Following on from my recent return to martial arts, and my girly soft feet blistering on both big toes, splitting and leaving a trail of blood across the dojo floor, what can I do to toughen them up (apart from MTFU).

I have tips such as egg whites (rubbed on), running barefoot on the beach, strong tea (rubbed on)?

I am thinking of strapping my toes from now on with zinc oxide tape, or should i just try and toughen them up so they are nice and crusty?

Strapping is a good idea to start with, as is a training schedule with regular running. Dont try any sort of topical application, doesnt really work. Just be patient, your feet will toughen up eventually. make sure you clean those broken blisters and cover them ’til they’ve healed.

I painted mine with surgical spirit before walking the 3 peaks – dried the top layer out a fair bit and I avoided all but 2 blisters which I think happened just from the way I walk.

No idea if it really made that much difference though.

I thought you guys were all about the hot coals…

gas mark 3 for six hours

Lots of barefoot walking.

Have you tried weeing in your shoes?

+1 for surgical spirit, although many applications are needed. Buy a bottle from boots and some cotton wool and just liberally apply to the area you want to toughen up and allow to dry, do this once or twice a day For about 7 – 10 days . Works a treat !

Have you tried weeing in your shoes?

should i take them off 1st or try it at my desk?

yeti – excellent suggestion

Have you tried weeing in your shoes?

+1

The trouble with trying to accelerate hardening your feet can be that you just end up with deeper blisters (which hurt a lot). If you have the time, you’ll be better off in the long run by letting them harden on their own.
If you’re man enough, you can treat blisters with tinc benz (tincture of benzine).

I’m always at the ready to dispense useful advice. More than happy to pee in your shoes for you too…

+1 captain carbon

Barefoot walking, then gentle running. Start by walking around the house barefoot all the time and then venture out and jog about 1km, then 1.5k, 2k, you get the idea.

Slowly slowly catchy monkey.

1. Wee in shoes

2. Walk on hot coals

3. Put on shoes

And repeat

(Thanks to David Carradine for that one)

Tape them up. Dont do any of the other nonsense up there or you will injure yourself.

Tape seemed to work, with compeed underneath, hopefully once they have healed fully I can just go with tape.

Wrecker – I’m sure I saw something on tv about tincture of benzine…I think they use it in South Africa for torturing folk?!? 😈

I’ve ended up taking a few people’s feet at karate tournaments, moreso when they put matting down. Best recommendation is Vulkan tape – sold as climber’s finger tape – in narrow width, then it doesn’t rub on your next toe and cause more blisters.

I’ve ended up taking a few people’s feet at karate tournaments

but harsh? could they not just give you a trophy?

Just walked over 230 miles in 16 days. Never walked more than a mile in my life.

I used stretch/banadge tape on my feet which prevented blisters.

Your feet will toughen up over a few weeks: -xposure/heal/exposure etc.

If you don’t let them heal you will make them worse.

taking a few people’s feet at karate
tournaments
bit harsh? could they not just give you a trophy?

No, I had to take them. They came to me damaged, needed to remove them for repair or replacement.

A#%ing predictive text… Was meant to say “taping”… ffs.