Whole Body Barefoot by Katy Bowman

A Guide for Successfully Transitioning to Minimalist Shoes

Minimalist footwear―shoes that protect your feet while still permitting them to move freely―can be very helpful in improving foot form and function. Being barefoot is a natural part of being human, but research shows that simply kicking off your shoes and releasing your feet into the wild can pose challenges in some cases (especially after many years or decades of wearing conventional footwear). Whole Body Barefoot will help you safely and effectively transition to minimalist footwear and will allow you to reap the enormous benefits of freeing your feet without injuring yourself along the way.

Contains Helpful Exercises & Key Insights About Foot Health

Whole Body Barefoot includes descriptions (with supporting images) of 25 exercises designed to create strong and supple feet, info about the mechanics of bunions and pronation, thoughts on how to strengthen weak ankles and arches, ideas on how to figure out your true shoe size, and insight into the importance of walking on natural surfaces. With clear, science-based explanations, author Katy Bowman describes how conventional shoes and artificial environments can leave you with sedentary feet, and she outlines the steps necessary to restore lost foot function and improve health, naturally.

“In Whole Body Barefoot, Katy Bowman clearly outlines how most footwear changes the natural shape of our feet, and by extension, the function of our entire body. By applying the principles in this book, you will be able to restore your foundation and prevent dysfunction. This is the best form of healing, and it is for all of us.” ―Ray McClanahan, DPM, creator of Correct Toes

“As Katy Bowman knowledgeably―and often humorously―explains, the concepts of barefoot biomechanics and minimal footwear aren’t just about feet. Whole Body Barefoot offers a nuanced discussion of minimal shoes as just one potential component of a whole-body solution to what so often is really a whole-body problem.” ―Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor, Lower Extremity Review Magazine

“Whole Body Barefoot is an indispensable guide for anyone looking to make the successful transition to minimalist footwear, with the added bonus of improving the function of the body.” ―Paleo Magazine

“I truly admire anyone who can make me laugh and learn at the same time, especially when it comes to my favorite subject of all, the body. I also enjoy someone who has the ability to take sophisticated and sometimes confusing terms or principles and break them down into practical bits of information that are applicable to daily life. Whole Body Barefoot does this time and again, and it's one of the most important reasons I adore the book so much.” ―Preston Ray Fitness

“This is a must-have book for anyone with feet!” ―Ben Greenfield, athlete and author of Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance, Health and Life

Bestselling author, speaker, and leader of the Movement movement, biomechanist Katy Bowman, M.S., is changing the way we move and think about our need for movement. Her various books, including the groundbreaking Move Your DNA, have been translated into more than a dozen languages worldwide.

Bowman teaches movement globally and speaks about sedentarism and movement ecology to academic and scientific audiences such as the Ancestral Health Summit and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Her work is regularly featured in diverse media, such as the Today Show, CBC Radio One, the Seattle Times, The Joe Rogan Experience, and Good Housekeeping.

One of Maria Shriver’s “Architects of Change” and an America Walks “Woman of the Walking Movement,” Bowman consults on educational and living space design to encourage movement-rich habitats. She has worked with companies like Patagonia, Nike, and Google as well as a wide range of non-profits and other communities to create greater access to her “move more, move more body parts, move more for what you need” message.

Her movement education company, Nutritious Movement, is based in Washington State, where she lives with her family.

• Publisher: Propriometrics Press; Illustrated edition (April 5, 2015)
• Paperback: 180 pages
• ISBN-13: 9780989653985
• Weight: 9 ounces
• Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
• Forward By: Erwan Le Corre, founder of MovNat