This might come off as an innocuous question but I just wanted to query the T-Mag crowd about footwear on the squats…
When I started out training legs I wore some NIKE Air Turf trainers that had an Air-sole unit in the heel… (BIG MISTAKE; in retrospect wtf was I thinking ?) I got up to about 315 lbs in the squat wearing those… Somedays I would go in with the intention of doing cardio only to gravitate to the squat rack… (I’ve done 405 in running shoes; again, not a reallly good idea) then as I slowly extracted my head out of my ass reading up on proper form and technique I found out most guys use construction boots (?!) or flat soled shoes for squatting… A buddy of mine uses wrestling boots…
Nowadays, I use something akin to a surf shoe that is really flat… I understand the CNS connection barefoot, but what do you guys wear ? Any kinesiologists or PTs out there care to make a recommendation ? I’d love to hear them.
I’m sure that the real powerlifters here can give you a better answer than me, but…
I recently started squatting in wrestling shoes. They really let me drive through the heels, and the lack of an elevated heel really helps me maintain an upright trunk. I think they really help with deadlifts too.
I used to use Nike tennis shoes, but when I switched to my work boots, it made a big difference. The solid sole really helps you feel your force being channeled down through the floor. I liked the elevated heels for a while because they made it easier to go down all the way (I do shoulder width full squats), but now I prefer the wrestling shoes.
You never mentioned what kind of squats. I am an olympic lifter and I won’t squat without my olympic lifting shoes(powerfirm). They have a wooden heel and do not compress which makes them very stable. These are full olympic squats and this footwear might not be ideal for powerlifting style squats.
You never mentioned what kind of squats. I am an olympic lifter and I won’t squat without my olympic lifting shoes(powerfirm). They have a wooden heel and do not compress which makes them very stable. These are full olympic squats and this footwear might not be ideal for powerlifting style squats.
If I’m planning on squatting over 400 I’ll throw my Converse CT’s in my bag. If it’s a lighter (DE) day, I’ll stick with my Avia cross trainers. They are wide enough to push out against the sides and have a concave heel that feels better than the converse flat heel. If your shoe is wide and stable enogh to push out to the side (spreading the floor) does it really matter? Just bust your ass and go home and eat!
I am a powerlifter. I like the Adidas Ironwork. It is an Olympic weightlifting shoe. The extra heel will allow you to stay more upright. I used to squat in a ‘skate boarder’ type shoe that worked OK.
I used to wear Chucks and recently bought a pair of very basic Reebok basketball shoes (low cut, not high top). I like them better. Although they have some cushioning, they’re no where near as “squishy” as running shoes. I feel that the leather is more comfortable and molds to my feet better than the canvas on the Chucks.
Right now, I wear my indoor soccer shoes since they’re flat. BUT, I am finally getting a pair of either Power Firm or Adiddas Oly-lifting shoes. Yay…:-))
I squat rock bottom oly style BTW. The Addias are good, but wear out fast in the soles. Looking forward to try Rickey Dal Crain’s up and coming squat shoe for Olylifters - low cut etc
Hey Patricia I resemble that remark, I actually had a pair of Nike squat shoes in the late 80’s, I took a lot of meets with those silly shoes, but I now prefer to be flat footed and have used Otomix for the past 10 or so years
Chuckie T.'s were worth an instant 20 pounds on a parallel box for me. I had been using a pair of Nautica running shoes that were comfortable and stable, but I couldn’t spread the floor with them.