Conditioning soles of feet

LikeOhMyGawd!

Hi guys, looking for a bit of advice here.

I've been doing some Muay Thai training for the last six months, just one night a week. We train on a carpeted/mat surface mostly and at the end of every session the soles of my feet are shredded with the skin deatching from the balls of my feet in particular. It's very uncomfortable and takes about a week to heal up, before the cycle repeats...

Is there anything I can do to prevent or mitigate this problem?

Thanks.

loz

LikeOhMyGawd! wrote:

Hi guys, looking for a bit of advice here.

I've been doing some Muay Thai training for the last six months, just one night a week. We train on a carpeted/mat surface mostly and at the end of every session the soles of my feet are shredded with the skin deatching from the balls of my feet in particular. It's very uncomfortable and takes about a week to heal up, before the cycle repeats...

Is there anything I can do to prevent or mitigate this problem?

Thanks.

I'd have though 6 months would have been time for feet to get used to it, however maybe the other 6 nights a week your a back walking massuse and this softens the soles ?


Rather than conditioning, why not just tape them up prior to training ?

I sometimes if have blisters or the odd graze etc, just tape them with some inch wide medical tape , stuff these use to secure bandages etc, you can buy at most if not all chemists.

LikeOhMyGawd!

haha, I'm not a back walking massuse (?), it is more to do with the fact that I've been blessed with particularly svelte plates

I've tried surgical tape and bandages too but after a couple of round house kicks with each leg it soon detaches. I think I'll just have to perservere until I get feet like A.L.F.:eek:

I had a similar problem with a small area on one of the soles of my feet. I used neutrogena hand cream with the norwegian flag on it for a few weeks, and it seemed to go away. Liquid bandages are also good too.

judomick

LikeOhMyGawd! wrote:

I've been doing some Muay Thai training for the last six months, just one night a week. We train on a carpeted/mat surface

Huge difference between carpet and mats? describe the surface? if its carpet no wonder your feet are shredded, whereas if its a vinyl mat, do as illegalheadbutt said

LikeOhMyGawd!

judomick, the flooring is mostly an mixture of carpet and carpet tiles, the kinds of which would normally be found in industrial/hard wearing environments. The mats are not vinyl unfortunately, their outer surfaces are made from green-coloured woven material which also creates a lot of friction on the feet too. I guess it's just a matter of putting up with it despite the discomfort

judomick

thats why your feet are in shreds, try wearing socks? nobody else suffer with this problem in your club?

LikeOhMyGawd!

judomick wrote:

thats why your feet are in shreds, try wearing socks? nobody else suffer with this problem in your club?

It would appear that I'm the only one suffering from this, presumably everyone else is is used to it by now. I really want to avoid using any kind of footware as it's is going to look a bit wick and I'd rule out socks immediately as I don't want to have the problem of slipping. The carpet flooring is a double edged sword for me - it provides great grip for planting the feet but at the same time has the effect of a cheese grater!

I must find out what these liquid bandages are though.

Thanks guys.

Dirty Dave

Someone once told me that ballerina's - yes, thats right, ballerina's - rubbed white spirits into their feet to toughen them up.

Dunno how true it was - he said his mother used to dance and thats what she did.

I think if you were to do this, you would lightly wipe a cloth soaked in turps on the sole - NOT A FOOT BATH!

I'd also avoid between the toes and any open sores/blisters, which judging by your post, you have all the time.

As I say, I heard this second hand but maybe you could get more info on it somewhere.

uberpixie

The white spirits thing is true: rowers do the same with their hands.

You could always try bathing you feet in salty water every now and again, that will toughen up your feet.
(urine will also work, not that I have ever tried myself )

Getting a good pair of boots and ware 'em a lot will help toughen your feet up as well.

Miles Long

I had and will probably have the same problem again. If you tape you're feet you'll have to do that indefinatly. If it's the carpet I'm thinking of (kinday like the green bit on a kitchen sponge? In tiles) training on it is ridiculous. It takes ages to build calluses on the balls of your feet and it you're on carpet then you are probably burning them as well as rubbing them.

1) Tape yourself for the next age or two.

2) Do more things barefoot to aid the callus build up.

FiannaGym.com

I'm guessing you train in Bridgestone? SO you could ask your fellow athletes. Having had the same problem the answer is simple, and implicit in your original post....

Train twice a week.

Peace

LikeOhMyGawd!

Thanks again gents for the advice.

I was told about applying white spirit but took this as a wind up! Now I have some corroboration then I might give it a try. And the twice a week thing - that is definitely on the cards also.

LOMG!

Clive

Haha, I take it you're training in Bridgestone!

I used to have the same problem. Step one is let your feet heal completely, step two would be to try and train more than once a week, step three is to take your shoes and socks off for half an hour before training (if possible). Dries them out after a day of sweating into them.

pma-ire

LikeOhMyGawd! wrote:

Hi guys, looking for a bit of advice here.

I've been doing some Muay Thai training for the last six months, just one night a week. We train on a carpeted/mat surface mostly and at the end of every session the soles of my feet are shredded with the skin deatching from the balls of my feet in particular. It's very uncomfortable and takes about a week to heal up, before the cycle repeats...

Is there anything I can do to prevent or mitigate this problem?

Thanks.

I started to laugh when I saw this thread!!

I'm sitting down with my left leg up cutting off 3mm hard as a rock skin off my heel!! Cause it's cracked so much it's cracked right into the flesh!!

Though I don't have a problem with walking around outside in my park without my shoes on or worry about sharp things on the ground

Millionaire

practice practice practice!!!

I had the same problem. Train, Blister, Blister Cuts, Pain, Allow to heal, repeat the process!!

Bull on with your training, with a stubborn mindset, and the feet will take care of themselves in time!!!

To quote a real hard foreman in the bulding game "Ignorance has not failed me yet"!!! LOL!!! ok I m joking a bit here.

I train barefoot on concrete right now, as thats what the floor of thai camp is made of.

Give it time and you will be as right as rain!

TapouT

We all suffer with something similiar. In kickboxing I get blisters on the soles of my feet, in Judo I get them on the tops of my toes!.

But dammit, training on carpets!. Now thats gotta be hell.

Would you not be allowed wear budo shoes under your pads?.

Roper

LOL! The Bridgestone burn?

damo.d

what is it with thai gyms in ireland having carpet???

The two I have trained in have carpet.
There's nothing worse than doing quottros(spelling) on carpet with your feet shredded!!!!


medical tape or training more will sort it out.

Bridgestone Man

Hi,

I think people are focusing on the surface you train on too much as it is not so much the surface as the actual technique of the Thai Kick and the pivot on the soul with full body weight turning. Some points.

In the 24 years I have been training in Muay Thai I have trained on many surfaces concrete, wood (chipboard and solid), carpet, canvas and matted areas and at the start its always the same, the skin on the ball of feet shreds no matter how calloused they have become on a different surface. So if you were training on carpet for years and your feet became caloused on that surface it can be the case that if you then start training on concrete your feet will shred again.

As I said its caused more by the way we actually pivot on the feet which causes this damage. My recommendation is similar to what people have said here when this happens to you.

1. Clean damaged area and dry thoroughly, apply a cut powder to dry and heal more quickley. ( I recommend ROWALAN powder which you can get in any chemist )

2. Keep your feet out from under the covers at night (be prepared for compaints of foot pong) to let the air at the damaged area which keeps it dry and wear sandles around the house etc , keeping your feet dry and less moist.

3. Cut off any excess dead skin.

4. Allow a couple of days to heal and then get back training. This process might have to be repeated 2 or 3 times or some just once. But once your feet hardens you will be grand.

5. Wearing socks etc, will only keep your feet safe as long as you wear them and will not let your feet harden and also they can sometimes make you slip.

6. Training once a week I do not find sufficient to harden the feet I would have to say, twice would be the minimum time a week.

7. On a positive note for people who this happens to at least I can say to them this only happens when you are throwing the kicks correctly if thats any comfort.

If any one that trains in the Bridgestone Gym that is having this problem on an ongoing basis make sure to let me know or ask one of the other coaches as this is not seen as a guy whinging over his soft feet but a beginner in Muay Thai that is doing their kicking technique correctly. Unfortunatly in this case the saying is true, no pain, no gain.


Best Regards,

Paul Kelly,
Chief Coach.
THE BRIDGESTONE GYM.
www.bridgestonemuaythai.com

Black Swan

Aside from frequent mat workouts, I also surf and walk a lot in the sand and on sandy walksways at the ocean with bare feet. The bottoms of my feet are tough, and I would think that the sand walks help.

LikeOhMyGawd!

Thanks again guys for ALL of the good advice!

(and for a bit of clarification the gym is in Belfast!)

Killme00

Piss on the soles of your feet when you get home from training..if its awkward just piss into a cup or something and pour in onto your feet...do not rub it in...just splash it on..and dont forget to wash when you are finished

Not only will you never have any fungal infections on your feet but the soles will be very tough..very

The guys who walk on hot coals do this as do several marathon runners.

Odysseus

Killme00 wrote:

The guys who walk on hot coals do this as do several marathon runners.

As a marathon runner I would recommend meth spirts, pour some on a rag and wipe the soles of your feet with it. As opposed to urine you stand a better chance of staying in a relationship:)