Kicking With Shoes

[47MartialMan]

Actually Vito, if you are reffering to the high section juping and spinning kicks frequently associated with tkd, then i'd have to agree with you, probly impractical on the street, especially for me, seeing as i'm below average for a guy. ( 5 " 4) head shots with my feet aren't impossible on a taller oponent, but they are difficult - I think i should point out though, that any good tkd school has a LOT of kicks other than just flashy high ones, and a lot are similiar to MT kicks. I practice low section and mid section lead leg round kicks incessantly, and the front push kick you describe is also taught in tkd. The style is really more versatile than people seem to give it credit for....

 

I'll give TKD credit for kicking development-but not high ones in real combat.

 

dont take this the wrong way, but i dont think you know much about fighting. never, ever, ever throw a head kick on the street unless the guy is on his knees or something. if you kick at a standing guys head youre probably screwed.

 

Yes, high kicking have a low percetage per effectiveness in a street combat. Been there. Seen it. Been in it. Many decades-close to 3

 

Shoes on. Shoes off-Daniel-son.

 

Come on. As if one may have the time to remove their shoes in real combat.

[Randy]

Ok heres the way i see it. I usually wear a normal jogger with a rubbery sole, so what im saying applies to those kind of shoes.

 

When you do a kick with the bottom of your foot (ball of foot / heel) the sole of your shoe is between your foot and the target so when you kick, the sole will deform and absorb some of the force.

 

Also the surface area you are kicking with is increased (bottom of shoe is bigger than your foot) so the force of the kick is spread out over a larger area. What that means is that the kick is probably more likely to knock your opponent back rather than bust a rib or an organ. Similar principles to that of boxing gloves, when you get hit your head gets knocked back rather than nose or jaw breaking cause of the much greater surface area of the glove.

 

So those kicks would become less effective with shoes on.

 

I've also found it dificult to pull your toes back for ball of foot kicks with shoes on.

 

For a roundhouse & groin kick, if you kick with the top of your foot only a few layers of cloth are between your foot & the target so i doubt you would notice much difference there, and ofcourse if you round kick with your shin your shoes dont come into play at all.

[mantisboxer]

I am waiting for a pair of shoes that i bought that the shaolin monks train in. I find that kicking with your shin works better than a instep kick or ball of the foot kick. for front kicks i prefer kicking with the heel of my foot to. kicking with the shin is like swinging a basball bat.

[47MartialMan]

"pair of shoes that i bought that the shaolin monks train in"

 

arrgg---what about the beats, robes, and reading the sutras

[MenteReligieuse]

I'm getting there....reading "An introduciton to Buddhism: teachings, history and practices" by Peter Harvey ....

 

Now all I need is the fancy robe (already got the hair cut)

[Mischievousjoe]

"dont take this the wrong way, but i dont think you know much about fighting. never, ever, ever throw a head kick on the street unless the guy is on his knees or something. if you kick at a standing guys head youre probably screwed. "

 

..... I find it funny that you quoted my original statement and then neglected to actually read it. I believe I clearly stated that high kicks were not really what I was asking about, I don't believe I ever insinuated to be an expert on anything... and I actually agree with your points except when the topic got off to bashing my choice of style...

[Hudson]

High, flashy kicks can be used without much fear, but really, only if your some kind of showboat with experience to fight with the high kicks.

 

The best fighting you can do with your shoes is walking away.

 

Edit: To the person who trains in "Shaolin shoes"... you mean the Feiyues?