Shoes or No Shoes? By Larry Costner Should a Tai Chi student wear shoes for practice or go 'barefoot'?
- Yes, wear shoes.
It's safer.
It gives more support.
You (probably) will have better balance.
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- No, go barefoot.
You feel closer to 'nature'.
You get a better connection to the ground and a stronger 'root'.
It's a welcome challenge to your balance.
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If you are concerned at all about safety, by all means wear shoes. In my studio, which is sometimes used by children for crafts, one often finds loose staples. Rather than getting stuck with a staple or straight pin, it's better to be safe than sorry. If you are practicing outside, shoes protect you from stones, thorns, and hot pavement.
People are used to wearing shoes. They have learned to depend on shoes for subtle support for arches and ankles. They have learned to depend on shoes for maintaining balance. So using shoes in Tai Chi makes balance that much easier.
On the other hand, some people feel a closer connection with nature by going barefoot. They feel more connected to the ground, and find it easier to sense a 'rootedness'. Even though balance may be more difficult barefoot, the additional challenge is appealing to some people.
In short, to wear or not wear shoes is a personal choice. If a student asks me, I always say, "Wear shoes." .........But "to each his/her own"! |