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In this video, Coach Barr breaks down the effective working area of a shoe sole — the real surface that allows the heel and forefoot to perform their natural roles. Every shoe has design limits that define how much of the heel can pitch, how much the plantar plates can load, and how force is transferred through the foot.
A thick sole isn’t automatically bad or good — it’s about how much working area it provides for the heel and forefoot to interact with the ground. When that area is balanced, the heel can manage collision, and the forefoot can express motion efficiently. But when the working area is reduced — as in overly soft or overly flat soles — the body loses its natural sequencing, leading to tension, inefficiency, and joint stress.
Understanding this area explains why some thick-soled shoes outperform minimalist shoes: they let the heel and forefoot do what nature designed — share work through leverage and timing.
In this video, Coach Barr breaks down the effective working area of a shoe sole — the real surface that allows the heel and forefoot to perform their natural roles. Every shoe has design limits that define how much of the heel can pitch, how much the plantar plates can load, and how force is transferred through the foot.
A thick sole isn’t automatically bad or good — it’s about how much working area it provides for the heel and forefoot to interact with the ground. When that area is balanced, the heel can manage collision, and the forefoot can express motion efficiently. But when the working area is reduced — as in overly soft or overly flat soles — the body loses its natural sequencing, leading to tension, inefficiency, and joint stress.
Understanding this area explains why some thick-soled shoes outperform minimalist shoes: they let the heel and forefoot do what nature designed — share work through leverage and timing.