Benefits of Lifting Shoes

There are many benefits of lifting shoes, some which you may know, others you may not. Commonly referred to as squats shoes or weightlifting shoes, they have some major benefits while others are minor. Regardless, there are definitely some worthwhile benefits of owning a pair of lifting shoes. Below is a list of 3 benefits that can come from lifting shoes:

1. Perceived Increase in Ankle Mobility
2. More Stability/Less Energy Leak
3. Overall Secure Fit

Perceived Increase in Ankle Mobility:

Of course, a weightlifting shoe will not be able to change your actual ankle mobility. This is why I used the word perceived, the shoe allows you to have the feeling/performance of increased ankle mobility. It does this by elevating your heel, which puts yourself in a position to allow your knees to travel further past your toes while also taking stress off your calves.

This increase in ankle mobility allows us to sink into a squat while being more upright, thus putting us in a better squatting position bio mechanically. It feels much more stable and secure which also allows us to move more weight. This ankle mobility can also help with our overall squat stability as we are spending less time worrying about reaching depth properly.

This isn’t to say that if you have proper ankle mobility that squat shoes won’t be of benefit to you, they can still make your squat more optimal. Not everyone prefers squat shoes, however, I would say the majority of people can benefit from them.

Stable Lifting Platform/Base:

We know the elevated heel of the lifting shoe helps with our own bodies stability. However, the actual design and material/construction of the shoe can give us added stability as well. This because the flat, hard plastic bottom and heel of a lifting shoe provides a strong foundation for us to lift from.

This is the case as it allows us to push from a hard stable base for maximal energy return with minimal energy leak. Also, it covers more ground, which in conjunction with the already stable base, leaves less of a chance for lateral foot movement.

With the stability benefits of the heel of the shoe, as well as the stability benefits from the actual shoe material/construction, lifting shoes have a lot going for them from a stability standpoint alone.

Overall Secure Fit:

Weightlifting shoes have other general features with them that add to the overall benefits. Most notably would be the velcro straps, or things like more rigid sides of the shoe. These types of things work together to provide a more secure foot while increasing overall stability.

They do this by securing your foot from the top, while the stiffer sides help keep your foot in place laterally. All of this, in conjunction with the ankle mobility benefits, as well as the strong overall foundation makes for an extremely effective and stable lifting shoe.

Liking the sounds of an olympic lifting shoe? You can check out the review of the ones I use in my article, “Reebok Legacy Lifters – Review”

Wrapping Up:

All in all, when you take the squat technique and stability benefits of a lifting shoe and combine them, it makes for one beneficial product! Whether you lack ankle mobility or are just looking to optimize your performance, a pair of lifting shoes can be quite beneficial!

While they’re not for everyone, I would say the majority of people can benefit from them! I thank you for taking the time to read this article, and as always, if you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to leave them below and I will be sure to reply!

Until Next Time,

Kohl Johnson

Please refer to my liability disclaimer to ensure you know who is responsible for use of this information after reading.

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