Martial arts training shoes – 4 compelling reasons to wear them

Practitioners generally do not wear martial arts training shoes, especially those who train the various Japanese martial arts. It is much more common to see people training barefoot in the dojo while practicing karate or judo. There are two main reasons. First of all, taking off outdoor or sports shoes shows respect for the art and its traditions. The second reason is purely practical. In throwing arts such as judo, jujitsu, and aikido, mat training areas are used. Therefore, the outer shoe is removed to prevent dirt from ruining the mats and also to protect them from damage, so they do not need to be replaced too often.

Chinese martial arts versus the others

The Japanese art of ninjutsu is different from other Japanese fighting traditions in that footwear is used. This footwear is called tabi, and can consist of both tabi boots and tabi socks, both characterized by having the big toe separated from the rest.

In Chinese kung fu, it is quite common to wear shoes, whether they are in the style of the kung fu slippers that Bruce Lee was known for, or simple black canvas shoes or sneakers. However, if training in a dojo, especially if a matted area is used, Chinese kung fu practitioners will train without shoes, both as a sign of respect for the martial art normally practiced there, and to help protect the hands. mats. .

Reasons to wear martial arts training shoes

The question to consider is whether martial arts shoes should be worn by all martial artists in the 21st century, or whether it is better to respect the traditions of our martial ancestors. Here are four compelling reasons to at least schedule a few training sessions in shoes.

1. Hygiene

It is very common in areas where many people walk barefoot, that skin infections and fungi spread. This problem is particularly prevalent in locker rooms and sports locker rooms. For martial artists who train barefoot, this poses two potential problems. First of all, if the student is respectful to his classmates, he will not train if he suffers from a skin condition. This, of course, is detrimental to the student’s training regimen.

The other potential problem is if the student ignores a skin health issue and trains anyway. This is not pleasant for the other students and the infection can spread quickly. An easy preventative measure is for students to train wearing martial arts shoes.

2.Self-protection

Many martial arts classes meet for training in a rented room that may not be part of a professional school, or even a sports complex. Instead, the room could be in a church hall or some other local building that is not used exclusively for martial arts. If the room is not normally used for any type of sports or exercise activity (such as yoga or pilates), the floor may not be ideal for barefoot training. It can be a simple cold concrete floor or a rough wood floor with damaged or uneven boards. This type of flooring can pose an unnecessarily high risk of injury. Even judo surfaces with proper mats have been known to cause broken toes, as it’s easy to catch a toe between the mats if you end up on the receiving end of a sweeping kick. Lightweight training shoes are a must in cases like this to prevent unnecessary injuries from occurring.

3. Protection during combat

Most martial arts include combat as an integral part of the training, so students can practice techniques against a real opponent. Some commercially available martial arts training shoes are slip-on stretch shoes, incorporating thin padding on the upper and instep. These can be useful for both students when practicing during light combat. They are also normally lightweight and thin enough that shin guards and foot pads can be worn over them for more intense, full-contact combat.

4. Authenticity in real self-defense situations

The most obvious reason to do part of any combat training while wearing shoes is that it is extremely unlikely that you will be attacked while barefoot. It’s worth training for this eventuality, but in general, any need to use self-defense techniques will occur away from home and while wearing shoes or slippers. If you are not familiar with executing your martial arts techniques while wearing shoes, you will automatically be at a disadvantage in any physically dangerous situation.

So even though your martial art normally trains barefoot, it is certainly advisable to do some occasional practice sessions in everyday clothes and shoes, to make your self-defense training as realistic as possible.