SHOES: Are You Wearing the Right Ones to Lift?
By Shane Robert
When it comes to strength training, shoes can seem like a minor detail. After all, the barbell, your technique, and your training program are doing most of the work. But the shoes you wear can meaningfully change your position, balance, stability, and how a movement feels. A good lifting shoe should provide a stable base from which you can produce force. Unlike running shoes, which are designed to absorb impact and provide cushioning, lifting shoes are generally designed to minimize unwanted movement between your foot and the floor.
That is particularly true for lower-body lifts such as squats, deadlifts, and Olympic lifts. A raised heel can make it easier for some lifters to achieve a deep squat position, while a thin, flat sole can provide a more direct connection with the floor and may be particularly useful for deadlifting.
So, which is better: heeled lifting shoes or thin, flat shoes? The answer is (of course): it depends. It depends on the lift, your individual proportions, mobility, technique, and what you are trying to accomplish. There is no single "best" lifting shoe for everyone and neither option is inherently better. They simply create different starting positions and movement demands.
HEELED LIFTING SHOES
Heeled lifting shoes, sometimes called weightlifting shoes, typically have a firm sole and an elevated heel. The heel can range from relatively modest to quite substantial depending on the model and intended use.
A raised heel allows the ankle to start from a more plantar-flexed position. In practical terms, this means you may be able to achieve greater knee flexion without requiring quite as much ankle dorsiflexion or mobility. For some lifters, that makes it easier to reach a deeper squat position while keeping the torso more upright and maintaining better balance during a squat. This can be particularly helpful for people whose body proportions or ankle mobility make deep squatting difficult in a completely flat shoe.
Heeled shoes can also provide a very stable platform. Most purpose-built weightlifting shoes have relatively rigid soles, which means less of the force you produce is lost to compressing a soft shoe.
THIN AND FLAT SHOES
Thin, flat shoes have a very different philosophy. Instead of altering your foot position with a substantial heel, they provide a relatively level and firm platform. Some lifters choose minimalist shoes, like the Verse non-slip workout shoe, while others simply use a flat-soled training shoe. If you’ve ever seen someone lifting in Converse, this is why.
Flat shoes are most often useful for deadlifts and their variations, while some variations of body types and squat movements also benefit from a flat sole. If, for instance, you want your hips to contribute more in the movement, flat shoes are better. For general strength training such as rows and other standing exercises, or training sessions where you want one versatile pair of shoes, thin, flat, and grippy shoes will work best.
For deadlifting in particular, a thin sole can be advantageous because a taller shoe effectively puts the bar farther away from its starting position relative to your feet. A thin sole keeps you closer to the floor.
THE DRAWBACKS OF FLAT SHOES
The major limitation of flat shoes is also one of their biggest (long-term) benefits: it requires you to work with your existing ankle mobility and body proportions. If you have limited ankle dorsiflexion, for example, you will be forced to improve it. Of course, individual anatomy plays a role, and no amount of mobility improvements is going to make up for someone with freakishly long femurs. For these people, a raised heel simply provides a more comfortable and repeatable way of achieving their desired squat position.
WHAT ABOUT RUNNING SHOES?
Running shoes are the least appropriate choice for heavy strength training—thick, soft, compressible soles that are ubiquitous on running shoes. Imagine trying to push a heavy object while standing on a mattress versus standing on a solid floor. The mattress isn't an efficient surface for producing force.
WHAT ABOUT BAREFOOT TRAINING?
Some lifters prefer to train barefoot because it provides an extremely direct connection with the floor. For certain lifts, this can feel excellent. However, barefoot training isn't automatically superior to wearing shoes; there are also practical considerations: gym policies, hygiene, dropped weights, traction, and general foot protection. A thin, flat shoe can provide many of the advantages of barefoot training while still offering a layer of protection between your feet and the gym floor. The Verse non-slip workout shoe is a perfect solution: you feel essentially barefoot without the grossness of being barefoot in a public gym, and you have greater gripping power than you would with bare skin.
It's tempting to turn footwear into a simple argument of "heels versus flats," but human bodies aren't standardized, and there is no universally superior lifting shoe. Heeled shoes are excellent for squatting and Olympic lifting, allowing users to stay more upright and squat deeper, but their benefits tend to stop there. Thin, flat shoes, on the other hand, are more well-rounded for most types of workouts, whether strength training or yoga, because they allow for a close connection to the floor and are particularly attractive for deadlifting and general strength work.
Ultimately, your shoes should support the demands of the exercise rather than dictate your technique. If a particular shoe helps you feel balanced, stable, and confident while maintaining a consistent position, it may be a good choice. And if you regularly perform different types of lifts, there's nothing wrong with having different shoes for different jobs.
