Shoes in the dojo??

[Titan Uk]

Training shoes are allowed in lesson but when students graded it is barefeet only.

 

[Guro Harold]

Either Optomix, or cheap Adidas or Rebox.

 

[Tony]

We either wear trainers or some of us have actually managed to get Martial Arts shoes. But when we spar we will wear foot pads!

 

[Jason Davis]

I wear whatever shoes i am wearing when i feel like training. Unless you walk around barefoot all of the time I would advise you to do the same.

my opinion is to train in what you wear

 

[Black Bear]

Wrestling shoes are a wonderful, wonderful thing. You can train intensely, with motion, in all ranges, and not get sprained toes. I trained for years barefoot or in socks, (I was used to it since I started in Japanese TMA). For part of the time that I was in Chinese TMA, I believe I was wearing a cloth kung fu shoe. I don't even remember where I left 'em.

Wrestling shoes differ from MA shoes in that they have more grip (takes some getting used to for people trying them out) and they are high-top: they swallow up the entire ankle and provide better support. I find they're made more rugged than MA shoes.

Downside is you cannot extend the foot as you can with an MA shoe. So no TKD roundhouses where you hit with the metatarsals or phalanges of the foot.

 

[loki09789]

I wear whatever shoes i am wearing when i feel like training. Unless you walk around barefoot all of the time I would advise you to do the same.

my opinion is to train in what you wear

But, along those same lines, if you spend any time barefoot you should devote some training to that scenario as well.

THere are some sensitivity/fine motor/strength issues that barefoot training can help develop, but I agree that since we are a footwear society, we should devote time to training like we expect to fight and not just follow customs for customs sake. Customs survive in a culture for a practical reason, not the other way around.

 

[8253]

why not train in the attire that you are normally in. You are more likely to be in an altercation in your street clothes.

 

[Black Bear]

Because people will get hurt and you'll wreck the mats. Oh, and depending on the shoes, you might not want to expose them to the wear and tear. You said clothes, right? Yeah, you'll wreck your clothes too.

Those are the only reasons I can think of.

 

[elcajon555]

We train barefoot all the time in class, infact even when we run outside, it has been barefoot. I like training without shoes, acutally I hate wearing shoes all together, I always wear sandles unless it is too cold out than I am forced to wear sneakers. The only time we use MA shoes is when we do demos and training for demos. Now both wrestling and MA shoes fit so it almost feels like you aren;t wearing anything. The traction on MA shoes allow you to turn and throw 360 degree kicks better then the wrestling shoes and has previously mentioned wrestling shoes are high top, going past the ankle and MA shoes stop right before the ankle.

 

[grimfang]

On occassion, my instructor asks students to wear shoes in the dojo. At times we are asked to wear 'regular street clothing' in the dojo.
We do not wear any practice clothing on the street, at work, or other place we find ourselves during our daily life outside the dojo. Yes, cloths get torn and people will get bruised, possibly cut, by shoes. Amazingly, I have found that these same things can happen in the 'outside world' away from the dojo.
A student who practices certain types of kicks in class might discover that those same kicks are difficult to execute in tight jeans (just an example.)
In the real world, I certainly do not expect anyone to remove his steel-toed boots prior to an altercation, and I certainly know I would not remove mine if someone asked. I practice fighting with them on at times, and I practice defending against someone who wears steel-toes.
Its rare for us to practice while wearing shoes... Its not something we want to do all the time, because people DO get bruised up a bit... but every once in a while we will wear our 'daily attire."

 

[Black Bear]

Yes, cloths get torn and people will get bruised, possibly cut, by shoes. Amazingly, I have found that these same things can happen in the 'outside world' away from the dojo.

Well aren't you smart. I posted on this like within the past week, genius. The fact is, in the event of an actual assault, I'm perfectly willing to ruin my suede jacket, rip the @$$-seam of my pants, or tear a hole in a $500 suit. But like the majority of people, I'm not going to unnecessarily expose most of my clothes to damage on a daily basis in training, when I can train in old t-shirts or durable athletic clothing.

Any self defenser with a brain wears (on a daily basis, outside of training) clothes (s)he can move in well, as much as possible. Not because (s)he expects to kick someone in the jaw that day, specifically, but just to be prepared to move well in any kind of an "emergency", whether it involves a KITF, a groundfight, climbing over a fence or through a window, or running out of a smoke-filled building.

Likewise, I don't have to get kicked in the shins with steel toes in training to appreciate that this is a bad thing. Even if I did, I wouldn't do it, because hey, SD training is ultimately about the promotion of wellness. A fine job someone's doing if their students' tibias are getting shattered by accident every few days.

 

[grimfang]

?????????????????????

The question was asked regarding why/why not wear shoes in the dojo. At the school where I study, we wear them at times. I explained the reasoning.
This does not make the practice habits of any other school or system right or wrong.. its just the way WE do things.

I thank you for elevating me to the status of a genius... its the kindest thing I have been called all day.

 

[Black Bear]

Your "amazingly" remark sounded sarcastic, that's all.

 

[grimfang]

yeah.. it was sarcastic... but it was not intended to be directed at anyone/anything in particular.. thats just the way i type things... sorry if it hit anyone the wrong way.

 

[Black Bear]

My bad. It sounded to me as though you were downplaying concerns that training in "everyday clothing" could cause harm or expensive damage.

 

[8253]

Because people will get hurt and you'll wreck the mats. Oh, and depending on the shoes, you might not want to expose them to the wear and tear. You said clothes, right? Yeah, you'll wreck your clothes too.

Those are the only reasons I can think of.

Pain is part of training and you must know how to fight off an attack while your in pain. We never used mats. Shoes do not wear down that quickly. As far as clothes go the most expensive peice of clothing i have only cost $10.00 anyways.

 

[Black Bear]

"Pain is part of training and you must know how to fight off an attack while your in pain."
Training should hurt; it should never injure.

"We never used mats."
I've trained on hardwood, concrete, tatamis, and puzzle mats. You can do way more stuff to people on mats, real speed, and be able to prolong the training, than you can on hard ground. That's my perspective.

"As far as clothes go the most expensive peice of clothing i have only cost $10.00 anyways."
Right, right, and on that basis it works out for you... and you think that people in general should do as you do? Hmm... Or not--perhaps I'm misreading you.

In any event, it apparently seems to work out for you. But if you were asking why not train in the attire folks wear everyday? Those are reasons why. I posted this on another thread. SD is ultimately about personal well-being. If some gangbanger jumps me in the street and I'm wearing a good suit, etc. I'll put up with a sprain or wrecked clothes in order to neutralize a more substantive threat to my well-being. But I'm not deliberately going to expose myself to that in the process of daily training.

Regular training should stress tissues in ways that INCREASE function.

 

[MichiganTKD]

Our instructor would make us wear street shoes once in a while to understand how they feel during practice. Shoes worn in the beginning for stretching and basics feel fine. Shoes worn near the end of class, after you've done basic kicking, form, drills etc., weigh a ton! You never appreciate how heavy tennis shoes can feel until you've gone a whole class wearing them.
I also think wearing shoes once in a while is a good idea to get students used to foot positioning. A front kick executed wearing shoes is not going to be the same as a front kick barefoot because the ball of the foot is covered and you have to adjust. A traditional front kick with shoes on will strike with the shoe tip and probably be less effective.

 

[elcajon555]

It seems to me that most people train in street shoes so they know how to kick with street shoes in case getting attacked on the street. Now that logic makes sense to a point, however it seems to me that in a street fight hands, as in punching blocking joint locks submission holds, are used much more and are much more useful. So because of that it wouldn;t really matter what type of shoes or clothes you are wearing because you wouldn;t be doing a lot of kicking or if you do, it might be a groin, shin, or knee kick which doesn;t require a lot. I don;t think kicks to the head or spinning or the other higher level kicks would be realistic in a street fight.

 

[Blindside]

It seems to me that most people train in street shoes so they know how to kick with street shoes in case getting attacked on the street.

It isn't just about kicking, it is also about the difference in traction that you have. Explosive movements will be different, pivoting actions will be different, etc. In addition some techniques might work better (or worse), for example wearing shoes you are more vulnerable to a heel hook (ankle/knee lock). Just some examples.

Lamont