RKC News - August 2016

When looking around in the colorful community of RKC kettlebell trainers, many have one thing in common: they train barefoot or in shoes that at first glance would never be associated with sports, flat and without supportive function. You rarely see these athletes in fashionable fitness shoes that cushion them on millimeter-high foam pads. The athletes of RKC quickly understood the important role of a healthy and strong foot and the impact it has on performance and capability. Like other areas of the human body, the foot adapts to its daily demands, and those who are cushioned and supported every day will atrophy, becoming weak and unhealthy.

The tasks of the feet are much more extensive than just standing or walking, although they master that alone and are exposed to enormous and underestimated loads: on a day when a lot of walking is done, a 70 kg person subjects their feet to a load of about 2500 tons.

In addition, there is a very high number of touch and sensory receptors in the sole of the foot and in the toes that constantly inform the body about the terrain, the ground, and the position of the feet in space to react to changes in situations faster than the mind can → it is almost impossible to roll an ankle barefoot. A skill that is unfortunately completely taken away from us by wearing thick shoe soles and can even be unlearned with prolonged use.

The three different foot arches, supported by muscles, are our "first line of defense" when it comes to absorbing shock effects on the musculoskeletal system. If there are misalignments in the feet, it can lead to shifts and imbalances throughout the body, starting from the knees, through the hips, spine, shoulders, and down to the jaw. Many complaints can actually be traced back to issues in the foot area. How important a healthy, stable foot is, everyone knows who has ever had the idea (for whatever reason) to do swings, deadlifts, or squats on an unstable surface. This takes away the ability for optimal power development, and one will never be able to reach their potential, not to mention the risk of injury.

Thus, a healthy and stable foot is not only an important aspect of holistic health but also for the development of optimal athletic performance.

The foot is a marvel of natural engineering. Both feet contain 52 bones, making up a quarter of the entire skeleton. Additionally, each foot has 19 muscles, 33 joints, 109 ligaments, and 1700 nerve endings. The healthy Achilles tendon can withstand a pulling force of one ton, and the average woman walks a distance of 214 km while shopping in a year.