What is a good MA shoe?

[Yung Apprentice]

I'm going to go buy some shoes tommorrow, maybe you all can help me choose? I was thinking of buying some of those regular adidas that you see alot of TKD people use, and some KF guys too. This is for my KF class. But I remembered a long while back, a discussion on good MA shoes, and would like to hear some suggestions. Thank you.

[Yung Apprentice]

Oh, and if you could give me an estimate in prices for the shoes that you suggest, that would be much appreciated too. I'm looking for something between 20-60 dollars. But I could go as high as $80.


Keep in mind I have never bought these kinda shoes before, so I have no idea the range in prices. Once again, thanx.

[Souljah]

erm, they may not be MA shoes, but I use the nike aqua soles (or aqua socks?) They are very light and have a good tread.
Plus there are no clean edges so you can roll on your feet easily.
(though some may not view this as a good thing)

theyr like £30 which is what about $45?

[Yung Apprentice]

Come one people, no suggestions from any one?

[Souljah]

hello>?????

............is this thing on??????

[premier]

I think the standard MA shoes suck. At least most of them. There's no support to any direction and they break easily. A lot of our guys use Nike's indoor soccer shoes. You might want to check them out.


premier

[Laughing Cow]

Hi.

I am using a shoe made by Puma that calls itself a "Kung Fu" Shoe, goes for about $30.

So far no complaints, but than I am doing Chen Taijiquan, not sure if it would stand any heavier training than what we do.

Most People at the kwoon don't go for anything special, but simply use shoes that are comfy for them.

Don't fall into the trap to buy specific /expensive gear if the run of the mill stuff will also do.

Just my 0.2 cents worth.

[SevenStar]

I agree with the thought that kung fu shoes suck. I've tried macho and several other brands that have torn apart in weeks. Also, they have no support. My longfist school ended up using Feivue shoes by TopOne, which hold up really well, but again, have no support.

[SevenStar]

here's a pic: http://www.lorinisport.com/scheda.asp?Vet=1&Cod=AB2156&Cat=001340054&Lin=ITA

[neptunesfall]

i rip through sneakers in about 2 months, so i go for the cheapo payless/walmart stuff. brand name ones last just as long for me, so it doesn't matter much. just find ones that offer support and comfort.
running shoes with the forward tilt suck a wang and wreck my stances so i don't get those.

[yu shan]

Ditto to Premier, I suggest indoor soccer shoes. In our style of Mantis Gong-fu, you need a shoe with support yet light. Either the soccer style or a good cross-trainer. The flat kf shoe is terrible for your feet! Stay away...

[JAZA]

ANyone have wear discipline?
I'm thinking import a pair for me, I need a stable support.
What's your opinion about it?

[DragonzRage]

When training Muay Thai, I prefer to go bare foot for the most part. Other than that, wrestling shoes work great for anything.

[apoweyn]

i'm with dragonzrage. wrestling shoes.

[Stranger]

Two drawbacks to wrestling shoes:
1) The thin flexible or split sole is unlike most pair of shoes that you would ever wear outside of class. If you have nice pivot circles and flexible soles on your wrestling shoes you use in training, you will notice techniques will feel different outside of class in hiking boots, dress shoes, etc.

2) They are not designed to take impact. If you kick and stomp a lot, they will fall apart quickly. Wrestling shoes were designed to endure the stress of wrestling, not kicking pads and people.

They are still among my favorite footwear for martial arts training.
*******************************
The indoor soccer shoe has a thicker less flexible sole like my everyday footwear and they usually hold up better to kicking. They lose points, however, in ankle support.

Some people like Vans, but they have almost no pivoting performance (they are designed that way on purpose to avoid slipping off decks of boats and skateboards).

Wearing boots makes you very aware of your footwork due to their weight. It is an interesting "feel" to mix into training sometimes.
Don't give up trainng barefoot from time to time as well.

[apoweyn]

stranger,

1) that's true. they don't feel like regular shoes. but as i mentioned in the other shoe thread, i'm not sure how i feel about that argument. i mean, sneakers don't feel dress shoes don't feel like hiking boots don't feel like sandals. so how far do you take that logic? do you have to train in all of them to consider yourself prepared? (again, not a rhetorical question. i'm genuinely interested to hear people's thoughts on this.)

2) i haven't experienced that problem. and i'm not a wrestler. taekwondo, eskrima, and kickboxing. and the wrestling shoes have held up fine. for just over a decade now, actually.

truth be told, the treads have worn smooth by now. but i did buy them in 1990. i've replaced the shoe laces about three times. but structurally speaking, they're fine. and i've been banging them on air shields, heavy bags, tire dummies, what have you.

YMMV of course.


stuart b.

[GeneChing]

shoes (http://store.yahoo.com/martialartsmart/martial-arts-shoes.html)

[premier]

No offence but.. What the hell is that bag for? a shoe bag? Gimme a break =)

It looks exactly the way it is. Just another excuse to make the price a few dollars higher after buying them 5 cents each from China, where they've been produced by little children in a sweatshop.


premier

[Stranger]

apoweyn,

I think striving to train in every type of footwear is not necessary, but maybe general types. I don't train in dress shoes intentionally, but I have moved about in them a bit when I happened to be wearing them to get an understanding of the feel. Dress shoes tend to be slippery on the bottom, due to my training experience, I try to avoid purchasing smooth soled dress shoes. I wanted to train for a slippery environment (ice, wet grass) or slippery shoes (dress shoes), so I wore cotton socks on a wrestling mat surface while training. I understood what "no traction" felt like, as my feet were sliding all over the place. In order to preserve mats I sometimes train on , I wear shoes that have only been used indoors (wrestling or soccer shoes). When training outdoors, I take the opportunity to wear boots (hiking), to feel that difference in weight and ankle flexibility.

Any old sneakers that aren't too disgusting get worn to training once before going in the trash.
Why?
Why not?

Some footwear experiences in training have led me to believe that some types of footwear (Birks, slip-ons, etc.) are best discarded at the first opportunity, as barefoot offers better mobility and there is nothing worse than having a shoe half-on and half-off in a fight.

I don't lose sleep over it, but I am aware. It shouldn't be the difference between getting your butt kicked or winning in a fight, but it does help reduce the anxiety of the unfamiliar that so often creeps into people fighting outside of their "comfort zone" for the first time.

[Stranger]

I had a pair of Asics for a ridiculously long time when my training was grappling-based and loved them. I then started working leg traps more when my training changed focus and the shoes fell apart (all that nylon started ripping and the stitching of the logo which provides lateral support in Asics began to fall apart) in a month. Granted they were old and had done their duty, but they had looked fine right up until the point that this new direction in training was taken. Perhaps I judged too soon, but my mind immediately went to "What type of shoe is designed to take impact on the uppers?" Soccer shoes definitely have the advantage over wrestling shoes in this area (and the sole thickness issue mentioned previously).

In the end, I'd wear either. I was just pointing out the pluses and minuses of both in particular scenarios as I saw them.

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by Stranger
apoweyn,

I think striving to train in every type of footwear is not necessary, but maybe general types. I don't train in dress shoes intentionally, but I have moved about in them a bit when I happened to be wearing them to get an understanding of the feel. Dress shoes tend to be slippery on the bottom, due to my training experience, I try to avoid purchasing smooth soled dress shoes. I wanted to train for a slippery environment (ice, wet grass) or slippery shoes (dress shoes), so I wore cotton socks on a wrestling mat surface while training. I understood what "no traction" felt like, as my feet were sliding all over the place. In order to preserve mats I sometimes train on , I wear shoes that have only been used indoors (wrestling or soccer shoes). When training outdoors, I take the opportunity to wear boots (hiking), to feel that difference in weight and ankle flexibility.

Any old sneakers that aren't too disgusting get worn to training once before going in the trash.
Why?
Why not?

Some footwear experiences in training have led me to believe that some types of footwear (Birks, slip-ons, etc.) are best discarded at the first opportunity, as barefoot offers better mobility and there is nothing worse than having a shoe half-on and half-off in a fight.

I don't lose sleep over it, but I am aware. It shouldn't be the difference between getting your butt kicked or winning in a fight, but it does help reduce the anxiety of the unfamiliar that so often creeps into people fighting outside of their "comfort zone" for the first time.


wow. excellent answer. cheers stranger.

i've trained barefoot, in wrestling shoes, and in sneakers. that's about it.


stuart b.

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by Stranger
I had a pair of Asics for a ridiculously long time when my training was grappling-based and loved them. I then started working leg traps more when my training changed focus and the shoes fell apart (all that nylon started ripping and the stitching of the logo which provides lateral support in Asics began to fall apart) in a month. Granted they were old and had done their duty, but they had looked fine right up until the point that this new direction in training was taken. Perhaps I judged too soon, but my mind immediately went to "What type of shoe is designed to take impact on the uppers?" Soccer shoes definitely have the advantage over wrestling shoes in this area (and the sole thickness issue mentioned previously).

In the end, I'd wear either. I was just pointing out the pluses and minuses of both in particular scenarios as I saw them.


hey, if they came apart, they came apart. no arguing with that. mine have held up pretty well, though that lateral stitching you mentioned did come off on mine as well, now that you mention it.

hmm...

anyway, they're sorry looking. and they probably smell like the devil's outhouse. but they're still my favorite.

:)

[Oso]

I've had Airwalks, e`and another brand I can't think of.

Stay away from the really clunky ones meant for fashion
and find a pair meant for use and they fair pretty well
as a training shoe. I've averaged about 5 years a pair
and as I wear them on the street as well then I don't
have to transition to a different shoe.

I will switch to a wrestling shoe for sparring when I know I'm
going to be concentrating on ground techniques and ground
fighting.

Hey, has anyone looked into brand sponsership?
I knew a guy who only snowboarded regionally and
he got some gear from Airwalk.

"Hi, my name's Matt...and when I want to kick some ass I
ONLY wear Asics wresting shoes. Grrrrrr !!!!"

[FatherDog]

I own three pairs of shoes: An old pair of sneakers, a pair of combat boots, and a pair of wrestling shoes.

I wear the sneakers to the gym. I wear the wrestling shoes to train ('cos, well, I'm a wrestler.) I wear the boots everywhere else.

I definitely agree with Stranger's approach, although I don't train in my boots myself (because they have a deep tread and would scuff up and dirty the mats). My main focus is sportive competition, though, so I train with what I wear in the ring.

[babooon87]

I use the little canvas chinese shoes, they have no hold, no support and tear off easily, but once in a while when I get back with normal shoes it seems so easy.