There are many people who go to the gym to lift weights, but do not have the right pair of shoes to do the task. I have seen several weightlifters wearing sneakers or running shoes while lifting significant weights. This can be very dangerous and significantly decrease performance.
Most of the people who are going to buy their first pair of “gym shoes” usually tend to look for things like looks and comfort as they are not aware that there are proper weightlifting shoes available in the market. Weightlifting shoes are designed for a purpose and running shoes or any other type of footwear should not be used for lifting weights for a number of reasons.
First, weightlifting shoes have hard soles that are designed to improve stability and performance. The stability that hard sole shoes provide is much better compared to running shoes. The rationale behind this is that while lifting heavy weights, a lifter must bend their knees and ankles to their maximum limit in order to get as low as possible. There is a lot of force that is produced and all that force can throw the lifter off balance if they don’t have a solid base to stand on, especially when leaning heavily. Try lifting weights on a trampoline and you’ll see how hard it is to stay stable. A hard base is crucial to lifting heavy weights without losing your balance.
Another important thing that a hard sole does is that it helps the weightlifter use all the force produced to lift the weights. A running shoe, which always has a soft sole, will not only make you lose your balance, but it will also dissipate all the force towards the ground. This greatly reduces the amount of weights a weightlifter can lift, as much of the force that is generated to lift the weights is wasted.
Finally, the raised heel of the weightlifting shoe and its benefits should be discussed. While performing a squat (a technique used by weightlifters to lift heavy weights while positioned under the bar), a weightlifter should bend their knees and ankles to their fullest capacity, as well as keep both feet planted. on the floor. But keeping both feet flat on the ground while bending that far is pretty impossible, and instead the feet automatically tend to rest only on the balls and toes. When lifting heavy weights, it is common sense to have both feet flat on the ground. Weightlifting shoes can take care of this due to the raised heel. The elevated heel fills the space between the heel of the foot and the ground and allows for maximum stability.
So the next time you’re out shopping for a pair of sneakers, make sure you’re buying the right weightlifting shoes, not running shoes. You may think it’s a waste of money, but once you wear them, you’ll immediately notice the difference and won’t regret spending on your new weightlifting shoes.
