The Major Benefits of Weightlifting Shoes

As a weightlifter, you want to maximize your output and get killer gains whenever you hit the gym. That includes things you’d never even considered, such as gym attire and accessories. Starting from the ground up, what you wear on your feet determines overall fitness success.

Shoes for weightlifting are real, and they make a difference between being so-so at slinging the weights around and being an absolute beast. Here, MUTANT will show you why weightlifting shoes are vital for any and all weightlifting sets and what to look for when purchasing your own pair.

Let’s dive in.

Why Customized Shoes for Weightlifting Are Worth It

As weightlifting shoes suggest, these shoes are specifically designed for lifting, which means they have certain features that blow other tennis shoes out of the water when it comes to hitting your next PR. Let’s take a look at some of those below. 

• Elevated Heel: This is the biggest facet of weightlifting shoes. With the heel elevated, you keep the correct posture throughout any weightlifting movement, including squat and deadlift variations. Compound and Olympic movements can become dangerous if you have improper form. Finding a shoe for weightlifting with the right heel lift is crucial.
• Thick, Sturdy Base: Adding to the stability, a base made of hard plastic or wood (or both) makes weightlifting shoes the best for a lifting platform or training floor. The surface of your shoe should NOT slip, period. Weightlifting shoes ensure that doesn’t happen.
• Additional Ankle Support & Safety: Weightlifting shoes have rubber, leather, or a plastic coating for the upper shell, as well as a strap or two from time to time. This completes the security profile of these shoes and provides flexibility in the ankle area for full range-of-motion reps.
• Increased Mobility: Because of all the above features, you can lift with confidence and proper form. Ankle, knee, and hip flexion are vital for a healthy training session, and the type of shoe you wear makes or breaks these flexion points. The point of lifting isn’t to get injured. It’s to get huge. How your feet are aligned and moving directly impacts your muscle growth.

In addition to all these benefits, you can customize your weightlifting shoes to look and feel like an absolute beast in the gym.

What to Look For in Your Weightlifting Shoe Set

The specific features you want in the shoes can be found in the benefits themselves. Of course, if you can try them on in a store or after getting them delivered, that’s the most helpful way to determine if the shoe is right for you.

In any case, ankle support, heel elevation, and a sturdy base are essential for strong weightlifting shoes. Make sure the heel elevation isn’t too high, and test out the slippage of the sole by putting friction on the bottom of the shoe at different ankles. If there’s zero slippage, you’ve got yourself a high-quality shoe. 

Canvas High Top

One shoe you may have seen people sporting in the gym — or while watching a Rocky training montage — is the canvas high top. These shoes are ideal for activities that require a flat foot position, enhancing performance and optimizing movement efficiency., e.g., squats and deadlifts. The flat rubber sole optimizes energy transfer, traction, and stability. In addition, they improve ankle stability, making longer treads and heavier lifts a breeze. 

When it comes to lifting weights, you want the best of the best, always. The foundation for many strength movements starts at the feet, so take care of them!

Article by Terry Ramos