Weightlifting Shoes: How to Pick the Right Pair

Last Updated 3 years ago

What are weightlifting shoes?

Weightlifting shoes have been around for a long time, used predominantly by competitive weightlifters, powerlifters, Olympians and high-performance athletes.

However, thanks to an increase in availability and public knowledge around the benefits of wearing lifting shoes during training and competition, they’re now widely worn by athletes and regular gym-goers at all levels.

Chances are you’ve seen lifting shoes at your local gym, as they stand out from other shoes thanks to their raised heel and mid-foot cross strap.

They are typically heavier, with a firm flat sole and look far too solid to run in.

The slightly raised heel allows wearers to maintain a more upright position when squatting – improving the pull and lockout position.

Back in the day, heels were historically made of wood only, but are now usually built from a hard, non-compressible plastic for cost-saving purposes.

Alongside this, a more rigid sole allows for the transfer of power into the ground, thereby creating a stronger contraction.

Lifting shoes are specifically designed with lifters in-mind, offering a more effective workout by activating more muscle and recruiting additional fibres.

They might not come cheap but they’re well worth the investment. Not sold? Take a look at our guide below to find out why you need a pair of lifting shoes in your gym kit repertoire.

Why should you wear weightlifting shoes rather than trainers?

There are a few major benefits of weightlifting shoes and once purchased, most people wonder how they ever lifted without them.

Put simply, if you are lifting weights then ditch the running shoes – ASAP. A weightlifting shoe or flat-soled shoe will outperform runners in every possible way when it comes to lifting.

The first and most obvious factor is the lifted heel, which improves mechanical angles at the bottom of a squat position.

The heel is raised by half an inch to an inch overall, letting you use every aspect of your musculature more efficiently.

This is because the heel is raised, so your ankle doesn’t have to flex as far for you to reach the bottom of your squat.

It doesn’t make the dorsiflexion (the movement of the toes and shins towards each other) any easier, but instead reduces the demand for flexion as the effective angle has also been reduced.

Those with poor overhead mobility often see a drastic improvement while wearing lifting shoes.

The shoes also allow for better hip flexion and extension in all of the Olympic movements, letting you achieve that full range of motion required for powerful squat cleans and snatches.

The other bonus is the added stability and power transfer they provide. A combination of the weight, density, durable construction and flatness of the shoe provide a solid platform to keep your feet locked in place.

Weightlifting requires a lot of driving through the heels – a task that is almost impossible in running shoes as the sole doesn’t support you correctly and the soles tend to compress.

During your lifts, a huge amount of force comes down on the body, all of which is ultimately supported through the feet.

A rigid sole inevitably means that you can hoist more weight, using the stable surface that they provide to generate more power in your lifts.

The best way we can explain how much power or force is lost when weight-training in normal gym trainers would be to compare it to lifting on a mattress rather than the solid floor.

In these specialist shoes, solid raised heels allow you to “push through the floor” with ease – making things both easier and also safer.

In fact, there’s a plethora of reasons why you should be wearing lifting shoes and we could go on and on. But in summary, the major benefits of investing in a pair of them include:

• Being able to get deeper into your squats thanks to the elevated heel and increased ankle mobility.
• They increase your lifting power, improve your performance and provide an additional level of support and safety.
• The shoe’s construction lets you safely lift heavier loads, which leads to more effective workout and an increase in muscle mass.
• Overall improvement in your movement pattern and ability to correctly execute weightlifting techniques.

When should you wear lifting shoes?

Weightlifting shoes are a useful training aid but are not a crutch for those who can’t already lift correctly and safely.

Before you splash out on and start wearing lifting shoes, you should have the baseline technique and strength for proper squatting.

If you are still in the process of learning to lift, hold off until you’ve got the basics covered as the solid construction of shoes may end up masking important proprioceptive feedback.

Lifting shoes may enable you to get deeper and lift heavier weights but you should make sure that your flexibility/mobility, strength and understanding of each exercise is up to scratch.

Once you’ve got a pair, you can start wearing them right away but it’s worth having the occasional session or set of exercises without them.

In particular, most slow lifts (squat, press, etc.) are slightly easier with a lifting shoe, but you won’t reap the benefits of time spent in deep and full ankle dorsiflexion.

For fast lifts like clean and jerk or snatches, weightlifting shoes really start to come into their own. They provide the stability and authority to catch in challenging positions, avoiding overcompensation at other joints.

After a few months of wearing them you’ll start to see the improvements in your lifting technique and max weights.

Just remember that if you start wearing weight-lifting shoes and stop learning how to squat properly, you’re taking a shortcut and putting yourself and your progress at risk.

As you may have realised by now, they are amazing workout tools but there are some times that you shouldn’t be wearing your weightlifting shoes.

When you are undertaking a workout that involves both lifting and other aerobic or high-movement activities (like circuits, sprints or box jumps) then you should wear a crossover shoe instead, with less of a raised heel platform and a bit more give in the sole.

These activities require more cushioning and the lifted heel changes the mechanics of your body during movement, which could be detrimental in other exercises.

Deadlifting in them is also a bad idea. The raised heel is actually antithetical to your desired goal, so consider switching back to normal trainers for this part of your workout.

And never wear your shoes outside of the gym – whether it’s walking around the house, travelling home post-workout or going about your everyday business in town.

You’ll wear them out unbelievably quickly and your body will become accustomed to the changes in posture induced by the shoes. As such, you might end up with sore spots and won’t reap all the benefits you can from the shoes when you’re back in the gym.

How to pick the right weightlifting shoes

Once you start the search for a new pair of weightlifting shoes, the first thing you’ll probably notice is the price tag.

They tend to cost a bit more than normal cross-training trainers and although it can be off-putting, it’s not without reason.

First and foremost, lifting shoes tend to be built with higher quality materials. This is because they’re designed to provide stability and durability.

The bonus here is that you don’t have to replace them nearly as often as a normal trainer.

Additionally, they are specialised pieces of kit designed with a single purpose in mind.

Think of it like splashing out on a specialist coach – an investment into improving your technique and strength.

Essentially what we want to say is do not choose your shoes on price alone.

Whilst the most expensive and trendiest ones with all the bells and whistles are probably an overkill, opting for the cheapest pair on the market won’t serve you, or your training regime, well.

There is such a huge variety of shoes available, built from different materials (leather, plastic, etc), different heel heights, different weights, as well as colour and closure variations.

The good news and the bad news is that each person stands and lifts slightly differently so the only way to find the right weightlifting shoes for you is by trial and error.

That said, there are a few things that are worth bearing in mind.

The heel height you choose will be influenced by your anthropometrics (body measurements including torso and leg lengths and ratios), as well as your squat style.

For example, someone with a long torso and legs but narrow stance will need a high heel.

Whereas someone with a short torso/legs and wide stance will need the lowest heel. Most heel raise heights vary from half an inch to an inch.

The type of heel material might also be a point of consideration. All weightlifting shoes have a sturdy, raised heel made from either wood, EVA, TPU or stacked leather.

The look, feel, performance and level of stability vary slightly with each.

There is no ‘best’ option, just consider what is most important to you out of the below characteristics:

• Wood: The original old-school lifting look, platform feedback, highly stable base.
• EVA: Lightweight, somewhat compressible/maneuverable, highly durable.
• TPU: Lightweight, long-lasting, abrasion and compression resistant.
• Stacked leather: Lightweight, platform feedback, old-school appearance.

Newer hybrid shoes compromise on sole solidity slightly for the sake of allowing extra movement, particularly at the front of the shoe.

So consider whether you’ll be wearing them for Olympic weightlifting alone or CrossFit-type stuff as well.

The final factor to consider is the lacing or strapping system. Lifting shoes generally have laces as well as an additional strap across the middle for further security.

The way a shoe laces or straps can be the make or break for those who prioritise a safe and secure feel. There are single-strap, double-strap and BOA-lacing models.

Each secure different areas of the foot in place. For those who are just starting out, single straps will be enough but for maximal security, double straps and BOA lacing will be your go to.

Whichever lacing/strapping combination you opt for your feet should feel supported within the shoe in all directions.

Note that weightlifting shoes vary in width quite a lot. DoWin in particular caters to wide feet whereas Adidas is better for narrow and flatter feet. Your shoes should be stable, snug and supportive.

Whilst you don’t want your foot sliding around as you hoist weights, you don’t want your toes to be crushed or foot bent into unnatural shapes – which could create hotspots or postural changes.

The best thing to do is to go to your nearest footwear store and try out a few different kinds. If you’re ordering from online then get a selection to size up and send back the ones that don’t work for you.

Nike, Inov-8, Risto, Reebok, Adidas, Do-Win and Velaasa all have great options and a wide selection across price points.

Entry-level lifting shoes come in at not much over £50, whereas the professional-standard options will go above and beyond £250.

When you’re trying the shoes on focus on how they feel and move and think about how they might perform for you through different lift positions.

Don’t be shy – practise getting down into that squat or pressing up onto your tiptoes.

Don’t worry too much about what make they are, what they look like, whether they are last season, etc. The best thing you can do is to find something comfortable and then just get going in the gym.

Now you have the information and tools to go and find a pair of weightlifting shoes that suit you and your workout.

But one final reminder would be that regardless of your footwear choice, it is critically important to include regular exercises to increase foot and ankle proprioception, strength, mobility, and flexibility.

This will contribute to long-term performance and injury prevention, longevity in the sport, technique and overall wellbeing more effectively than any single pair of shoes could.