[quote]chrismcl wrote:
vandalay15 wrote:
Thats great you wear nikes. I recommend a flat-soled shoe, as they’re better for squatting and deadlifting.
Who says Nike doesn’t make a flat-soled shoe?[/quote]
Who says every lifter squats and deadlifts better with flat soled shoes?
[quote]Professor X wrote:
chrismcl wrote:
vandalay15 wrote:
Thats great you wear nikes. I recommend a flat-soled shoe, as they’re better for squatting and deadlifting.
Who says Nike doesn’t make a flat-soled shoe?
Who says every lifter squats and deadlifts better with flat soled shoes?[/quote]
Surely you don’t use Nikes with Air cushioning, do you Prof. X?
[quote]Miserere wrote:
Professor X wrote:
chrismcl wrote:
vandalay15 wrote:
Thats great you wear nikes. I recommend a flat-soled shoe, as they’re better for squatting and deadlifting.
Who says Nike doesn’t make a flat-soled shoe?
Who says every lifter squats and deadlifts better with flat soled shoes?
Surely you don’t use Nikes with Air cushioning, do you Prof. X?[/quote]
Surely you don’t miss the fact that not everyone has a decent arch to their foot naturally.
Also, the new Nike Free shoe is supposed to be the closest on the market currently to actually walking or running around barefoot. You can find them on line for under 70 bucks or customize your own on the Nike web site.
And no, I don’t work for Nike, I just like their gear.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
Also, the new Nike Free shoe is supposed to be the closest on the market currently to actually walking or running around barefoot. You can find them on line for under 70 bucks or customize your own on the Nike web site.
And no, I don’t work for Nike, I just like their gear.[/quote]
Good call, Prof.
I can’t really attest to the specifics of how close they are to barefoot, but I can say I love 'em.
I have a pair of both the runners and the trainers. They are both extremely light-weight, flexible, and wicked comfortable. They also just feel fast; I put them on in the mall and instantly wanted to run sprints.
They aren’t the most enjoyable shoes to look at, but in the right colors they do look pretty sweet (but their functionality is the key point).
I don’t know. Those might be good to run in if you like running bare foot but if you have a substantial squat, and I’m not saying you don’t, I feel that those would blow out pretty easily or not support you so well.
I say this cause I tried to squat in those air vent Adidas shoes once and almost broke them.
Nike, Adidas, Puma, whatever…
[quote]Scottish 190 wrote:
I don’t know. Those might be good to run in if you like running bare foot but if you have a substantial squat, and I’m not saying you don’t, I feel that those would blow out pretty easily or not support you so well.
I say this cause I tried to squat in those air vent Adidas shoes once and almost broke them.
Nike, Adidas, Puma, whatever…[/quote]
That’s an excellent point.
However, the trainers are made out of a thicker, more substantial material, and have less side-to-side flex than the runners (which are loose material, with lots of flex). Also, the trainers have a foot-strap that seems to help with stability; not necessarily ankle stability, but they do seem to help. Overall, they just feel more solid than the runners.
I’m sure someone could run into the problem you mentioned, but I have a feeling that can happen with a lot of shoes. As for myself, I haven’t had that problem yet, but it’s something I’ll watch out for with them.
So far I’m enjoying them for lifting.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
Also, the new Nike Free shoe is supposed to be the closest on the market currently to actually walking or running around barefoot. You can find them on line for under 70 bucks or customize your own on the Nike web site.
And no, I don’t work for Nike, I just like their gear.[/quote]
I actually have a pair of Nike shoes similar to these. They’re very flexible and feel really comfortable when I put them on, but I can’t wear them for long cos my knees start hurting…because I don’t have a good natural arch to my foot, Professor X! 
I need to wear stiff shoes with little or no lateral flexibility.
If only my feet were normal…
Yes, I think nike does have a few pairs of flat-soled shoes.
Professor X, thats cool if squatting and deadlifting in shoes with an elevated heel works better for you. However, for handling big weights and finding a shoe that offers good support, I respect the opinion of elite powerlifters. The reason I even responded to your comment is because you said how chucks looked funny in larger sizes. Who gives a damn what your shoes look like while training?
Thats excellent these new nikes are so advanced that they provide you with a barefoot feeling. That doesnt mean anything in powerlifting though. Now don’t try to reply how the starter of this thread didn’t ask about powerlifting. He asked what shoes to lift in, and I recommend Chucks or Sambas.
Recently I’ve had this infatuation with thinking about things today and how people accomplished similar things way back when there was no electricity, light bulbs, refrigerators, etc.
For example, I often think “if we have air conditioning nowadays in our houses to help cool off when it gets hot, how did people in the olden days cool off if they didn’t have air conditioners?” And inevitably this leads my mind off on a tirade about ventilation and shading from the sun and all sorts of things.
So when the issue of orthotics (sp?) and arch support and shoe cushioning comes up (and similar topics would include shin splints, ACL injuries, etc), I usually think the same thing - how did people back in the day deal with these issues? I can say with confidence that they probably didn’t have Nike Shox back in the 1400s. And look at some of the West African distance runners. Wasn’t there a guy that ran in the Olympics barefoot?
I’m starting to think that problems such as over-pronation and things of the sort are becoming the new lower back. Essentially, its becoming the new problem area for people.
“Oh I can’t run because I get shin splints because I have really high/low arches.”
“I have to pay $200 for special sneakers because I’ve got the insanest over-pronation you’ll ever see!”
Our bodies are dynamic organisms and are able to adapt to a lot of things and a lot quicker than you’d expect. I’m starting to think that people don’t give their bodies enough credit for what they can do.
Sorry about my rant. And yeah, I know that “insanest” isn’t really a word.
La Sportiva M-Hike (similar to Makalu) mountaineering boots with custom orthotics. These boots are the most comfortable footwear I own. I wear them all day, every day, including workouts. Price $225. Insurance covers the podiatrist visit and orthotics - otherwise another $400. I’m thinking about trying a pair of Chucks just for fun.
Chucks, Vans Hi tops, and Vision Gator Hi are all very cheap and PL friendly. When I am not training lower body I wear a pair of Nike or Adidas running shoes.