From Maximalist Shoes to Barefoot

Bodily techniques cannot be dissociated from the material conditions in which they operate. In this regard, the use of shoes has shaped the way individuals move and perceive their environment since childhood. However, some people deliberately choose to remove them, or opt for so-called minimalist footwear, in order to reconnect with a more "natural" form of movement. This article examines how such withdrawal is implemented in the context of recreational sports. We first seek to understand the meanings associated with this choice. The analysis then turns to the processes through which knowledge and know-how are constructed in the course of this practice.