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i see stupid people squatting in regular sneakers

AlwaysOn

New member
lol, I feel sorry for these bastards.

They don't know how to squat properly or use the right shoe.

sometimes want to got up to them and tell them to buy a pair of chucks...lol
 
once the form and flexibility are there, then they should worry about the shoes. but i agree, even barefoot is better than springy sneakers for heavy squats. In fact i do most of my deadlifting and squatting barefoot now that i work out at home.
 
I've accidentally worn my running shoes a few times on squat day. I just went barefoot instead of trying to balance on springy crap.
 
Bah, I've always squatted in running shoes, so I'm used to them. If anything it improves my balance. Lately I have been doing reps of 20, but I used to do reps of 2-5 with no problems.
 
oly shoes are better for oly squats, especially overhead squats. but if you use a wider stance PL style squat and don't ohs, then go with the chucks (or whatever you feel stable in)
 
anotherbutters said:
I could do with a better pair of shoes. Can anybody recommend anything in the UK? I'm currently using a tired pair of Nike Air :rolleyes:


YEAH, bump for this. I've been wearing Nike Shox (running shoes with the big springs visible in the back) for about 2 years.

I oly squat, and I'm getting into Olympic weightlifting and power moves; should I be jogging to the gym in running shoes, changing into oly shoes for the olympic lifts, and then ANOTHER pair for powerlifting moves like squat, deadlift and bench pressing?
 
HMm i wear my running shoes .. i didnt realize it was wrong... but i'm not doing heavy weights:P
 
I have a pair of these (exactly) that I wear when deadlifting. Very flat sole, almost slipper like.

PUMA Klim

I got 'em for 30$ at a local outlet store :)

I switched over to oly shoes for squatting since I wanted to do some oly squats and some other lifts. They really help me sit back on my heels.

Now that I'll be squatting and deadlifting on the same day, I think I'm going to stick with my Addidas for now since I don't feel like changing shoes mid-workout.
 
How does not wearing a certain type of shoe make them stupid? It might be easier to do them in certain shoes, but it's also easier using the pad on the bar and using gloves for anything heavy.
 
I would say yeah. I change shoes between lifts.

musketeer said:
YEAH, bump for this. I've been wearing Nike Shox (running shoes with the big springs visible in the back) for about 2 years.

I oly squat, and I'm getting into Olympic weightlifting and power moves; should I be jogging to the gym in running shoes, changing into oly shoes for the olympic lifts, and then ANOTHER pair for powerlifting moves like squat, deadlift and bench pressing?
 
I have been squatting in my cross-trainers, I didn't know it was a problem but I DID notice it's hard to balance because the sole squishes around.

What the hell are "chucks", "oly shoes", etc.? Someone break it down for me, what kind of shoes do I need to buy for lifting? If it will help my squats I'll get some.

Also, I want to same shoes to work for power cleans as I use for squats, for example. I don't want to have more than 1 pair of weight lifting shoes, that would be ridiculous.
 
AlwaysOn said:
and chucks are only $40

and they are BETTER than even those fancy olympic squatting shoes...lol


Easy on your blanket statements. Are you some expert in the field of athletics and weightlifting? Just curious...

Or are you just saying that olympic lifters have the same movement and stressors as power lifters in their lifts?


Please, expand our knowledge base.
 
swordfish151 said:
still unclear on why not to wear shoes while squatting?? anyone have any insight??
It's not so much that you shouldn't wear shoes at all, but running shoes/cross trainers are squishy and absorb impact. WHile squatting you want the force to transfer from your feet to the ground unfettered. No shoes are better than squishy shoes (at least that's the argument). However, many will say that stiff soled shoes are better than no shoes.
 
musketeer said:
YEAH, bump for this. I've been wearing Nike Shox (running shoes with the big springs visible in the back) for about 2 years.

I oly squat, and I'm getting into Olympic weightlifting and power moves; should I be jogging to the gym in running shoes, changing into oly shoes for the olympic lifts, and then ANOTHER pair for powerlifting moves like squat, deadlift and bench pressing?


I know a guy who has squatted over 800lbs in nike shox, so it's more of whether or not you can geta long with the shoes than if the shoes are bad.

Cheers,
Scotsman
 
anotherbutters said:
Are those like the air-max with an air pocket in the heel? Can you imagine a blow-out with 800lbs on your back!


The shox have those big spring looking things in the back, not sure what air max look like as I don't wear nike's.

No can't imagine the blow-out aftermath from that. :worried:

Cheers,
Scotsman
 
The thing about forces on shoes and blowouts is kinda like this:

If you are SLOWLY applying the force, like unracking 800lbs and squatting, a 200bber would be putting 500lbs of force or 2,225 Newtons through each shoe. This force would be distributed about 2/3 to the inflated heel and 1/3 to the solid toe end. So the total foce on the heel would be 1,480N.

If you jump up to do a slam dunk and land on one heel, you are falling on one heel with 200lbs and about a whole meter of acceleration = about 2,000N.

So the shoe is actually more than capable of handleing the weight from squatting so long as the integrity of the shoe is still good. If the shoe were old/damaged and blew out after a landing, you might fall over. If they blew out with 800lb, you may well splinter your spine!
 
Personally I use chucks when I back squat only. When I do cleans from the floor I use oly shoes. When I do hangcleans I use a cross training type shoe. When I deadlift I go barefoot. There is no best type of shoe for all lifts. Saying CHucks are better than Oly shoes is a ridiculous statement.
 
mekannik said:
Easy on your blanket statements. Are you some expert in the field of athletics and weightlifting? Just curious...

Or are you just saying that olympic lifters have the same movement and stressors as power lifters in their lifts?


Please, expand our knowledge base.


Look I am not recommending any particular shoe. My point was that I see people not squatting correctly.


My secondary point is that a good shoe was available for only $40.

And yes I've tried the fancy olympic shoes. They are not as good as Chucks in my OPINION.


The canvas in combination with the rubber sole anchors your feet right to the floor. Its almost as if you are one with the floor.

All the big lifters use them, and it is endorsed by many olympic, powerlifters and bodybuilders
 
Scotsman said:
I know a guy who has squatted over 800lbs in nike shox, so it's more of whether or not you can geta long with the shoes than if the shoes are bad.

Cheers,
Scotsman



ATF or not?

dude, honestly that is kind of hard to believe....
 
My shoxs were fine with 400lb ATF today - I do feel them flex when I unrack the weight and walk out with each step, but when I'm flat footed and ready to squat I don't feel them move.
 
Yep, if I can't squat 800lbs it's because of my shoes ;)

I don't see why Chucks would be better than "real" olympic lifting shoes
 
I use chucks as well. Hell, I squat a modest 50KG, which isn't too bad for a woman doing reps. When you compare that to all the guys grunting and groaning and not even reaching parallel with massive weights - By competition rules I can squat way more than them!!!
 
anthrax said:
Yep, if I can't squat 800lbs it's because of my shoes ;)

I don't see why Chucks would be better than "real" olympic lifting shoes


For pl squats you don't want you heals raise otherwise when you come down it pushes the motion forward.

If I do cleans I just wear cross-trainers as I don't want to spend money on oly shoes since I will never compete in it.

Cheers,
Scotsman
 
Scotsman said:
For pl squats you don't want you heals raise otherwise when you come down it pushes the motion forward.

If I do cleans I just wear cross-trainers as I don't want to spend money on oly shoes since I will never compete in it.

Cheers,
Scotsman

Makes sense

As for oly squat and front squat the heals being raised is quite helpful
 
Anyone see a problem with squatting in wrestling shoes? I tried it and actually liked it best of everything I've tried thus far (barefoot, boots, sneakers). I though you were suppoesd to use firm soled shoes though. Is it more a matter of personal preference?
 
From what I gather the general knowledge is:

Powerlifting squats (i.e. spreading the floor, forcing your feet against the outsole): Chuck Taylors, construction boots


Olympic lifts (heel drive, upright torso): oly shoes with the wooden heel, tennis shoes with heel blocks or plates under the heel

Almost any shoe, or lack thereof, can be used for squatting - so long as the technique used compliments the method and results. That and what you are accustomed to.
 
AlwaysOn said:
Look I am not recommending any particular shoe. My point was that I see people not squatting correctly.


My secondary point is that a good shoe was available for only $40.

And yes I've tried the fancy olympic shoes. They are not as good as Chucks in my OPINION.


The canvas in combination with the rubber sole anchors your feet right to the floor. Its almost as if you are one with the floor.

All the big lifters use them, and it is endorsed by many olympic, powerlifters and bodybuilders

No - you made a blanket statement about shoes specifically and are now saying you were talking about squat technique. So which is it? Because your "secondary point" and opinion statements still point to the equipment, not the lift. Your first sentence is contradictory in itself - you "don't recommend any particular shoe" then go on to espouse Chucks.

Also - olympic lifters should be lifting in Chucks? Interesting... And this idea is endorsed by many olympic lifters (so you say). Can you name some or point to an article supporting this statement?

And my opinion is that for oly squats, O/H squats, and static lunges - olympic shoes have served me better than any other shoe I used.



There is also a little story about my best friend calling West Side barbell about shoes she bought me as a gift - but that is another topic.
 
Chucks are great for deadlifting, good morning, and wide stance squat because you want the weight on your heels rather than toes. This is much easier to do with Chucks.

However, for a narrow stance/oly/front squat, running shoes are probably better than chucks, and olympic shoes are the way to go IMO. I agree that nike shox are probably not the best way to go, but they are absolutely okay. I do my narrow stance squatting in a pair of new balance trainers that have very supportive soles. I think they do a great job.

People are NOT idiots for not squatting in Chucks. Most people who squat probably don't need to IMO.
 
Guinness5.0 said:
Anyone see a problem with squatting in wrestling shoes? I tried it and actually liked it best of everything I've tried thus far (barefoot, boots, sneakers). I though you were suppoesd to use firm soled shoes though. Is it more a matter of personal preference?

FWIW, the shoes I linked to often get mistaken for wrasslin shoes, some people have called them a cross between rock climbing and wrestling shoes. If you like them I say go for it.

And then of course there's always Otomix :rolleyes:
 
I squat in wrestling shoes actually. I like feeling the floor through them. I have never tried chucks though. I can say the nike shox are freikin hard to balance on when they are all squishing around. If you are a bigger guy and compress them all the way, then maybe they arent so bad.
 
The only complaint I have heard of wrestling shoes is they tend to have a nartrow sole. If you squat real wide, like some powerlifters, you can roll your ankle. I haven't tried them, though.


Guinness5.0 said:
Anyone see a problem with squatting in wrestling shoes? I tried it and actually liked it best of everything I've tried thus far (barefoot, boots, sneakers). I though you were suppoesd to use firm soled shoes though. Is it more a matter of personal preference?
 
I wouldn't call someone stupid over their footwear. At least they have the balls to do squats. Personally, I used to have a pair of hiking boots that felt awesome for squatting. I haven't lifted anything heavy in a long time so I really don't even pay attention to the shoes. I just wear my regular sneakers. Once I get my squat back over 450 I'll probably look for a better shoe. But when all you want to do is bang out 10 reps with 275, I don't think the shoes matter a lot.
 
Guinness5.0 said:
Anyone see a problem with squatting in wrestling shoes? I tried it and actually liked it best of everything I've tried thus far (barefoot, boots, sneakers). I though you were suppoesd to use firm soled shoes though. Is it more a matter of personal preference?


No problem with them at all, in fact when I dead heavy I switch to wrestling shoes. This is definitely a matter of personal preference, what works best fo you is just that and may not work for someone else. Find what does work for you and use the hell out of it man.

Cheers,
Scotsman
 
Scotsman said:
No problem with them at all, in fact when I dead heavy I switch to wrestling shoes. This is definitely a matter of personal preference, what works best fo you is just that and may not work for someone else. Find what does work for you and use the hell out of it man.

Cheers,
Scotsman

exactly. Shoes dont make that huge of a difference if they fit right- Ive squatted in Otomix & these guys- http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/products/shoesFR.html

& hit PRs in both. The WORST shoe i ever trained in was Chucks!! LOL. the toe box was really wide for my narrow feet- felt like crap :mix:
 
Last edited:
Sandles are the best. LOL

IMO, to each his own, use what ever you are comfortable in.

I went from squatting in running shoes to Ironworks Oly shoes and could tell a hugh difference and I feel it helped with my squat numbers also.
 
Hey guys, I decided to test this and bought some wrestling shoes.

Before I was using Adidas running shoes with a thick soft heel.

The day I tried using wrestling shoes instead I was able to squat 50 lbs more than last time I lifted.

Coincidence?
 
alwayson... you said that top OL guys endorsed chucks. please name one. Im sure you cant, because OL guys squat in OL shoes, and for good reasons.

Ed Coan, who is really still the best powerlifter ever, competed in converse basketball sneakers.

Westside guys started wearing chuck taylors because there are some advantages to them if you are using the extreme wide stance many of them use... then it became a sort of powerlifting fashion statement to wear them. kind of the cool thing to do, which i have nothing against.
 
I dont see what the big hype is about the shoes u wear. Unlease of course there rediculouse like the ones that make u 5 inches taller or if ur competing. I use new balance which seems to be fine even though im not that experienced at doing squats and such.
 
As many years of playing BBall , I've never found a pair of should that actually were "springy" Those "springs" in the back of the shoe are more marketing then anything.

I'll have to buy a pair of nike shox and see if there's any extra 'explosion" when wearing them.

Anyway running shoes always worked for me
 
I love wearing my Chucks at the gym. I work out in an LA Fitness in South Florida that just opened up and it is truly a fashion show. Every chic has spent at least a few hundred for their outfits (mind you I like looking) and half the guys are wearing full underarmour outfits while curling in my SQUAT racks (huge pet peeve of mine). I love to wear my torn up shorts, ratty t-shirt, and chucks and the ATF squat and deadlift. I am a loner there to say the least!
 
I don't really think there's a wrong or right here.....it's what you're used to. I wear regular old cross-training sneakers and I can hit 355 in an atf squat. I'm used to it.
 
cubuff27 said:
I love wearing my Chucks at the gym. I work out in an LA Fitness in South Florida that just opened up and it is truly a fashion show. Every chic has spent at least a few hundred for their outfits (mind you I like looking) and half the guys are wearing full underarmour outfits while curling in my SQUAT racks (huge pet peeve of mine). I love to wear my torn up shorts, ratty t-shirt, and chucks and the ATF squat and deadlift. I am a loner there to say the least!

I lived in S. FL for a while. I really miss the high chick quality at the gyms. Definitely a heavy dipshit and moron factor down there but I have had my fill of dungeon gyms to last a lifetime. I need something to look at between sets and if that means asking Mr. Curl to set up his 60lbs on the floor and not monopolize an entire rack, it's a good trade. Then again, you always want what you don't have, I remember being tired of the flip side too (not the chicks just the douche bags and no serious lifters).
 
FYI cut open a nike shox and you'll see there isn't really a spring or a shock.

It's a piece of polyurethane foam with the outlining shape of a spring.

Nothing against them, I own 2 pairs, but quite the marketing gimmick.
 
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