I usually retire mine when they are less than perfect, i.e., their soles have started to chip, the front has started to gape open, the color has started to yellow (just kidding).
But seeing this picture from Richu's blog changed my perspective about Feiyue's life expectancy completely.
How did they do it? How did they train in those shoes?
I went home and picked my old Feiyues with a little hole under my left big toe from the trash. I wanted to see how far I could go training with a hole under my foot.
It wasn't far. I couldn't take it. I couldn't bear my toe having direct contact with the carpet - especially the sweep. It's ticklish. It feels naked. And the final condition of my Feiyues is no where close to that of those shoes in the picture.
When do you decide it's time to retire yours?
But seeing this picture from Richu's blog changed my perspective about Feiyue's life expectancy completely.
How did they do it? How did they train in those shoes?
I went home and picked my old Feiyues with a little hole under my left big toe from the trash. I wanted to see how far I could go training with a hole under my foot.
It wasn't far. I couldn't take it. I couldn't bear my toe having direct contact with the carpet - especially the sweep. It's ticklish. It feels naked. And the final condition of my Feiyues is no where close to that of those shoes in the picture.
When do you decide it's time to retire yours?
The folks in Austria have a rougher/stiffer carpet than the usa. I remember there was a kid sitting on the side taping his feiyues together for class. I thought it was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteI retire mines when I feel it is messing with my training.
i officially retired mine (threw them out) after a lovely weekend at the beach when i could not get the sand out, otherwise once they get a hole in training, the feiyues end up being used outside temple until their inevitable demise.
ReplyDeleteit did feel icky when the hole was gaping while on the carpet. i do prefer the temple ones to the ones we buy outside despite the cost difference.
I usually order a new pair as soon as i feel the hole about to open on shoe. I don't like training with shoes falling apart. this last time was the longest I let them go and I was leaving a trail of foam debris on the carpet. Bleah. Lately I've been going through about a pair a month. Probably should land lighter :D
ReplyDeleteUp until a few months ago when I only trained level 1, my Feiyues only got opening in the front (I think from dragging my foot in cetituis and fanyaos.)
ReplyDeleteNow I get holes under my left big toe - I think from the sweeps.
When I can stick my toe through the hole and wiggle it around. Yes, I'm a cheap bastard.
ReplyDeletei usually keep training with the same pair after i get those holes from sweeps, but then one day a tear will rip open from the hole so it looks like a comma. then you cant sweep without the front half of your foot coming out of the shoe. that's when i get a new pair.
ReplyDeleteI don't like having holes in my shoe. I feel it degrades my training because I will overcompensate for the hole and have bad form. Then Shifu will yell at me and I will be stuck in KF kindergarten forever!! Wha!!!
ReplyDelete