Wrestling shoes

[flyingknee16]

Who wears wrestling shoes when they grapple? I hate the matburn I get from shooting in but I don't want to get leglocked or have some of my favorite weapons (ie armbar, my triangle choke) taken away from me.

why or why not do/don't you wear wrestling shoes?

 

[Balto]

I doubt wrestling shoes will interfere too much with armbars and triangles.

Leglock vulnerability is a problem. It's the number one reason not to wear shoes. Heelhooks are especially vicious.

Other than avoiding matburn during shots, the best reason for wearing wrestling shoes is that you can push off the mat with them. This makes your dominant wrestling positions much tighter (head and arm, side control, north/south, etc). With the shoes on, you can really drive with your legs and crush your opponent with your weight.

 

[Rotund Grappler]

i wear wrestling shoes whenever i can. although it may provide ample oppertunity for a leg submission, im bound to be submitted someother way anyways, let alone just worrying about my legs. in not that good of a grappler.

 

[S.D.Force]

I think it's a bit ridiculous so many people are afraid to wear them b/c of leg locks etc. Very few people are really good with leg locks anyway, and it's only practice anyway so big deal. If you want to make things a little easier on yourself just tell the guy your rolling with "no heel hooks" during your session. They are illegal in all tournaments except for the advanced division anyway so you don't need to really worrry about them at all. Same goes for neck/spinal cranks. Just tell your partner not to do them b/c they are illegal in competition anyway and that's what most people train for.

shoes give you incredible advantage in mat scrambles for position, and maintaining position. They may get caught up somehow on your opponents clothing during sweeps or other attempted moves b/c of the rubber, but then again that may not happen to much, or it may not bother you too much. At least you won't get athletes foot either from all of those fungus feet all over the gym floor and mat.

 

[demonx]

I don't want to get leglocked or have some of my favorite weapons (ie armbar, my triangle choke) taken away from me.

Shoes will help your triangle, s its harder for the feet to get un-crossed. It helps them lock tight.

I wear shoes cause I have had my big toe ripped off whilst wrestling and I don't want it to happen again.

 

[Rory McDonell]

shoes are better because they prevent rolled ankles, mat burn, broken toes, and slippage on a wet mat.

 

[S.D.Force]

shoes are better because they prevent rolled ankles, mat burn, broken toes, and slippage on a wet mat.

all excellent reasons to wear shoes. These can be big factors during a match.

One time i was a judge in some of the Tijuana, Mexico MMA fights. And as usual, most of the fighters were bare foot. Almost all of the fights had lots of "slippage" during the course of striking and scrambling. I could really see it b/c i was up close. There was one guy that wore shoes and he didn't slip at all. In fact he lost a close one, and it was largely a ground battle. I think this guy would have lost badly if he hadn't worn the shoes.

Another guy kept trying to take his opponent down b/c he was a ground specialist. He was slipping all over the place and he got totally pummelled. Remember, in MMA, you are on more of a canvas type of mat, and with the ads on it, it does get very slippery, much different than a mat.

If you ever compete in grappling on those Zebra mats with the little grip lines on them you know they can REALLY mess up your feet/toes with mat burn....and i mean badly. The smooth mats are pretty safe to go without shoes. But DAMN, there is NO way i will go competitively on the "grippy" kind of mats without shoes.

 

[Rotund Grappler]

jigsaw mats are like sandpaper on the skin.

 

[grecoguy43]

can you wear shoes during competitions?

 

[Kuroi Kaze]

hmmm...noone reppin' the hardcore?

are all bjj'ers encouraged to wear shoes now or something?

 

[Throatyogurt]

no shoes
shoes = teh gheys

 

[S.D.Force]

no shoes
shoes = teh gheys

You're probably the kind of guy who wears extremely colorful and tight rashguards that have all kinds of printing and big advertising names on them. Along with some matching skin tight MMA shorts, and a color matched mouthguard. All so you can look like a professional Brazilian stud grappler and fit in with the cool jiu jitsu crowd......Talk about Gey.

 

[Kuroi Kaze]

seriously people?

compelling reason for me to not go out and buy wrestling shoes today?

i'm not allowed to do footlocks, btw.