There is no shortage of race training plans, strength-building exercises, and recovery plans out there for runners. If you’ve ever followed us on our journey, you know that we think the physical aspect of running (and especially racing ultramarathons) is important…but your mental side is key too. Finding the balance in training those two for […]
Parallel bars that are low to the ground are known as parallettes. Though they might not appear to offer anything special at first glance, these little, low bars are an amazing tool. Wrist pain is one of the most common issues associated with floor exercises like planks, L-sits and handstands. Since parallettes allow your wrists […]
Stop, Drop, and Yoga Yoga has become increasingly popular over the last few years with a 50% increase of Americans doing yoga between 2012 and 2016 with approximately one in three American having tried yoga at least once, men practicing yoga has doubled (4 million in 2012 to 10 million in 2016), and 75% of […]
By Mel & Jon Sinclair “Running is 90% mental and the other 10% is in your head.” – Ray Zahab We’ve all heard it before…your mind will give up before your body. And after running a 90 hr 36 min 200 mile race…we can vouch for that statement. If this is such a big deal, […]
It might be a lot of fun, but jumping rope is not just for kids. The jump rope is a fantastic device for building stamina and athleticism, plus it’s also a great method for burning fat. In fact, a jump rope is one of the best cardiovascular conditioning tools out there–way better than a treadmill […]
When was running reduced to merely an exercise and when did we abandon the discovery and connection to the world it provides us? If your run has hit a plateau, try pointing your soles towards a goal not measured by modern, wrist-worn metrics, and run for exploration and discovery. For the past 24 months, Bears Ears has […]
Xero Shoes is a company that has come a long way. Looking back, we have come quite a long way as runners and adventurers. As we’ve grown, we’ve realized what a long way we’ve come WITH our Xero Shoes. We ordered our first pair of Xero Shoes in 2013 after reading the book Born to […]
There is an overwhelming amount of information available in the world today on how to best make the switch from regular padded or “supportive” footwear to minimalist footwear. The Xero Shoes team themselves have accumulated an amazing amount of great information and other tips on making the transition, but as a couple of ultra-marathon runners who […]
There is certain footwear that was designed to help your feet move naturally. Similarly, there are certain movement patterns that your body was designed to do. These are called the “primal movement patterns.” The primal movement patterns should form the basis for your fitness plan if you want to move better, achieve better sports performance, […]
The body can be challenging to understand, especially without extensive study both academically and experientially. Most people don’t stretch properly, simply out of a misunderstanding of what needs to be stretched. For example, you may feel sensation in your low back and so you stretch it, when the reality might be that the low back actually needs the […]