Are shin pads worth buying

[Karate Dad]

I agree...soft shin pads are the only way to go...When I first started sparring I didn't wear them and I would get bruises that would turn so many pretty colors...I won't even talk about the pain!

Does anyone use the footpads with the attached shin guards? They are all one piece and look almost like boots from the front. Are there any advantages to those? I've never tried them but they look like they could be binding around your ankles. Is that the case?


...John

 

[drunken mistress]

Most of the guys in my Kyokushin class use these and find them okay. Sometimes they seem to slip out of place a bit though and they have to stop to adjust. I haven´t tried them yet but my son wears them. They seem to be the norm in this type of karate which uses a lot of leg blocks. My son says they stop the top of his foot getting hurt in roundhouse kicks for instance. They are also good if someone treads on your foot accidentally!

 

[searcher]

I will agree with almost everyone here in that shin pads are a must. I perform shin conditioning exercises, but I still have a large selection of shin pads.

For training in class I use Macho or Ringside shin pads. For certain competitions that require knockouts I have a set of Nike soccer shin pads. They are still legal and it makes kicks with the shin even more effective. I know what some of you are thinking, that it is a "cheap shot" so to speak, but when your opponent is trying to cave your head in it's worth it.