Barefootstrength Reviews 17

BareFoot Strength Academy boasts a wealth of incredibly high quality instructional videos and articles- in both production value and content- on retraining body mechanics from the feet up. This gives members an amazing shot at improving their various issues. I personally came to BFS Academy because I have had plantar fasciitis for ten years. While I've only just started my individualized training program (available to members at an additional cost), I am someone who has spent years rehabbing other body parts. And, appraising BFS Academy with that experience, I am confident that it has most if not all of what I need to learn.

I'm so happy to have found Barefoot Strength!!
I spent almost two years trying to identify the root causes of my foot issues and all I found were doctors and specialists who wanted to address pain symptoms with shoe inserts. The Barefoot Strength member consultation gave me the insight to understand systematically how issues in my back, hips, and legs were causing my foot pain and what I can do to fix it.

After getting my assessment and custom workout plan, I finally felt hopeful that my issues are fixable and I don't have to just live with pain and limitations.

So much online content (even paid content) is mass produced these days and seems very impersonal. Chris at Barefoot Strength took the time to create a video explaining my customized assessment and personal training plan. It's easy to see his passion and knowledge and that level of authenticity is impactful and motivating.

After implementing the recommendations and following the workouts for about 3 weeks (of my multi-month plan), I feel stronger in my glutes and legs and my foot pain is noticeably improved.

Mobility issues are life limiting. Improving mobility issues is life changing. Barefoot Strength has the expertise and is ready to help.

The Barefoot strength program is PHENOMENAL. The structure of the whole course and workouts have really been thoroughly researched, developed, and executed perfectly inside the program. I have been a part of the program for almost 2 months and I am staying so consistent with it! The workouts are so much fun and most importantly, so effective! If I could give 10 stars I would! The major star here though is Chris, he really does such amazing work, which shows how much he truly is dedicated to helping others. He actually communicates with his members and responds to their needs, not many people do that in membership programs, and personally I think that is incredible! The foot and glute connection is so important to our wellbeing, it literally shapes the way we move through life and it’s so important to have such a great foundational program to follow to achieve this. I am so happy to be apart of his community, Thank you!!

I discovered the barefoot strength programs through my osteopath in autumn last year.

I've been having lower back pain for over a decade. I'd been doing stretching and self massage classes over the years and had been avoiding addressing the route of my issues, weakness and instability.

I tried Chris's program as there was a free trial month - long enough to notice if I could be consistent and track any changes.

I messaged through the app for support how best to approach all the exercises and found the pre designed courses accessible, engaging and effective.

I've been doing the 15 minute workouts every morning for a few months and I'm really amazed at how much change there is in my body.

I walk down the street and feel strong. I can bend over and pick up the recycling without worrying about my back. I can bend, twist and reach knowing I'm taking care of my body every day. I can squat and hang which is so much fun!

I wouldn't start my day any other way now.
Give the academy a go, stick at it and you'll see changes.

Barefoot strength, Chris and the team - thank you for creating this.

I discovered BFS via YouTube and loved the content. I wanted to go deeper and was so glad to see that they offer a more personalized program. I signed up and the protocols for bunion healing and foot strengthening are priceless! So few PTs address these issues properly. The exercise protocols are targeted to your needs depending on your own personal strength /fitness level, which Chris makes easy to determine. I highly recommend BFS.

I first came across Barefoot Strength Academy after trawling the Internet and YouTube looking for help for my 12 year old son's foot problems. Little did I know that I would be about to find the answer to my own foot and joint mobility problems.

After signing up and taking a series of Physical Assessment Tests, a self-score gives a level out of 4, with 4 being the top score. With your weaknesses in mind, the website is set up to allow you to develop your own exercise routines to raise your particular level and strengthen your body . Alternatively, you can take advantage of pre-compiled workout routines for those needing an "open-and-go" approach in 15-30 minutes per day. All protocols and exercise workouts are backed up by latest research and provide links and access to various studies for those who want to dive deeper into the science.

Subscribers can comment and ask questions and often answer and help each other with queries.

Besides the well presented and explained exercise routines and workouts, Chris himself will answer questions and give professional advice in a personable way and genuinely cares about each person's progress and development. No AI here!

I am so glad I took the punt and subscribed to BFS. Already within 2 weeks of daily workouts, I have seen a reversal of some of my joints' stiffness, notably ankles and hips, and my shoulders are following suit. I had resigned myself to my stiffness being a part of life now in my 50s, but after only a few weeks of daily workouts, I have seen so many positive results! And I am also being educated to help my kids with their posture, gait and ankle issues.

If you lead a sedentary lifestyle and notice stiffness and problems in mobility, I highly recommend Barefoot Strength Academy. You wont regret it. If this mother of 10 and grandmother of 2 can achieve results, anyone can!

Barefoot strength is a gem in the world of fitness coaching. It manages to combine personal attention, charismatic presentation, and most importantly, very tailored no-nonsense guidance in minimalist packaging that is actually doable in today's busy world. Kudos!

I found these guys on Youtube while transitioning to barefoot shoes, a few years back. It was, and still is, one of the few resources that I can trust for anything barefoot related, since everything is backed up by scientific research and Chris is an experienced professional.

I first bought the Strong Feet course which really helped me gain more robust feet - stronger and higher arches (I had flat feet before) - as well as overall improved foot function and better responses higher on the chain.

Since I joined the online Academy this summer - a more complete approach than the single course I took - I tried a bit of everything posted there, but mostly focused on my glutes - they were and still are my weakest link, according to several tests and retests haha. Today I can say that i went from a shy level 2 close to a decent 4 (the scale is 1 to 4). And I can really feel it in everyday movement, not just during training: I can do more, for longer, without my left hip bothering me so much; sometimes, way more often than before, I have no pain there and/or in my lower back, which was a nuisance for such a long time now (although I paid thousands of euros in celebrated recovery clinics for several years).

I guess that my main takeaway from these last few months is that I don t really need so much “strength" training, in the classic sense, it seems that even doing the daily mobility drills in the academy for long enough adds more strength on the long run.

So just go for it and be patient.

Can’t wait for level 4 workouts, feels like i outgrew most of the L3 ones.

Cheers!

I decided to join this program four months ago with an open mind, and basically just push aside and erase everything I thought I knew about form, mechanics, muscle building/strengthening, technique, working out, home rehabilitation, therapy, etc. I wanted to go into the Academy with a fresh beginning, open mind, and new perspective because I was not getting any results or seeing improvements with what I was doing before.

For the past few years, I have been dealing with these issues: weak core, glutes, feet, ankles, tight hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, calves, instability, and lack of mobility/ balance. Everything Chris talks about in these videos was describing exactly what I was going through. Due to all my instabilities and weaknesses, it basically created a kink in my chain from the ground up and snowballed from there. I eventually started having lower back pain on the right side around my Si Joint. Doctors and physical therapist kept telling me I had an Si Joint disfunction, and my MRI results showed that everything looked normal, Thank God! It seemed as though physical therapy was my only option at the time to get that area strong again, at least that is what they would tell me. I ended up doing therapy because I did not know what else to do. It was not a good idea though, every time I did therapy I would always feel worse at the end of the day. It was just not worth going anymore! Not to say that therapy, injections, or treatments do not work, it just did not do anything in my case.

What I have learned from the Academy is that the discomfort I was experiencing and feeling was basically caused from all weaknesses and instabilities I have in these problematic areas. They were not working cohesively together to do their job properly, which caused my lower back to step in and be compromised to take the bulk/brunt of the load! I have been so frustrated for years, living with discomfort and I could never figure out how to fix it. I never knew why, and where the real issues were stemming from. I really believe now the real issue was not my lower back, it was all the other unaddressed areas that were being neglected.

As of today, four months later I have been feeling way better like a completely different person. I have more body awareness and have stimulated some new changes in my body which have allowed me to adapt to new patterns and habits. I am more conscious throughout my day/evening about how I move around, sit, bend over, kneel down, squat, lay down, get up, and just overall posture. These little changes have really made a difference in how my body feels as a whole. The workouts have given me the ability and opportunity to have a better life and movement. I have acquired better balance, strength, stability, mobility, my pronation has improved significantly, and my glutes and core feel engaged. I feel as though everything is coming together seamlessly, and every day is progress in the right direction. I am so happy to be a part of the Academy and finally found someone who gets it and understands!

The quality of the content is Top Notch.
The videos are well organized and detailed support is given to help navigate the platform to find the videos that fit your goals.
The content of the videos is fun, interesting, detailed and filled with tips and info on "how to" and "why to" do the activity being taught.
Chris is very responsive and interactive when you have questions or need guidance.
Highly Recommend!

From the days of coming across Chris' Barefoot Strength on YouTube to becoming a member of his online platform, you can really perceive the care he's put into the membership program. Of course, it is up to us as members to bring our A-game and give it our all. After the initial assessment, members can focus on building a strong foundation whereby the feet and glutes are addressed through daily activities based on your assessed level. It's motivating to see the progress made and the encouragement to keep going the distance! I recommend the membership for folks who wish to dial in on strengthening their feet and glutes and just overall build a resilient foundation for their long-term gains and wellbeing.

Chris's strength is his incredible depth of knowledge and attention to detail. HIs ability to break down the simplest movements and provide a detailed exercise program tailored to your ability is the reason I am highly recommending this to everyone. Regardless of your age, ability, restrictions, Chris meets you where you are and guides you to improving. I have been following his program constructed for me for almost 6 months and the progress I have seen has far exceeded my expectations. I also love Chris's strong emphasis on education and learning - even beyond the scope of the Academy.

I’ve been following Barefoot Strength’s content for years, and it has made a huge difference in my health and confidence. Chris guided me through a really challenging time when I was dealing with back issues. Instead of just giving generic advice, he helped me understand what movements to avoid and what to focus on so I could build up my strength again safely.

What I appreciate most is his patient, holistic approach. He took the time and effort to understand my situation and gave me practical, step-by-step guidance that I could actually stick with. The results have carried through into everyday life! I feel much stronger, more resilient, and even more confident in my running!

Chris is extremely knowledgeable and down to earth and approachable. I highly recommend Barefoot Strength to anyone looking for expert, personalised guidance.

This service helped me get rid of my pain and hike my first fourteener at age 60. When visited my daughter in Colorado this last February I developed some acute pain from a Morton's Neuroma. While out there I had decided to go back and hike Pike's Peak, which would be my first fourteener. As a part of my investigation into my foot pain I landed at barefoot strength. Although I did not go as deep into the program activities as I intended to, the range of motion exercises and some of the strength work slowly increased the health of my feet. I also progressed in the size of, as well as the time I spent wearing, toe spacers. I transitioned to zero drop shoes exclusively. My goals were no more pain, which was like a level 8 a few months ago, and then to get up the mountain. I was not sure if I could do either. The pain was really bad with every movement. I'm reporting no pain today, and, I summited the mountain in June. Barefoot strength is cool because they get back to you with a personalized program that starts slow but still pushes you. The range of motion work got me started. I did some of the strength work...primarily feet and ankle. I use my sauna every other day, and I religiously did balance work and the toe stretching and foot massage videos in the sauna. Using a fascia blasting tool I was surprised at how much knotted fascia I got rid of over time on the bottom of my feet. My feet are much more flexible and, I believe, have better blood flow and oxygenation now. I was interviewed for a youtube channel regarding my pain free lifestyle now (back and feet) and I gave barefoot strength a shout out in the video. I own several pairs of xero shoes, one pair of Lems, and a couple of Altra's now. My weapon of choice for the mountain was a pair of Altra hikers with a SOLO insert with MET pad, and I wore toe spacers up the mountain. I've found that time using the spacers works wonders. I not only made it up the mountain, but decided to take a shuttle down due to weather, so I was able to hike up the mountain to the campsite to collect some gear I left that I did not carry to the top the next day...an additional 14 miles up and back. I also purchased a rebounder as a part of my training. I talked with barefoot strength about this and they recommended jumping rope, but I found this a little difficult on my joints at age 60. Using the rebounder allowed me to wear toe spacers and do some foot and balance work on the rebounder as well, which I think also really helped. Using the toe spacers, toe splay work, along with exercise, I actually spread out my metatarsals and increased my shoe size from an 11 in Feb 25 to a 12.5 in June of '25. I would encourage everyone to push into this program and work with your body. In the beginning I was a little nervous as the program and what I was doing seemed to be creating more discomfort at first, but as I changed the way I interact with the ground a lot of that went away. I also was not quite sure if I could get healthy enough in time, but it all came together. I think one of the best things about barefoot strength is the advice to do a little every day and not eat the whole elephant in one bite so to speak. For a person like me, who just goes full blast into everything, this was really hard to accept. The training just felt so slow at first. I learned my lesson the hard way when I ran five miles in my barefoot xero shoes before I was ready and hobbled myself for a week. This only drawback I found is in the beginning I kept getting kicked off the Circle app. Chris is an excellent and STRATEGIC trainer. Oh, I have also had to buy all new shoes now because my feet have changed so much. Highly recommended.

I’ve been following Barefoot Strength for a few years (on both the YouTube channel and most recently on the Academy) and it has completely changed the way I move and feel in my body. I used to struggle with lower back and knee pain, but since learning how to move better, those pains are gone.

I finally understand what it means to feel my glutes working, and that awareness has made a huge difference, especially in everyday life. I’m also much more aware of my body overall: how I move, how I feel, and what needs attention. That kind of connection is something I didn’t even realize I was missing before.

It’s been one of the best investments I’ve made for my health. Chris is very helpful and explains things in a way that just makes sense.

Highly recommend if you want to build real strength and move pain-free.

I had an exceptional experience working with Chris at Barefootstrength. What truly sets Chris apart is his meticulous attention to detail and his understanding that every client is unique. Rather than applying a generic, one-size-fits-all approach, he took the time to thoroughly assess my specific needs and developed a completely personalized treatment plan.

Chris was instrumental in helping me overcome my lower back pain through his comprehensive approach. He didn’t just address the symptoms but dove deep into identifying and strengthening my underlying muscle weaknesses and correcting problematic movement patterns that were contributing to my issues. His expertise in biomechanics and functional movement really shone through in how he systematically addressed each area that needed improvement.

The membership program at Barefootstrength is absolutely fantastic and represents incredible value. The content is thoughtfully organized and remarkably easy to navigate, making it simple to find exactly what you need when you need it. The program offers a wealth of helpful resources, exercises, and educational materials that perfectly complement the in-person sessions. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into creating a user-friendly platform that genuinely supports your fitness journey.

Chris’s holistic approach, combined with his genuine care for his clients’ long-term success, makes him an outstanding practitioner. His ability to educate while treating ensures you understand not just what you’re doing, but why you’re doing it.

Thank you, Chris, for your dedication, expertise, and for helping me achieve such significant improvements in my health and movement quality!

Firstly the assessment gave me a great idea of where I was at, regards my physical abilities!! I am a 66 yr old male who has had back surgery .The academy has been immense in helping me figure out not only what is best for me to prevent further injury but also at the same time improve my quality of life from a physical perspective!! I now have a clear idea of what to do and what not to do 👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏