Lifting Barefoot

[Stu Hughes]

Hey Mark,
I know you advocate wearing weightlifting shoes, but assuming one has no foot problems (sunken arches etc), is it not acceptable to train barefoot? I'm actually wearing Vibram Five Fingers to the gym. The Sprint version also have a strap that goes over the top of the foot. Any thoughts on these?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Training barefoot is not allowed in my gym. I don't need your DNA all over the room if you stub your toe or drop a plate. The Vibram things are fine as long as they contain your fluids. But I don't see why you people are so defensive of your Right To Train Barefoot. There's a good reason why everyone that is serious about barbell training trains with both barbells and weightlifting shoes.

[Stu Hughes]

Probably didn't make it clear that I'm not actually one of "those people". The reason I wear the Vibrams is so I'm not picking up dirt on my feet or spreading any about should I start spurting the red stuff My question is whether training barefoot or minimal covering like the Vibrams is a structurally sound base for weightlifting.

I'm not against getting a pair of more conventional shoes, but I already have the Vibrams and if they offer appropriate support then I don't need another pair of shoes.

Wasn't trying to piss you off Mark.

[M2H8M]

Besides making a mess if there's an accident, what are the reasons for not lifting barefoot?

[Mark Rippetoe]

The stability provided by WL shoes is the major issue. They provide a non-compressible heel and side-to-side stability with the metatarsal straps. I have not seen the new Vibram strapped version, but they cannot provide the support that a WL shoes does because they lack the mass.

[dingas]

coach, sorry to annoy you with this thread again, but this has been on the back of my mind. I've got some questions to better understand why is lifting barefoot wrong (or not).

Isn't the shoe just kinda hiding a lack of flexibility, in order to allow the knees to travel slightly forward of the feet, when squatting all by itself should fix it like it does with hams flexibility?

Shouldn't be the floor sufficient support since with adapted to it?

I understand the increase of lateral stability, but isn't the shoe (again) just addressing a problem that we should fix by our selfs? I mean, wouldn't we be strengthening the muscles, joints, etc, of our feet and increasing its lateral stability if we squatted barefoot?

This questions come from your line of thought that says to keep it simple because evolution has dealt with this stuff before we even thought about it, and since we're born barefoot ...
Like you've said somewhere ... "Your test is always this: what would happen if this was 10,000 BC? Because as far as the vast majority of your body is concerned, it is..."

Thanks for your time

ps: my weightlifting shoe's are on the way anyway...

[jshreck]

I agree that you should be wearing shoes while working out, but I will from time to time train barefoot. It is a different feel and I can feel it working my feet while doing my lifts. I especially like barefoot while training with kettlebells.

[SlyBlackDragon]

I also have a question regarding footwear, I am sorry if it has been discussed elsewhere. I currently overhead press and deadlift in Chuck Taylors (for some reason I can't press in WL shoes and feel more comfortable deadlifting with flat soles), clean and do all Olympic type lifts in WL shoes, and can't make up my mind which I prefer for squatting. Is there a reason to squat in WL shoes over Chucks or vice versa, or should I just figure out which one I like better? Just making sure I would not make some sort of fatal mistake if I opted for the Chucks.

[Irishman301]

Hey Mark,

I have Chucks. I know that a lot of powerlifters use them, but obviously they don't have that good side-to-side protection that you mention. They do form a very flat base on the ground though. I think you also mention them in SS, but I can't remember for sure though. What are your thoughts on Chucks for barbell training?

[Mark Rippetoe]

The problem with this is that I have already talked about this, and you guys need to read up before you ask me about things I've already dealt with at length before.