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Why grounding and natural footwear are moving from fringe to elite sport
NFL wide receiver, Super Bowl champion, and long-time barefoot advocate Mack Hollins has partnered with Vivobarefoot, bringing renewed attention to one of the most debated ideas in performance: less shoe, more athlete.
At a time when most elite footwear adds layers of cushioning, structure, and tech, Hollins is pushing in the opposite direction—training and living barefoot whenever possible, and choosing minimalist footwear when shoes are required.
Hollins’ shift wasn’t a trend experiment—it was forced adaptation. After an early-career injury that left him struggling to walk, he began exploring barefoot training as a way to rebuild from the ground up.
Four years later, barefoot living is his default—on the field, in training, and even trips to the grocery store. When shoes are unavoidable, Vivobarefoot is his go-to.
His philosophy is simple: foot health is performance health.
“I’ve spent most of my career in some of the most restrictive footwear. Once I freed my feet, the benefits were immeasurable—on and off the field.”
Modern footwear often prioritizes protection and comfort, but at a cost: reduced sensory feedback, weaker intrinsic foot muscles, and altered movement patterns.
Minimalist footwear and barefoot training aim to reverse that by:
For high-level athletes, that connection can translate to better stability, cleaner movement, and fewer compensations up the chain.
Vivobarefoot builds shoes designed to protect the foot without interfering with it—wide toe boxes, zero drop, thin soles, and flexible construction. The goal isn’t cushioning impact away, but letting the body adapt, sense, and respond as it was designed to.
Hollins isn’t wearing Vivo for style points. He’s wearing them because they align with how he trains, recovers, and moves.
As performance conversations shift from max output to availability, durability, and longevity, foot health is having a moment. Strength coaches, rehab specialists, and athletes are re-evaluating whether modern footwear is helping—or holding them back.
Hollins’ partnership signals that barefoot principles aren’t just for runners or wellness circles anymore. They’re entering elite team sports.
Slip into the knitted sock of the Primus Lite Knit Natural - now created with a 92% Tencel™, 7% Hotmelt and 1% Roica upper - and instantly feel the benefit of fit. This super-flexible update to our beloved barefoot performance trainer is still just as ready to move however you train, just more natural.
Best for: Everyday / Indoor Training / Walking
The Primus Trail Knit is an evolution of the Primus Trail FG: their original, best-selling trail-running sneaker. It features a knit upper for enhanced breathability and purer trail mobility, made with recycled materials, and a sock-like construction to keep out trail debris.
Best for: Hiking / Trail Running / Outdoor Lifestyle
The Motus Flex is our most barefoot-feeling performance trainer, providing unparalleled barefoot feeling and flexibility for calisthenics, primal movement, bodyweight training and more. Feel barefoot when you can’t be – and experience every sensation.
Best for: Functional Fitness / Weight + Strength Training / Everyday
Mack Hollins isn’t chasing hype—he’s reclaiming fundamentals. Grounding, proprioception, and natural movement are becoming core performance pillars, not fringe ideas. As athletes look for edges that compound over long careers, the future of footwear may look surprisingly simple: less structure, more connection, stronger foundations.
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