The Martial Arts practitioner needs a shoe that is very different than those used in other sports.

Most Martial Arts styles involve some type of kicking. A practitioner typically strikes with the outer edge and heel of the foot when executing a side kick, the ball when executing a front kick, and the top and side when executing a round or crescent kick. Current martial arts shoe models do not address the location of impact when the foot makes contact with the determined target, Thunderkicks patented sole is engineered with kicking contact points in mind.

Martial Arts foot traction angle and positioning is different and unique from other sport. When performing Martial arts foot movement one moves quick transitions from extreme lateral traction to a forward or backward movement and again to an immediate lateral traction stance. The outer edge of the foot is used extensively for gripping the ground when taking martial arts stances. Many athletic shoes having features that were beneficial but lacking in others for performing certain martial arts stances and kicking techniques.

The traditional black "Kung-Fu shoes" that most Traditional Chinese Martial Artists have been using originated many years ago. Though very good looking with the synthetic leather toe cap and felt topsole, they lack performance and functionality. These shoes were especially slippery when wet or dirty. Practitioners would clean the bottoms by wetting and drying with paper towels the soles of these shoes before performing to gain traction, but still having problems gaining traction when landing and grounding into stances once the sole became soiled.

The Tai-Chi slipper made of a hard plastic sole and cloth gained some traction, but lack padding and any secure lacing to keep the shoe on the foot. The Wushu type canvas shoes, similiar to a boat shoe, gives better traction than the Tai-Chi slipper and has laces to secure the shoe, but as well, lack padding to protect the practitioner from impact from either kicking or landing. Many practitioners use a sole insert padding to help absorb and cushion the foot from the impact from landing.

The new wave of Martial Arts shoes appear to be more design and appearance than functionality. They look stylish and appear to have better traction, but are not engineered to enhance the Martial Art's practitioner stances or kicking. They are more like ballet slippers with no outer edge support or any consideration for impact absorption and protection.

THE SOLUTION

Thunderkicks are a versatile athletic shoes that has features that have been developed and designed specifically for Martial Arts.

The Thunderkicks bottom uniquely patented sole provides traction to grip the ground. The patented design help prevent the foot from sliding from side to side by enhancing traction, giving the user a stance locking feel. These hard rubber reinforcement points combined with Injected EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer, a light, flexible and impact absorbent injected sponge type rubber) cradles the foot and prevent the foot from sliding around inside and over the edges of the shoe. Arch supports combines with the heel formation provide comfort and stability. Specific lateral bars with the spring action toe help provide explosive burst forth with effortless speed. Tactically placed pivot assist points located at the ball of the foot and at the heel, help aid in providing smooth transitions between stances and greater control when executing pivoting rotational movement.

The Thunderkick bottom sole is two part, it has hard rubber reinforcements located at specific kicking contact points that increased striking power and injected EVA to provide enhanced impact absorption . The bottom sole protection of injected EVA layer of varying thickness built into the foot bed with 3/8 inch layer in the front provide positive ground feel and landing impact absorption. The heel has a ¾ inch layer of injected EVA and a hard rubber outer shell for maximum impact absorption to get powerful heel type kicks. The top sole lining has a lining of 2mm thick EVA layer to aid in topsole shock absorption. Thunderkicks are not recommended for making contact with the shoes and other persons when wearing Thunderkicks, since it can cause serious injury to the receiver of the kick.

Thunderkicks sleek design secures the shoe with both laces and a hook/loop strap. The soft ankle area is notched in the rear and sides for maximum movement and least restriction.

Thunderkicks have been engineered and designed specifically for the Kung-fu, Karate, and Tae Kwon Do athlete, and can be utilized with any sport that requires kicking, landing and lateral traction.

Discover how Thunderkicks can help you reach your martial arts potential.