What About Shoes? - Master Booe's Karate Kidz Knoxville

Master Booe

I have had many parents ask me about shoes when their kids are coming to their first Karate classes. Do students take off shoes and even socks when attending Karate classes?

Shoes are not allowed on the mat areas at Master Booe's Karate Kidz. This also applies to socks. Reasons for this include sanitation, safety during kicking techniques, and wear and tear on the protective floor mats.

In this short article, I will explain some of the reasons martial arts are normally performed in bare feet. I will also go over the rare exceptions and accommodations that can be made, though they seldom happen.

What Is The Number One Reason Shoes Are Not Worn In Martial Arts Classes?

The soles of shoes not only take a beating and have to be made out of durable and abrasive materials, they also are one of the dirtiest things both kids and adults wear on a daily basis. Is the main reason for the ban on shoes on Karate mats cleanliness?

Keeping diseases, bathroom material, dirt, and other contaminates off of training floor mats is the primary reason for not allowing any shoes during Karate classes. Though there are other important reasons, this is the main one.

With a blended Karate style, grappling systems, and all other form of martial arts, keeping skin rashes, infections, and other issues at bay is a major concern.

When mine and your child's faces and hands will regularly be on matted areas, no one wants a child running from the bathroom directly onto the mats leaving wet shoeprints along the way.

This sort of contamination of the mat areas can lead to fairly serious sickness, infection, or skin conditions.

Though all well run martial arts schools will clean their mats every day and sometime twice daily, wearing shoes on mats can reintroduce many of these unwanted contaminants hourly.

Is Not Wearing Shoes Part Of Asian Cultures?

Not only are there sanitary considerations, there are also ancient traditions that accompany the study of Karate, Judo, Taekwondo, and many others. Is not wearing shoes part of those traditions?

Japanese culture expressly, along with other Asian traditions, have long standing customs of not wearing shoes indoors at all. Not always are bare feet the answer. Many times 'house shoes' are worn. But in martial arts training specifically, shoes are rarely ever worn.

There are specific shoes that are worn for Kendo, Ninjitsu, and other styles. So, like many things, there are exceptions. Though what is never an exception is wearing these shoes anywhere but on the training floors and mats. These shoes are never worn in public spaces.

It can be seen as a sign of disrespect if 'street' shoes are worn in homes, schools, or many other interior spaces. Though special shoes are worn at times in interior spaces, in general street shoes are something to keep on in very public settings.

What Are Some Of The Rare Exceptions To The 'No Shoe' Policy On Training Mats?

There are times when children have skin conditions, warts, or other transmittable conditions. Is there a solution for these little guys and gals?

There are specific martial arts shoes and wrestling shoes that can be purchased and saved specifically for use in Karate classes for kids. Though this is a possibility, there are many challenges to implementation.

For one, there is the cost. These are specialized shoes with soles that don't cause as much wear and tear on mats. This means they are not designed to stand up to everyday use on sidewalks and other daily surfaces. They are not cheap and will only last long if just used in Karate classes.

Secondly is the problem of having to put them on and take them off whenever a child enters or leaves the matted areas. Going to the restroom is a time where these shoes designed for training areas only cannot ever be used. This can make them contaminated no matter how much they are cleaned.

Though there are options for children with special considerations, it will take coordination between myself and parents to make it work.

What Are Kids To Do When They Need To Use The Bathroom?

This is actually a very large issue in many martial arts schools. I take this very seriously in my dojo. So, what is a child expected to do when they have to use the restroom?

Children must put on 'street shoes' when entering the bathroom and remove them again before entering the training area. It is very important that kids are not bare footed in the bathroom since all contaminants their feet come in contact with will end up on the mats.

We all know that sometimes kids have emergencies. If this is the case for your child, and time is of the essence, the solution to bare feet in the bathroom is to use wipes and clean their feet thoroughly before they return to class. If your child tends to have 'emergencies', please keep wipes with you for this purpose. We cannot keep wipes in the bathroom since some children go in alone and inevitably these wipes will end up in the toilet.

Wearing shoes in the bathroom and not on the mats is the regular and ordinary practice.

There is also a good habit that if followed, solves this problem very well.

I always suggest that parents ask their kids as they enter the dojo if they have to use the restroom before class starts. This cuts down on 'emergencies' exponentially. I have even been known to get kids laughing so much that they can't control their bowels. Going before class is a great way to prevent the need to run to the bathroom in a panic.

What Are Some Of The Safety Concerns With Wearing Shoes In Karate Class?

Safety is something that is another serious concern with shoes in training arts that include wrestling, kicking, and matted surfaces. How is it safer for kids not to wear shoes?

Shoes have abrasive soles, laces, and many other parts that can cause cuts, scratches, and even eye injuries. Special shoes, designed for grappling or striking have even been known to cause the same problems.

Many shoes being worn on the mats over time also cause undo wear and tear. Rips in the matted surfaces are tripping and cutting hazards. In order to keep our mats in the best condition for the longest amount of time, shoes are simply not allowed unless expressly stated and agreed upon.

To keep accidents from occurring, and to mitigate the injuries if they do happen, bare feet are the best way to train on the mats.

What About Socks In Karate Classes?

Though they may be cleaner than the average shoe worn in public, socks pose not only some of the same sanitary concerns, but also safety issues as well. So, are socks ever permitted in Karate classes?

Socks are not to be worn in Karate classes unless express permission is given. In the case of some skin conditions, socks may be a very temporary solution, but the slipping hazard and unsanitary nature of socks does not make them a viable alternative to martial arts or wrestling shoes.

In times past, socks regularly worn by children were known as 'sweat socks'. The name implies their purpose. They were to absorb bodily fluids and later washed.

It is not hard to see why a day's worth of this contamination would not be desirable on matted training surfaces.

Though there are ones that have traction built into the bottom of the sock, they still do not adequately protect against spreading of foot related conditions. In most all cases where socks may be used, a martial art or wrestling style shoe is a much better option.

They are also not the best at keeping contaminations from warts and foot fungus from infecting the matted areas. For conditions that require covering bare feet, specially designed shoes are the answer.