No Special Shoes Are Needed for Lifting Weights (but Good Shoes Can Help)
In the gym, disputes over equipment such as weightlifting belts, gloves, or shoes can get ugly. Either they’re a crutch, or you’re a fool for not wearing them. But like belts , weightlifting shoes can help in some cases, and just for show in others. The key is to find out your needs and goals.
If you run, you get a pair of running shoes that fit and feel comfortable while running. For most people, these same sneakers are suitable for day-to-day weight training. But if you want to lift heavy weights and are serious about getting stronger, you need shoes that will help you maintain a steady and stable position on the floor. For example, the classicConverse Chuck Taylorsare a popular choice among seasoned lifters . Chucks aren’t exactly a weightlifting shoe, but they’re perfect for lifting weights. They are flat and low, have decent grip and support your feet. When you do certain exercises like squats , deadlifts, and overhead presses where you need to “push your heels,” these functions will help you use your energy more efficiently to lift the bar.
Olympic weightlifting shoes work in a similar fashion: They have a tough, flat sole that protects your feet and provides a secure grip to keep them from slipping. They are characterized by rigidity around the perimeter and a raised heel, so that the heel is usually two and a half centimeters higher than the forefoot. All of this together creates a solid base against which your legs can rest (similar to how you press your abs against a weightlifting belt ) and perform very specific exercises safely and with greater stability.
But not everyone needs them . Whether you use weightlifting shoes depends on what you are doing. If your workouts include Olympic lifts, heavy squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses, and you want to get as strong as possible in these competitive lifts, then wearing weightlifting shoes is a good idea. In fact, one study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that weightlifting shoes have a positive effect on how someone squats. In the study, the researchers asked 20 experienced athletes to squat in their own shock absorbers and then again in the supplied weightlifting shoes. Several key findings emerged from this study: subjects who wore weightlifting shoes were able to maintain a straighter and more “ideal” squatting position , which reduced the stress on the lower back, and weightlifting shoes allowed subjects to use more leg muscles during the squat . squats. Taken together, this suggests that people can squat safer, in better shape, and gradually strengthen their legs using weightlifting shoes.
Weightlifting shoes can also be helpful for people with limited ankle flexibility or very long hips that make squatting difficult. If youare 6 feet or taller, or simply have mobility problems and want to squat, raising the heel of your shoe can help with squatting. JC Dean , a personal trainer based in Nashville, told me:
Weightlifting shoes aren’t needed by most people, but they help you squat better due to the shoe’s raised heel, which allows you to sit more upright and increases your ankle range of motion. However, shoes can be expensive, so if you don’t want to pay a few hundred dollars for shoes that you will only wear a few times a week, you can always lift your heels up by supporting them on a sturdy piece of plywood, or some 2 , 5 or 5 pound plates.
As Dean pointed out, weightlifting shoes are a pretty good investment. Well-known shoe companies such as Nike , Reebok and Adidas make weightlifting shoes, each of which can cost between $ 80 and $ 300 per pair. These expensive shoes are well worth it if you are competing or planning to compete. The benefits of shoes can also be psychological: if you think you can lift more weight with them, you can.
If you are an informal athlete or, like most people, on a tight budget, then you can skip the weightlifting shoes or try more affordable alternatives. Those cartridges we mentioned are worth considering if you don’t already have a pair. I’ve even seen people climb quite comfortably in minimalist shoes like the Vibram FiveFingers or the less comfortable Nike Free . This shoe still has some protection and is not as stiff as a weightlifting shoe, but it has a lightweight construction that allows you to better “feel the ground” as you climb. And yet others walk barefoot, but I would not recommend it because it is unsafe and, let’s be honest, really disgusting.
While weightlifting shoes can improve some of your lifts for the reasons we’ve discussed, shoes alone don’t automatically fix underlying problems. If you’re worried about poor form, mobility, or flexibility, you should focus on improving them and use the shoe as an additional tool rather than a quick fix.