Given that I already tend to potter around the house barefoot and regularly practise yoga for balance and stability, I think I’m ready to get started.

I begin with 20-minute HIIT sessions, only tweaking my usual workout to reduce the amount of jumping. The workout feels fine, but I’m hyper-aware of the fact that my body makes tiny adjustments to increase stability in lieu of stabilising shoes. Instead of fixating on maximising intensity, I’m forced to consciously correct my form.

“Regular shoes really cater to and support the muscles in our feet,” Nicole Birdsong, a designer at barefoot brand Xero Shoes, tells Strong Women. “This doesn’t actually make them stronger; they need to flex and move.”

Think about it: if you’re always deadlifting in strength-specific shoes, there’s no need for your arches to activate or the muscles around your ankles to get stronger. The shoe does everything your feet would do if they were strong enough.

If you want to wear shoes while training, however, Birdsong recommends going for a pair with a zero drop between the heel and toe as it “allows for the muscles to extend and strengthen”.

How to start barefoot hiking: “I transitioned from hiking boots to minimalist shoes – and stopped getting injured”