Hello folks, I have recently had to stop going to Shotokan due to a major shortage of skin on the balls of my feet! I had developed quite a bit of hard skin (well enough anyway) and unfortunately last year slipped after a kata and pulled some away. I covered it and let it heal and didn't really have any problems with it until the beginning of this year. Now my skin seems to never heal properly....Wondering if anyone had any solutions for me before I have to get it all removed and start again? I can wear shoes in the dojo and I have tried, but there really is not substitute for my feet now, it feels so different. You can normally tell if your stance is incorrect by the way your weight is distributed on your feet, don't get that feeling when wearing shoes - well I don't anyway Thanks in advance
Have yo tried martial arts training shoes? I find they are almost like being without shoes, I can still feel all my movements. There is an oil I think is called moleskin that is really good on callouses also. Rob
Get a pair of training shoes, Blitz (I'm I allowed to say brand names?) have a very good light weight shoe that I've used for ages. I also know a man who claims that rubbing meths on your feet will help harden them (very strange man).
Hiya No problem mentioning brand names by the way, not in this instance any how! Mmm - meths? I have been told to rub surgical spirit in before - supposed to do the same thing and did for a while too. Made no difference though, still lost skin, just thicker parts though! My Sensei has a catlogue - I'll see what they have. Thanks Melanie
During the war when I was a lad (LOL) The soldiers used to......(younger readers cover your eyes) urinate in there helmets and soak there feet in them to harden the skin. I'm told this works but I don't fancy trying it. Cooler.
Melanie, To be truthful with ya, (I hope this doesn't make ya mad) I inderstand how and why people want to train barefoot. Do I recommend it, No. Even in ancient days you wore tabi with geta shoes or even just tabi (sock style). We wear boots and shoes today. try it sometime. It changes alot of things. In ancient days they use to practice suwara-gata (kneeling forms). This was fighting from Seiza or the kneeling posture. Is it smart to do today. Not really. Most people in the world do not kneel while sitting. They sit in a chair. Try fighting while sitting in a chair. It gets real interesting. Ask Rob.LOL. Just running my Jaw! Country Ninja, Tracy Crocker
LOL it's a different world fighting sitting down. Another point on wearing shoes training that I have found is this. On the street we aren't barefoot, and there is a difference with executing a technique in shoes vs barefoot in the Dojo. Hence I personally would prefer to be used to doing everything with shoes on rather than have that distract me when I need to be fluid and prepared to defend myself or someone else. Rob
The guy who supplies me with most of my stuff (a karate 5th dan who runs a martial arts shop) had this to say to me on the topic. "Ah, but what if your at home naked, and get attacked, huh? You didn't think of that did you?" Hmm, interesting man. Naked self defence anyone?
Might be a new scenario...... Nah! We are kinda wondering off the topic of my feet here.. Melanie (stifles laughter and wonders about naked self defence too!)
I'd say something about offering to practice naked grappling, but some might find it offensive... Good point, though. The same way they used to practice fighting from Seiza because it was a vulnerable position they were frequently in, we should identify contemporary analogs of that situation and practice them. Being immobilized sitting down, and having to defend from the left side (driving a car) might not worry a Wing Chun stylist as much as, say, someone more familiar with Tae Kwon Do, but it could give anyone pause. How 'bout being attacked at the gym lifting weights or strapped into a machine? Or even walking out after a tough workout; somebody could be waiting for you, knowing whatever muscle group you hit isn't going to be working very well, and your overall endurance will be down. Even something as simple as walking with a backpack on could really change what you could do, and the way you do it quite a bit. Back to the feet, though, all I can tell you is I read somewhere about soldiers filling their socks with vaseline... Can't tell you how much credence I'd actually give that, though.
hmmmmmmm not something I remember doing (or would want to *squish* lol) But I can in a way see a use to doing it.
Hi, I'm SSSLLLIIIPPIINNNGG away! Heck, just use Toothpaste!LOL. How about defending yourself while holding a fork in one hand and a dog in the other. How about swimming naked in a pool of sharks with a pork chop tied around your neck!LOL. Rob, you will like that one! In essence, learning to defend yourself in various situations is very important. One cannot plan what to do, but only adapt with whatever is coming. Do like I do, if you absolutly know something is going to happen. Hit first. Works for me. We are only as honorable as we can be when defending ourselves. This is the reality of things. All is fair in Love and War. Think on this. This would be a good discussion topic. Somebody start it!LOL. Country Ninja, Tracy Crocker
Yes, I'd think both a fork and a dog would make good improvised weapons, though (small dogs, if thrown correctly, should latch onto an opponents face and are very difficult to dislodge). Melanie, tried any traditional Dit Da Jow-type mixtures?
Fork and dog at the same time (???) No Khafra - can't say I have tried Dit Da Jow-Type mixtures. What are they? Where can I find out more? Melanie
Hi Mel, There's this stuff you can get called Iodine tape (i think thats the right name) that you could wrap over the part of your foot that has weak skin, and then train with that on. It sticks like hell, so shouldn't come off during training, but comes off fairly easily when needs be. It looks like a roll of band aid plaster, and you can get it from Boots or a local chemist. As for shoes, bare footed is always better, as you said. if you have to wear shoes, get some special karate ones from ww.blitzsport.com for about £30. Its weird doing Mar geri's in those though Osu! Sarah
Melanie. If you want I can give you my Sifu's family remedy. Two Thousand years old! Three pounds of Rhino Horn One ounce of Bat Guano Eight Scales from a Leprous Lemur Three Tarantulas toenails Mix Vigorously with a loo brush, and Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Leave to stand for one minute. Then massage vigorously into affected areas until consumed. Oh.......... No Smoking!
Hey Mel I too did some time in the miltary,and agree with Cooler about the **** on your toes deal(agree that people still do it???) but I think it is more an old wifes tale.Guys did however soak there feet in a solution of condys cystals,which I was told worked.( I think because of a dehydration effect) Using more up to date methods I would recommend soaking your feet in a solution of Tea Tree Oil,which is antibactrial and anti fungual,add a few drops of lavender oil as well,this will help the healing of your feet,and therefore the faster you can get back to conditioning your feet with training. I wouldn't recommend Dit Da jow to any open cuts or abrasions.
Do what I do, walk about alot at home with no shoes on. The idea is to gradually build up callosous on the soles of your feet. I'd also suggest to people to train shoed and unshoed, this gives a more 'realistic' slant to your training. Anyone else out there practice kicks out there whilst wearing work boots? Try doing a kiagi yoko geri with babies on, its next to impossible!
