** I know a lot of people talk about Vibrams. But hear me out on how much they have helped me improve my leg strength,

Weight lifting:

-Working out without the cushion and support of say Nikes your going to build up more muscle and strength in your feet and legs.

-Watch Pumping Iron you will see all of the old school bodybuilders, Arnold, Columbo etc working out BAREFOOT. Why? it allows you to have better form in dead-lifts, squats and more range of motion on calf raises.

-Vibrams are also really comfortable and I found they grip better than most shoes.

-Stretches, it allows you to bend your foot and toes that would be restricted in most shoes.

Running:

-First off it is a killer calf workout running in Vibrams. That is the first thing I noticed my calf's would get a great pump then burn like hell then go numb.. I also increased my distance a ton while running in them. I began to average 20 miles a week running on the side walk and trail running.

For beginners:

It will take about three months to get used to running in them/ START OUT SLOW!! You will injure your feet. Run in grass along the side walk or run on AstroTurf up at a high school stadium. Also you can just walk around in them, no need to jump right into running. For three months it was not uncommon for my feet to bruise and bleed. But I always jump into everything full force... If your feet do get sore ice them. Fill up a bucket with ice and water and soak them for 10-15 mins. This helps a lot!