The Columbus Dispatch had another interesting photo today. They seem to have one of these sorts of “feature photos” (nice, large photos of around town, unassociated with any particular story) in each issue, and I like them. I’ve been reading newspapers for a long time (since Junior High days) and this is one of the areas I think they can distinguish themselves from all the internet content.
It seems that this past summer, an awful lot of them have featured barefoot people.
So did yesterday’s.
Here’s the photo, and the caption that went with it:
To each his own | Charlie Lawson said he and his friends, who live near Schiller Park in German Village, all find putting their balancing skills to the test on this tiny little line to be a relaxing way to unwind after school or work. The 22-year-old was "slack lining" yesterday.
Have you ever noticed how the sport that requires the utmost in balance and physical sensation from the ground is done in bare feet? I am of course talking about gymnastics. If you really, really want to turn on your proprioception, bare feet are the way to go.
That is obviously also what is going on with the slack lining in the photo. Now, I know that most tightrope walker (and, frankly, a lot of slackliners) wear shoes, or a sort of slipper. I suspect that’s because that’s what they’ve always done, and they haven’t thought about what that means. I also suspect that, since they’ve always worn shoes, their feet may not be up to doing it barefooted.
Yet, they are willing to practice on and on to get their balance right. That sort of practice with bare feet would strengthen their feet and make them that much better.
It is good to see that here.
