Weight Lifting Shoes - Weightlifting

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What kinds of weight lifting shoes are there?

As with every type of sport, there are specialist exercise shoes designed for weight lifting. People who lift weights at home do not always wear shoes – many claim that they are better able to stabilise without them. Beginners sometimes choose to wear regular running shoes instead of investing in a dedicated weight lifting style. This is usually fine in these circumstances, but if you do weight lifting at a gym, or start to do this sport seriously, you would do well to buy some weight lifting shoes.

One of the most important reasons to ensure you are wearing the correct footwear is that there is an obvious safety issue. Anyone who has dropped a weight on their foot knows the importance of some form of protection. This is most important if you lift weights of over five pounds, and use free weights rather than the machines. The majority of gyms will insist that you wear appropriate shoes for this reason, as serious injuries such as broken bones can occur even when you are protected with shoe. Some of those free weights would literally crush your feet if you were barefoot.

More than just to stop a falling weight, it is important to pick the right kind of footwear for the exercise you are doing. In the case of weight lifting, there are special designs that will help with your posture and improve your overall performance.

The anatomy of a specialist weightlifting shoe

Firstly, the heel is different to other sports shoes. It is raised between a quarter to half an inch, helping to minimise stress on the knees. The arch of the foot plays a vital role in resistance training, and weight lifting shoes maintain the correct arch position. There is usually a strap around the middle of the foot that can be drawn tightly like a belt. There should be no movement of your foot within the shoe. Finally, the underside of the shoe should allow for a firm grip to avoid any slipping.

Many different brands produce dedicated weight lifting shoes. One of the most popular at the moment is Adidas, who designed one of their most recent pairs for the Olympic Games in Athens. Called the ‘AdiStar’, this shoe has all the elements described above. The heel wedge is made of wood, giving increased strength and durability, and the snug fit is ensured with a hook and loop strap across the top of the shoe, as well as a leather forefoot. The grip of the shoe is also superb, with a sole modelled on the technology of winter tyres.

For serious devotees of the sport, it is possible to get bespoke weight lifting shoes, where the manufacturer will measure your feet and produce a pair that will allow you to perform your best.

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