What was it like to do PE in bare feet?

We did gymnastics and dance in bare feet. Socks alone are too dangerous on hard floors. If you forgot your trainers for other lessons you had to go barefoot. We left our outdoor shoes in the changing rooms.

I have to do PE in barefeet as lost my PE shoes when moving house. I have to go barefoot from the changing room which is okay if it is the nearest gym, but the other hall we use when the gym is busy is a long walk away at other side of school so not so good

I am sure you wish you could re-run your time at school in the UK, ie in my class where from Y1 to Y14 I chose with most lads [boys school] to go in barefeet and loved it. Relaxing, free, no smell, safe with best grip is barefeet and it strengthens.

When I have travelled to the U when I lectured in a University, I would go to Coca Beach in Florida at Spring break. Many lads from the states were on Spring break holiday. On the beach I would chat and they also informed me that in the states it really is unheard of to go barefoot and they say that is why in Spring break and holidays and out of school most of the lads threw off the trainers and socks and went barefoot. It was true as during spring break they never had anything on their feet and the hotel didn't mind a bit. I also spent the week likewise and spoke at the conference in my shorts, tee shirt and barefeet. The lovely lads who were so mannerly were very envious of the UK and New Zealand lads where barefeet in PE and Sports is the norm and they also said if they could have taken their shoes and socks off in the Sports Hall in their school, the teacher would have stopped the lesson.

Do you know why there is such this negative attitude of complete NON BAREFEET. In American schools there is no uniform. Can pupils come to school barefoot and be there all day. I attended a university in Alabama , Montgomery State university and I noticed many university students, lads and girls in their barefeet just going to class and sitting out reading. Are they reacting to not being allowed in school? [do you think]

Thanks for your contribution. I found it interesting, but would hated to have gone to school in US.

Is it also the case that in many states still lads are allowed to be caned as a punishment instead of detentions?

Girls did gymnastics, yoga, keep fit and dance for PE lessons and those activities were nearly always done in bare feet. We didn't think anything of it as we all went without shoes, but the boys got to do their lessons in trainers which seemed a bit sexist.

If we forgot our shoes, we had to go barefoot because socks are a slip hazard. Gymnastics are best done barefoot

At my boarding school we did gymnastics and dance in bare feet. If one of the day girls forgot her trainers for something like netball, we all had to go barefoot for safety. I quite liked going without shoes.

As a PE teacher, I promote barefeet in PE as it is safer, healthier ND strengthening OF THE FOOT, ANKLE AND LEG. Most pupils enjoy it and it is in my boys school compulsory by the pupils themselves wanting it a barefoot school in PE from 11 to 18. The senior pupils enjoy it as much as the younger. The younger pupils coming from Primary school have always gone in their barefeet. Parents support our philosophy. I as a pupil went by my own choice from aged 4 to 11 always in my barefeet both indoor and out. Most lads and most girls enjoyed it likewise. In primary school our teachers allowed us to be barefoot all day working if we wish. This is the norm in New Zealand and South African Schools, ALL PE is from aged 3 to 19 in Barefeet. It is part of their culture and much envied around the world. I loved teaching there in barefeet of course.

We only went barefoot if we forget our gym shoes, and if the boys forgot their swimming trunks they were given white cotton shorts, totally see through when they got wet!! Great fun for us girls!

We did gymnastics with bare feet at school.I preferred it and ran track and cross country with my feet bare too.

Personally bare feet felt the best for gymnastics / dance etc and also ropes and bar climbing.

In elementary school I had a co-ed Phys-Ed class taught by a very nice 20ish woman.The class was all indoors and her policy was that if you forgot to bring your sneakers,you had to participate barefoot.(You weren't allowed to wear socks because they were considered too slippery for the gym floor.)Many of the kids loved going barefoot during class and would purposely "forget" to bring the right shoes just to be able to do so.Im pretty sure the teacher knew what was going on with that but she almost never made an issue of it.One time,when myself and a girl in the class neglected to wear shoes for about a week,she did confront us about it.We were honest and admitted what we really doing,and she as much as told us that it was O K.In fact,she actually changed the policy to allow the students to go barefoot by choice-you still couldn't wear socks-but she did it in a way that was embarrassing for me and that girl.Personally,I've always thought that it our "punishment"for not being honest in the first place!

I found it great fun to do PE barefoot when I was at school in the UK. I did't always do it in that way, but switched from footwear at about the age of 8. We removed footwear mainly as we were getting changed, did really have to be told to. We had to do apparatus or gymnastic type work in bare feet, just socks would have been too dangerous.

Gymnastics far better done with bare feet!

I did all PE barefoot in school as it was the school rules and we knew beforehand so we all removed our shoes and socks/tights in the changing room and walked into the gym or sports halls barefoot. Outside it was a choice between plimsolls or barefoot and I always chose barefoot.

I'm a Brit and we always wore trainers (or pumps, as we called them) for PE. The only time we didn't was when we did dance, as in artistic dance.
I've never heard of that before! Maybe it was before my time...

I only did it for a few years when it was mandatory at one of the schools I was at, it was fun

Do you ever worry that the other students will step on your feet by accident?

Gym work is bare feet, games we have trainers

In primary / middle school it was choice of bare feet or plimsolls, I opted for bare feet. In Secondary, all non contact indoor p e was done bare foot.

In school we did gymnastics, trampoline and pool barefoot. All other activities were in gym shoes. The shoes I could handle, but I always passed on the socks.

I’m in the north west of England, indoor p e was bare foot unless netball then trainers.

I would not like to do PE barefoot! 🙈

Bare feet in secondary school was the rule for indoor p e.

I don't think that its something to " miss out on" and I doubt somehow that most of physical ed even in the UK is done barefoot most of the time.
Its wet and possibly chilly outside and they have to run and do many outdoor things just like the rest of us.
I'm sure it can't be very often that their phys ed is barefoot.