Kung Fu Shoes

Kung fu shoes are training shoes for kung fu and related arts: KWON, for example, lists its Beijing shoe under kung fu, wushu, tai chi and qi gong. Schools differ in what they ask for, so check your school's kit list before you buy.

Compare the soles first. Blitz says it chose a cotton sole for grip, flexibility and a closer connection to the ground, and it designs the shoe for indoor training. Not every maker states the sole material: KWON doesn't for its Beijing shoe. Some schools also have rules about soles. The International Wing Chun Academy in Australia, for example, doesn't allow shoes with hard or high-traction soles.

Sizing differs between makers. Blitz uses men's UK sizes and advises women to order one size down. KWON uses EU sizes. It says its Beijing shoe runs a bit small and advises ordering one size larger.

BCCMA's Traditional Taolu Competition Rules (2024) say forms athletes should wear appropriate kung fu or wushu shoes. Light Sanda bouts are fought barefoot (BCCMA Light Sanda rules 2024, Rule 12.6).