About Bretta Riches and Run Forefoot

My name is Bretta Riches (BSc. HON. Neurobiology, Brock University) and I research and educate the health and performance benefits of forefoot running with special emphasis on the use of barefoot running and minimalist shoes to help people excel in developing the level of mechanical precision to that of most East African professional runners as most of these runners ran barefoot throughout critical stages of mobility development. Barefoot running fundamentally provides the sensory experience necessary in optimizing the reprogramming of the neuromuscular, neuromotor and reflexive commands in a way that ensures the development of a proper forefoot strike and more functional biomechanics.

About Bretta Riches and Run Forefoot

My other fundamental goal is to use scientific evidence to help validate that walking and running barefoot leads to functional improvements in the motor pathways in the brain movement circuitry and may enhance the flow of spatial and tactile information and processing rates through the motor and reflex circuits and space-brain related areas, thus resulting in exquisite control of balance stability, postural sway as well as enhanced mechanical readiness to move MORE and feel better doing so. I also continue to emphasize the importance of minimalist footwear (functional footwear that specifically match the anatomy of the human foot and sensory effects of being barefoot) when barefooting isn’t allowable. 

Minimalist shoes are anatomically configured, barefoot-inspired footwear comprised of lightweight materials that move seamlessly relative to every sector of the foot. Another functional signature of minimalist shoes is they’re completely free of any kind of rigid structure that impedes the growth of a stronger, more enduring foot. All of this is critical for the formation of functionally stronger and tolerant feet that are less prone to pain and injury. Because the overall shape is a complete complement to the human foot, is the reason I always like to say that most minimalist shoes have a design that works for everyone, that may also help prevent some common foot ailments, too. But minimalist shoes do more than just strengthen the feet. Their thin outsole also allows the sensory input for good forefoot strike control during running and for functional improvements in overall stride mechanics, helping you consistently improve upon moving more efficiently and safely. Bottom line, traditional running shoes have never led to any great breakthroughs in injury prevention which is why I believe functional footwear is always the right answer!

To get your more familiarized with my work as well as to get you more informed on the functional benefits of barefooting, minimalist shoes and forefoot running, you can learn more here:

How Barefoot Walking And Running Can Undo Years of Broken Mobility Outputs

What Does a Proper Forefoot Strike Look Like During Running

How Traditional Running Shoes May Lead to Bad Mechanics that Make you Injury-Prone

What is ‘Proprioception” and How To Tap Into it to Take Your Biomechanics to the Next Level

My Reviews on the BEST Minimalist Shoes Most-Suited for Forefoot Running

I also have a YouTube channel, here,  where I talk at great lengths about forefoot strike vs heel strike running as well barefoot vs shoes.

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Run Forefoot Facebook Page, it's a terrific place to ask questions about forefoot running, barefoot running and injury. I'm always happy to help!

6 Comments

  1. Outstanding site. I recently returned to running after a total hip replacement following a couple years of increasing pain. Before everything went to hell however, I’d embarked on a forefoot running makeover. I spent about 4 years having more fun running than since I was a kid (I’m 65). Wonderful to be moving again. This site is one of the best I’ve seen re the biomechanics of forefoot running. Keep up the good work.

  2. This angle locations your upper body on a downward slope, which prompts the decrease pectoral muscle tissue as you push weights away out of your body.
    The primary muscular tissues focused by the cable chest fly are the pectoralis main and
    pectoralis minor, that are the big and small chest muscular tissues, respectively.
    When it involves constructing a robust and well-defined chest, compound exercises just
    like the bench press are often the go-to alternative. However, incorporating isolation workouts into your
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    The versatility supplied by varying grip and angle ensures that every cable pec exercise remains effective in promoting balanced muscular growth.
    Slowly return your arms back to the beginning place, keeping a slight bend in your
    elbows throughout the movement. Modify the burden and relaxation time according to your comfort stage and
    fitness goals. Customizing these components can help you challenge your
    self with out compromising type or risking injury. Have Interaction your core and keep a slight bend in your elbows as you bring each arms collectively
    in front of you, crossing over one another. Slowly return to the starting position against
    the resistance, sustaining management throughout.
    We hope that we launched you to some new cable back workouts that you have not seen or
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    We’ve broken down your options based mostly on your experience level and the depth that you simply need to bring to your exercise.

    With your arm slightly bent, pull the deal with across
    your physique till your arm is totally prolonged.
    Set up a cable pulley at shoulder peak and fasten a
    D-handle to the cable. Make certain to flip which foot
    is forward halfway through every set, or alternate each set for a good number of
    sets. You’ll need to work your obliques tougher during the train so as to not rotate your physique.

    To maximize the focus on your lower chest muscular
    tissues, lower the angle of your cable fly to a decline. The result is greater
    muscle tension and a greater workout in your shoulders, triceps, forearms,
    and even your core. The wonderful thing about utilizing cables
    for the bench press is that you get an elevated workout all through the whole exercise.
    You’ll should work onerous to push the load up,
    however even on the peak of the motion, the cable is forcing your muscle tissue to tense.
    You’ll get no “break” between the concentric and
    eccentric phases of the cable bench press variation. Cable machine chest workouts provide nice variety,
    ease of use, and safe training choices for
    all. Whether you’re studying to stabilize your shoulder or need to develop a
    better-looking chest for the poolside, cable chest workout routines are
    a fantastic choice.
    You’ll use compound actions like Standing Cable Chest Press
    and Incline Cable Bench Press to focus on multiple muscle
    teams simultaneously whereas specializing in heavy weight and lower rep ranges.
    Start by organising a cable machine with a D-handle attachment at chest height.
    Maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, convey your arms down and across your body in a sweeping movement, crossing them in entrance of you.
    Stand within the center of the cable machine and grab a handle in each hand—then step ahead slightly with one foot for stability.

    Set up a bench instantly between 2 cables with the cables
    set on the bottom height. Place the bench in a spot
    the place you probably can comfortably hold the handles by your
    chest on both aspect. Set up a bench between 2 cables with the cables set on the lowest peak.

    Its distinctive blend of ingredients promotes
    energy and endurance, making it a wonderful selection for athletes
    focusing on high-intensity chest workouts like cable crossovers.
    AnaFuse not only helps hypertrophy but also reduces muscle fatigue,
    enabling you to train tougher and recuperate quicker.
    Averaging the two research (one taking a glance
    at flat flyes, the opposite looking at incline flyes),
    we get 66% for the dumbbell fly in relation to the bench press.
    In comparability, the cable crossover common is 94% and the
    pec deck fly is 90%. Pressing exercises are one of the most common locations a lifter’s vary of movement falls short.
    If you do not consider me, the next time you’re at the gym,
    pay attention to the arms of a lifter performing bench presses.

    This exercise has been a staple in chest workouts for decades because of its capacity to target
    the chest muscular tissues in a singular means. Ready to up your chest recreation and
    achieve some seriously impressive positive aspects but getting a bit bored of the same old barbell and dumbbell
    routine? The barbell bench press is a compound exercise carried out on a bench utilizing a barbell.
    You carry out a barbell bench press by reducing the barbell to
    the chest and urgent it back up. The movement of a barbell bench press targets the chest muscle tissue, shoulders, and triceps.
    The barbell bench press is a highly efficient train for creating upper physique
    power, and stimulates muscle growth and energy gains in the chest.

    A.K.A the traps, this triangular broad-shaped muscle stretches from the occipital bone (base of skull) to the decrease thoracic vertebrae to the scapula.
    The major function of this muscle group is
    to help the arm and move the scapula. The content material on BOXROX is provided solely for informational and academic
    purposes. Our web site isn’t meant to exchange professional fitness and health advice, prognosis, or remedy.
    The Sunshine Heavyweight belt-holder breaks down his coaching ahead of another title protection.
    This is especially great for newbies who’re trying
    to learn the proper vary of motion or work on their mind-muscle coordination. For more advanced lifters,
    it could additionally provide the advantage of serving to muscular tissues
    modify to a motion that shall be accomplished with free weights afterward.
    Variety is the spice of life, but when all you’ve access
    to is cable machines, you presumably can definitely develop a great-looking chest.
    A cable workout routine will lend itself to a more hypertrophic expertise.
    So if you’re looking to make these pecs pop, cable machines are great.

    Very very related to the cable press on a bench but with the added instability of the exercise ball.

    Typically, you don’t want as a lot weight with less stability, but you recruit a
    bunch of stabilizing muscles that will provide you with a fantastic bang in your buck.

    Focus on keeping your core tight and your physique regular
    throughout the motion to effectively target the chest muscle tissue with out compensating with other physique
    components. Correct form is essential in stopping harm and maximizing the benefits of this exercise.

    The Cable Incline Bench Press is a top choice in terms of cable chest
    workouts for building a chiseled higher physique. This
    exercise involves the utilization of an adjustable pulley machine, the place the resistance is
    supplied by weights attached to cables and could be adjusted in accordance with one’s fitness degree.
    This cable press is similar to the cable fly and other cable crossover chest workouts, but
    the key is to keep the motion straight out in entrance of you and never transfer it vertically.

    This will focus the hassle on the higher chest and provide you with a wonderful cable chest workout.
    Engaging the upper physique, the single-arm cable crossover
    is a unilateral exercise that engages the chest muscles, including the pectoralis main and minor.

    Like flat dumbbell press, incline dumbbell press
    lets you increase the vary of movement you’d usually use on barbell bench press.
    In 2025, awareness of harm rates from improper fly form has become
    more and more important, with studies indicating that poor method can result in shoulder accidents.
    By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can significantly cut
    back your risk of injury and effectively enhance
    your upper physique strength with a chest fly exercise.
    Using the fly machine can assist in growing
    lean body mass and bone density, along with boosting your base metabolic rate.

    Working out your chest targets two primary muscle
    groups, the pectoralis main and the pectoralis minor.

    The pectoralis major is the larger of the two and sits on top of its smaller pectoralis minor counterpart.
    Chest exercises lengthen to target peripheral muscle tissue such as the serratus anterior,
    deltoids, and subclavius. Strengthening the peripheral
    chest muscular tissues is necessary for stabilizing joints and bigger muscle teams.
    For occasion, doing a single arm cable fly will not solely
    work your chest muscle tissue, but also your core muscular tissues.

    Start along with your handles set to the bottom setting and your
    bench in between the towers. There is a bit more motion involved with this
    one, so it is essential to take it sluggish at first and focus in your coordination. Your physique must rotate
    with out letting your arm drop, so ensure you’ve
    received it down before you up the load. Stand in the
    middle, going through away from the cable pulley machine, and hold a handle in each hand.

    Regulate the cable weight to make sure you
    could carry out each train with right approach while nonetheless feeling a problem.
    Additionally, incorporating slow and deliberate repetitions may help totally
    have interaction the focused muscle tissue for better results.
    Transitioning from the Cable Standing Squeeze Upper Chest Press to the Cable Standing Neutral grip Fly, this exercise targets the higher chest while participating the stabilizing
    muscles. With management, bring your arms together in entrance of you, crossing them
    at shoulder level. Slowly return to the beginning position, feeling the stretch across
    your chest as you open your arms wide once more.

    Let’s dive into the technique, advantages, and tips on how to incorporate this exercise together with effective dietary supplements into your routine for maximum results.
    I love dips and firmly believe it’s one of the best,
    perhaps one of the best, workout routines in your chest and triceps.
    In order to hit the chest more, you may make a
    simple adjustment, which basically quantities to leaning forward slightly.
    The major job of the pectoralis minor is to help in stabilizing the
    scapula.
    And a straightforward method to progress this
    train is just by using bands with larger resistance as you get stronger.
    Parallel bar dips enable for a higher vary of motion than many chest exercises.

    You should lean ahead quite than upright to train the lower chest successfully when performing dips.
    Decline Cable fly is probably certainly one of the most suitable exercises for isolating the lower
    chest muscles.
    This can result in higher muscle activation and in the
    end better outcomes. Cable machines is often a great alternative to traditional bench pressing with free weights, as they allow for a more
    steady and controlled range of movement. The resistance supplied by the cables can even provide a further problem for the muscles, notably on the peak of the motion when the muscles are
    required to maintain pressure. The capacity to shortly regulate the load and
    perform quite so much of workout routines with out the necessity
    to change equipment makes cable machines a handy and efficient choice for many
    individuals.
    Prime chest cable workouts embrace cable crossovers, which
    help build a larger and more outlined chest by targeting
    the inside and outdoors regions of the pectoralis main muscle.
    Compared to the conference bench press, it can improve
    the range of movement. The core muscles are additionally engaged to maintain steadiness and stability
    all through the motion. Cable crossover workouts, for example, can be altered and twisted to give attention to different parts of
    your chest muscle tissue.
    If you need to construct extra thickness, muscle, and power in your upper chest,
    add this incline dumbbell chest fly exercise to
    your chest workout. The reverse grip bench press is a traditional bench press train variation. It primarily targets the muscle tissue of the chest, with a particular concentrate on the higher pectoral muscle tissue.

    The lengthy head of the triceps is the part of the muscle closest to your torso.
    The lying band pullover is a superb various to the
    barbell pullover or dumbbell pullover. This makes the incline band press suitable for folks with joint sensitivity.
    The single-leg push-up is certainly one of the most challenging kinds of push-up.
    Diamond push-ups, also called triangle push-ups, are a extra 
    superior type of the basic push-up. The Hindu
    push-up is a traditional Indian-style exercise practiced by wrestlers.
    Check tips on how to do them accurately and blast
    your muscle tissue at residence or the fitness center.

    The chest press machine is one of the hottest pieces of gym gear designed to work the chest muscular tissues.

    The machine usually consists of a seat, a backrest, and a set of handles aligned together
    with your chest degree. The barbell bench press is considered one of the most in style chest-building workout routines, but 
    many lifters endure from shoulder pain when using the standard barbell bench.
    That’s why it’s so necessary to incorporate these
    finest dumbbell decline fly workout routines into your chest exercise routine.
    The decline dumbbell bench press is an excellent train to
    work your decrease chest muscular tissues.
    The barbell guillotine press is a sophisticated chest train that intensely targets the upper
    pectoral muscles.
    Cable Standing-Up Straight Crossovers are
    a vital exercise for targeting the chest muscle tissue and enhancing
    strength and size. When performing this exercise, stand upright and pull the cables across your chest in a straight line whereas crossing them over at the midpoint.
    This adaptability permits for a custom-made workout
    experience tailored to particular person wants
    and fitness ranges. When it comes to attaining
    optimum muscle activation, the cable machine’s adjustability
    performs a vital function.
    When we talk about acute coaching variables, we’re
    referring to these particular elements of a exercise that
    may be adjusted and manipulated to affect muscle adaptation and development.
    Understanding these variables is pivotal to getting the chest positive aspects
    you want. Shoulder control and deltoid development are pivotal
    features of upper body strength and aesthetics.
    So, let’s break down the main muscular tissues in the chest, and see how we are in a
    position to hit them successfully with cables.

    References:

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