was really necessary. The EVA sole provides the slightest bit of give to it for running that you might not be accustomed to if you've been running in rubber-soled shoes like Vibrams or Altra Adams/Samsons. The effect is mostly in the slightly altered ground feel. Not a bad thing.
Despite the roomy interior of the Ultra, my foot never felt like it was sloshing about within the shoe, something that I think can be a problem for mono-toed running shoes with large toe boxes. My hunch is that the Ultras, being so lightweight and still having an overall structure, tended to stay with the foot better than, say, a pair of RunAmocs (my feet slosh around in the RunAmocs by comparison), which are heavier-soled and leather-topped: the weight of the soles tugs on the flimsy leather upper giving the movement of the shoe a life of it's own apart from the foot. The Ultra is a unified, uniform structure, by comparison, so when the sole moves, the upper moves or vice versa.
Bottom line with the Ultra for running: they work pretty well.
General uses — I have to admit that perhaps the most intriguing thing about the Ultra is that it amounts to an affordable minimalist shoe (at the Ultra Pure $50 entry level) that is multi-functional. You can run in them or you can wear them to the store or to the beach. They're good in the gym, too.
There is something to an EVA foam shoe that is compelling. They clean easily; don't soak up water or mud. They can be affordably produced. If you have fairly efficient walking or running biomechanics (you don't drag your feet), they'll also last quite awhile. I actually could see Crocs putting out a zero-dropped, thin soled version of their clogs and it being quite successful.
All of this, of course, assumes you don't mind the aesthetic of a foam shoe. Foam shoes are a little funny looking; it's just the nature of the beast. As far as the aesthetic of the Ultra, I've actually seen the red/grey and black/yellow varietals in person and I'd say both look markedly better than the grey/greens I've got. If I had to guess, it's because the grey is just too "light" in color and the holes of the upper stand out more with them as opposed to the darker colored red Ultras or the black Ultras. I'm speculating.
But if you consider the $50 pricepoint of the Ultra Pure, well, there you may have something interesting. Get the Ultra Pure and you've gotten a pair of shoes/footwear that can be worn in a slew of applications. You can wear them casually, to the beach, to the gym, to the store, to do yard work (they clean crazy easily); you can wear them for a run. They're so airy as to be wearable in the heat of the summer almost like a sandal. That's kinda cool, don't you think?
Just own that crazy Crocs-like look and you got yourself a winner here.
Finally, I'll say that I really want a $30 pricepoint for the Ultra Pure and I want that for toddlers and kids. That would be absolutely fantastic.
FOUND A SALE: if you like the grey colorway of Ultras with the sockliner, you can actually snag them in a few sizes over at Champ's Sports for 69.99. That's 10 bucks cheaper than the full-blown Ultra price, so it's not huge savings, but it's something. They also have various women's Ultras at $50 or less, so if you're a woman or wear women's sizes, you're in luck.
How do the VIVO Ultra's pull off all of the above qualities? They unabashedly take a page from the triple platinum, fuglified shoes that everyone loves to hate (while secretly finding them quite comfortable) — yep, I'm talking about Crocs. It's the EVA foam, baby. That's how they do it.
But is there more to these shoes than meets the eye? Are functional shoes supposed to look cool? I wax poetic on these questions and more, as well as share some slow-motion running footage of the Ultras, and a whole slew of photos after the jump in my review of the VIVO BAREFOOT Ultra!
Modularity: What's in the Ultra Box?
VIVO BAREFOOT designed the Ultra with modularity in mind. Basically, the exterior of the Ultra, which is effectively one piece of EVA foam that makes up the sole and holey upper is a shell. If you get the full Ultra and not the "Ultra Pure," you get two additional configuration options including a sock-liner booty that can be worn inside the Ultra's foamy frame and adds a kevlar protective element to the soles; or you can add a chevron-shaped tongue of sorts. Pictures are worth a thousand words here: |  |  |  |  |
 |
You can also wear the Ultras without tongue or booty — just the frame, basically.
The Ultra's foamy frame brings the mojo
You probably are sitting there, just sorta staring in awe at the honeycombed, cored out upper of the Ultra. It's kinda wild looking, I know. By being so full of holes, the upper provides an incredible amount of breathability to the shoes while also making them "amphibious" — they're going to let water in completely, but it'll also go right back out. The honeycomb also provides structure to the upper while reducing weight. Without the booty (but with the tongue), my size 44 Ultras weigh in at a smidge over 3.5 oz. That is crazy lightweight — moreso than just about any minimalist shoe out there.Meanwhile, the interior of the Ultra features a knobby footbed; I can only assume it's knobbed to provide additional traction for the foot; personally, I don't see the point and actually find the knobbing irritating, but it, along with the upper, makes for a nifty photograph:
The sole is 7mm thick though VIVO says it'll compress to 3mm with wear. I measured mine at about 5mm at the heel. Foam really does break in (more accurately break down) over time, so essentially the Ultra will get more minimally soled over time.
Here's a roundabout of the Ultra, photo-gallery style. Take a look:
 |  |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |
For such a minimalist shoe, the Ultra can be somewhat complex — at least, it's as complex as you want it to be. I think what most will find is that they prefer wearing them a particular way; incidentally, my hunch is that most Ultra fans are likely going to like it in it's most bare-bones configuration as with the "Ultra Pure" — no inserts, no fluff — just the foam shoe.
Ground feel and function
I tried the Ultras without the tongue attachment and they seem basically fine in this configuration; however, some might find a little additional abrasion due to the elements of the upper being separated. Where you can imagine irritation is when your foot lifts within the shoes, the point at which the top of your foot meets your ankle will tend to want to move into the lace area, which could cause some annoying rubbing.
Worn without socks or the booty, the Ultra is a fairly comfortable shoe. There is plenty of room within the Ultras for my feet to feel free, toes can splay well, and being "zero-drop" there's no negative impact on my natural biomechanics. If I had to cite one annoying gripe with the Ultra's design, it'd be with the raised knobs or bumps on the insole/footbed of the shoe. These provide a level of stimulation to the foot that I find a little distracting. I'd much prefer a smooth surface here and do not believe it would degrade the shoe's performance dramatically, if at all. That said, it's not so annoying as to make them totally uncomfortable; I'd just prefer it not be there.
Ground feel with the Ultras is muted a bit by the use of EVA foam. EVA foam, like all foams, has little "cells" that contain air; this allows for some structure while also being compressible. Straight up rubber (as with FiveFingers) is denser and flimsier, so you don't get the compression effects. I'd peg the ground feel on the Ultra as slightly better than the FiveFingers Bikila (or Bikila LS or Speed); it's not as good as a KSO, SeeYa or Classic/Sprint, though; it's also negatively effected by those pesky bumps! They add "noise" to the sensations of ground feel. Almost like your feet look at the ground through a filter or screen.
The overall structure of the Ultra, as provided by the EVA foam, makes them easy to flex and bend while still having a springiness to them. One thing I'll point out is that the sole curves in at the arch. Since there's nothing below this arch curve, it's not supportive so much as just a structure that will collapse under your body weight. You'll note that the KomodoSport- and Bikila-soled FiveFingers use EVA at the arch and it's sometimes called "arch support." I think that's a little too hard a line, but you will notice the bump at your arch if you pay attention. Like I said, it compresses on any load, but it's there.
The end-product with the Ultra is a shoe that has just enough structure to stand on it's own but not enough to compromise the functionality of the foot.
Here are some photos of me wearing the Ultras without the sockliner/booties:
 |  |  | |  |
 |  |  |
Running in the Ultras &mdsah; Hit play on the video below. It's some running footage shot in 60 FPS that I've slowed down by about 50%. It's not particularly exciting footage, but you might like the background music and it should give some idea of how the Ultras function running on the road (behind a Bob stroller anyway). I start busting it down a hill around 7:15 if you want to skip to some "high action." If nothing else I set it to some high-beat music.
Didn't really have any issues to speak of running in the Ultras. I love that they are lightweight; that just makes a huge difference to me. Running sockless in the Ultras also was a pleasant experience. I wore the tongue insert to prevent any chafing, but I don't suspect it was really necessary. The EVA sole provides the slightest bit of give to it for running that you might not be accustomed to if you've been running in rubber-soled shoes like Vibrams or Altra Adams/Samsons. The effect is mostly in the slightly altered ground feel. Not a bad thing.
Despite the roomy interior of the Ultra, my foot never felt like it was sloshing about within the shoe, something that I think can be a problem for mono-toed running shoes with large toe boxes. My hunch is that the Ultras, being so lightweight and still having an overall structure, tended to stay with the foot better than, say, a pair of RunAmocs (my feet slosh around in the RunAmocs by comparison), which are heavier-soled and leather-topped: the weight of the soles tugs on the flimsy leather upper giving the movement of the shoe a life of it's own apart from the foot. The Ultra is a unified, uniform structure, by comparison, so when the sole moves, the upper moves or vice versa.
Bottom line with the Ultra for running: they work pretty well.
General uses — I have to admit that perhaps the most intriguing thing about the Ultra is that it amounts to an affordable minimalist shoe (at the Ultra Pure $50 entry level) that is multi-functional. You can run in them or you can wear them to the store or to the beach. They're good in the gym, too.
There is something to an EVA foam shoe that is compelling. They clean easily; don't soak up water or mud. They can be affordably produced. If you have fairly efficient walking or running biomechanics (you don't drag your feet), they'll also last quite awhile. I actually could see Crocs putting out a zero-dropped, thin soled version of their clogs and it being quite successful.
All of this, of course, assumes you don't mind the aesthetic of a foam shoe. Foam shoes are a little funny looking; it's just the nature of the beast. As far as the aesthetic of the Ultra, I've actually seen the red/grey and black/yellow varietals in person and I'd say both look markedly better than the grey/greens I've got. If I had to guess, it's because the grey is just too "light" in color and the holes of the upper stand out more with them as opposed to the darker colored red Ultras or the black Ultras. I'm speculating.
Let me conclude on this ...
I'm going to part ways with the full-blown Ultra (with the sockliner) and say that if you're after a minimalist shoe in the $80-100 pricepoint, you probably should look at something else. The Ultra is cool for it's modularity with the sockliner insert, but it also makes it considerably more expensive ($50 for the Ultra Pure vs. $80 for the full Ultra) and there's an excellent chance you'll find yourself rarely, if ever, using the sockliner, anyway.But if you consider the $50 pricepoint of the Ultra Pure, well, there you may have something interesting. Get the Ultra Pure and you've gotten a pair of shoes/footwear that can be worn in a slew of applications. You can wear them casually, to the beach, to the gym, to the store, to do yard work (they clean crazy easily); you can wear them for a run. They're so airy as to be wearable in the heat of the summer almost like a sandal. That's kinda cool, don't you think?
Just own that crazy Crocs-like look and you got yourself a winner here.
Finally, I'll say that I really want a $30 pricepoint for the Ultra Pure and I want that for toddlers and kids. That would be absolutely fantastic.
Where to buy it.
If you're a female looking for the Ultras, I'd hop over to Google and do a shopping search; you're likely to find at least one or two pairs of the full-fledged Ultra (including sockliner) at a deep discount to the original price; for you men, you're going to have less luck with that approach (sorry). For that matter, I recommend Zappos.com because you can get the Ultra Pure there for $50 (or Ultra @ $80). If you've yet to buy shoes from Zappos before, they have free shipping both ways. One of my first experiences shopping there; I bought a pair of shoes, it got upgraded (for free) to next day shipping; I received them and they were the wrong size, so I used the free return shipping while ordering the right size; UPS picked up the return and delivered the correct size the next day. It was mind-boggling at the time. I'm a fan of Zappos, in other words.FOUND A SALE: if you like the grey colorway of Ultras with the sockliner, you can actually snag them in a few sizes over at Champ's Sports for 69.99. That's 10 bucks cheaper than the full-blown Ultra price, so it's not huge savings, but it's something. They also have various women's Ultras at $50 or less, so if you're a woman or wear women's sizes, you're in luck.
Other reviews of the Ultra
If you want to do a bit more online research on the Ultras, do yourself a favor and check out these reviews:
Sunday, 25 March 2012
About The Natural Running Center | Injury-Free Minimalist Running Resources
About The Natural Running Center | Injury-Free Minimalist Running Resources
As it were, this health-conscious individual lived in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the oldest town in the state and just up the road (and river) from Harpers Ferry. His name is Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, a family physician and an elite runner, who, in his early 40s, can still reel off sub 2:40s at the Boston Marathon. Mark had a singular vision regarding the need to spread the gospel of natural and minimalist running to the masses. In early summer 2010, he opened the first minimalist running store in the nation. He called it Two Rivers Treads because culturally and historically vibrant Shepherdstown is located near the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
Mark and his tiny store became a fixture in the natural running community, Coaches, athletes, trainers, physical therapists, bloggers, and runners from near and far became connected to one another through Two Rivers Treads.
Then along came Bill Katovsky, a two-time Hawaii Ironman finisher, founder of Tri-Athlete magazine, and author and editor of several health and fitness books. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, but heard of Mark when he started his own blog Zero Drop in late fall 2010. He had just come out with his latest book, “Return to Fitness: Getting Back in Shape after Injury, Illness, or Prolonged Inactivity.” Though Katovsky has once been a multisport jock, he barely broke a sweat in his 40s. Nor did he run during that Lost Decade. So when he returned to fitness and running, he threw out his old running shoes with their big heels and cushiony treads, and after hours of frustrating and bewildering research on the Internet, finally bought a pair of minimalist running shoes that a trail-running acquaintance recommended, removed their insoles, and began his own journey that eventually took him to Mark’s doorstep.
Together, they decided to launch the Natural Running Center (NRC) to serve as a comprehensive web resource of information and education for all runners. They sensed new, seismic changes affecting the running world, changes that would only broaden and solidify, and they wanted to help shape this early-adopter’s movement via learning and sharing of helpful resources. In late winter 2011, they began mapping out the mission of the Natural Running Center and how best to objectively disseminate information, bring other like-minded individuals into the NRC fold, and yet avoid the distraction of mind-draining dogma and reckless bias.
To help them reach these goals, they reached out to Nick Pang, also a West Coaster, who was a self-described web technologist living with his family just north of Silicon Valley. For twenty-five years, Nick was a serious runner before he got injured in traditional running shoes. He then saw the light two years ago in minimal shoes. He gradually retooled his gait and form, and began to run injury-free. Based on his own experiences, in the summer of 2010, he created the Minimalist Running Shoes website that quickly became an important destination for anyone looking for shoe reviews in this rapidly expanding sector of the footwear market.
The three minimalist amigos approached Damien Tougas, a web programmer living in Maine, who recognized that runners, walkers, and hikers need to be at the forefront of this grassroots revolution. In January 2011, he launched Toe Salad, a forum by the people and for the people who were interested in learning from the folks actually experimenting in this new barefoot lifestyle. Toe Salad would also have a highly visible presence and affiliation with the Natural Running Center.
An advisory board of health, science, medical, and coaching experts was next created for the Natural Running Center. Its purpose was twofold: to exchange knowledge and ideas with one another; and to easily communicate their findings and writings with all runners.
And thus the Natural Running Center was born– a virtual home for this new “re-evolution” in running. Like our tagline says– “Learn, Evolve. Run!”
Natural Running Center Team
Executive Director…Mark Cucuzzella, M.D.
Creative & Editorial Director…Bill Katovsky
Web & Shoe Review Director…Nick Pang
Toe Salad Forum Director…Damien Tougas
About The Natural Running Center
In the beginning there was darkness, and runners seemed lost, confused, chronically injured, always experimenting with “bigger is better” footwear as a potential remedy. Then a new “less is more” approach emerged, a radical way of thinking led by a handful of scientists, athletes, coaches, and charismatic best-selling author. They looked backward to the past for inspiration. Soon, a healer and educator came forth. Collectively, they would become the shepherds to a flock of broken-down, often-sidelined runners accustomed to wearing conventional running shoes.As it were, this health-conscious individual lived in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the oldest town in the state and just up the road (and river) from Harpers Ferry. His name is Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, a family physician and an elite runner, who, in his early 40s, can still reel off sub 2:40s at the Boston Marathon. Mark had a singular vision regarding the need to spread the gospel of natural and minimalist running to the masses. In early summer 2010, he opened the first minimalist running store in the nation. He called it Two Rivers Treads because culturally and historically vibrant Shepherdstown is located near the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
Mark and his tiny store became a fixture in the natural running community, Coaches, athletes, trainers, physical therapists, bloggers, and runners from near and far became connected to one another through Two Rivers Treads.
Then along came Bill Katovsky, a two-time Hawaii Ironman finisher, founder of Tri-Athlete magazine, and author and editor of several health and fitness books. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, but heard of Mark when he started his own blog Zero Drop in late fall 2010. He had just come out with his latest book, “Return to Fitness: Getting Back in Shape after Injury, Illness, or Prolonged Inactivity.” Though Katovsky has once been a multisport jock, he barely broke a sweat in his 40s. Nor did he run during that Lost Decade. So when he returned to fitness and running, he threw out his old running shoes with their big heels and cushiony treads, and after hours of frustrating and bewildering research on the Internet, finally bought a pair of minimalist running shoes that a trail-running acquaintance recommended, removed their insoles, and began his own journey that eventually took him to Mark’s doorstep.
Together, they decided to launch the Natural Running Center (NRC) to serve as a comprehensive web resource of information and education for all runners. They sensed new, seismic changes affecting the running world, changes that would only broaden and solidify, and they wanted to help shape this early-adopter’s movement via learning and sharing of helpful resources. In late winter 2011, they began mapping out the mission of the Natural Running Center and how best to objectively disseminate information, bring other like-minded individuals into the NRC fold, and yet avoid the distraction of mind-draining dogma and reckless bias.
To help them reach these goals, they reached out to Nick Pang, also a West Coaster, who was a self-described web technologist living with his family just north of Silicon Valley. For twenty-five years, Nick was a serious runner before he got injured in traditional running shoes. He then saw the light two years ago in minimal shoes. He gradually retooled his gait and form, and began to run injury-free. Based on his own experiences, in the summer of 2010, he created the Minimalist Running Shoes website that quickly became an important destination for anyone looking for shoe reviews in this rapidly expanding sector of the footwear market.
The three minimalist amigos approached Damien Tougas, a web programmer living in Maine, who recognized that runners, walkers, and hikers need to be at the forefront of this grassroots revolution. In January 2011, he launched Toe Salad, a forum by the people and for the people who were interested in learning from the folks actually experimenting in this new barefoot lifestyle. Toe Salad would also have a highly visible presence and affiliation with the Natural Running Center.
An advisory board of health, science, medical, and coaching experts was next created for the Natural Running Center. Its purpose was twofold: to exchange knowledge and ideas with one another; and to easily communicate their findings and writings with all runners.
And thus the Natural Running Center was born– a virtual home for this new “re-evolution” in running. Like our tagline says– “Learn, Evolve. Run!”
Natural Running Center Team
Executive Director…Mark Cucuzzella, M.D.
Creative & Editorial Director…Bill Katovsky
Web & Shoe Review Director…Nick Pang
Toe Salad Forum Director…Damien Tougas
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