Foot gear in martial arts is simply called ‘kicks‘. This equipment is worn to protect the instep of the foot and the heel while executing kicks. The bottom is left open with a velcro strap wrapping around the foot to secure the equipment. Toe-straps are attached to the front section that provide the foot a better grip. Safety Kicks are mostly used for open circuit sport karate and tournament point fighting (NASKA, ISKA, WAKO, WKU, etc.) with semi contact. The same gear is also used in full contact kickboxing - sometimes referred to as American karate - and continuous light-contact sparring where only kicking techniques above the waistline are allowed.
