What are They? What do they do?, Do I need to get some?. Two very common questions that we get asked as coaches about Weightlifting shoes.
So without rambling on and boring you with a blog about shoes I’ve written a short piece about the benefits of using a weightlifting shoe and if you choose to use them which ones are the best bang for your buck.
What are Weightlifting shoes?
Weightlifting Shoes are no ordinary kind of shoe. They are a specialist type of training shoe with an unusual and sleek design to them, consisted of a hard flat sole and an elevated heel.
What do they do?
The main purpose of a weightlifting shoe is to increase your hip and ankle flexibility, this in turn helps you get lower into your squat.
Firstly lets talk about the hard flat sole, the main purpose for these hard flat soles on a weightlifting shoe is so you can apply as much force as possible into the ground. This helps movements such as squats and the olympic weightlifting variations. These hard flat soles are a far cry from the squishy regular running shoe which doesn’t give you nearly as much feedback through the ground.
The game changer however is the raised heel portion of the shoe. The raised heel makes it so much easier to squat, it allows you to get deeper, your knees stay out over your toes and it increases your overall ankle flexibility. Those that have tight ankles and hips will see a huge improvement in their squat after wearing weightlifting shoes.
Do I need to buy some?
Weightlifting shoes are not an essential part of a training and not everybody needs to use them. However if you are super serious about your training I would say yes you would benefit from owning a pair of weightlifting shoes.
Below are some of my recommendations of the best weightlifting shoes on the market for those in the hunt for a pair.
Adidas Powerlifts £44.99 up to £74.99
These are an entry level weightlifting shoe with Adidas currently offering 3 different models (1,2 or 3). They feature a lightweight synthetic leather upper with instep strap for a locked-down fit.
The air mesh tongue, collar and lining add breathability, while a high-density midsole and durable adiWEAR outsole provide a stable, consistent base for your lifts.
Adidas Adipower £160 and Nike Romaleo 3 £165.
These are a higher end weightlifting shoe with both offering flexible and strong soles to provide the ultimate in stability and power production needed for intense weight training. A little pricy at the upper end of £100 but well worth the hit if your serious about your weight training.
There are of course many different options of weightlifting shoes on the market guys these are just the 3 I recommend.
Hope this has helped sway anyone sitting on the fence about investing in some weightlifting shoes.