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MBT
Barefoot Studio is one of MBT’s flagship stores. We stock the entire MBT range for men and women and offer an expert and personal fitting service. MBT are now available to buy on-line, we do recommend that you ring first for advice on sizing and fit.
“These shoes can work like a personal mini-gym… my body shape has gradually changed my upper thighs are now slimmer.”
The Times Magazine
“MBT doesn’t simply guide and cushion your feet, it changes the load on your spine and encourages the postural muscles to be more reactive and supportive. They really do work.”
Time Out
“I’ve noticed a huge difference in my posture, but the best thing has been an improvement in my lower back pain – I’ve woken up ache free for the first time in two years.”
Daily Mirror
What is MBT
When we walk more upright we not only look better, but automatically are healthier and stronger. We protect our back and joints, increase circulation and breathe more efficiently. MBT (masai barefoot technology) lengthens and strengthens the whole body while standing, walking or running.
Masai Barefoot Technology® is a swiss health & fitness concept, which exceeds all expectations.
MBT (the anti-shoe) transforms hard even surfaces into soft uneven ones. Unlike conventional shoes that support and cushion your feet, the unique construction of the MBT challenges your muscles to be more active. MBT re-establishes the natural conditions for standing and walking. MBT was the first fitness footwear to challenge your balance.
How will they help me?
Every day 10,000 shocks to your spine and other joints create feet and leg problems and a stooped passive posture. MBT shoes adapt to each hard, flat, synthetic surface to form a natural, undulating, flexible feeling. MBT straightens your posture, relieving pressure in the spine and joints, and strengthens the muscles of the feet, legs, buttocks and back. MBT helps to relieve muscular tension and reduce pain, a worthwhile investment for the health of your back, legs and feet.
How does it work?
MBT encourages muscles to be more reactive and supportive, which leads to increased shock absorption for joints and discs.
MBT shoes do not support, guide or cushion your feet, on the contrary, your feet and postural musculature will have to be more active.
Sport and Fitness
“The MBT is recommended by health professionals and professional athletes. More effective training with more fun..” Runners World
MBT is not actually a sports shoe, but can increase the pleasure of walking or jogging. MBT has developed ‘roll jogging’ which is an innovative training method resembling jogging barefoot in sand; the joints are released and the muscles balanced. Many professional sports men and women utilise roll jogging during their warm ups, to help speed up regeneration, to optimise their running style, and for speed and power training.
Therapy
Many muscular-skeletal problems originate in poor posture and faulty gait patterns. Today many health professionals use MBT successfully to help prevent and treat injuries. By taking the impact out of walking the spine is protected and not shocked with each step. Many people experience a significant reduction in lower back, hip or knee pain through the regular use of MBT.
Beauty & Cellulite
Increased muscle activity & circulation will reduce cellulite and varicose veins. Active walking tones not only the legs, but also the stomach and buttocks. Roll jogging is 3 times more effective than jogging or walking and can help with weight loss.
What style do I want?
We have all the NEW Spring 2010 MBTs in store, so even if you don’t see what you want here, give us a call as we probably have it! To view the whole range and see our prices visit our on-line store
How do I buy them?
As MBT is a sophisticated product, we recommend you first have a thorough fitting consultation in person. This session is a fundamental part of preparing you for the incredible changes that MBT have to offer as well as ensuring your correct sizing.
Barefoot Studio is one of the largest stockist of MBT in the UK and offers full fitting consultations in our shop, Monday to Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00pm, there is no need to make an appointment. Just pop in to try a pair of MBT shoes and learn how to get the most out of them. One fitting consultation is enough, after that you are free to buy as many pairs of MBTs as you like by telephone. Check out our range at www.barefootstudiostore.co.uk.
Please note if MBT is to be used as an accompanying therapy to specific health problems it is essential that you are supervised by a health professional and MBT trainer. Barefoot Studio staff are all qualified MBT trainers.
If your question isn’t answered here then please give us a call 01446 775772.
In their quest to win, athletes put incredible demands on their bodies. We think they deserve footwear that helps them reach their goals, while protecting them at the same time.
MBT’s new Athletic Collection helps to strengthen the small and often neglected muscles that protect the joints and back; areas that suffer from repeated shock and compression during sporting activities. Keeping these small but important muscles in top condition has a positive effect on the entire body, as well as on athletic performance.
Specifically designed to be worn before and after athletic competitions, MBTs can help prevent injury, as well as speed recovery and regeneration.
MBT is footwear that not only helps you stay healthy, but also helps you stay on top of your game. And nothing feels better than that.
Wearing MBTs in-between workouts not only makes you a better athlete, but a healthier one as well, since MBTs help reduce and prevent injury, while speeding recovery.
Prevention
The best way to recover from an injury is to avoid one. By strengthening small, neglected muscles, increasing core stability and reducing the load on joints and discs, MBTs can help keep you on your feet and off your back.
Core Training
Well trained core muscles are essential for all kind of sports. The trunk as the connection between legs and upper body has a key function in stabilization. Training on unstable surfaces such as wobble boards strengthens your stabilizing muscles. Because of its curved unstable sole construction, MBT offers an ideal solution for core training as walking and even standing in MBTs provides positive effects on your posture musculature and core strength. Balance and coordination improve, and movement quality is sharpened.
Recover
Serious training in any sport takes its toll. Even when injury is avoided, there is enormous stress on the body.
MBT’s modified sole construction creates an intense back-and-forth rocking and more lateral instability. This results in greater muscle activity while walking and standing.
The result of this ‘training effect’ is increased circulation and metabolism, with extra oxygen and nutrients reaching the blood, and metabolic waste being eliminated faster. In other words, muscles get more of what they need, and remove more of what they don’t.
This leads to faster recovery and regeneration of muscles. And as any good athlete knows, the quicker you can recover and resume training, the better your performance.
In fact, even just standing in MBTs can help your running.
The curved sole in combination with the Masai Sensor in the heel and the central balancing area helps to activate and strengthen core muscles, which in turn provides greater stability, something that comes in very handy on long runs.
This stability also creates a better movement pattern, so you don’t have to avoid or shorten runs because of pain.
MBTs can help reduce or even prevent many common running complaints, including problems with the knee, shin, heel and the Achilles tendon. Many of these problems are caused by poor alignment of hip, knee and ankle joints. MBTs increase stability and strengthen the lower extremities, which reduces the load on these joints, and helps to keep them aligned.
After training, using MBTs for cool down work like walking and slow running helps for faster removal of metabolic by-products that accumulate in a long run. The faster they are removed, the quicker one regenerates. MBTs also enable a very efficient stretching of the calf muscles thanks to the soft Masai Sensor in the heel.
From running and martial arts to skiing and football, MBTs can do wonders for your athletic performance.
The unique sole design creates bigger demands on your body, so even walking around the block is a workout. For more serious athletes, the same principle applies, and the benefits of any training session are increased.
Because they encourage you to work harder, MBTs can strengthen your endurance, improve balance and coordination, and sharpen movement quality.
Yet while they increase the load on your muscles, they reduce the load everywhere else. By strengthening the small stabilizing muscles, MBTs enhance core stability. This improves posture, reduces the pressure on joints and discs, and provides efficient protection against injury.
And those are qualities no mere shoe can compete with.
Wearing MBTs can have desirable side-effects: this is the conclusion of an increasing number of international studies acknowledging the numerous health benefits of the “anti-shoe”.
An all-round success
Step. Rolling action. Step. Rolling action. This simple movement creates tremendous benefit. Helping solve knee ; and back problems,; relieve tension in the neck, ease joint pains; – and more or less in passing help to tone and shape firm buttocks and thighs. And burning more calories when standing and slow running compared to ordinary shoes.
The important thing is that every one of these claims stands up to scientific research – which is why the “anti-shoe” is now even prescribed by doctors and recommended by fitness experts.
Why natural movement is so healthy
The positive effect of the MBT is based on the principle of “natural instability”. An effect which can, in fact, be achieved without the benefit of high-tech footwear: by simply walking barefoot on soft, uneven, natural ground such as sand or moss. However, in today’s thoroughly modern world this is not always easy to do – but the health benefits are significant. While wearing MBTs the body is forced to maintain its natural balance, thereby stimulating and exercising the body’s supporting muscle system which results in numerous pro-body benefits.
From hard, flat surfaces to soft, natural, uneven ground
MBTs activate and strengthen the small supporting muscles which are the body’s “natural shock absorbers”. The key to the MBT is the patented sole construction, at the heart of which is the soft Masai Sensor. It is located directly beneath the heel and simulates walking and standing on uneven ground. This creates a natural instability, to which the body responds with small, intuitive, compensatory movements. The midsole, with its integrated balancing area, requires an active and controlled rolling movement with every step. In conjunction with the Masai Sensor, the body’s entire musculoskeletal system is activated and exercised, the muscles in the buttocks, stomach and back are strengthened, posture and gait are kept relaxed and upright; and stress on the joints;; and back is relieved. Not only does the anti-shoe increase the fitness levels of its wearer with every step, it also has sustainable health benefits.
Nigg et al. 2006 a
Andriacchi et al. 2008
Nigg et al. 2007
Jørgensen 2006
Smolenski et al. 2008
Vernon et al. 2004
Nigg et al 2006 b
Linde & Stegen 2005
Hoppeler et al. 2008
Müller 2007
Nigg et al. 2008
Nigg et al. 2009