Reading this article and some of the comments reminded me that a few years ago, when I first started running (for the first time ever) and got to the 5+ mile range, my knee and foot started hurting. Long story short, running in the wrong shoes caused me to get plantar fasciitis. As it turns out, I learned in my late 30s that I have flat feet. What? They certainly don't look flat. In fact, by looking at my feet, I'd say I have a high arch! I don't know how I forgot all those weeks of rehabbing, taping, ultrasound treatment and massages to help my condition but I guess when the pain resurfaces, so do the memories. My doctor had me fitted for orthotics (which I never wore after spending a fortune on them) and I remember the diagnosis was something with a "fallen arch". It appears to be a high arch until my foot hits the ground. There, my arch does too. When I switched out the shoes, the problem was solved. (and poof, the memory of how I got there too, apparently).
This whole foot cramping during high impact exercise brought it all to light. It makes sense that my arches would cramp when I am jumping for a solid half hour on my toes. The first thing I did was take my shoes OFF. I was wearing New Balance Minimus because I knew that running shoes would be a bad idea and because I have no other cross training shoes. These are pretty close to not wearing anything as the name implies and I usually love knocking around in them. However, T25, them and me were not a good combo. I didn't need more days of torture to figure that out.
Days 3 through 5 of T25 were fantastic...great work outs and minimal if no cramping. My husband noticed on day 5 (when we worked out together again) and thought I was nuts to be doing it all barefoot. I'll admit, the hardest things are: Jump Squats (the landing is hard on my feet...some cushion would be nice) and Mountain Climbers (Alternating leg lifts while in plank position...my feet kept slipping with fast repetition). Also, those days were not as high impact as the first two so apples and apples they were not.
Over the weekend, we did the Cardio DVD again (from Day 1) and we started the rotation again last night (Cardio Back to back!). I did them both barefoot and my feet did cramp but not as severely. I am not certain if it's that I am strengthening those little muscles in my feet and it's helping the situation or if it's because I'm just getting use to it. Nevertheless, I will say that I still need some support for the landings and grip so I'll look to find alternatives to the minimus in a cross training shoe.
The search is not over but I am hopeful that those muscles ARE indeed getting stronger and relieving the tension from the fascia during all those jumps. We'll see...I will update any findings, in the mean time I'll be "Focusing" barefooted!
~V
P.S - an update to the T25 review, I'll just say this...I have done Cardio 3x now and it's getting easier. So much so that I went for a run immediately after the 2nd time. My thumper is getting stronger already! :)
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