I used to wear any type of shoes before training. I could go with running shoes, with normal sports or with almost any footwear I had at home. With the passage of time, as I improved my brands, it was necessary to change the footwear.
If you have ever done squats with more than 100 kilos and with running shoes you know that it is very troubled. Once I tried to do squats with weightlifting shoes, there was a return You do not realize how unstable the running shoes are until you try a good shoe.
In my personal opinion, we can divide the sneakers into 3 groups: weightlifting shoes; Crossfit shoes and running shoes.
Can I train with running shoes?
No. The problem with running shoes is that they are designed to mattress the contact of our foot with the ground when running. For this purpose, air chambers or spongy soles are used, which fulfill their purpose, but when training with the weight they become very unstable.
They are simply not designed to be used with 100 kilos of extra weight on our shoulders.
Do I have to buy some weightlifting shoes to train?
No. In most cases, a Crossfit shoe can be more useful. These shoes mix the best of both worlds.
On the one hand, they have a flat sole and without cushioning, which gives us stability when working and, since it is not so hard, it allows us to use it for more varied exercises.
When do we have to wear weightlifting shoes?
Weightlifting shoes will be useful when:
Let’s practice weightlifting – obviously. They are also mandatory if we want to compete.
When doing squats. Having a high heel and having a hard sole like steel increases our stability and helps us to push harder.
When doing bench press. Especially if you compete in powerlifting you will know that the rule requires you to support your foot completely on the ground because supporting only the toe can make more strength. As the weightlifting shoes have some heel we benefit a little.
In deadlifts, the weightlifting shoes not only do not benefit us but harm us a bit. Having a heel makes us leave in a disadvantaged position. To do dead weight it is better to do it barefoot or with a shoe with a very thin sole. Still, it’s not crazy to do it with weightlifting shoes.
In short: I recommend using weightlifting shoes if you train powerlifting, weightlifting or simply do the basics with very high weights.
How is a good weightlifting shoe?
A weightlifting shoe should have these 4 characteristics:
Flat sole. Unlike running shoes, weightlifting shoes do not have any type of slits. They are like the tire of a racing car.
Hard sole. Surely more than once – when buying a shoe – you have made that gesture of taking a shoe by the toe and heel and try to bend it to see how flexible they are. Well, a weightlifting shoe is hard. It has some flexibility, because in many movements it is necessary to stand on tiptoe, but not even far it becomes as flexible as a running shoe.
Velcro This is not necessary, but it is necessary that the shoe holds the foot very well.
Heel. Weightlifting shoes have a little heel. The heel is essential to have a good position when doing squats.
Where to buy weightlifting shoes?
