Shoes

[Aefibird]

Does anyone here train regularly in shoes? If so, why and what sort do you wear?

99% of my in-the-dojo karate training is barefoot, although I often wear trainers when practising at home. I've worn slippers too when training at home - sometimes I get thinking about stuff and have to try it out there and then. Slippers are alright, but tend to fly off when kicking.

At TKD I train in TKD shoes (those flat-soled trainer things), a fact which I'm very grateful for as the floor there is nasty and looks like it might harbour all sorts of contageous diseases. It's a church hall but gets used for everything. I blame those Brownies meself...

[nkudahc]

i've thought about buying some of those shoes for training outside when it starts to get cold, plus they look really comfy...are they?

[Shorin Ryu Sensei]

The only time we train in shoes in class is when we have a "street clothes night". Normal, everyday clothing is required including shoes. We've also done class in the winter outdoors wearing gloves, snow boots and coats on the ice/snow. It definitely makes a difference in what you're used to.

[Aefibird]

nkudahc said:

i've thought about buying some of those shoes for training outside when it starts to get cold, plus they look really comfy...are they?

Yes, they are comfy, although you'll probably need a half-size or a size smaller than your rgular shoe size as they're supposed to fit very snugly.

The ones I have from PineTree and Blitz fit well but my ones from Dae Do are a bit big, even though I ordered a smaller size than my normal shoe size. I have to wear thick socks with that pair, which looks a bit odd!! ;D

Just as a note, if you are thinking of getting ones by Adidas then they recommend that you don't wear them outside. I bought a pair of Adidas Delta X to wear as "fashion" shoes, rather than to wear for training and only discovered after weeks of wear that Adidas say that their TKD shoes should only be kept for indoor use... ooops...

[subzero72]

were jsut usually barefool but I like to train in TKD shoes

[Shorin Ryu Sensei]

Just a quick history lesson, ddo you knwo the reason that Okinawan systems train in bare feet and the Chinese systems (kungfu) train wearing shoes?

Well, Okinawa is a sandy country, and shoes aren't a necessity, whereas China is a more rocky ground, and shoes are more of a neccessity.

[bwRyukyuKempo]

We are allowed to wear "dogo shoes" (wrestling shoes) at our school. Probably half of the students choose to wear them, for various reasons.

I wear them because i need support in my right ankle.

But, even if i didn't need them for support, i would wear them anyway. I think it is better to train with shoes on, because you will probably not be barefoot in a real self-defense situation.

Just another weird think i think about.....

bw

[pasmith]

Sorry but I have to pick up on that comment about Okinawa being sandy and China rocky. That's a massive over generalisation.
China is massive...it has almost every possible type of landscape from full forest, to desert, to mountains, to sandy beaches, to nasty urban back alleys. Using landscape as justification for wearing shoes or not is a bit silly.
Not that I have a better explanation for the shoes/not shoes differences.
I'd say it's probably more to do with training indoors (where asian people don't generally wear shoes) compared to training outdoors (where they do).

[Aefibird]

bwryukyukempo said:

.

But, even if i didn't need them for support, i would wear them anyway. I think it is better to train with shoes on, because you will probably not be barefoot in a real self-defense situation

I agree.

If you train for self defense (as opposed to just training in sport martial arts) then training whilst wearing ordinary clothing and shoes is a good thing to do. There can be a lot of difference in some techniques when they are done barefoot and wearing a gi, as opposed to training in tight clothing or whilst wearing trainers (sneakers).

I know I practically live in my gi but I do wear other clothing as well!!

We used to do that quite a bit at my dojo, although we haven't done so for a while now. I'll have to remind Sensei and get him to arrange another "street" clothing session.