WTF / USAT Sparring Gloves (and 'foot socks')

**GDIOrca91** · Posted On: 5/11/2007 1:23pm

There's not much that can save you if you crank hard into an elbow. Not even full-fledged instep pads. They certainly help, but elbows are still REALLY hard and the impact centers around a very small part of your foot. Let's see how these "foot socks" (much hatred for that name... MUCH hatred) work out.

BTW: Why were you kicking so close to the end of your foot? Why not instep around where it meets ankle, or on the arch? It's way stronger there. I really won't be kicking at full power for long, even if the kicks are technically good, with the end of my foot. Just wondering. From what little I've seen, those big-toe joint injuries (if it's on the outside of the foot) means you're hitting kinda with the side of your foot on roundhouses etc., and not the top, and I'm told the solution is to turn your hips more. Worked for me...

**sheltrk** · Posted On: 5/11/2007 3:32pm

Originally Posted by GDIOrca91

BTW: Why were you kicking so close to the end of your foot?

Wasn't my intent. My badly aimed, poorly timed kick was intercepted by a flying elbow. I'd have preferred that the more robust portion of my instep had hit headgear, hogu, forearm pad, or just whiffed, in that order of preference. Unfortunately, my sparring partner had other ideas. I also would have preferred that my instep pad hadn't rolled up my foot, exposing the joint. Hence, I learned my lesson, and I now understand magic of tape. Maybe I'll try those "foot socks" if I can figure out where to buy them. My instructor said he found a place in California that sells the new WTF gloves.

I do appreciate your comment about turning your hips over on round kicks, though. If my instep kick had been more round, and less vertical, I would have been less likely to catch that elbow like I did. Sometimes I don't get my front foot turned, and my round kicks do come out way too vertical, almost like a front snap kick. I'm working on it, though.

**GDIOrca91** · Posted On: 5/11/2007 3:51pm

Yeah, I hear ya. Best way to kick for me is parallel to the ground. Also eliminates the problem of blocking a good deal; it hurts like HELL to block a kick that comes in perpendicular to your forearm, despite the pad. Plus, you get WAY more power and it eliminates the problem of whacking shoulders on head kicks.
Sheltrk, good luck with those roundhouses.

**TEA** · Posted On: 5/11/2007 4:00pm

Originally Posted by GDIOrca91

BTW: Why were you kicking so close to the end of your foot?

I wasn't trying to kick him in the elbow. He was blocking my kick and that's where he caught my foot.

**GDIOrca91** · Posted On: 5/11/2007 4:09pm

Yeah, I figured you weren't aiming for elbow lol. It's just that I've seen a couple places where they advocate kicking roundhouses with the toes, and I'm like "umm... ow?" I generally hurt the instep or ankle with elbows, but never broken anything.

**ronaldk** · Posted On: 5/12/2007 2:59pm

i'm currently recovering a kick-to-elbow injury myself.

what really pisses me off is a friend who i cross-train with (he's done a bunch of different MAs). and my instructor. they both have very toughly conditioned INSTEPS. to the point where i've seen my friend kick someone in the elbow, and his instep got red while the elbow turned purple, and my instructor has tapped my elbow from time to time (he realizes he's gonna connect a split second before, and pulls the kick back a bit) and i have almost wanted to cry. his insteps have a huge bump on them, solid as a knee. he calls it "the camel". says it's from recovering from repetitive kick-to-elbow injuries.

**kwoww** · Posted On: 5/13/2007 4:36pm

Sounds like a podiatrist's nightmare to me.

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 5/15/2007 3:27pm

I was warned for elbowing insteps, even though it was just a function of having my guard up and shifting my body. Perhaps it's just MD and East Coast US Olympic TKD in general with fucked up judges.

**Liam Cullen** · Posted On: 5/15/2007 5:15pm

Now you mention it, most of the UK judges do seem to Old Bay.... I think this explains a lot....

**GDIOrca91** · Posted On: 5/16/2007 3:17am

Yeah... I've used elbows to block when I had to, no prob with judges. I've seen it happen really bad a few times. Opp bitched and judge started counting him out lol. He sucked it up pretty quick. I guess your tourneys just suck...

And I've yet to meet anybody who has conditioned their insteps quite so well... instructor must have gone through much sweat and blood to do it. Good for him.