Masai Barefoot Technology
MbT Shoes that Strengthen Legs, Improve Balance and Reduce Cellulite
Jul 22, 2009
The first Masai Barefoot Technology shoes were sold in the late 1990s with the aim of recreating the soft, unstable surface that the Masai of Africa customarily walk on. By experiencing the challenge of this unstable surface – similar to walking on sand – city dwellers can also experience some of the benefits of the Masai lifestyle: great posture, strong buttocks, hamstrings, and calves, improved balance and body awareness, and optimum circulation.
Research has shown that additional benefits include reductions in cellulite and improved pelvic floor strength – and all from putting on a shoe.
Masai Barefoot Technology is Part of an Active Lifestyle
MbTs are popular as a complement to an active lifestyle. They are frequently sold in Pilates studios, where instructors and students find that they reinforce the Pilates principles of good posture and alignment. Because they boost the intensity of walking, wearers can gain fitness and strength during a short daily walk to and from work. Those who stand for long periods of time, such as nurses, chefs, retail assistants, and factory workers, can use the rocking surface of the MbT shoes to keep their joints and muscles active, reducing stiffness and back pain at the end of the day.
Wearing the MbT Shoes
Ideally, wearers should begin their Masai barefoot lifestyle with a class or lesson. An instructor teaches how to get the most out of the shoe's unusual design. At the heel is a soft pad that should be compressed on heelstrike; the wearer then rocks over the midpoint of the sole, just below the arch. Some people need time to get used to standing over the midpoint, allowing the shoe to be unstable.
In addition, some teachers offer fitness classes specifically designed for the MbT shoes. These classes may involve using other equipment as well as utilising the shoes' inherent potential for balance and strength work.
It's a good idea to get used to the MbT shoes slowly, by wearing them for an hour a day and gradually increasing wear-time as the body strengthens. Different MbT shoe designs are graded according to intensity, so a wearer who enjoys the benefits of one of the regular models can graduate to, or supplement with, a more challenging design such as the Sport High model, which has a higher rocking sole.
The great variety of designs, including sandals, professional clogs, sneakers, boots, and (unusual) dress shoes, means that almost anyone can find a place for an active MbT lifestyle.
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