I wonder if anyone on HP can help with this (although I guess I should have asked this morning after my class).
Although I'm pretty fit and healthy, I used to be ridiculously active and quite athletic. Anyway, I recently decided to take up Martial Arts to address this and have loved it from day one and have thrown myself into it at quite a rate. By moving my diary around, and I work weekends anyway, I've managed to get to four classes per week (Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai). Once the league matches in the other sports I play go out of season, I'm hoping to find the time to increase this to seven sessions per week.
Anyway, the problem is this. I went to the early morning class today which was very intensive, predominantly kicking. Although the main impact into the pad from the roundhouse kicks that did the damage is to the top of the foot and shin, I've managed to skin the knuckles on my toes pretty badly. I didn't really notice during the class but it became quite painful when I put my shoes back on. Fortunately, I can't make it to the Muay Thai class this evening anyway but obviously it would have been a problem so soon (I do have MMA tomorrow night).
I know that my body will condition to this and pain doesn't bother me much but I am concerned this might have a negative effect on my other sports if my feet then rub inside my trainers. Many years ago (more than I care to admit to), I used to row (boats, not arguments!) at quite a high level and we used to rub surgical spirit into our hands a couple of times a day to harden the skin and reduce blisters. I wondered if nowadays there's a better way of doing this, or a product that will help as I want to keep the pace up. Also, is there anything that will speed up the healing process? I was thinking of soaking my feet in salt water.
Thanks
Ouch! Try Reiki. And comfrey balm, which is wonderfully healing but greasy, smelly stuff, so suggest you apply at night and wear thick cotton bedsox 😉 In haste,
Holistic
There are limits to what the human body can be expected to adapt to. The origins of martial arts are from a time and place when swordsmen coming over the hill at any moment was a reality; and that your family's immediate survival was a bigger worry than arthritis in old age.
High achievement in sport is a very single-minded activity, and it carries health risks of its own. Would it be unwelcome to suggest that the healthy answer includes examining the merits of the goal and seeking a balanced moderation? Some highly experienced martial artists also value softness.
Hi Bannick,
Have you checked out shin and instep protectors from your matial arts supplier?
Myarka.