Pictures from Academy of Martial Arts Circuit Tournament Available

The Academy of Martial Arts Circuit's first tournament of 2012 was held Feb. 26 at the Turner's Club in Aurora, IL. A write up on the tournament is coming soon.

In the mean time, I've posted pictures of some black belt kata and the sparring on the Fat Karate-ka FB page. Take a moment to hop over and tag some pictures and leave some comments.

Reader Question: Quest to Buy Women’s Karate Shoes

Hi - I am a 43 year old female who has been studying Karate for about two years. I love it! I am on a quest to find women's karate shoes (mostly for kata and practicing). Do you know of anyplace to purchase them? Thanks!

My only experience with martial arts shoes are the Ringstar sparring shoes and I’m not a huge fan. They look and feel like something Run D.M.C. would have worn (like from "Tougher than Leather" era or earlier). And, they make your feet really sweaty. However, if you have a broken toe (or just think that maybe you might have broken your toe), they are much more tolerable. In fact, with an injured toe, they are AWESOME.

I also keep some lyrical dance slippers in my karate bag. They’re nice when you have a ripped callous.

I don't know of a karate shoe specifically for women. But, if someone does make women’s shoes, they’ll cost twice as much as the guy’s shoes.

At my dojo, the Adidas SM II is popular.  My understanding is they are in men's sizes. So, in the US, that means you just subtract 2 from your normal size and you have your size in men's shoes. For example, I typically wear a 9, so I would order a 7.

What do you think? Do you use karate shoes? And, if so, what ones would you recommend?

Fit Karate-ka Class Update and Map

The Fit Karate-ka classes start tomorrow. And the two bridges that are closest to Annie's Om Towne Fitness (which is, technically, located on an island) will be closed, starting today. (I'm known for my awesome timing.) The bridges on Benton will be open and the street will be turned into a two-way street during the renovation (which shouldn't be confusing at all).

The Downer bridges are "historic" (which is political speak for "old as hell") so I'm totally in favor of the closure. However, I wish it could start in the summer or just about any time after the class starts.

The good news is that there is free parking in the parking garage at Downer and Stolp. If you're patronizing a business on Downer (that would include us over at Annie's Om Towne Fitness), you can park for free on the parking deck as long as you're there for less than an hour. (And my class is 45 minutes and less than a block away, how convenient is that?!)

As an added bonus, if you sign up for the entire six-week session, you will be guaranteed to see me, at some point, crawling on my belly to get to the building. The only thing scarier than a historic bridge is HALF a historic bridge.

If you want information on the bridge renovation, you can read the official propaganda on the City's Web site.


Feb. 8 update: Remember: Fit Karate-Ka Classes meet 7:15 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 7 through March 13, at Annie's Om Towne Fitness, 18 W. Downer Place in Aurora. (Don't let the missing bridges scare you off. ) Canceled. We'll try again in a month or two.