Training my Toes

[nzproud]

"Toes" are vulnerable part of body and can get hurt easily if you don't train them. Toes can be very effective in kumite. For example, you can do strong maegeri with it and mikagetsu geri(Ryu Narushima).

How do you train your toes?

[Shokei Marcsui]

Another use is Chusoku Mawashi Geri Chudan. I do not use it often because again the toe jam thing.

[kakatootoshi]

Kick the heavybag repeatedly with toes.
Try to stand on your toes (toes extended, not pulled back as in ordinary mae geri).
Train on surfaces that are slippery (some wear socks for simualtion) so as to increase the gripping of toes.

OSU!

[Olrac]

osu
Mae geri & chusoku mawashi geri aren't made with the toes.
They are made with the ball of the foot.
I too have problems with my toes but not because of the kicks.
My problem is when my opponent blocks the kick with f.i. the elbow.
About a year ago I broke 2 toes making a mae geri while the other guy was making hiza geri. And yes, his knee was stronger than my toes.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by Olrac

Mae geri & chusoku mawashi geri aren't made with the toes.

I believe the point is that they can be made with the toes, and some styles teach a variation of our mae geri using the toes to strike (digging into the stomach).

[Olrac]

Originally Posted by Satori

I believe the point is that they can be made with the toes, and some styles teach a variation of our mae geri using the toes to strike (digging into the stomach).

osu Satori-san,
do mean that some styles make mae geri haisoku instead of chusoku?
Sounds painfull to me.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by Olrac

osu Satori-san,
do mean that some styles make mae geri haisoku instead of chusoku?
Sounds painfull to me.

Exactly. It's not painful though because the toes can be conditioned. I've seen someone from Okinawa breaking around four boards held and stomach level with a haisoku mae geri!

[seienchin]

i'm not sure haisoku is the right term. haisoku means instep - the topn of the foot. i take it you are meaning something the equivalent of nukite? So maybe it would be called nuki-ashi? help please from one of our japanese speakers.

[Lanky Sempai]

take one towel, sit on a chair with said towel laid out in front of you, roll the towel in using just your toes, repeat 10 times, actually just try 5 times at first this really hurts. Think little scrunching movements.

[seienchin]

A variant on this that I have seen is to put a little pile of pencils on the ground, and pick them up one by one by curling your toes in, capturing the pencil between chusoku and toes. Hold the pencil for a count of three seconds before moving it into the "done" pile. Then move them all back again. A pack of 12 coloured pencils is about the right number! (if you get bored, you can try drawing with your feet).

These exercises both strengthen the muscles that flex the toes towards the sole of the foot.

To have really strong toes, you need to strengthen some others as well. Simple isometric resistance is probably best, as I don't think they make barbells little enough to strap to your toes (Hmmm. note to self - maybe I could make some money).

Anyway, your toes can move in 4 directions - up, down, and both directions sideways. EAch of these uses different muscles.

We've covered the toe curling muscles (flexors), but neglected the others.

Toe uncurling (extensors): very easy to do in front of the television after a hard night's training. Just rest your opposite foot on top of your toes, and use your toes to life the resting foot. Push down with the resting foot, up with the toes you are trying to exercise.

If you want, you could use a book or a flat weight instead, but I think the resting foot method is more portable. YOu can even do this one unobtrusively during boring meetings at work...provided your feet don't stink when you slip them out of your shoes...

Next, there are the inwards and outwards muscles. We don't think about it very often, but our toes can move outwards and inwards, just like our fingers.

Again, this can be exercised with simple resistance - but be warned, this is getting pretty obsessive, and this post is starting to read like a joke. Be reassured, it isn't. The muscles that move toes in and outare called the interosseus muscles, because they sit between the longbones of your foot.

Initially, just squeeze your toes together and hold, for a count of say 5 seconds, and do 10 - 20 reps. To save time, you can do both feet at once!

If bored with this, try holding a piece of paper between your toes, and resist it being pulled out. Best value here are the spaces between big and 2nd, and 2nd and 3rd toes. 1, 2, and 3 seem to be the most commonly injured toes.

The reverse is holding your toes widely splayed apart. I think this one is the hardest to do with resistance, because it's just awkward, but if you are really motivated, you can do it.

I can't believe I've just written a resistance training program for toes! however, if you want to start using your pointed toes as weapons, then they deserve some training. But remember, nothing can strengthen the ligaments. You get what you are born with. Strong muscles bracing will help to a point, but toes can break. Luckily, they also usually heal quite well.

Direct conditioning (like toe walking ballerina style) will help you to learn to use those muscles that you have built in the most effective bracing contraction, but this really shouldn't be started without a bit of training beforehand. So - resistance training for toes, followed by conditioning, just like we do for the rest of our bodies.

[vapor]

seienchin-

I am having some trouble following all of your suggestions...

Could you film yourself doing the exercises....or even some black and white still pics would fit the bill!!

(just kidding, great advice!)

Now I have something to do during meetings, because my shoes always come off moments after I sit down!!

vapor

[seienchin]

Hmmm - maybe I've given people the idea that I have a thing for feet...Not true. Bears can't even do these exercises - our claws get in the way

[Martin H]

the point of the toes are Tsumasaki

So a mae geri with them is a Tsumasaki mae geri, a mawashi geri with them is a Tsumasaki mawashi geri, just like a mwashi geri with the shin is formaly a sune mawashi geri and a normal mawashi is a heisoku mawashi geri.

They are found in some styles, but are uncommon since you need to condition your toes a LOT. and if you dont you will be the one hurt.
They are a fun variation, but not really practical.
Atleast not with bare feet's. With shoes on it suddenly makes much more practical sense.

Edit: I just remembered that this is how savate kickboxers (trad french kickboxing) teach and trains, since they compete wearing shoes.

Ive heard about a american kyokushin knockdown fighter who used them since he had broken his toes, and after they healed he COULDNT bend them into a chosuko. Sadly I dont remember the name.

Ive actually trained them in the air a few times in kyokushin. But only once or twice, and I dont know where the sempai teaching had got them from.

Another even more obscure version is to "curl" the toes down like a fist(like the oposite of a chosuko). It is taught in some okinawan styles.

[seienchin]

Thanks Martin. I was hoping that someone who knew some more Japanese that I do would tune in. Interesting variations!

[Liu]

My right foot toes are always caught on the heavy bag when I kick. But my left foot doesn't.

Originally Posted by Martin H

Ive heard about a american kyokushin knockdown fighter who used them since he had broken his toes, and after they healed he COULDNT bend them into a chosuko.

Ouch!

Originally Posted by Martin H

Another even more obscure version is to "curl" the toes down like a fist(like the oposite of a chosuko). It is taught in some okinawan styles.

I've tried this one, but I can't curl the toes much when my foot is pointed out.

[mozzman]

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LETS PARTY................YAHOOOOOOOOO

[smoothsake]

A routine we do in our dojo to train the toes is stand at one end of the dojo and, using your toes only to pull yourself forward, make it across the mat. This toe scrunching exercise can be quite painful. Take your time. Don't use your body weight as momentum. Just use your toes!

[Martin H]

Originally Posted by Liu

I've tried this one, but I can't curl the toes much when my foot is pointed out.

From what I understand this is supposed to be done in low kicks only (trad okinawan karate as a rule never kick above the waist, claiming it as too dangerous position to be in for the kicker), so that would make it easier. Ive read about some using it as a variation in kin geri aswell.
However, I am not sure I see the value of the kick. I cant imagine why the curled down toes would be a advantage in any way, and I se big potential for breaking toes.

I have never actually seen it being done.

I just mentioned it as a obscure variation to kick with your toes.
I love obscure techniques and strange technique variations :-)