Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > Training

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 05-03-2011, 12:50 PM   #1
St Matt
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 40
United Kingdom
Offline
Footwear for training?

I was at my dojo recently and we were practising with weapons, therefore we were a bit more spread out and some of us had to train off the mats on the hard floor. Now about ten years ago I managed to smash my heel on a motorbike and now it doesn't take kindly to hard floors and subsequently I had a real hard time of it. So I was wondering if there was any kind of 'training' shoe that is acceptable to use for Aikido? Does anyone know of anything?

Cheers,
Matt.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2011, 12:56 PM   #2
chillzATL
Location: ATL
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 847
United_States
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Quote:
Matt Bostock wrote: View Post
I was at my dojo recently and we were practising with weapons, therefore we were a bit more spread out and some of us had to train off the mats on the hard floor. Now about ten years ago I managed to smash my heel on a motorbike and now it doesn't take kindly to hard floors and subsequently I had a real hard time of it. So I was wondering if there was any kind of 'training' shoe that is acceptable to use for Aikido? Does anyone know of anything?

Cheers,
Matt.
don't know of anything aikido specific or acceptable, but I'm a big fan of vibram five fingers for most any sort of off the mat training.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 04:37 AM   #3
St Matt
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 40
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Hi, thanks for the reply.

i have never heard of those before but they look great! I will have a word with my dojo and see if they are ok to use on such occasions.

Thanks again,
Matt
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 04:53 AM   #4
john.burn
 
john.burn's Avatar
Dojo: Chishin Dojo
Location: Coventry
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 200
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

The vibram five fingers definitely get my vote too. I have 2 pairs and love them... one word of warning though, if you wear them to a gym just be careful, i had a guy fall off of a running machine because he couldn't take his eyes off my feet

Best Regards,
John

www.chishindojo.co.uk
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 05:05 AM   #5
grondahl
Dojo: Stockholms Aikidoklubb
Location: Stockholm
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 601
Sweden
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

A more traditional alternative to fivefingers is tabi. Usually sold in budoshops/martial arts suppliers and much cheaper than fivefingers.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 08:43 AM   #6
Mark Mueller
Location: Louisville Kentucky
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 165
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

I have tried tabi but have yet to find a pair with a "grippy" sole so the ones I have used slide a bit on the mat.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 08:43 AM   #7
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
United_States
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Five Fingers are an example of minimalist shoes -- if you search on that phrase, you'll find even more alternatives. Minimalist shoes are something that I've been experimenting with. I've had a number of foot injuries in the past, and I'm starting to think that supportive or cushioning footwear doesn't really help and may even make some of these problems worse. Anyway, that's one of the many claims made by fans of minimalist footwear, who use them to address a variety of situations. It certainly seems that training off the mat is a situation where minimalist footwear is a good solution.

One thing about Five Fingers is that they don't work well for people whose second toe is longer than their first toe. Mine is, just slightly, so I haven't gone that route. I have a pair of huaraches made according to the Invisible Shoe directions (http://www.invisibleshoe.com/how-to-make-huaraches) -- you can get the materials from them, or get them to make a pair for you, or you can just buy some cherry vibram and cord and do it yourself.

Minimalist shoes do take some getting used to, particularly if you use them for daily wear, and particularly for running. The main reason why people choose minimalist shoes for running is that they want to alter their gait from one where heelstrike predominates to one that focuses on the ball of the foot. Advocates believe that this is better for foot health, long term, but in the short term you can't just put them on and run your normal mileage -- your mechanics don't change instantaneously, and until they do, you won't be able to run lots of miles without danger of injury. Again, not such an issue if you're just using the shoes for off-the-mat training, but a bigger issue if you plan to use them for running or even just for everyday wear.

Here are some more links for anyone who's interested in minimalist footwear:

Article on minimalist footwear and product links from EMS
Birthday Shoes -- about toe shoes and other minimalist shoes
Soft Star Shoes
Primal Foot Alliance -- more about barefooting but also good info about minimalist shoes
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 09:38 AM   #8
Janet Rosen
 
Janet Rosen's Avatar
Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
http://www.invisibleshoe.com/how-to-make-huaraches) --
Article on minimalist footwear and product links from EMS
Birthday Shoes -- about toe shoes and other minimalist shoes
Soft Star Shoes
Primal Foot Alliance -- more about barefooting but also good info about minimalist shoes
Cool Links, Mary!

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 10:10 AM   #9
chillzATL
Location: ATL
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 847
United_States
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
One thing about Five Fingers is that they don't work well for people whose second toe is longer than their first toe. Mine is, just slightly, so I haven't gone that route. I have a pair of huaraches made according to the Invisible Shoe directions (http://www.invisibleshoe.com/how-to-make-huaraches) -- you can get the materials from them, or get them to make a pair for you, or you can just buy some cherry vibram and cord and do it yourself.
IMy second toe is roughly the toe nail longer than my big toe. I got mine locally, so someone helped me size them. We just sized to that toe and I haven't had any problems. Sizing is very important with these things!

Quote:
Minimalist shoes do take some getting used to, particularly if you use them for daily wear, and particularly for running. The main reason why people choose minimalist shoes for running is that they want to alter their gait from one where heelstrike predominates to one that focuses on the ball of the foot. Advocates believe that this is better for foot health, long term, but in the short term you can't just put them on and run your normal mileage -- your mechanics don't change instantaneously, and until they do, you won't be able to run lots of miles without danger of injury. Again, not such an issue if you're just using the shoes for off-the-mat training, but a bigger issue if you plan to use them for running or even just for everyday wear.
My main reason for wanting to try them was because I love being barefoot, but that's not really acceptable or safe for the feetsies, but I had also started developing pain in the outside-ball of both my feet and my last three toes were kind of curling under each other. THey weren't separated like you would normally expect. I figured having my toes forced apart would be a good thing and it was. After a year of steady use the foot pain went away and my toes lay much more normally than before.

The first three months or so was an experience though. I learned that my ankles were crazy weak and that I had absolutely no idea how to run the way you need to run in these things. I was running with my heel far too high up, but after watching some vids of barefoot runners I adjusted my step and it's been great.

My only complaint is that they can give you some horrible stink-foot after just a few wears. It's really to be expected with something so snug fitting. At least they're very easy to wash/dry.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 12:00 PM   #10
Shany
 
Shany's Avatar
Dojo: ISTA
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 164
Israel
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

http://www.vibramfivefingers.it/eng/default.aspx

A good stance and posture reflects a proper state of mind
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2011, 02:43 PM   #11
jbblack
 
jbblack's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido of Roseville
Location: Carmichael, CA
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 81
United_States
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

These are awesome. I have been using them on the mat for over two years. Highly recommended.
http://www.mmaoutlet.com/4Q2-MMA-Fight-Socks-P532.aspx

Cheers, Jeff
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2011, 02:53 PM   #12
dps
 
dps's Avatar
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,415
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Consider Fila Skela-toes;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGInUQ_oal8

dps

Go ahead, tread on me.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2011, 03:28 PM   #13
Janet Rosen
 
Janet Rosen's Avatar
Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
I have a pair of huaraches made according to the Invisible Shoe directions (http://www.invisibleshoe.com/how-to-make-huaraches) -- you can get the materials from them, or get them to make a pair for you, or you can just buy some cherry vibram and cord and do it yourself.
This DIYgal has the materials en route and when I come up for air between the day job, the dojo, the family and making weapons bags {gasp!} in "my copious free time" I'm going to make a pair....and then, of course, start altering them

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2011, 04:07 PM   #14
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
United_States
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
This DIYgal has the materials en route and when I come up for air between the day job, the dojo, the family and making weapons bags {gasp!} in "my copious free time" I'm going to make a pair....and then, of course, start altering them
The hardest part is cutting the rubber -- I used a big pair of leatherworking shears and it was still some work. But, you know, ten minutes total.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2011, 08:10 AM   #15
Hanna B
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 647
Sweden
Offline
Re: Footwear for training?

Quote:
Matt Bostock wrote: View Post
I was at my dojo recently and we were practising with weapons, therefore we were a bit more spread out and some of us had to train off the mats on the hard floor. Now about ten years ago I managed to smash my heel on a motorbike and now it doesn't take kindly to hard floors and subsequently I had a real hard time of it. So I was wondering if there was any kind of 'training' shoe that is acceptable to use for Aikido? Does anyone know of anything?

Cheers,
Matt.
Where I've trained, just any kind of shoe was acceptable for outdoors training. For off-mat training indoors IMHO any clean shoe that does not leave stains on the floor should be fine although you might prefer a sole that does not "grip" too much.

But if you have problems with your feet and there is a mat, just not with enough space for everybody, why don't you just tell your partner "I have a condition in my heel and really need to be on the mat, not the hard floor" and/or telling the teacher you do need a little space on the mat, not beside it.
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Footwear gamma80 General 8 04-14-2005 02:46 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:40 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate