Lifters....help with shoes?

chrysalis2015
chrysalis2015 Posts: 212 Member
edited November 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Good morning :smile: so as I've been lifting heavier I've noticed especially in the squats and on the plated leg presses that I'm feeling a lot of pressure/some pain in my arches. It also feels like my feet are sliding in the shoes. However, they fit great while walking, doing basic cardio, etc.

I've noticed some of the more serious lifters wearing different kinds of shoes. Then again, one guy takes off his shoes *ick*. Do you have any suggestions? Should I switch to a cross training shoe with more support? My current pair is New Balance - very thin/lightweight, so I'm guessing it's a running shoe.

Thanks for any advice :smile:

Replies

  • Vetticus_3
    Vetticus_3 Posts: 78 Member
    I take off my shoes.
    My socks are clean :smiley:
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    I wear converse. Anything with a hard flat sole with almost no give will work.
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
    I wear innov-8 fastlifts for olympic lifts (and sometimes squats) but I also "ick" :) take my shoes off for deadlifts.
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    Deadlift and squat in my socks. Not sure where the 'ick' factor comes in by wearing socks.
    Am looking at buying myself a pair of squat shoes. Probably a pair of Rogues.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I have a pair of Keds; I couldn't pull the insole out of the Converse. I use a prescription orthotic in all of my shoes all of the time...because issues. If the problem is persistent after switching shoes, you might want to see a Podiatrist.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    auddii wrote: »
    I wear converse. Anything with a hard flat sole with almost no give will work.

    This. I have a pair of vans that I love for lifting.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Chuck Taylors or Purcells work fine for me. The crazier the color, the better.
  • ovidnine
    ovidnine Posts: 314 Member
    I have a cheap pair of knock-off converse I lift in.

    This reminds me they need replaced sometime soon.
  • michelletowle52
    michelletowle52 Posts: 33 Member
    I used to deadlift and squat in socks . Now I wear Nike bionic not suitable for wearing outside the gym floor. Just check when buying that you have a training shoe and not running ones as the insole bed is different.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Chuck Taylors or Purcells work fine for me. The crazier the color, the better.

    So, I'm thinking we're going to wear converse on our wedding day after the ceremony because we're going to be wandering all over Edinburgh (they'll be Stewart plaid). I mentioned off hand that it would be great because they would double as lifting shoes afterwards. My fiance just looked at me and told me I was likely the only person to consider wedding shoes based on the ability to lift in them...
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    Vans, Chuck Taylors, Converse - pretty much all flat shoes are recommended highly for squats other than getting specific squatting shoes.

    I personally wear Vibrams FiveFingers (purely because of how they feel, not because I think barefootedness is magic) all the time and they're about as flat as you can get.
  • ar9179
    ar9179 Posts: 374 Member
    I wear Fila Skele-toes EZ, because I already had them when I first began a program. I had some wrestling shoes from my karate days that I wore occasionally, but didn't like them nearly as much as the Fila which are close to barefoot-feel.

    I'm looking at a basic canvas shoe to try, since my Filas are coming apart. It definitely feels different, so I'm on the fence.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I wear Chucks. I have to replace them pretty often because I deadlift sumo, and it's a lot of stress on the sides of the shoe. Once they're too broken for deadlifts, they become squat only shoes.
  • pfgaytriot
    pfgaytriot Posts: 238 Member
    edited November 2015
    I've lifted in Converse, Fila Skele-toes, and weightlifting shoes. They're all good. I know a lot of people who lift barefoot, but I haven't for your same reasoning.

    However, I currently wear the adidas Powerlift 2.0. I've had the same pair for over a year and love them. They're an affordable lifter at $90 and you can get 15% off at adidas.com by subscribing to their email alerts.
  • ultrahoon
    ultrahoon Posts: 467 Member
    auddii wrote: »
    I wear converse. Anything with a hard flat sole with almost no give will work.

    +1 for this, nice flat hard sole that won't compress and wreck your form, and depending on where you live, easier and a little cheaper than a pair of mid-range lifting shoes.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I wear these...

    ADR_0709.jpg

    they're a hybrid lifter in that they have the slightly raised heel that is flat and has not flex, but the toe box flexes more than a pure lifter would so I can do box jumps and other things around the gym without taking my lifters off.

    any flat shoe with no give will work. i spend a lot of time on the Oly platform so these particular shoes were worth the investment for me.
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,472 Member
    I use the adidas powerlift 2.0s
    I was originally going to buy a pair of chuck taylors but they were essentially the same price as the powerlifts so I went with the shoe designed for lifting.
    They're a lot better to squat in than the running shoes I'd used before.

    814ghANMfEL._UX575_.jpg
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I lift either in converse or in my nike's. I got them specifically because they have NO heel on them and are incredibly lightweight. I must add that it took a LONG time to find them because almost ALL women's trainers have a pretty thick heel on them or a ton of padded arch support.

    good-price-for-mens-nike-trainers-shoes-nike-free-run-40-v3-all-black-34k4nd--5052.jpg
  • pfgaytriot
    pfgaytriot Posts: 238 Member
    yusaku02 wrote: »
    I use the adidas powerlift 2.0s
    I was originally going to buy a pair of chuck taylors but they were essentially the same price as the powerlifts so I went with the shoe designed for lifting.
    They're a lot better to squat in than the running shoes I'd used before.

    This is the reason I decided to buy some lifters. Plus, lifters are a lot more durable than a pair of Chucks. You'll likely get a lot more use out of a pair of legitimate lifters than a pair of Converse.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    For me, I keep around 10 pair of Chucks in rotation. When they get towards the end of their life, they get replaced with a new pair and then get moved to the "gym" pile :) Never have to buy an extra pair.

    That being said, I have debated getting some lifting shoes... I'm sure I will eventually, but since it's not broken, it hasn't been a priority.

    Really, it comes down to preference. Just make sure, at the very least, they are flat soled and don't have much, if any, give.
  • chrysalis2015
    chrysalis2015 Posts: 212 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions...I don't think I've seen those lifters at the local stores. I'll have to ask and try some on.

    To add - the without shoes part - the *ick* factor was that the guys were BAREFOOT. I don't mean with socks, I mean BAREFOOT. I'd understand and have seen socks :smiley:

    I don't think I ever considered Converse shoes, either. I thought that the shoes should have a little give...but thanks to you all I realized that this is probably one of the biggest culprits right now - mine are super soft and flexible, which probably wasn't a problem when I was lifting lighter weights, but now that I'm getting stronger...problem.

    Thanks again everyone :smile:
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I squat in my socks

    My running shoes used to off balance he

    Now I find my feet are printed so I'm back in gym shoes but ones with a flatter sole
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    Vans, Chuck Taylors, Converse - pretty much all flat shoes are recommended highly for squats other than getting specific squatting shoes.

    I personally wear Vibrams FiveFingers (purely because of how they feel, not because I think barefootedness is magic) all the time and they're about as flat as you can get.

    Also have a pair of Vibrams for the same reason. I do the squats and deadlifts in New Balance Minimus running shoes. No heal lift and a very good sole to prevent slipping;

    oileetpmjcw4.jpg
  • FitGirl0123
    FitGirl0123 Posts: 1,273 Member
    edited November 2015
    Chucks!!!!! I did my big lifts barefoot before, and that was fine too. But I prefer to have shoes on lol. I only recently gave Chucks a try and I can now die happy lol.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Chucks for me. Perfect because I can wear them around all day and then straight to the gym. Can't remember the last time I put real sneakers on.
  • utahmomof10
    utahmomof10 Posts: 133 Member
    For squats (back, front, overhead) and Oly lifts (and even OHP) I have a pair of Pendlay Do-Wins that I really like. I wear a pair of Tevas that are just like Chucks/Converse for dead lifting and everything else. My hubby wears Nike Romaleos.
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