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Jump Performance following Foot Muscle Training: Influence of Barefoot versus Shod Exercise
1Toin University of Yokohama, Department of Sport Science, Kanagawa, Japan, Yokohama.
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|May 11, 2026
Summary
Barefoot training significantly enhances foot muscle strength and improves forward jump distance compared to shod training or no training. This suggests barefoot exercise offers superior adaptations for athletic performance.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science and Performance Analysis
Background:
- Foot muscle strength is crucial for jumping performance.
- Adaptation differences between barefoot and shod training are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of 8-week barefoot (BARE), shod (SHOD), and control (CON) training programs on foot muscle strength and jump performance.
- To investigate the time course of adaptations in response to different training conditions.
Main Methods:
- Healthy, habitually shod, non-athlete adults participated in the study.
- Training groups (BARE, SHOD) performed 60-minute sessions twice weekly for 8 weeks.
- Assessments included toe flexor strength, foot arch height, and jump performance (vertical jump, standing broad jump).
Main Results:
- Barefoot training led to earlier and progressive increases in toe flexor strength (starting week 2) compared to shod training (starting week 4).
- Standing broad jump distance improved significantly in the barefoot group after 8 weeks, outperforming the control group.
- Vertical jump height showed similar improvements across all groups.
Conclusions:
- Identical barefoot training elicits earlier and more pronounced improvements in foot muscle strength.
- Barefoot training may enhance forward jump performance more effectively than shod training.
- These findings highlight the potential benefits of barefoot training for developing foot strength and athletic capabilities.
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