I fought this fight. I dont wear them but support those who do. I can tell you it has nothing to do with safety, fitness or belief in barefoot running. The ONLY reason is the higher ups don't like the way they look. That's it.

I find this funny because in basic at Ft. Benning our PT uniforms were powder blue. When I mentioned it I was told, sternly of course, it was "Infantry Blue". Then I did push-ups.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I guess this will show my age. When in the Marine Corps, we wore our boots when running.

Yep. I agree. I got busted a few times for running in non-standard gear at Fort Riley. Even got busted running in running gloves, instead of the "stock" wool gloves.

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

We wore running shoes at Ft. Benning and PT uniforms.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I used to get hassled all the time for wearing my Night Stalker PT's (all black). You really should've heard them when I wore my bright yellow Newton's. I just told them that they "accentuated" my reflective belt.

Gee, kinda sounds a lot like the U.C.sillyI.

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Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
DarkSpeedWorks.com.....Reviews.....Insta.....Facebook
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Considering that lesser metatarsal stress fractures were basically "discovered" in Army recruits (originally called marcher's fracture), I can see their point. I also went to basic (and Airborne/Ranger school) at Ft. Benning. I've also seen many patients with lesser met stress fractures since the newest barefoot trend (yes, several on this board, tri coaches, you name it). Having a recruit/soldier taken out because of it is all the justification I would need for "banning" them - ridiculous look or not.

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Dammit rroof. Why do you always have to make so much sense?

I've had a piece of metal shaped like a .223 round stuck in my leg for a few years. It's worked it's way above the muscle and is right under the skin. I swear it hurts when I squat or bend that leg all the way. Am I imagining that or can it actuall cause irritation?

Ditto.

They did allow us to bring running shoes with us to PI (in '78). I got to wear them twice - in the series 5 mile race (4th place) and in the recruit track meet (1st place 4 x 800 relay).

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Happy trails,
Chris

.223 round? You shoot yourself or friendly fire? Now, 7.62mm I'd be more purple hearted ...

Sure, can irritate. Why not simply have it removed if so superficial now?

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____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

I consider VFFs to be a tool, the primary function being to help people learn better running technique. Their secondary function would be to strengthen the foot, a function that doesn't have much merit IMHO. Having a stronger foot doesn't make you faster. Does it decrease injuries? I think you're already getting most of that from the better running technique. They work excellent in their primary function but like any tool, they can be misused. Yes, their looks is probably part of the reason but the main reason is probably that the soldiers who are using them simply aren't keeping up or are having too many blisters and injuries. VFFs should only be used by advanced runners who know how to ease into them and beginning runners who are a clean slate and can't run much anyway. For the soldiers who are expected to throw on their sneakers and report to the PT field and do everything the DI says, they probably aren't the right choice. And if you guys know anything about how the military works, if they think you might not make the right choice, they simply take the choice away from you.

Yes it does, I went to boot camp 20 years ago and we wore go-fasters. Not sure if that term is still used, but I still drop the term occasionally around my peers and they don't bat an eye.

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

Good.

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Brian Grasky
Grasky Endurance: World Championship Triathlon Coaching; Professional Training Camps
RETUL fitter, Biomechanist, USAT Level 3 Coach, USAC Level 2 Coach

Where else were you stationed? Lets see, 78 nas memphis, 79 tustin (LTA), 80 iwakuni, 81 futenma and other assorted floats and deployments.

The how and why are not important--or public knowledge--but I'm not letting some hack military doctor tear up my quad fishing this thing out. I had a lypoma removed last year and it was a disaster...dull scalpel, worthless scissors, missed half of it...I'd just assume go after it myself with a bottle of listerine and an exacto.

Man the Army is missing the boat. Vibrams should be standard military issue. The enemy is going to have horrible aim with all the giggling.

Styrrell

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Styrrell

OK then ... Just tell us how you REALLY feel!

Well, the military does have to make some cutbacks ya' know.

;-)

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____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

If you're ever near ATL the liquors on me, I'm thinking theirs a story I want to hear.

Styrrell

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Styrrell

x2

But, I have a better offer. I'll take the FB out AND buy him a beer or 3 AND get him some better drugs before/after ;-)

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____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

I'd be willing to take it out also, but I suspect he'd be better off with you.

Styrrell

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Styrrell

Coming from the Navy just recently, at our base gym for the Marines, it seemed like it was almost encouraged. Maybe because the Marine gym was focused towards crossfit, but nobody actually cared enough to tell someone to take them off. You always saw people asking the person wearing the Vibrams about them and how they worked, etc,...


Interesting find.

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Alan Kipping-Ruane, USAT Level 1, USAT Youth and Junior
Triathlon & Endurance Coach
TriGuy Multisport Coaching, LLC
http://www.TriGuyCoaching.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TriGuyCoaching

the Army is not a fitness culture. If anything it's the opposite. I am much more impressed with the Navy, Marines, Air Force, and some specialty communities within the Army such as Rangers, SF, etc.

As others have said, this is not a fitness issue... it's about control.

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

lol, go-fasters. I remember that now. "Put on your dawg gone go-fasters!"