Is this a good shoe for playing badminton casually? I'm not a pro or anything close. It looks comfy for walking and light running and seem to be very light. Here is link: http://www.nike.com/nikefree/usa/index.jhtml?ref=http://www.nike.com/nikefree
they look slightly high on the heel, but as long as you don't plan on any training and just going out ot hit wiht some friends, they should be fine.
i wouldnt recommend them, ive got a pair and i know they fold really easy at the ankles. if you're not careful, you could twist your ankles very bad, very easily.
You shouldn't even use them for running constantly. They are specifically for training muscles that rarely get trained. The concept of nike free was of joggers running on golfing greens to train their feet, a common practice among professional joggers. Nike saw thsi and created Nike Free. Use them once for every two times you jog with normal shoes, so you can strengthen up muscle that you normally wouldn't strengthen with normal running shoes. So don't use them for badminton. Its not like you'll play with bare feet right? =P
Now, you guys are all afraid of injury. Is that because: A. Agile movement is inherently dangerous B. The ability of your feet and ankles to act as a shock absorbers/force transferrer is impaired due to lack of training and overprotective footwear A foot is able to change its mechanical properties in react to internal and external stimuli. Shoes, particularly heavy supportive ones? Not so much. I believe that a big part of the future of sports footwear will involve shoes that simply allow the feet to do what it does best.
Interesting. The ad/ the webpage says you can run in hard surfaces like asphalt. What muscles that running barefoot actually trains exactly? Maybe, people who like yo or wanna try playing badminton barefoot could try this shoe out, since its closest to playing barefot. Well, looks like i'll be buying real badminton shoes now.
espescially b, friend wore these shoes while playing, the sides ripped in about a month , these are not made for quick lateral movements, don't reccommend them.
Don't dismiss this idea too quickly. There are some sports practitioners (and argue it quite convincingly) who advocate this idea. The thesis is that overly supportive shoes lead to the atrophy of our feet. A good analogy would be strengthening your core in order to increase your power. You don't wear a back brace to do this but do strengthening exercises. @stumblingfeet: I would appreciate links on this if you know of any. thanks.
Dude, are we talking about constantly playing a sport that usually requires shoes (such as badminton, tennis, basketball etc), without using shoes? Training, I can understand, to make the foot muscle stronger. But constantly beign in a sport without shoes? (swimming doesnt count. Nor does beach volleyball ) Back on topic, I have a pair of Nike Frees. They will rip, if you play badminton, in less than a game. Trust me =)
It's pretty bad for badminton... The ankle support is really for badminton... And they are suppose to be for running
Totally agreed. There is no lateral support. Sure it's a light shoe so what?? Compare it to a badminton shoe=bad. You'll probably end up with sore feet/sprained ankles.
I think playing barefeet not worth the risk or injury and pain given the uncertain benefit of doing so. Imagine your partner shoe landing on your bare foot after doing jump smash, mama mia!
i agree while playing bare footed is a bad idea, i do understand where stumblingfeet and pumpkin are standing with their ideas. long ago, while we were running bare footed, we were hunters. nowadays, while we run with supportive shoes, we are weak. obviously i'm speaking in very general terms, but i'm sure you see what i'm getting at.
I disagree! If the non-shod state was ideal for running, sports, etc., why would we have invented shoes? After all, without shoes we'd have largely calloused feet which may compromise nimbleness, although that's just a large assumption. Regardless, sport scientists have put a lot of research into determining the pressure and impact requirements of different kind of sports and shoes have at least subjectively demonstrated enhanced performance pretty effectively. Not to mention shoes act as cushions... having the right shoes and soles can make all the difference to someone with terrible shin splints, osgood-schlatters, knee problems, hamstring/quad problems (speaking from experience... mine and many others). This is especially critical for those who pronate and require arch support, otherwise even running barefoot on a soft surface can be extremely painful. Keep in mind as well that unshod humans were working with different ground surfaces than we are today (ashphalt, wood, rubbers), and those who migrated to areas that were more predominately rocky appropriated shoes as part of their cultural dress. Even the earliest humans created a variety of moccasins and sandals to protect their feet. I doubt we'd be doing it if there wasn't good reason.
I'm probably one of the few people who actually do. But, I use Nike Free 7.0 Cross Trainer. Reason: its designed to support lateral movements. Also, I only use them to do drills and light play. Bear in mind that Nike Free models are designed to be worn this way. Its a supplement to your training that helps strengthen your feet. You're supposed to wear them half of the time. That is, you're supposed to wear them during training and then change to your regular shoes during play. For your own safety, please don't wear Nike Free models designed for running.
