Hello. I would like to get back into exercising soon, which includes running laps around my neighborhood at night. However, I just realized I don't have a proper pair of running shoes. All I have is a pair of Nike skater shoes. But I do have a pair of Rikio jika-tabi that I bought in prepardness (is that a word?) for my future training in bujinkan. Since jika-tabi are worn in a physical sport, I'm wondering if I am able to jog in them. Thoughts?
I don't see why it's recommendable. I don't know what skater shoes are, but if you find them inapplicable for running practice, I'd recommend just going to your local shoe store or athletic supply store and buying a pair of sneakers. Running shoes, cross-training shoes, whatever. Someone with more extensive running experience will have something more enlightening to say than I will, however.
Jika Tabi aren't designed to be worn in a "physical sport" at all..They are designed for manual labour..The fact that Ninjers use them for training doesn't change that... They don't have the ankle or foot support you'll need for jogging, and I would not recommend using them to jog in at all..Is it impossible to buy proper running shoes?They aren't so expensive are they? Jika tabi are best used for load bearing work,and they help develop a feeling of being more connected to the ground because the padding is minimal..This helps in construction and in farming, where having some sensitivity is a benefit, but not in sports where the demands upon your feet are different.. If you want a nice mix, I believe Nike still do the split toed Running shoes..But even those have better support for the foot than simple jika tabi do.. I reckon..
Unless when people introduce you they say 'this is so and so, s/he runs' it doesnt matter what you run in. Except heels, perhaps. Run Barefoot if you. When I run i use the nearest footwear which ranges from crocs to converse to jika tabi. I have even run in hiking boots before. If you have an expensive enough pair they are very comfortable and lightweight.
The only draw back to running in a show like the jiki-tabi is that because your body realizes it's wearing shoes it lands on the foot in a totally different manner than you would if you were running barefoot. How you run when barefoot isn't how you run when you're wearing shoes. You're body will automatically adjust the gait and the position of the foot and what part contacts the ground first. Without going too heavy into the physiology of it... the sensors in your foot (primarily propriocepters on the sole of your foot) will send the info to your brain via the central nervous system and will adjust how you land etc. You can only override that process for a short time before it takes over. So... what does that mean for wearing shoes to run in that have poor padding on the heel area? The heel takes a beating... generally when wearing running shoes humans tend to impact the heel first when the foot lands. So the heel takes the brunt of the shock and then distributes it accordingly. When you run barefoot you don't run like that at all... in general you body will make the adjustment without you eve being conscious of it and your tend to land at the point of impact with ball of your foot... for impact distribution reasons this part of your foot is better designed for the impact than is your heel plate. Man has been running on his bare feet for thousands of years... it's only relatively recently that he's run in shoes. And even more recent is the advent of shoes with insane stabilization and foam/gel/air padding in the heel portion of the shoe. So while the human body is incredibly adaptable running in shoes isn't entirely natural for humans. So when you go for a run in your jiki-tabi's or something with decidedly less heel padding than a pair of shoes designed for running... your heels and by extension your ankles/knees/hips will take a beating. You won't be conscious of it most likely till a day or two later. But overall it's not a really good move. Best avoid it. Get a pair of cheap running shoes. Running shoes are up to personal preference and experience. I have super expensive hi-tech brands that sucked and el cheapo Chinese brand shoes that rocked. So unless you're running barefoot... which is a big trend these days... but requires some research and a longer uptake time to add the mileage on... get a decent pair of running shoes and forego the tabi's. *can't believe I just posted such a long post on running in the ninja forum
If you are recovering from an injury (which if I recall you are) decent running shoes are even more important. I'm in the US Army we run constantly, and I concur with everything slipthejab said about it. My last pair of running shoes were 30$ specials from payless and they've lasted just as long with less knee pain than the nike's I had before that. Tabi are great for grip, they're terrible for running.
Running in tabi isn't bad for you ... provided you do it right and that involves using the POSE method of running, or barefoot running. So you 'strike' the ground with the mid-ball of your foot rather than your heel. Check out www.posetech.com or www.crossfit.com for more information, it does take some practise to get used to but a lot of runners are embracing it. With respect
I wouldn't really believe this. Trust the military guys, they run a lot. Proper knee and ankle support is crucial to not putting too much stress on your joints. Tabi would make for horrible support and would be hard on your body as a result. I recommend buying professional quality running shoes at an outlet store. I got my $200.00 Nikes this way for like $30.00.
You seem to have missed the part about running inn the POSE style... and what that entails. It helps to read the post and understand it before you write it off. What is being suggested actually makes a whole lot of sense once you understand what is actually being talked about.
I would say your feet will tell you whether you can run in tabi or not. Rikio and Marugo both do jika tabi called 'Jog'. http://www2.famille.ne.jp/~tobiya/shopping/tabi3.html Japanese people ran in waraji for vast distances which can't be better than a modern all in one shoe. Modern day yamabushi walk long distances in jika tabi, you can see them up mountains in them. Shaolin monks ran a lot in 'kung fu slippers' which are similar to tabi, until they invented those fei yue trainers they wear now. In the last London Marathon some Masai warriors turned up with bits of old tyre strapped to their feet like sandals and they had no sore feet and were not even tired afterwards. If you have puffy white Caucasian feet that have spent their life in sports shoes, office/school shoes and army or work boots you will probably not find it easy to run in tabi, and whilst proper running shoes are bound to be best, I would not rule out running in tabi for everyone.
Look at the context of the running that the military does ... mostly with lots of kit and a heavy pack. I'm not sure if the Pose method is suitable to this context but the OP is talking about running for fitness, and the Pose method is definitely suitable for that, so is CrossFit (and a lot of military use CrossFit for GPP). With respect
Would you recommend those tabi for running? Btw, where can I buy a pair (other than ebay and Japanese stores). I'm searching the internet for a pair but it's difficult.
I cannot personally reccomend them as I don't know what your feet are like, but as I said, people have run in far worse things. Don't be put off by Japanese stores, I have ordered lots of things like tabi and kyahan from Japan and they have always arrived in less than 2 weeks, which can be better than ordering from your own country! And it is cool to get stuff from Japan in the post!
Ordering from a japanese online store is a bit worrying the first time. It took me three tries before i actually bit the bullet and did it. Have a measuring tape with you and a calculater though most supply these services for you. The service is excellent, you get what you pay for promptly and the way their invoices translate to english is kind of sweet. In my experience correspondence with the stores if you have questions or special requirements is polite, easy and straight forward via email. And it is cool to get stuff from japan in the post, I agree entirely.
Yes, like Ur says, use a tape measure to measure your feet. Don't go by their conversion chart because it is not that simple. And tabi can even be different sizes with different brands and you usually can't see the brand name on indoor tabi. I am a UK size 10, European 44, and sometimes I am a 28cm tabi and sometimes I am a 27cm tabi. Some 28cm tabi are so tight I have to go barefoot. Some 27cm tabi are loose even when I wear socks.
Okay, I'll think about buying a pair. Btw, I'm having some difficulty because some sites are only in Yen (not US dollars), and some I have to pay with something other than credit card. What's the best site to order from?
The one I posted, Tobi-ya, are very good. I have used them myself, but there are plenty others out there.
I just talked to someone who said that he will start selling the Air-jog tabi (among other kinds) in spring 2009, so I'll wait till then to buy a pair. I'm looking to use a pair of those for running at night.
Well, I just got back from jogging two miles in my Rikio Fighter tabi. I'm now covered with blisters and sore as hell. I guess I need to invest in a pair of those Air-jog tabi
