# Are shin pads worth buying



## drunken mistress (Feb 13, 2004)

We usually do about twenty minutes of sparring at the end of our Freestyle Karate class. We work through several partners. When I´ve done it with the few available adults my son (7) usually has a go at me. I don´t block as well when it´s him for fear of hurting him. I usually get kicked on the shins many times. I feel it slightly but don´t seem to bruise any longer. Are shin pads worth buying or am I already hardened to it? :idunno:


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## oldnewbie (Feb 13, 2004)

drunken mistress said:
			
		

> Are shin pads worth buying or am I already hardened to it? :idunno:



I would say they definetly worth it. I had a sparring partner that had control problems, and after one class, I was limping for days.

I use hard pads, some prefer soft.
I asked for input on this board on hard vs soft, and received great info.


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## Ceicei (Feb 13, 2004)

From what you are saying that is happening in the school, the soft shin pads should suit well.  If it turns into harder contact later on, then the hard shin guards. 

I use the soft shin pads for my sparring practices.

- Ceicei


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## Shinzu (Feb 13, 2004)

in my opinion... heck yeah!  i use them all the time when we spar.  my shins would always get beat up bad.

i use the padded, not the plastic.  they were well worth it!!


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## theletch1 (Feb 13, 2004)

Shin pads are most definetly worth the purchase price.  Think of it as protecting your sparring partner as well as yourself.  If the pad makes contact with uke instead of your hardened shin it's not nearly as likely to injure your partner.


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## RCastillo (Feb 13, 2004)

Most definately needed. :asian:


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## Shodan (Feb 13, 2004)

I agree with everyone else........the times I have not sparred with them are the times I've gotten some really bad shin injuries.  Today, I have to wear them because my shins are so sensitive from all the years of being beaten around- won't even attempt to spar without them as I might have in my earlier days of training.


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## gojukylie (Feb 14, 2004)

I believe that they are an important piece of protective equipment especially if you do Kumite all the time. I have spent many years with bruises on my shins and it doesn't matter how many you get you will never stop bruising. 
The important thing to realise is that evey time you bruise yourself, you use the calcium stores in your bones to help repair the bruising. If you get bruised in the same area repeatedly, your bones over a long period of time will become week. You cannot condition bone so protecting them is wise.

Hope this helps..
 :uhyeah:


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## Rich Parsons (Feb 15, 2004)

I like Shin pads. I wear them if we are suiting up to spar. If it is all light contact to no contact and just timing and technique training, you can get by without them. Although like I said, it is nice to have them and to wear them.

They do avoid the injuries and limping when you go to work the next day.


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## 7starmantis (Feb 15, 2004)

gojukylie said:
			
		

> I believe that they are an important piece of protective equipment especially if you do Kumite all the time. I have spent many years with bruises on my shins and it doesn't matter how many you get you will never stop bruising.
> The important thing to realise is that evey time you bruise yourself, you use the calcium stores in your bones to help repair the bruising. If you get bruised in the same area repeatedly, your bones over a long period of time will become week. You cannot condition bone so protecting them is wise.


I think shin pads are very much worth it, especially if competing, most tournys I attend require them at least in sanshou. I don't agree with this post however stating that you can't condition your shins. We do iron shin training and trust me, some of my partners can kick our mook jong pretty dang hard with their shin and receive no bruising. A bruise is vascular not osteopathic, dealing with a bruise does not affect your bone or calcium. Developing hard shins is possible, but even with hardened shins its good to use the soft pads at least to protect your partners. Also using caution is smart, so I would advise using the pads.

7sm


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## tshadowchaser (Feb 15, 2004)

They are only worth buying if you like walking with out a limp and/or sore shins :ultracool 
Some protection is nice unless you are very hadcoe and have conditiond your shins


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## XxTKDPenguinxX (Aug 6, 2004)

This is an older thread, but wha' th' hey!

  Shin pads are inportant depending on the type of sparring taking place.  We had a student black belt go down and litterally broke his shin when he kicked someone else in the shin.  Yeah, it was sort of a fluke thing and there probably should have been some control issues addressed before it got that far, bbut it still happened and he paid the price with a compound fracture <wince>

  I'll wear the pads when at a tourney.  Never know how the others are going to react and/or kick.  I'll wear them when I know sparing is going to be a little heavier than normal.  I usually don't wear them during a normal sparring class, but I usually end up regreting it by the time the night is over, heh.:waah:


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## sifu nick (Sep 3, 2004)

I'm gonna throw a wrench into this and go the opposite way. I have never worn shin pads when sparring and we do a lot of sparring at my school. Yes, I have bruised and limped a little but after awhile you get used to it and the shins will become more conditioned.


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## Han-Mi (Sep 4, 2004)

I went through a short period not wearing shin pads, I now have some pretty hard shins, but i finally figured out that it was a good idea to just wear them. I would sugges soft shin pads, the hard ones could cause oinjuries to others.


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## thepanjr (Mar 19, 2005)

Ya you should get shin pads because i got kicked once and it hurt and  imean hurt.Ow but it long time now. Man cousins are always not funny. They are worth it trust me!!!!!!


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## drunken mistress (Mar 19, 2005)

I have joined the camp of the shin pad wearers since going over to Kyokushin karate where you have to block with your shins. I pretty soon realised that was much more painful than merely getting kicked on them!


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## Yeti (Mar 23, 2005)

I'll throw my $0.02 into the ring.....I agree with almost everyone here - shin pads are definitely worth the investment.  I used to spar a guy who absolutley loved to kick at chest level. Problem was, he was about 5" shorter than me, so to reach me, he'd jump up to throw his kicks. Invariably, once every two or three attempts, he's come down on my lead leg...and I mean land his foot just below my knee and rub it all the way down my shin to the mat.  After a quick two minute round, I'd usually have to go find a bandaid.  If even just ONCE I remembered my shin pads, it would have been worth it.


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## dmdfromhamilton (Mar 23, 2005)

personaly i wear them at tournements so i minimize the pain and i can keep using that leg but during class i don't so i can codition them for real life and it helps in the tournements to have conditioned shins as well as shin pads cause then you can still use then leg without pausing because your leg will hurt alot less.


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## LT2002 (Mar 25, 2005)

Soft shin pads are a good investment!  It is nice to get used to working without them too, but when you are paired with someone who cannot control their strikes they will prove the worth.


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## masherdong (Mar 25, 2005)

Soft shin pads rock!!  I used to use my legs to jam kicks when I spar, so my shins got bruised pretty badly.  Now that I have them, I am not scared to jam kicks.


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## Karate Dad (Mar 25, 2005)

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


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## drunken mistress (Mar 25, 2005)

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!


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## searcher (Mar 26, 2005)

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.


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