Did you ever have to do PE in bare feet, and what was the bullshit rule that forced you to?

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Aggravating-Method24@reddit

I remember going to my first day of a new primary school, and there was PE, and i obviously hadn't got my kit, how could i have known we would have PE? And they were like Kit? We dont use Kit, and everyone did it in their underwear or something and it was awful. I hated every moment. Thankfully i was only at that school for a year.

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No-Sherbert-9589@reddit

Always in the gym.

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Did you mind it?

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BG3restart@reddit

We did PE barefoot at junior school. The school hall had a very smart, polished hardwood, parquet floor, so I guess that's why. We had to have non marking soles at senior school because I went to a brand new senior school with a, at the time, state-of-the-art, multi-purpose sports hall with some kind of rubberised surface that did mark easily.

To be honest, at home now I'm always barefoot, inside and in the garden. I much prefer it.

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Did you or others often forget the right shoes at senior school?

As an adult, do you exercise or play sports barefoot?

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BG3restart@reddit

I don't remember, it was a long time ago, but unlikely since we mostly left our trainers at school in our locker to save carting them backwards and forwards. As an adult, I don't play sports. The only exercise I do regularly is swimming. In junior school, we didn't really play sports indoors. We did things like movement, gymnastics on a big mat or used the climbing frames that folded back against the wall when not in use. Sports were mostly outside. Things like football, netball or rounders. We didn't have bare feet outside.

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Did people often forget their shoes at your senior school?

As an adult, do play any sports bsrefoot?

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Shawn_The_Sheep777@reddit

I think at junior school if you forgot your pumps you had to do it in bare feet

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

High school for us too, at exactly the age you get self conscious and other kids tease you for any reason

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

When most of the class are loving PE in their barefeet. Self conscious never comes into it. Whether aged 11 or 18 both ages love it. They are even keen to go barefoot outside cross country, athletics, training for Rugby and Football.

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

It must have been different at your school, at mine if you had to go barefoot we definitely got teased

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

We didn’t have to wear pumps, many lads asked, we prefer barefoot to pumps, can we go Sir in barefeet instead. Of course barefeet is ok I would say and more and more each week went barefoot as they saw the benefits and pumps stunk. The kids would say their feet smelled due to pumps.

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

Barefeet in PE is not an issue for my pupils.They love it and it is their decision having explained the benefits and if the pupils…lads wanted me to discuss with parent, I’m more than happy too.

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

That would be the same in my PE department. It would have this explained. I wouldn’t have got heavy and discussed this and benefits of barefoot PE and explained the positive reason why most in the class loved doing PE barefoot. I wouldn’t ask him would he like to go in Barefeet that day and join the others.if he said no, I would have let him do PE in his black soles for one period and discuss it after school with him and his mum if she wishes to come. I never provoke confrontation as respect always works best.

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

I don't think most of his class would choose to go barefoot. Are ypu a PE teacher?

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NobleRotter@reddit

Indoor PE was often bare feet

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

I hope you enjoyed barefoot PE, my lads often went, if not always in barefeet and loved every minute of it

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Mandatory or optional or just forgot shoes?

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NobleRotter@reddit

Mandatory. If it was anything vaguely 'gymnastic' it was bare feet. That would (for some sadistic reason) also include bleep test running on the concrete floor

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

I bet those same PE teachers would never subject themselves to those rules

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NobleRotter@reddit

That particular guy was a weird sadistic fucker. Also had a worrying obsession for making the boys have communal showers, standing in the entrance counting each bare dick in and out.

School hit differently in the 80s

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Fuzzy-Loss-4204@reddit

It was the other way round at my school, we would have more kids doing PE in their vest and pants than we would in PE kit,

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

Barefeet in PE classes should never be an issue to fall out with pupils about.

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Bearded_Viking_Lord@reddit

If we didn't bring a kit for PE we had to do it in are underwear felt very noncey

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

It was your own fault forgetting

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BG3restart@reddit

My school was brand new when I went there and had a huge multi-use sports hall. The uniform list for PE kit clearly stated 'no dark soled footwear, light soles only' because of the floor which had a kind of rubberised surface which did mark easily. It was the only place big enough for whole school assemblies, so they only happened once or twice a year, when the floor would be covered in sheets of plastic. Regular weekly assemblies were held in house groups instead in the interconnected classrooms used for lunch. The only time we had to have bare feet was for 'movement' which took place in the dance studio, which had a springy, suspended floor.

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The_Barefoot_Boy@reddit

I find it laughable that people talk today still about kids going in barefeet as evil from PE staff. Today more and more are going in barefeet as they like it and not think oof it as a punishment.

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Ladyofthehat@reddit

80s did PE in our knickers and vests or just knickers if no vest I was only five and felt self conscious The showers where you had to run the circuit naked !!! Gross I hated PE 90s

The used kit was never washed forget your kit have to wear that!! Erm nope So I’d be an absolute arse and refuse PE I just refused got into trouble and still didn’t care when I did do PE I’d be a twat and get removed on purpose (avoided the showers) left school no qualifications 30 years later o am a secondary teacher and I have empathy and ensure my students feel emotionally safe always.

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jonathanemptage@reddit

yeah if we were in the pool or doing gymnastics or you forgot your trainers also in my very first school we didn't have a pe kit so we just had to strip down to our underwear without shoes. and did pe like that unless we were out side when we got told to bring in some shorts and a t shirt.

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Did things change at high school regarding pe kit?

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jonathanemptage@reddit

That was High School but we call it secondary over her usually it age 11-16 we don’t have compulsory PE past that age in fact we din’t have full time school pas that age but you have to be in education or training until 18 I could explain but that’s another post.

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jonathanemptage@reddit

I’m going to clarify because it looks like I’m saying we had to do it in our underwater which just isn’t true.

Infant school unaware only except sports day.

Primary school (I moved house at 6). Red shorts and a t shirt with school logo on long socks for football and normal socks for other sports football booots or plimsoles

Secondary school was in the winter black shorts long socks for shinguards a rugby shirt in your house colours that could be turned inside out for matches at the end of a lesson if we were indoors it was white shorts and a white t shirt with trainers and socks which we also wore in the summer outside we also had some blue speedos which were worn every secession in the pool or not and yes up to year 9 if you forgot your kit you’d be in your pants unless we were outside.

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Straight_Cicada5757@reddit

This was standard when I was at primary school in the 1980's, only obviously if it was inside PE. If anyone forgot their PE kit I only recall the punishment was having to stand with whoever else in the class at one end of the hall whilst the lesson was ongoing and having to change down to underwear, get dressed, change back, get dressed again etc etc for the entire lesson!

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Paul2377@reddit

We used to do PE in our vest and pants if we forgot our kit. I assume that’s not done now. 😂

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

School would lend you some shorts, although that isnt nice either

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Goatsandducks@reddit

Yes and I used to hate it. This would be primary school only and we always had PE in the hall after lunch. The diner ladies would do such a shoddy job at sweeping it so you'd end up with someone's dropped corner or a tuna sarnie stuck to the bottom of your foot. Gross!

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Yuck

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ReindeerWeary490@reddit

Frequently. If we were using apparatus we weren't allowed to wear trainers because they were inflexible and didn't grip properly. We had the same rule about soles that marked the floor. Also if one girl ha d no PE shoes everyone had to go barefoot for safety purposes.

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Chorus23@reddit

It's not the end of the world though is it?

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mangobearsmoothette@reddit

*sudden, mortifying memory of being aged 5, forgetting my kit, and being made to do PE in ‘vest and pants’ having not put a vest on.. 🫣 I remember the boys in year 3 whistling as I went past and one very kind boy in my class gave me his shirt omg. 😂

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Livid_Painting2285@reddit

I remember forgetting mine once and another girl said I could borrow her spare, which was a leotard! I was absolutely devastated and horrified at the thought of wearing that for PE and had a lil breakdown about it. I got to sit in the classroom for PE instead so I could calm down.

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Burnandcount@reddit

I was that little boy who adamantly said "no". PE kit defect, I'll sit it out... Don't approve my shoes, I'll sit it out. Last class of the day cross country run, I'll walk it. Teachers learned fast that I wouldn't take orders in good faith and they should expect maximum malicious compliance if trying to coerce me into anything.

I do remember watching classmates run around in just their pants & vest - made me wonder why they didn't stand up for themselves.

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CalmClient7@reddit

Bc what our parents would do if they found out we disobeyed was not worth risking :D

I have a very good relationship with my parents but every now and then they'd put the fear of God into me, just knowing it was possible was quite the deterrent!

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

I had to go bare feet because I forgot white socks and couldn't just wear black school socks, probably should have questioned it more looking back

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Burnandcount@reddit

Thinking back - I do remember always knowing that my parents would support me in whatever stance I felt was right... they'd challenge my position & (figuratively) crucify me if I was in the wrong or spoke/acted false but back me to the hilt if I defended my stance with reasoning and logic. It helped me stand tall to authority.

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anabsentfriend@reddit

Fear

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ConfusedGrundstuck@reddit

My PE teacher told me to play rugby in my underwear because I forgot my kit.

I sat on the wall and dared him to drag me down.

(I appreciate teachers immensely, especially how they battle through the limitations presented to them, but this was aggressively stupid)

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matthewkevin84@reddit

Did the teacher relent, if so in order to rub it in did you perhaps go na na na na na to him?

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palacethat@reddit

No my teachers were normal

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zukias@reddit

I always wore plimsolls for indoor PE

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Wooden_Astronaut4668@reddit

“Daps” mate 🤣

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crucible@reddit

Pumps…

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Problem was when you forget them and your feet had to touch that floor

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Fickle-Fox-7986@reddit

My school did pe in pants and vest till year 3. In year 4, we got to wear shorts and tshirts with plimsolls. If you forget your kit back to pants and vest, you went. Pretty humiliating in years 6 and 7. These days it would probably get you struck off demanding a 12 year old strutt about in their undies. Thank God times have changed.

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crucible@reddit

Eh by 12 you’re in secondary (at least in England and Wales).

So by then the girls had the dreaded PE skirt for that, and the matching knickers…

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Fickle-Fox-7986@reddit

In a few London boroughs, you are in primary school till the End of year 7. Going to high school in year 8. I won't state which I lived in. My high school also had shorts and joggers, no weird knickers gladly.

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crucible@reddit

In a few London boroughs, you are in primary school till the End of year 7. Going to high school in year 8.

OK, I didn't know this, so thanks for the information.

I won't state which I lived in.

Don't worry, I wasn't expecting you to.

My high school also had shorts and joggers, no weird knickers gladly.

Good, the girls hated that "skirt and knickers" kit at my school. Mind you we are talking like 1991 - 94 here.

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Forward-Tap2730@reddit

It is a very questionable thing to do. Our PE teacher was that snide that I think he wanted to do it in just his scads and a vest.

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TwoTenNine@reddit

The reverse actually. My feet would always bleed when doing indoor sports with bare feet so I couldn't do sports without at least decently thick socks.

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Wraithei@reddit

Yeh sometimes for gymnastics as they didn't want shoes on the equipment and took many kids slipped over in socks 😂

I can still remember the feeling of the dust and dirt

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Yes always bare feet for gymnastics, wasn't as bad as everyone in the same boat

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cakesforever@reddit

In the 80s if you forgot your pe kit you did pe in your undercrackers, vest and socks or bare feet.

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ILoveMyCatsSoMuch@reddit

Wasn’t even if u forgot it in my school. We did it in our undies.

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boroxine@reddit

When I moved from a normal school to a posh (girls') primary school I was surprised to see the little kids there all had to do PE in vests and knickers. But they had specific school uniform, absolutely massive, navy, thick material, granny knickers. I really doubt they do that now...

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cakesforever@reddit

Eeww that's strange but everyone is the same.

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mcsnoogins2612@reddit

In our school if we forgot our kit the teacher would do the lesson in HIS undies.........he was caught stealing pe kits out of school bags over lunch......

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Violet351@reddit

If it was a leotard sport we were doing, we always had bare feet.

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Cosmicshimmer@reddit

Forgot your kit? Congrats, now you’re going PE in your underwear and bare feet.

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LongShotE81@reddit

Haha, only bare feet? We forgot our kid, we did it in our underwear.

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DaveTheWraith@reddit

bare feet? is that all lol!!
if we forgot our kit, we had to do p.e in our pants....or even worse wear the 'school shorts' which I don't remember EVER being washed.
suffice to say, we learned FAST not to forget our kit!

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Talentless67@reddit

Yes, and when we had a match of basketball one team would be ‘skins’ so we had to take our tops off.

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crucible@reddit

We had rugby tops you could reverse, with a stripe on the inside. We reversed them once, in Year 7.

What was the fucking point of the stripe then?!

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Jesters__Dead@reddit

Boys who forgot their shorts were made to wear a PINK SKIRT for PE lessons at my school (1980s)

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DaveTheWraith@reddit

ooof!!

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luckysam25@reddit (OP)

Yes that spare kit box was rotten. Your heart would sink as you realised you had forgotten your kit and that awaited you.

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IcyPuffin@reddit

Plenty times, I'm sure.

Definitely happened at least once. I recall vividly having to run round our local park in just my socks. For some reason I didnt have my gym shoes/trainers so the teacher told me to just run in my socks.

Wish I had just told the teacher to go jump or adamantly keep my regular shoes on and do the run. Even if it meant getting in trouble for it. But, easy to say these things in retrospect.

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_J0hnD0e_@reddit

Yeah, that sounds abusive. I'd have a word with that dickhead teacher.

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Suspicious-Magpie@reddit

Undoubtedly the uniform policy states "no dark soles", but go off.

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darkandtwisty99@reddit

When I was sat cross legged on the floor in assembly in primary school i used to love rubbing the scuffs off the floor

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nasted@reddit

PE Kit? Kids today don’t even know they were born! We worked 16 hours downt mine and then did PE barefoot with nowt on except vest and pants! And we were grateful!

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_Sad_Ken_@reddit

At Primary School, that was normal.

Secondary school, no.

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CaptainQueen1701@reddit

Vest and pants if you forgot your kit!

I regularly get my class to do some aspects of PE in bare feet. It’s useless for something like football, hockey or Scottish Country Dancing but good for gymnastics and creative dance.

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Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit

This year my 11yo has been doing yoga. That's definitely a barefoot activity.

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crucible@reddit

In primary indoor PE I think was always bare feet (1980s)

We also had the "PE in your vest and pants" 'rule' for Juniors (age 7+ IIRC). I was caught by that once...

In Secondary Gymnastics was barefoot (indoors obvs), that was about it.

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