Big difference indeed. I used to avoid wearing shoes during training if I could because it felt like it made everything a little clumsier. In retrospect, I think it's easier to learn how to kick with no shoes. Just because there isn't any weight on your foot, so you can control it better.
On the other hand of that, having a shoes makes it easier kick with less worry about hurting my foot somehow. Explicitly for training though. I'm obviously going to be wearing shoes if there was ever an actual altercation.
I'm quicker and happier barefoot though.
Spring is finally starting to take full stride where I live. Today was the first day I was able to do any serious kicking barefoot outside. I've been kicking forcefully with shoes almost exclusively for the past half year or so. Outside of the kicking thing, it felt
awesome. I was in a great mood for the whole day.
It's not just me either. Apparently, there is real science to it, and it's called
grounding. It has to do with electrons from the earth going in your feet.
Why Does Walking Barefoot on the Earth Make You Feel Better Your Olive Branch News - yobo
Just google barefoot static for more links on that.
It's possible that I just forgot how good it felt to kick barefoot. If that isn't the case, I must say that wearing shoes all that time has drastically increased my kicking speed and power while barefoot. Footwork is faster too.
My shoes slightly pad almost all of my kicks except my hook kick, but it does need more space do generate momentum in due to a long heel.
Because it doesn't really alter the shape of the impact surface of my foot, I think I can kick better with some tough slippers than shoes. Very little arch correction and next to no soft material between my hard heel and my target. It's a reliable enough slipper that it can be worn out and about seriously. Without thinking, "if only I had shoes." Plus, they are more socially exceptable and generally handy than those awesome shoes that look like feet.
I wonder if there are sandals that would be any good for kicking? I doubt it, but I wonder.
Here's a shoe that lacks most of the qualities that deflate kicks. Very little material between the foot and ground, small heel, and doesn't change the shape of the foot much. Very little arch correction too. "Taekwondo" shoes, apparently.
Amazon.com adidas Taekwondo Adilux Shoes Shoes
Soccer shoes seem alright too. The spikes instead of just the flat surface would make the surface area of impact smaller,which is definitely better than just flat padding. I would have to hope their hard enough though.