The Benefits Of Lifting Shoes

One of the questions you always here in conversations amongst lifters is how deep should I squat?

- Darren Nicholhurst

Can I get away with wearing my Nikes, or do I need a proper pair of lifting shoes, ‘Surely they don’t make that much difference?’, You hear. Well, there are many different opinions, and they are formed on cost, comfort, effectiveness and least of all importance, fashion.

The legends of our bodybuilding past like Tom Platz were seen in the magazines using lifting shoes, and he has ridiculous sized legs. So, if that is anything to go by, then we should probably all order a pair today. He built his outrageous sweep doing deep movements, believing it was the best way to develop crazy cuts and sheer size and strength. Even to this day, Tom travels the world putting the youngsters through their paces until they can’t handle anymore.

How Does a Lifting Shoe Help?

A deeper squat leads to a stronger, safer form and increased gains. Many lifting shoes have a slightly higher heel. The elevated heel gives you more significant ankle motion than you’d get in a pair of flat soled shoes. This increased ankle motion is due to the deeper squat you’re able to achieve. Improved ankle mobility not only lets you lift more, but it also helps prevent injury.