Why no shoes?!

So many people ask why we don’t wear shoes when we practice the Martial Arts! So few people know the reason but I am going to share it with you now.

A long, long time ago, an ancient karate master would always have his students practice drills to warm up while he meditated. When he stopped meditating, he would judge his students’ progress and effort.

One day, while the master was deep in meditation, his students began their warm-up drills as usual. However, one student was wearing shoes that were too loose, and as he pivoted to perform a kick, his foot slipped out of his shoe and he lost his balance. To make matters worse, his shoe went flying and hit another student in the face, knocking him over as well.

The master, who was still meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly heard a loud thud and opened his eyes to see two of his students sprawled on the floor in pain. The master immediately knew what had happened and realized that the loose shoes had caused the accident.

From that day on, the master decreed that his students must practice barefoot in order to avoid any slips or falls that could lead to injury. He also realized that practicing barefoot allowed his students to have better control and balance, and to feel more connected to the ground and their movements.

Over time, this tradition of practicing barefoot became a fundamental aspect of karate training and is still observed in most traditional karate schools today. So the next time you step into a karate dojo, remember to take off your shoes and honor this ancient tradition! And watch out for flying shoes!

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