Best Weightlifting Shoes to Improve Your Lifts
The next time you go to your local gym, take a look at everyone’s footwear. What are they wearing? For one thing, you will realize that the majority of people are absolutely clueless about what shoes to wear to the gym. As a result, people fail to define their goals and their shoes reflect it. In this blog post, we will help you choose the best weightlifting shoes for you.
Best Overall: Adidas Powerlift 4 Cross Trainers
Best for Powerlifting: Nordic Powerlifting Shoes
Best for Cross-Training: Reebok Legacy Lifter Cross Trainers
Best for Deadlift: Converse Chuck Taylors Hi-Top Shoes
Best for Shot Put & Discus: Nike Romaleos 3 Weightlifting Shoes
Defining Your Weightlifting Goals
Before we begin your search for the best weightlifting shoes, we need to define your goals. You will need to identify yourself with one of the four following profiles:
- Powerlifters: You want to find the best weightlifting shoes that can improve your three main lifts – bench press, back squat, and deadlift. You primarily do high-weight, low rep workouts like StrongLift’s 5×5 program. As long as your focus is on improving your personal records, these shoes are right for you. If this sounds like you, check out our selection for the best powerlifting shoes.
- Cross-Trainers: You enjoy Olympic lifting, but you also engage in cardio in almost every gym session. You want to have the best weightlifting shoe that will help you engage in CrossFit, HIIT, or high-rep/high-intensity workouts. If you are a powerlifter, check out our selection for the best cross-training shoes.
- Deadlifters: You want to find the best weightlifting shoes that will help increase your deadlift. As a result, your primary focus is to improve your deadlift by leveraging shoes that provide a flat sole and allow a greater force to be generated off the floor. If you want to improve your deadlift, check out our top pick for the best deadlifting shoes.
- Weightlifters: You are someone that wants to improve overall. You have decent strength but could lack the mobility to hit deeper positions in a squat. You would like to achieve higher personal records in lifts like a power clean or a back squat. To hit better positions in all of your workouts, purchase our number one choice for the best weightlifting shoes.
Overall Best Weightlifting Shoes: Adidas Cross Trainers 4
The best weightlifting shoes we selected were the Adidas Cross Trainers. They provide excellent comfort and stability. In the front of the shoe, it has small holes that allow for breathability. It also comes with a strap that really lets you lock your feet in. It comes featured with a 0.6″ heel which improves the depth of all your lifts. A study found that this benefits the user because running shoes will allow the heel to “sink” and be closer to the ground.
The reality is that if you’re lifting heavy and exerting as much force as possible, your form will suffer. This is a common problem that weightlifters have, but the Adidas Cross Trainers help solve it. Coming out of the hole is easier than ever now with a 0.6″ elevated heel.
Like track spikes, we chose these as the best weightlifting shoes on the market because they provide specialty design and technology that help you perform optimally for competitions.
Best for Powerlifters: Nordic Powerlifting Shoes
The Nordic Powerlifting shoes are our top selection for powerlifters. These will specifically help your three main lifts: squats, deadlifts, and bench press. Mainly, they are beneficial for powerlifting lifts. Olympic lifting can be difficult in these. The front toe box offers a lot of room, so it would be best to get the Adidas Cross Trainers if you’re doing quick movements like snatches or cleans. These shoes prevent your feet from rolling to the outside during your lifts.
Another benefit of getting Nordic Powerlifting shoes is you are guaranteed great service. Several reviews have stated that any issues they had were resolved by Nordic in a timely manner. These heels are actually the highest of all of our selections. An elevated heel of 0.9″ drastically increases the amount of weight you’ll be able to lift in competitions.
We would recommend these shoes to people who are lifting heavy frequently and want to improve their lifts. In short, powerlifters would greatly benefit from this.
Cross-Training: Reebok Legacy Lifters
The Reebok Legacy Lifter Cross Training shoes made it to number one on our list for weightlifting shoes for cross-trainers. These shoes will provide you with the flexibility to do Olympic lifting, plyometrics, and cardio all in the same session. If your sessions are composed of many different types of workouts, then these shoes are for you. When you use these shoes, you’ll have a great foundation that will help you go through workouts with versatility.
However, if you’re going to go on a run, you might want to switch out of these (or any of our suggested best weightlifting shoes) into some running shoes. If you do have running shoes, it’s important to choose the right ones for optimal training.
To summarize, the Reebok Legacy Lifter Cross Training Shoes allow for its users to do various different types of exercises. It has all of the benefits of a weightlifting shoe, but can also be used for quick-movements.
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Deadlifting: Converse Chuck Taylors Hi-Tops
Athletes who want to specifically increase their personal record in deadlifting should grab a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors Hi-Top Shoes. While weightlifting shoes have consistently changed, the Converse Chuck Taylors have remained a staple in every gym. While they were originally made as everyday shoes, powerlifters everywhere swear by them.
The best weightlifting shoes can often be on the expensive side. In comparison, Chuck Taylors serve as a much cheaper alternative. In conclusion, the Converse Chuck Taylor Hi-Top Shoes are an incredible pair of shoes that will help you increase your numbers in the gym.
Best for Shot Put & Discus: Nike Romaleos 3 Weightlifting Shoes
The reason we chose the Nike Romaleos 3’s for shot put and discus throwers is that they are heavy-duty lifting shoes. Shot Put and discus throwers will go through training regimes that will require a lot of Olympic lifting and heavy lifting. All in all, if you are looking to increase your squats, cleans, and bench press for athletic purposes, the Nike Romaleos 3’s are a perfect fit for you.
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Frequently Asked Questions on Weightlifting Shoes
Our recommendation for anyone looking for the best weightlifting shoes out there are the Adidas Cross Trainers. You can find our breakdown above.
Weightlifting shoes provide better mechanical angles when squatting. Several studies have proven that these shoes can help athletes engage more muscles, and keep their torso up in their lifts.
The purpose of having powerlifting shoes is to generate more force off of the ground. As a result, most powerlifting shoes come with a flat bottom sole with low cushioning to provide optimal pull from the floor.
Powerlifting shoes have helped me drastically improve all three of my major lifts (bench press, back squat, and deadlift) just by using them. Owning a pair of powerlifting shoes increased my deadlift and squat by over 30+ pounds.
You should wear your powerlifting shoes as soon as you start warming up for sessions that include deadlifts, squats, and/or bench. Unless if you require a flexible and athletic sole for your warmup, I’d recommend wearing the shoes all the way through your workout session or competition.
We would highly recommend using Nordic Powerlifting Shoes for powerlifters. These specialty shoes will help you increase your squat, deadlift and bench press in every competition.
Afterward, you might want to hit do some cardio to cool down. If that’s the case, you should always change into some running shoes. Running with powerlifting shoes on can cause an injury due to its flat sole. Save yourself the injury and just switch out of them.
