Do you lift on bare feet?

Do you lift without shoes?

  • Total voters
    138

jdubz

New member
Now that I've got a Power Rack at home I've been doing squats and deadlifts not using shoes. From my personal experience, the movement seems much more natural and my legs are starting to have major growth spurts. Anyone else here lift without shoes?
 
I just couldn't get comfortable with bare feet for lifting. I've just started using Chuck Taylors myself, and love these shoes for squatting and deadlifting. My knees feel much better since switching to these shoes, and my form is much better, as the shoes have flat soles, which prevents me from leaning forward during these exercises.
 
I bought mine at Sport Chek (Canadian sporting goods chain) for around 55 bucks or so. I was skeptical at paying that kind of money for shoes this flimsy looking, but it has turned out to be money well spent.
 
No way man!!! About 14 years ago I lifted wearing wrestling shoes all the time. They are thinner than Chuck Taylors with no type of arch support. Too many heavy leg days lead to fractured bones in both feet. Try using a 2x4 wood block under your heels. This should help squats and leg press feel more natural. This also shifts the stress angle on your foot.
 
magic8ball said:
No way man!!! About 14 years ago I lifted wearing wrestling shoes all the time. They are thinner than Chuck Taylors with no type of arch support. Too many heavy leg days lead to fractured bones in both feet. Try using a 2x4 wood block under your heels. This should help squats and leg press feel more natural. This also shifts the stress angle on your foot.
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Sorry no wood blocks allowed in comp.
-Chuck Taylors=Squat, provide superior side support the #1 shoe for squatting. Look around at some pics of 1000lb squats and I bet at least half are using CTs
-Wrestling shoes=Deadlift ONLY! who ever gave you advice to squat in wrestling shoes should be casterated. I also like Otomix, but when the heavy weight comes out, the wrestling shoes or DL slippers come out.

When you use wood you shift the angle of lift on your legs, this may be great for focusing on your quads or whatever but if your goal is to lift heavy and make your legs grow it's not a very good idea, also dangerous. Anyways why not wear big heel boots instead? If your lifting properly (sitting back on the squat) a 2X4 would cause your toes to lift up and put on the stress on your heels and cause loss of balance, a good squat shoe will have minimal arch support, have stiff sides and a hard bottom=Chuck Taylors!

Another thing to think about is that with a 2x4 you get below parallel a long time before your actually at parallel. With this type of squat you have to literally bury the squat with Ass on calves to get full range of motion, with heels up your increasing the range and you are unable to lift as much.

Just some things to think about
 
I use the Nike Free shoes, also feels like your barefoot. The only reason I dont do barefeet at the gym is due to health issues (athlete's foot, fungus, etc.).
 
I actually just started doing this yesterday myself. I liked it. I lift at home too so I don't have to worry about any health issues. I think I'll continue to lift in my bare feet, it just felt a lot more comfortable and natural. I think the only problem I had with it was that I lift in my (unheated) garage and it got mighty cold yesterday.
 
NecroFeelYa said:
I actually just started doing this yesterday myself. I liked it. I lift at home too so I don't have to worry about any health issues. I think I'll continue to lift in my bare feet, it just felt a lot more comfortable and natural. I think the only problem I had with it was that I lift in my (unheated) garage and it got mighty cold yesterday.
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I think the biggest fear would be slipping, but if you have a good mat under your feet shouldn't be a problem. Some of my most scary lifts were when I forgot to tighten laces and my feet start moving in my shoes! I bet some chalk might help with slipping issues also.
 
max silver said:
I just couldn't get comfortable with bare feet for lifting. I've just started using Chuck Taylors myself, and love these shoes for squatting and deadlifting. My knees feel much better since switching to these shoes, and my form is much better, as the shoes have flat soles, which prevents me from leaning forward during these exercises.
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Agreed. The Chucks also allow me to exert more pressure on the outer part of my feet while squatting. They also just plain feel a lot better to squat and DL in.
 
After reading this thread I was intrigued. I always like the Nike Free for some reason and now I had an excuse to buy them :). Just bought a pair from ebay :twisted: :study:
 
It probably makes a big difference with stability in the size of foot you have also. I wear size 16's :D
 
I got my Nike frees....omg, they are sa-weet! I just wear them with no socks and they are great. Did legs on friday and it just feels better, especially doing calfs!!
 
what kinds of chuck taylors? Im guess the the core HI they have like 3-4 diffrent type of shoes I'm just guessing but it not the low top cuz those would give no support from side to side like you were talking about.
 
scarfacebling said:
what kinds of chuck taylors? Im guess the the core HI they have like 3-4 diffrent type of shoes I'm just guessing but it not the low top cuz those would give no support from side to side like you were talking about.
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The original high top style
 
No, I need to wear my gym shoes because of safety reasons. I would think that the gym shoe will take some of the impact, if a weight should fall on your foot.

Or if a 300 pound guy step on your foot.
 
Foot bones are alot like the rest of our body in that they can withstand increased forces if allowed to adapt progressively to an increased load. I'm not saying it's right for everyone to go sans footwear, but there currently is a "shoeless" movement in distance running. (it develops previously unused foot/ankle muscles and tendons)
 
Innings Eater said:
Foot bones are alot like the rest of our body in that they can withstand increased forces if allowed to adapt progressively to an increased load. I'm not saying it's right for everyone to go sans footwear, but there currently is a "shoeless" movement in distance running. (it develops previously unused foot/ankle muscles and tendons)
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I KNEW IT! During a summer when I had to get in shape for long distance running I ran barefoot and developed enlarged muscles in my feet. I thought they were strange but they were there nonetheless. Then I started wearing shoes and they kind of disappeared.
 
I have a home gym and I've always worked out with bare feet. Just for some reason I feel comfortable that way.... I'm glad someone brought this up..... Thought I was weired or something.
 
There are cutaneous proprioceptors on the bottom of our feet, they tell us/give us a sense of our surroundings and a sense of the kinematic dependent variables (forces) associated with any closed kinetic chain (planted on the ground) motion that goes through the foot. Take a look at inverse dynamics and you will see that the process involved in completing one of these equations starts with a ground reaction force (in this case coming through the foot) and works it's way up through every joint segment that you are willing to plug the trig data into. Arnold and some of the best powerlifters i know know how to utilize this proprioceptive input in order to maximize performance. I.e. lifting barefoot gives us a better sense of the relationship between our feet and every muscle that works with the foot!!! yes Arnold squatted only 405... but because he could voluntarily recruit muscles due to proprioceptive input he was able to rep 405 for 20 reps!!!

(I lift in chucks too!!!)
 
I use Tiger Asics....(Wrestling shoes)....always had good luck with them....but I will be checking out CT's since they have gotten such rave reviews........
 
Vans Slip-ons! I lift heavy and want a firm foot plant when I'm lifting. Basketball and running shoes are not ideal for doing heavy squats or deads.
 
i thought i was the only one who religiously lifted in chucks
 
I would but they have a rule at my gym that you have to wear shoes. What are some good shoes to wear for squatting?? tennis shoes just don't cut it
 
I get to hot to wear a shirt or shoes or socks.
but if i was at a gym i would def wear shoes. dont know about a shirt though ; ) haha jk.
 
I dead and squat in my socks. I have Nike Free Pre's or whatever they are called but barefoot absolutely pwns all forms of shoes I have tried.

Feels better on the knees and hips and more natural for sure.
 
Rogue Fitness Do-Wins... Mark Rippetoe advocates the weight lifting shoe, and I thought I'd give it a shot after reading through one of his books. One of the best training equipment purchases I've ever made.
 
bare feet for squats occasionally...if i do, i'll throw some weights under my heel for a little bit of lift under there.
 
check these shoes out, they are VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS shoes.

a friend of mine brought some, they look interesting to say the least.

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b unit said:
check these shoes out, they are VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS shoes.

a friend of mine brought some, they look interesting to say the least.

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Ah, the Five Fingers. Although I have yet to try them for myself, they get phenominal reviews. Most say it's as close to getting barefoot as possible while retaining adequate protection. Olympic weight lifting, to rock climbing, to trail running... lots of people speak very highly of them. Good post, I almost forgot about them. Definitly an interesting shoe.
 
Highlanda01602 said:
Ah, the Five Fingers. Although I have yet to try them for myself, they get phenominal reviews. Most say it's as close to getting barefoot as possible while retaining adequate protection. Olympic weight lifting, to rock climbing, to trail running... lots of people speak very highly of them. Good post, I almost forgot about them. Definitly an interesting shoe.
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they definitley have merit, they aren't cheap though but they do look like they are worth it.
 
I wanted to get a pair of the new NIKE romaleos, but they are all sold out of most sizes on their site..

I need a new pair of shoes to lift in.
 
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