ABOUT KINEYA MUTEKI

Our Tabi running shoes are made in collaboration with Shoji Takaoka, a Japanese barefoot runner promotes this running style throughout Japan.

 

Mr. Takaoka asserts that running barefoot or in barefoot shoes can ameliorate knee and lower back injuries and help strengthen core muscles, which is beneficial for your entire body.

 

We hope our Tabi running shoes will be your first choice when trying to “regain the natural gait when walking and running.”

 


The intrinsic foot muscles are activated by their special thin soles.

 

The thicker soles of a traditional running shoe can interfere with the natural functioning of your foot.

The KINEYA MUTEKI does not have cushioning or support in its soles. It gives the closest barefoot experience you can get with its thin and flexible soles. The shoe naturally encourages you to land on your midfoot or forefoot rather than your heel. That is your natural movement. Now is the time to regain true running form with MUTEKI. Learn more health benefits of Tabi>> 

Experience the ground as you experience the scenery.

 

There are many roads in the world. By wearing these shoes, you will realize that there are also various surfaces in the world concrete floors, fields of soft grass, unpleasant gravel paths, etc. The more you wear these high-tech running shoes, the less you will feel the ground. We hope you will experience the various surfaces the same way you experience the scenery in front of you. 

We use no technologies with trendy or catchy names.

 

Exciting “technology” is incorporated into the standard running shoes of today. This technology often has an attractive name, and when you hear about it, you may be compelled to want it.

 

However, the technology could interfere with the natural movement of your foot. Running fast is exhilarating, but our shoes are made to enable you to run for a long time.

Odd-looking?  You'll get the last laugh.

 

“What is that?!” ― People who never wear these shoes might snort with laughter. But you don’t care what others think. You will be able to land on your midfoot or forefoot with the help of the thin and flexible soles of these shoes. They give you the sensation of being barefoot, and they also help you run with the natural movement humans originally have.

So, who gets the last laugh? You do.

A manual is included.

 

Heavily cushioned, thick-soled running shoes are the latest trend. This design can be a risk factor for running-related injuries.

 

The idea was simple: Extend your running life span by regaining your natural running gait.

 

In addition to instruction for the shoes, the included manual provides tips on running and breathing properly. 

Start out with short runs or walks.

 

It will take some time to get used to this shoe, and quickly transitioning to this footwear may increase your risk for injury. In the beginning, the shoes can leave your feet sore, and little-used muscles such as calf muscles may be fatigued. We encourage you to take time to regain your natural running gait. As your lower legs and feet adjust to the shoes, you can begin wearing them for longer runs or walks.

 

 

Yes, there are shoes in this box.

 

The shoes will arrive in an original shoe box. You may be surprised at how thin and flat it is, but there really are shoes in there! The shoes feature 5-mm soles. The lower the heel-to-toe drop, the more the shoes guide you to land on your midfoot or forefoot.


FAQ

 

If I replace my old pair with Tabi running shoes, will my feet be sore initially? /My feet are sore/hurt when starting to run with Tabi running shoes.

 

To be honest, I also experienced some initial soreness, but this is probably normal. Running with Tabi running shoes is a different form of running, and you will probably experience some soreness in the beginning. The soreness is a sign that you are adjusting to a new way of running with different shifts in the center of gravity.

 

 

It seems that the shoes are not durable. / The shoes wear down faster.

 

Physical activity is important for your overall health and well-being, and Muteki, our Tabi running shoes, can be one of the tools that help you reach your fitness goals. Keeping your shoes in good condition will help you improve your running form.

 

Providing a barefoot experience as much as possible, the durability of Tabi running shoes is slightly less or comparable to that of other running shoes. Our Tabi running shoes are made using the traditional method which differs from the production of regular running shoes.

 

How do you break in Tabi running shoes?

Please carefully read the manual provided with the shoes. It explains how posture, foot landing, and breathing while running affect your running form.

*This figure shows the correct posture as the foot lands using a mid-foot strike. The manual doesn't include this figure.

As shown in the figure, try keeping your body (head, body, and feet) aligned vertically, and start at an easy pace (for example, at a 05'30 to 06'30/km pace). Please don’t start out running too fast and stay as relaxed as possible.


Tips for a proper running gait

 

  1. When landing, try keeping your head and feet aligned.

  2. Your feet should land softly. We encourage you to envision landing on the outsides of your feet.

 


3. When raising your foot, try just leaving the ground rather than strongly kicking the ground out from under you.


 

Please check back regularly as we continue to answer more frequently asked questions. We hope the information on this page will be helpful to you.


EXPERIENCE THE MUTEKI