To blister, or not to blister?

[Hotei]

Okay, so everyone I practice with has these awful, nasty, shredded feet. From the new guy that started 2 weeks ago (I lovingly refer to him as mister-blister) to my Sensei, all of the other kendoka around me have major damage to the skin on their feet and toes. . . Except me.

Granted, I'm not a lifetime veteran of the sport, but I'm not a newb, either. Yes, I wear a leather tabi (medical reasons), but my right foot is still plenty-o-soft also, and I don't get it. . .

I have a wonderful cream that I use on my feet (I'm also a climber - you gotta' use it), but I hesitate to give it full credit, because if that were the case, why wouldn't everyone use it? I mean, I suppose I'm just predisposed to durable, soft skin because even my climbing shoes don't tear me up. But again, it may be the foot cream. I dunno'.

I guess my question(s) (are) "Are there others with feet that aren't torn up?" and "What have you done to prevent it?"

Thanks in advance!

[Mizukaze]

Prevent it? Why? Let the calleses develop and you'll be fine. Soft skin is a danger zone for kendoka, tough skin is what you're looking for. It is more then worth it to endure the pain for a little bit. I'm about 2 months into Kendo, and my feet are ripped up pretty good. My hands aswell, even though the calleses have already developed there. I suppose that the downside to having blisters on the soles of your feet is the inability to slide properly; you'll end up galloping across the dojo until the calleses develop. I'm sorry if I'm not exactly answering your question:


I guess my question(s) (are) "Are there others with feet that aren't torn up?" and "What have you done to prevent it?
I'm sorry if I'm not any help, as I'm just picking things off the top of my head. Good luck.

[Hotei]

Actually, the point was that I'm not trying to prevent it, but it's still not happening. I was just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience.

[moetl]

hi hotei,

actually, there ARE persons who hardly get any blisters. (not only in kendo, but in general) probably you belong to this group of people. though i do not have a scientific explanation for that ^^ - i don't know if anyone has, not everything is being researched or is worth it...

i had some blisters on the feet during 2-3 months after i started. since then i haven't got any (already 3 months ^^), though i would not say that i'm the non-blister type. besides, no one gets blisters in our dojo, so this must have something to do with the floor, or with the training...

well, i wasn't a great help either
good luck with your research :D

[Shinai]

I've been doing kendo for a year now and I've only had two blisters (both under my left big toe) which were about half a year apart, it's not due to lack of effort or training, I go to kendo at least twice a week and try my hardest while I'm there, I just don't seem to get them. Actually alot of the people in my dojo who are above 6'th kyu don't seem to have blisters at all, I only got my two blisters when I was begining then my foot hardened up and I had no problem with it. However at my dojo the classes are held at a different place for every day of the week, and at different classes I feel more or less like I'm going to get a blister, so maybe what was said earlier about the floor is true.

[Niels]

yea, i hardly even get blisters
http://www.noodleznetwork.net/pics/picture24.jpg
ow no wait the other thing...

it looks worse than it is actually

i think im gonna spend all summer walking bare feet and develop some calous

--Niels

[mathiasb]

I don't know if they are new or old news in the rest of the world, but here in denmark they've just launched some new kinds of liquid plasters. It's a little bottle of something that you but on your cut/blister with some kind of cotton stick. It makes a very thin almost invisible little plastic layer (kind of like an extra layer of skin) under which your blister can heal safely. And it's durable as well (meaning it didn't go away during practice even though it was a couple of days before the practice that i had put it on). :)

The only problem is that it is quite expensive i think... 90dkr (~15$) for a very very very small bottle... :disapp:

[Yann]

Prevent it? Why? Let the calleses develop and you'll be fine. Soft skin is a danger zone for kendoka, tough skin is what you're looking for. It is more then worth it to endure the pain for a little bit. I'm about 2 months into Kendo, and my feet are ripped up pretty good. My hands aswell, even though the calleses have already developed there. I suppose that the downside to having blisters on the soles of your feet is the inability to slide properly; you'll end up galloping across the dojo until the calleses develop. I'm sorry if I'm not exactly answering your question:
LOL That's exactly the same case with me... 2 months of practice and my feet skin is fucked up. I mean, it's not really blisters but the skin becomes more yellow and starts to go away...
Like Niels, but I still got the skin for the moment, thankfully :s

[Sentunim]

Well, after five months, and into my sixth, I've had 0 blisters. My skin is tough on the feet though. I had a bit of callous on my hands, but I had alot there anyways.

[emitbrownne]

Well, after five months, and into my sixth, I've had 0 blisters. My skin is tough on the feet though. I had a bit of callous on my hands, but I had alot there anyways.
after just short of 3 years.. I still get blisters.. My soles are like leather but blisters still form.
Especially during summer months.

Do a search on the forum for blisters, or Talcum powder, or tabi to find out more from those who have gone before.

[hyuna]

At this point I generally only get blisters when I go to a different dojo and I am not used to their floor.

One of the teachers I had where I grew up told me that you get blisters 3 times in a row, and if you let the callouses reform naturally each time, after that you're good. It happens to have held true for me, again, except when I visit a different floor.

[Munnin]

"when I go to a different dojo"

Where do you go now? I work in Albany and I am thinking of starting Kendo.

[hyuna]

Munnin, http://www.meitokukan.org/ -- we are a tiny little club but the only one I'm aware of within 2 hours drive of the NY Capdist.

[Munnin]

Do you know if I would be permitted to view the class this Sunday? I am very interested in taking the next step.

[hyuna]

Do you know if I would be permitted to view the class this Sunday? I am very interested in taking the next step.

Yes, of course, all are welcome.

[subtrax]

Blisters are one thing, i get blood blisters. Small amounts of blood accumalate over several practices and either it dries under the skin and then rips or i've got to cut it out. and it's not on the big ball of the feet where they usually form, i get mine just left of the ball, the secondary ball of the feet i guess.

but some really good advice i was given was to use an ointment for burns. blisters are nothing more than minor burns under the skin.

[Hotei]

Did anyone else's skin crawl while reading the last post?

[hamish]

See Kendo World Vol. 1.4 - Kendo Clinic- Blisters, for an in-depth treatment from a kendo practicing sports doctor about blisters, US$10 plus postage for a single copy, no subscription required.

Hamish

[yep]

hello, i've had 2 blisters on my left food after 1 year, and to treatment it i have two plants of aloe vera in my house, i cut one branch and i put the liquid in my blister

i'm sorry but my english is very bad