No matter what sort of sport you are partaking in, there is no denying that your performance can greatly be impacted by the footwear you wear. It is important to have the correct support where you need it because your feet can take a lot of abuse while you are playing sport. This is especially the case when it comes to fencing. Because of this, is critical to locate the right shoes that will treat your feet well because every athlete needs to look after every part of their body. It is not just about support and comfort either. The shoes that you wear can really have an impact on your responsiveness and your speed while playing fencing. After all, if you are off your game, you are going to give your opponent the perfect opportunity to attack.
This is why it is so important to have a good understanding of what you should be looking for while you are purchasing fencing shoes. It is not a case of simply going for the most expensive shoes on the market or purchasing from a well-known brand. While it can be tempting to do so, especially when marketing materials push us in this direction, it is not necessary. With that being said, below, you will find some really useful tips that should help you when choosing shoes for fencing.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON SPECIALTY FENCING SHOES
A lot of parents believe that it is necessary to purchase specialty fencing shoes for their child. You do not need to do this, especially when your child is still growing and, therefore, it is likely that they will soon outgrow the shoes that you have bought them. While a lot of companies will lead us to believe that parents need to buy shoes that have been specially made for the sport that their child is playing it really is not needed. You can end up spending well over $100 for a pair of specialty fencing shoes. This can quickly get extremely expensive if your child’s feet are still growing, as you can find yourself needing to spend around $100 every six months. Of course, if you have the money to spare and you want to buy specialty fencing shoes for your child, then, by all means, do so. However, it is important to note that your children will do just fine with a less costly choice. The best thing to do is to purchase cheap shoes while your children are still growing. Once the growth has stopped or slowed, you can then invest in shoes that have been designed for fencing.
THE MATTER OF DURABILITY
Another factor that you should keep in mind while you are purchasing fencing shoes for your child is that your child is likely to be spending most of their competition in local clubs when they are relatively new to the sport. Because of this, the shoes are likely to last longer. This is because the wear and tear of the shoes will not happen as quickly because they are not going to be competing on the metal strips that are usually used in nationals and other competitions of a high-level. This means that the shoes they wear are likely to last a lot longer when compared to the shoes that are worn by more experienced fencers. This is another reason why it does not make any sense to spend a fortune on fencing shoes for your child.
STAY AWAY FROM STANDARD RUNNING SHOES THAT HAVE A FLEXIBLE BODY AND THICK HEEL
By now, we have established that you do not need to spend a fortune on specialty fencing shoes for your child. However, it is advisable to stay away from standard running shoes that have a flexible body and a thick heel. This is important because they are not going to give you the level of support that you need on the strip, especially for the inner sole area. Badminton shoes and volleyball shoes that have been designed specifically for the court can work really well when looking for shoes for fencing. This is because they have been designed to withstand back-and-forth and side-to-side movement found in quick court games, as well as having a soft sole. This means that they help you to move more precisely and stop quickly. Plus, when you compare them with shoes that have been specifically designed for fencing, they tend to be available for sale at much more reasonable prices.
TRYING ON FENCING SHOES
When your child is trying on different shoes for fencing, it is a good idea to get your child to do a couple of fencing lunges in the shoe that they are trying on to make sure that it will stay put and provide the right amount of support. After all, you can read all of the advice and articles in the world on choosing fencing shoes, however, there is no substitute for going and try shoes on. After all, everyone’s feet are different and we all have different levels of comfort and support, and therefore, it is important to find a pair of fencing shoes that are going to fit just right for your child.
CHOOSING FENCING SHOES FOR A MORE ADVANCED FENCER
The specialty shoe is pretty much a necessity once your child becomes an advanced fencer. These are fencers that will compete in national competitions and other high-level competitions like this. They will most likely be competing on a weekly or fortnightly basis. In addition to this, they will train a lot, and this relates to both in terms of their training days per week and the number of hours that they train in each session. When you take this into account, is not hard to see why having a dependable, durable, and good shoe is critical to success.
STAY AWAY FROM WORN AND OLD SHOES
While there is no denying that your fencing shoes are going to last a lot longer if you do not practice regularly or you are not entered into competitions on a frequent basis, you do need to make sure that you do not wear fencing shoes that are old and worn. Most experts will advise that you expect your fencing shoes to last for around one year or one season. However, it does really come down to the condition of the shoe and how regularly child practice fencing. If you have noticed that the soles of the shoe are old and worn, then you should definitely purchase a new pair. This is because old soles can be dangerous, as they can lead to slipping. Therefore, before you go and spend a lot of money on a pair of shoes for fencing, you need to bear in mind the fact that there was a high chance that you are going to be purchasing a new pair fencing shoes every year. This is another reason why you should not spend huge sums of money on fencing shoes.
MAKE SURE THE FENCING SHOES ARE ONLY WORN IN THE FENCING AREA
A final piece of advice is to make sure the fencing shoes that you purchase are only worn by your child while they are in the fencing area. This is imperative no matter what type of shoe you decide to go for in the end. Shoes that have a soft sole are not supposed to be worn on driveways, in parking lots, or on any surface that can create a significant amount of friction. If you were to run around the parking lot, even if you only did this once, it could cause a large amount of damage. It is easy for some of the small stones or gravel to get into the grooves of your shoe and this can also cause damage to the flooring once you start practicing fencing, which could result in a safety hazard not only for yourself but for other fencers as well.
As you can see, there is a lot that needs to be taken into consideration when you are choosing fencing shoes for your children. We hope that this guide has given you the helping hand that you need. While it can be very tempting to spend a small fortune on specialty fencing shoes for your children, there really is no need to do this if they are only just starting out and they are still growing. However, if your child reaches the stage whereby he or she is training many hours per week and is entered into competitions on a weekly or fortnightly basis, then you may want to consider upgrading their shoes to a pair that has been designed specifically for fencing.
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