Shoes during class?

[Icewater]

How many of you wear shoes when you train at your school?

I am a proponent of shoes because it adds to the overall reality of my training. I have yet to enter a bar, sporting event, or other place where altercations may occur without some type of footwear.

In Kung-Fu I wear shoes regularly and find them comfortable and protective. In Isshinryu I do not, but wish I did.

Sorry if this topic has been hashed, but I'm new and in need of a good flaming.

Cheers,

Icewater

[ajs1976]

I don't wear shoes in class, but when I train on my own, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I try to train with the clothes I wear every day to see how that affects my techniques.

[Grenadier]

I am against using shoes inside the dojo.

The way I see it, training in one's bare feet helps strengthen some of the little-used muscles in the foot, which in turn, significantly improves one's balance. Wearing shoes negates the workout on those muscles.

If someone has good balance while barefooted, you can pretty much bet that he's going to have good balance while wearing shoes as well.

The only time I'll tell students to wear shoes is if we hold a training session outdoors.

[Blindside]

I wear wrestling shoes all the time in class. Part of the reason is that I have flat feet and my arches kill me after going barefoot for a long period, the second reason is that it is a bit more realistic. I know several people who can't do forms in shoes, so if they can't do their forms, then what can they do? And to disagree with Grenadier, I find my balance is much better barefoot than in shoes.

Lamont

[arnisador]

I do what's done at the school. I am more comfortable barefoot, but do think training in shoes os more realistic.

[Andrew Green]

yep, definately.

Protecting the feet is important.

[karatekid1975]

I do what's done at the school. I am more comfortable barefoot, but do think training in shoes os more realistic.

Same here. I don't train with shoes on inside the dojang. But I will occationally train at home outside with my sneakers on (plain clothes, not my uniform). But I "perfer" to train without shoes (I'm the type that would go barefoot all the time if I could).

[Lisa]

I walked barefoot as a kid, alot. Really ruined my feet and my arches. When I first started MA I was barefoot and when my instructor started wearing shoes I thought they were the oddest looking things I had ever seen and it seemed so...wrong. Then I got me a pair :D. Couldn't do without them now.

[mantis]

I hate wearing shoes but i have to in Kung Fu I wish i can learn to balance myself and my kicks first without them and then later on maybe put them on.. i dont know, i just dont feel comfortable with them at all... but on the other hand i like that we only wear a regular t-shirt with some baggy pants they gave to us.. i like that better than wearing a gi or something like that

[Marginal]

No shoes typically in class, but I don't have any strong feelings one way or another on how it should be done.

Do like the Gi/Dobak tho. Tore a few too many shirts while training in "informal" attire. Clothes capable of taking the rigors of training (High kicks tend to overstress the seat of one's pants...) ultimately save me money, which is a good thing.

[Shaolinwind]

How many of you wear shoes when you train at your school?

I am a proponent of shoes because it adds to the overall reality of my training. I have yet to enter a bar, sporting event, or other place where altercations may occur without some type of footwear.

In Kung-Fu I wear shoes regularly and find them comfortable and protective. In Isshinryu I do not, but wish I did.

Sorry if this topic has been hashed, but I'm new and in need of a good flaming.

Cheers,

Icewater

It's been discussed but a new discussion is always fun in my opinion. =)

We wear shoes as well. I swear by my size 11 Feiyue's... I just got mine all nice and broken in for slick pivots. I think I have a post here somewhere advocating the brand highly.. I remember I was pretty excited about finding a brand that even fit my double wide feet, lol.

I tend to agree with you, and for me training in shoes is the only way to go. I studied TSD for a short while and I certainly sustained my share of badly stubbed toes and black toenails. Perhaps it strengthened my feet, but I simply don't ever go around barefoot. I wear slippers in the house and Birkenstocks to the beach. So to me, the benefit of tough tootsies is outweighed by the danger to my delicate footsies.

I am pretty certain the idea of training in shoes is about as old as kung fu. They also bear a good deal of historic as well as symbolic importance in kung fu. Shaolin monks don't own anything, but they all consider their shoes property.

[Jade Tigress]

I'm always barefoot unless I'm going outside so naturally I train barefoot. We have some in our school who go barefoot and some who wear shoes. I think the majority are barefoot. Plus it tears up our mats more with shoes on. As far as developing the foot muscles, I don't know if going barefoot makes a difference or not but I have very muscular feet! Then again, I wear gym shoes when I excercise and I develop alot of muscle with my regular excercise routine, so that may be a moot point. In any case wearing shoes is optional at my school.

[OnlyAnEgg]

At class, I practice barefoot for a couple reasons: mostly, I want to build up some degree of callous on them and it allows me to focus on toe position (I tend to spread my toes on my left side.) Winter, however, is coming and our dojo is archaic, poorly heated and underinsulated. I will likely get a pair of Kung-Fu Slippers because a) they're cheap and b) they look sweet :)

[clfsean]

Oh yeah... shoes are part of the training routine. I wear shoes about 90% of the time anyway, why not train in them??

[KenpoTess]

I wear the MA shoes, need a new pair, going to get some Disciplines this time. I prefer the beginning student to wear no shoes to keep an eye on their foot position during kicks and in blading the foot.

[Gemini]

going to get some Disciplines this time.

These are great shoes. We're not allowed to wear them because of the laces on top tend to rake people's cheeks, but they are an excellent quality shoe. Among the best out there IMO.

I personally don't care for the feeling of shoes on the mat, so I go barefoot. I do train myself on the outside in my street shoes.

[MJS]

I wear wrestling shoes in all of my classes. Gives a more realistic feel as well as some protection.

Mike

[clfsean]

I dig my Fei Yues, but I'm going to pick up some of the jet black Chuck Taylor's (Converse) soon for a try. The nice thing about the Chuck's is they are already flat on the bottom & don't have to be worn in to get flat & the Fei Yue do. Plus the soles on the Chuck's aren't nearly as gummy as the FY.

I don't like Discipline. I tried them when they first came out & all they did was hurt my feet.

[Eternal Beginner]

I wear shoes in karate because I have absolutely no arches and I also have a tendency to break my toes really easily. In BJJ I don't. I considered them but wrestling boots have too much grip and I have seen too many people blow out their knees during takedowns and the like while wearing wrestling boots, the foot stays planted but the body moves the other direction. The whole point of them is to give grip. The usual martial arts shoes that have a pivot point are good but I don't like the disadvantage during leg locks, etc. that my opponent has while I'm wearing shoes. So, yes...and no ;).

[Gemini]

I don't like Discipline. I tried them when they first came out & all they did was hurt my feet.

So suffice to say, your feet are undiciplined. :uhyeah:

[searcher]

I am not wearing shoes right now for classes and I encourage my students to not do so, but it is not mandatory. I like the conditioning that the bottoms of my feet get by working on a rough surface. Shoes are fine, but it is just my choice to not use them.

[Loki]

Personally I prefer not to use shoes. While the do keep my toes safe, I find they constrict my motion. If I wear them, it's only to keep my feet warm while I instruct, prior to training.

[still learning]

Hello, In our school wearing shoes or going barefoot is your choice. We train in a school cafeteria with hard floors.

If one looks at where the old traditional schools train at? It is only naturally to take off your shoes before entering the class(the floors were not design for shoes). This was expected. Most homes in Hawaii everyone takes their shoes off before going into the house. Old japanese custom.

Sometimes the old ways are still carry out. Today wearing shoes is more natural for us than barefoot. Your teacher will decide how he wants you to dress. There is no right or wrong here....do you agree?

Martial art shoes today are great! Feels good and can move fast! Some are so bright! If they only make ones that can jump high (roof top).....Aloha

[jbclinic]

here's the deal about that. in the dojang shoes will help ruin the mats faster if worn everyday all day, so you want to limit the use of shoes on the mat unless buying new mats everso often is affordable. and trianing in shoes is practicle because you'll move different in boots, high /low heels (women) and would need to learn to adjust,i try do demonstrate all angles to those i teach

[jfarnsworth]

Asics split soled wrestling shoe here. I love the pair I found and it's the best pair I have ever owned.

[ginshun]

My teacher doesn't teach MA as his main job, so our indoor training is in the arobics room of a local health club, no shoes allowed.

When we train outside we always were shoes.

[CuongNhuka]

There's a reason most of the time you're told to go bare foot. Know what it is? It's all about your skin. Confused? When you train barefoot and slide your feet, it's because it wears away the layers of skin, which are then built up thicker. That makes it so that if you're in a fight without your shoes on, then your feet are tougher. In fact before I started martial arts, my feet could be easlier injured. And just recently I was helping pull down an abouve ground pool that had gravel around the base. Any time I needed to cross I could just walk across, no problem (I was bare foot by the way). But if you have a foot or leg condition, it makes sense to wear shoes. Infact one of our formur students (he ended up changing to Tae-Kwon-Do) tour his hamstrings, and know has to wear shoes or risk massive damage to his legs & feet. But just my thoughts.

Sweet Brighit Bless your Blade,

John

[twayman]

Traditionally, training has been done with no shoes... Mats on the floor would get damaged with shoes being used. I don't mind bare feet. I feel that if I can do it bare foot then with shoes would be devastating.

[mantis]

Traditionally, training has been done with no shoes... Mats on the floor would get damaged with shoes being used. I don't mind bare feet. I feel that if I can do it bare foot then with shoes would be devastating.
you're coming from a japanese or korean martial art background, i assume?

[twayman]

you're coming from a japanese or korean martial art background, i assume?

Okinawan (kobayashi-ryu) :duel:

[RichK]

I wear adidas MA shoes, my wife just threw away my pine trees after about ten years and she thought I was gonna cry. The adidas' seem pretty good so far. I wear them during kenpo, 75% of the time, since I also have fallen arches and monkey toes. Have broken all of my toes at least three times. Jujitsu I go bear foot.

[kenpoworks]

Have broken all of my toes at least three times.
HOW!
I have broken both my big toes in 29 years.......all of your toes at least 3 times..WOW!

[arnisador]

ALL of your toes? Are you trying to beat Evel Knievel's record?

[RichK]

LOL...don't want the record that man has. While I was in the military I had to take a physical for some of the special schools I went to and I always got the "can you play the piano with those" and "bet you can swing from trees with feet like that". I wear size 14 and part of the size is toes. I just badly broke my right big toe about 6 months back by getting it folded under in one of those rubber mats. Broke 2 of them at the same time a few years back in Aikido when I was doing a technique moving around a huge guy (I am 6' 240pds) and jamming myself into the back of his grounded foot. 15 years ago went to put my feet up on the coffee table and caught one of my toes on the lip of it. When I was 4 I ran across a broken milk bottle (how many remember those) and cut my little toe so bad it had to be sewn back on. Many more stories but gets redundant after awhile. I need to learn "Iron Toe"....LOL.

[Dalum]

It all depends on the environment to me. Doing a class where realism is the key, shoes and regular clothes are important. In a traditional class, bare feet for the class.

[KingofSpades]

I perfer not to wear them, it feels better for me, and i can kick a lot higher without shoes.

[CMS]

For me, it depends upon the class. I like barefoot for BJJ, but shoes for Savate (naturally) TKD and FMA. Doing FMA barefoot often results in a dropped (or disarmed) stick landing painfully on a toe.