Ouch pouches or cotton pads?

[Guest temple_dancer]

My ballet teacher has been telling me to stop using the gel-based Ouch Pouches when doing pointe work and to start using cotton toepads instead. She believes that using the thinner, but less blister-protective cotton toepads are better for improving pointework technique. However, I'm only doing a half hour pointe class each week, and even though it's quite hard (it's RAD Advanced Foundation) I'm finding that my ankles and metatarsals are still getting stronger wearing Ouch Pouches. I'm just wondering if anyone is able to confirm if there's any truth in the comment about cotton toe pads being able to strengthen pointework faster?

[Guest ckdancegirl7]

When I started pointe I used the cotton toe pads and as I became more advanced I began using ouch pouches, which are definitely more comfortable. I'm not sure about the different toe pads changing the amount of strength you gain in your pointework, but you can definitely feel the floor more with the cotton ones and it may be a bit easier to roll through pointe. My teachers are also very strict about gaining strength on pointe and encourage us to use the fleece pads when we first begin so we can feel the floor and know for sure when we are all the way on the box; however, they have no objection to us using the gel ones as we progress. Maybe you could could talk to your teacher about it again and tell her how you feel about the ouch pouches, but the if she insists that you use the cotton ones you should. Just be sure to use lots of band-aids and toe tape, if you need extra blister protection! The cotton ones also ware down pretty quickly so you may need to get a few pairs. Well, I hope this helps!

[Victoria Leigh]

Hello temple_dancer, and welcome to Ballet Alert! Online

 

The use of padding in pointe shoes ultimately becomes a very individual thing. At the beginning sometimes some experimenting is necessary, however, if your teacher specifies a certain thing then it would probably be best to honor that for now. If you have difficulty with it, then discuss it with her and I'm sure she will be reasonable about allowing you to try something different. You might also see if you can get a bit more than once a week on pointe, as more work will build the strength faster than anything else.

[skippy]

Hello. I too use the ouch pouch along with the jelly toes for my big toes. this is mainly as i have a dodgy toe joint which sometimes caused me a lot of pain. I have personally found that since i have swapped to the ouch pouch that my pointe work seems a lot stronger and i find i can still feel the floor underneath me. My teacher would probably be nodding her head in agreement with me. Infact a lot of girls at my school are using ouch pouch.

 

There is another kind of ouch pouch, cant remember who makes them, but they are totally useless. the pouch is filled with a gel that moulds to your toes which is great initially but because it is made of plastic your feet really move around when you have sweaty feet .and you cant really feel the floor, its like dancing on a sponge. Its definitley worth voicing your concerns with your teacher, you never know she might turn round and agree with you. Good luck and let us know if you managed to win her round.

 

Skippy

[Guest temple_dancer]

Thanks everyone for your advice! I've been pretty happy using Ouch Pouches even though my teacher's been nagging for awhile for me to use the cotton toepads all the time. I have used cotton toepads on occassion though and I'd be able to get used to them after awhile, but I'm just unsure if it's actually worthwhile getting used to them or not, it's a bit of a debate of enduring more discomfort for getting the same results or not, which is why I asked. The idea of experimenting around does sound like a good plan though, I will definitely try that Ms. Leigh! And don't worry ckdancegirl7 and skippy, I won't use the plastic ouch pouches and will up the bandaids if I make a permanent switch to cottonpads!

[Guest BBNButterscotch]

I still use lambs wool. That's what I've started with and I've gotten used to using it, so it works for me.