Shoes

[DasHook78]

Just curious what you all think...
I'm wondering if some of you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts on shoes. I see a lot of responses talking about shoes and asking about weight lifting shoes. I've never worn a pair, so I'm wondering, what's the advantage? Prior to beginning SS 11 weeks ago, I'd always worked out barefoot or in my Vibrams and I've been lifting in Vibrams through most of the program so far (I started out in tennis shoes for the the first 4 weeks until I got a new pair of five-fingers). But is there a disadvantage to lifting barefoot/minimalist?

Thanks!

[Carlos Daniel]

This has been discussed ad nauseam around here. Just search the forum.

[Roland Conde]

This has been discussed ad nauseam around here. Just search the forum.

This. There is AMPLE discussion on the forums. Enough to warrant, I'd imagine, buying a pair and seeing for yourself. It's not like once you've used them you can never go back.

Note: once you have used lifting shoes you will never go back.

[Alexis]

Discussed in GREAT detail in the repetitive inquiries section, first page.

[b3astmode]

Search box...?

[brianrichard]

here's the TL;DR of searching the forums on this topic:

buy the fucking shoes, dude.

[Hollis]

I won't lift if I don't have my shoes.

[Jarhead316]

I will only squat in Weightlifting shoes.

On rare occasions, if for whatever reason I forgot to bring my WL shoes, I'll be wearing chucks anyway so they will make due.

WL shoes > All other shoes for lifting.

[ChgoSportsFan]

I just got my Wei Rui Maestro shoes in the mail today. They have a 0.75" heel height. I used their guide in measuring my foot and the size is just right. I'm glad I did that because it's a half size to a size smaller than my other athletic shoes (Adidas running shoes and some old shoes that I can't recall the brand that I kick around in outside on the weekends). I ordered them late Friday night and e-mailed a question to the company and received a response in less than ten minutes. They shipped on Saturday and were delivered today. $5 flat fee shipping and they ship USPS priority mail. Great customer service.

Most importantly, my workout was terrific with them.

Squat - holy shit, did it feel natural. Unfortunately I had been squatting in flat-soled shoes because some dumbass told me that was ideal and my even dumber ass listened. The weightlifting shoes just felt right. I don't know how to describe it other than that. They just feel great. So natural.

Press - Felt better than flat-soled shoes, but not much different. I didn't expect much difference because it's an exercise where your feet and legs are not moving. But it was a slight improvement - I felt more grounded in them because they're heavier than the flat-soled shoes.

Deadlift - Wasn't sure what to expect but they were surprisingly comfortable to deadlift in. I always thought deadlifting was ideal in flat-soled shoes, but these felt pretty damn good. I think they helped in allowing me to use my quads a bit on the initial pull. But that could all be in my head. Still, felt fine, though.

I will definitely be wearing them for all of my lifts. Highly recommended.

[Carlos Daniel]

It's nice to have lifting shoes that are a little tighter than your street shoes, it makes them a little more stable.