View Full Version : Footwear for the Squat
Joe_clay
04-20-08, 3:49 pm
just wondering what you guys wear for squatting, i read somewhere doing it bare foot is harder??
although i do it bare foot and dont find it any harder than when wearing trainers etc
MetalAsh12
04-20-08, 3:50 pm
You know, I squatted barefoot for a while, but I did notice that it seemed harder than with shoes. With squatting barefoot, I felt like my foot stability was a bit off. Now I just use my regular shoes.
Young&Hungry
04-20-08, 3:55 pm
Wide stance squatters - Chucks
Narrow stance squatters - olympic weightlifting shoes
I`ve used training shoes mainly but have used boots, both work well, I`
I`ve used training shoes mainly but have used boots, both work well, I`ve never tried lifting shoes so can not comment on how good they are but powerlifters and olympic lifters use proper shoes.
Boots, Chuck's, wrestling shoes, Olympic shoes.... choose your pick.... I go Chucks for squats and wrestling shoes for deads.
I wear sneakers for everything. I dont think footwear makes a whole lot of difference, but i will admit, wrestling shoes and boots have better ankle support.
need2getBIG
04-20-08, 5:21 pm
i used my old wrestling shoes for awhile,now i just wear my chucks,id recommend whatever is comfortable and gives you good stability,stick with that
I wear sneakers for everything. I dont think footwear makes a whole lot of difference, but i will admit, wrestling shoes and boots have better ankle support.
I disagree. Flat sole shoes have less distance from the floor to your feet. The less distance you have between the floor and your feet, the less you have to lift. Ask any worldclass powerlifter. They'll tell you fotwear matters. Just my 2 cents.
houseofpain
04-20-08, 6:04 pm
I usually just go with boots or sneakers. Boots give me better leverage and are damn comfortable. Sneakers work well too, though.
Matt Dickerson
04-20-08, 6:05 pm
Wide stance squatters - Chucks
Narrow stance squatters - olympic weightlifting shoes
Exactly
I disagree. Flat sole shoes have less distance from the floor to your feet. The less distance you have between the floor and your feet, the less you have to lift. Ask any worldclass powerlifter. They'll tell you fotwear matters. Just my 2 cents.
Never really thought about it for powerlifting goals. I can see what you are talking about though.
dominate77
04-20-08, 7:13 pm
sometimes i go with wrestling shoes, i do think it makes a difference but i usually wear my normal gym shoes which are just nikes
born0withno0soul
04-20-08, 7:47 pm
just wondering what you guys wear for squatting, i read somewhere doing it bare foot is harder??
although i do it bare foot and dont find it any harder than when wearing trainers etc
i go barefoot because i feel more stability and balance this way
Enforcer
04-20-08, 8:32 pm
just wondering what you guys wear for squatting, i read somewhere doing it bare foot is harder??
although i do it bare foot and dont find it any harder than when wearing trainers etc
I can squat in any type of shoes. I did over 600 in a pair of New Balances. I don't think footwear makes a big difference.
HoldFast
04-20-08, 9:49 pm
I can squat in any type of shoes. I did over 600 in a pair of New Balances. I don't think footwear makes a big difference.
Hell yea New Balance for the Win bro.
I just use my old bball shoes. they give me solid ankle support and feel good.
I didn't realize there was any other training shoe out there besides Chucks...
Enforcer
04-21-08, 12:11 pm
Hell yea New Balance for the Win bro.
And they were old as shit. Passed down from my bro. I actually just threw them away bc they were not in any condition to wear anymore. It was very tough to let them, go. Had those shoes for about 4 yrs. Plus the additonal one or two my bro had. Now I wear Puma's to the gym. Let's see how long these will last me. 700 + in Pumas- we shall see.
Lift4Life
04-21-08, 1:19 pm
Hiking boots. I just believe they help keep me more upright (I have long legs) and they also feel like the keep my heels planted on the ground.
I started wearing boots in the gym after my sneakers got wet in snow and I couldn't wear them. They're timberland snow shoes or whatever but they feel cool and seem to work good.
What's so special about Chucks specifically anyway?
MetalAsh12
04-21-08, 1:36 pm
I started wearing boots in the gym after my sneakers got wet in snow and I couldn't wear them. They're timberland snow shoes or whatever but they feel cool and seem to work good.
What's so special about Chucks specifically anyway?
They don't have much padding in the heel area; this allows for better stability
Just regular sneakers for me, worked out in boots a couple times after work and didn't notice any real difference.
Anyone ever try squatting with a board under their heels though, I know arnold reccomended this and was wondering if anyones tryed it?
Authentic greek sandals with ankle ties and a wreath around my head usually does the trick.
the_hammer
04-21-08, 4:54 pm
Authentic greek sandals with ankle ties and a wreath around my head usually does the trick.
and i thought i was the only one ..
Hell yea New Balance for the Win bro.
Hate New Balance.... bought myself a pair once and everything i use them for running or work out it... it would rub against my sock, which rub against the skin ofmy feet until it was bleeding.... wasn't able to walk with those shit after and toke me weeks to heal up...
never gonna buy New Balance again! I usually buy Reebok, but now i have a pair of puma and don't have anything to say against it
Ya, so I have never noticed a difference in squatting with or without shoes or with a different pair of trainers compared to those trainers. For me it is whatever pair of trainers I have bought for PT in last few months. I have one pair of shoes I only wear for PT, other than that I am wearing my Rocky's or my USMC boots. Gotta love Boots
[QUOTE=Vaze_06;366420]Hate New Balance.... bought myself a pair once and everything i use them for running or work out it... it would rub against my sock, which rub against the skin ofmy feet until it was bleeding.... wasn't able to walk with those shit after and toke me weeks to heal up...
never gonna buy New Balance again! I usually buy Reebok, but now i have a pair of puma and don't have anything to say against it[/QUOTE
not to knock new balance but I had the same thing happen with a pair i had, both feet at the instep of the foot had huge blisters. I have freinds that love the same pair I had but I think they work better for a narrower foot
just wondering what you guys wear for squatting, i read somewhere doing it bare foot is harder??
although i do it bare foot and dont find it any harder than when wearing trainers etc
me and an old training buddy used to train barefoot because arnold did but one day I dropped a dumbell on my big toe and the nail fell off. After that wearing shoes made more sense to me.
So far i have been using some flat nikes. I tried out some Adidas IronworksII shoes when i was at a meet and i loved them as they are far more stable then what i use. Ordered them right away and could arrive any day now. Cant wait.
ChandlerXJ
04-22-08, 7:13 am
custom orthotics.
A MUST HAVE. Ask any professional bodybuilder.
BrotherInArms
04-22-08, 11:47 am
I lace up my Timbs real tight befoire squatting heavy; sneakers for the warmup. I do my deads in flat-soled sneakers and my calves barefoot like Ah-nold.
Mr. Aestheticz
08-21-08, 3:24 pm
Though it is the most dreaded training day of the week, to me there is nothing more ANIMAL or EMPOWERING than a big set of wheels!
Now everyone knows the creme de la creme of leg exercises is SQUATS!
Personally myself I have and use a pair of Timberland boots to squat in, ever since I started bodybuilding I started using them and my squat form and weight went up drastically!
What is or isn't on your feet when you squat???
......EASY!!!
shizz702
08-21-08, 3:26 pm
depends on what kind of squats I'm doing, for the most part I wear my good ol' chucks, but when I'm doing close stance olympic style squats or front squats I wear my olympic style weight lifting shoes.
Mr. Aestheticz
08-21-08, 3:29 pm
depends on what kind of squats I'm doing, for the most part I wear my good ol' chucks, but when I'm doing close stance olympic style squats or front squats I wear my olympic style weight lifting shoes.
I wear chuck's when I train on non leg days, I tried using them on squats (any type), and I just did not feel comfy or like I had enough technique.
When I was in college I played football and some of my teammates used olympic shoes and i tried those once and liked them but wasn't going and still am not going to pay what hey cost lol!
Brick By Brick
08-21-08, 3:31 pm
I'm a wide squatter, so Chucks or bare feet for me. Or Converse One Star skater shoes.
shizz702
08-21-08, 3:48 pm
I wear chuck's when I train on non leg days, I tried using them on squats (any type), and I just did not feel comfy or like I had enough technique.
When I was in college I played football and some of my teammates used olympic shoes and i tried those once and liked them but wasn't going and still am not going to pay what hey cost lol!
Yea I hear that, if it wasn't for me being an avid trainer of the olympic lifts I wouldn't have bothered with them either, but since I do a lot of power cleans, snatches, and front squats I wanted to go ahead and get that extra support with them.
Torque757
08-21-08, 6:44 pm
Chuck taylor knockoffs from walmart
mritter3
08-21-08, 7:10 pm
good ol chuck taylors are perfect for squatting, can get them at target for like 25 bucks
nevergiveup92
08-22-08, 9:31 am
Wrestling shoes are where its at, pref asics, good range of motion basically the same thing as barefoot but more comfortable
mcbeast
08-22-08, 10:04 am
regular crosstrainers for now.soon enough when i throw the sweatpants back on ill be using boots year round again.imo boots keeo real solid ankle support.tho i would most likely keep my trainers in my gym bag.
http://www.uptempoair.com/ProductImages/20062/313683-001.GIF
Nike Free 7.0's
killyouintheface
08-22-08, 7:20 pm
When I'm at the gym I'm either wearing hi-top Chucks or Adidas Sambas (indoor soccer shoes, good support and the soles aren't squishy).
Survivor831
08-22-08, 8:05 pm
Old Broken in workboots. The looks you get from the people who just don't understand are priceless!
Binney08
02-04-09, 1:44 pm
im not sure if this has been covered before... but theres nothing wrong with squatting/deadlifting barefeet is there? i dont have money for lifting shoes and my regular shoes are quite rubbery so i figured itd absorb some of the force.
just wondering if its ok to continue doing so
N. Motta
02-04-09, 1:46 pm
Take it with a grain of salt, but in Pumping Iron, it seems Arnold is constantly training barefoot. I prefer to do deads in just my socks.
Training barefoot is actually the best way to squat and deadlift. Any sort of elevation from the heels of shoes can cause damage to your spine and lower back when lifting heavy weight, bare feet eliminate this and thus give you natural feeling and stance. If its an issue buy shoes with a flat sole but bare foot is cheaper and better for deads and squats IMO.
Get some chucks.. not super cheap but you can get the no name brand from like discount shoe stores for like 9.99.. they work great. super thin sole.
get some nike free's, like water shoes. Barefeet are fine, just dont walk around the gym like that or you might get some weird fungus. Watch those toes!
Universal Rep
02-04-09, 2:59 pm
A useful thread: http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=17169&highlight=bare
The Texian
02-04-09, 5:44 pm
bare feet, or socks, are just fine.
brandonA
02-04-09, 5:51 pm
Just keep in mind that pushing out with the sides of your feet is very important in both squatting and deads. That is a lot of strain on the ankles.....
-B
Thunder-Thighs
02-05-09, 10:57 am
I recently suffered a knee injury while squatting. Little did I know it was from wearing my boots to squat in. I started doing bare foot squats knee pain has started to go away. I got some cheep converses to squat and dead lift in. Respect and Honor
I would be careful to walk around in a gym in bare feet. It is just a huge feeding ground of bacteria and if you have even a small cut on your foot, it could get infected. I would also not suggest socks for squatting due to lack of grip. The best idea would be chucks or wrestling shoes. I wear the latter, and love them. They are light and really comfortable. Chucks will do as well, and I see tons of big powerlifters wearing them so they can't be that bad.
Cellerator65
02-05-09, 5:28 pm
i did squats today in my socks, fucking awesome. If you havent tried it, try it. If u dont like it, go back to the regular way you do.
Today was my first time doing it and im hooked.
71bbo455
02-05-09, 6:01 pm
I have done squats in the past with running shoes, weightlifting shoes, cross training sneakers, and barefoot. I find that barefoot or weightlifting shoes work best from a stability standpoint. I do have one question for the barefoot lifters though. Do you guys train everything barefoot, like leg presses and calf raises. Those would seem to be a problem with grip on the leg press machine and calf raises would put a lot of stress on some small bones.
i prefer to lift barefoot and i did back when i used to train at home but most gyms will make you wear shoes. the best option here is a pair of otomix if you have the money, if not just grab a pair of wrestling shoes (these can sometimes be found at second-hand sport outfitters).
Feel The Power
02-05-09, 8:23 pm
I do my squats in my socks.. deadlifts I still mainly do them in shoes, but if I am going really heavy I will sometimes ditch the shoes as well. My gym is hardcore and doesn't care how you lift, but I have been in some gyms where they frown if you lift without shoes. I just feel alot more stable going barefoot.. just like a caveman. lol.
Feel The Power
02-05-09, 8:24 pm
thanks for adding in that thread UREP.
Jay Hanisak
02-06-09, 10:58 am
A lot of Powerlifters compete in the deadlift barefoot. I have trained that way and it is fine. I prefer to wear chuck's when I squat for ankle support, I feel a bit unstable squating barefoot. If you are comfortable then go with it.
Cellerator65
02-06-09, 2:32 pm
i did deadlifts today in socks, love it. Im hooked again.... if i had my choice i'd do almost every exercise without shoes. And if i could, i'd train shirtless haha.
dedsqtbnch
03-15-09, 11:16 pm
i like socks thats the way i do my big lifts
What are chucks?
I have just been using my reebok runners and never really considered anything else.
Huh, never heard of lifting with different footwear besides a standard running shoe before. From all the comments I read, it sounds kind of cool tbh! I think I'll try squats in socks...only because there's godknowswhat on the floor by the end of the week (when I do legs). Deadlifts, I'm going to stick to regular old shoes I think. Or I can use my wrestling shoes, which I NEVER thought I'd get any more use out of besides MMA/boxing.
This thread was incredibly interesting, and hopefully I can try some of this stuff out in the near future.
need2getBIG
03-16-09, 4:12 pm
i am a powerlifter,and ALOT of powerlifters either wear converse chuck taylors as i do,or wrestling shoes,chucks are perfect because not only do they look good but they get your feet to the ground close,but make sure you get the hightops
Just bought myself a pair of Puma's with a flat sole. So far, they've felt pretty damn good.
mritter3
03-17-09, 5:11 pm
besides going with just socks, chuck taylors high tops of course are the best thing i found for deads and squats, they seem to keep you grounded even if the bar is loaded with 45's
prowrestler
03-17-09, 5:14 pm
random but cool fact i found out, me and Johhnie jackson wear the same shoes while lifting LOL
the nike...somethings...boxing/wrestling shoe.
bare foot is probabkly the best way to go if you can do it. the less of a sole, the beter the shoe is
Mr. Aestheticz
09-10-09, 9:09 am
I Made A Huge Switch To My Shoe Game For The Gyma Nd I Absolutely Love'em, I Wear Asics Wrestling Shoes Now And Holy Shit Do I Feel A Huge Difference From Wearing Them No Joke!
BryanSmash!
09-10-09, 10:04 am
I Made A Huge Switch To My Shoe Game For The Gyma Nd I Absolutely Love'em, I Wear Asics Wrestling Shoes Now And Holy Shit Do I Feel A Huge Difference From Wearing Them No Joke!
Wrestling shoes are best IMO.
I replied to this thread many months ago when I had just gotten my wrestling shoes to do squats/deads in. About 7 months later I am still loving them, and they are still my favorite shoe to both of those exercises.
fenix237
09-11-09, 5:09 pm
it's interesting how different our preferences are- there are accomplished lifters that prefer everything from barefoot to heavy workboots!
OklahomaMuscle
09-11-09, 5:55 pm
I Made A Huge Switch To My Shoe Game For The Gyma Nd I Absolutely Love'em, I Wear Asics Wrestling Shoes Now And Holy Shit Do I Feel A Huge Difference From Wearing Them No Joke!
Well played homie, just watch the Wrestlin shoes when doing walking lunges...my toes are always sore for days after some lunges...
charlievanriper
09-11-09, 6:02 pm
I like the Otomix boxer style shoes the pro trainers thin flat sole great shoe for Squats and the weight room.
I have been hearing about the Vibram 5 finger shoes alot of guys are using them, from what I am reading and hearing I may get a pair. They look like they will get some comments but who cares if they work.
Bard of Rage
09-11-09, 11:45 pm
I got a pair of Vibrams myself, besides being pretty comfortable they also give a nice grounded feel during squats. Only thing I'd have against them is that it's not fun doing calf exercises in them.
BubbyLight
09-12-09, 12:24 am
What are chucks?
I have just been using my reebok runners and never really considered anything else.
converse makes them. basically the PF Flyers from Sandlot. but they make the PF Flyers too..need to pick up a pair when my gf isnt shopping with me...she thinks they are hideous
MojoMike36
09-14-09, 2:50 pm
Reebok Workout. They're $20 On Most Sites. I Never Wear Any Other Shoe.
Ir0nClad
09-14-09, 11:48 pm
I just wear regular sneakers, and I never have a problem with my heel's coming off the ground.