Best Shoes For Weightlifting
10 of the Best Shoes For Weightlifting
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Wearing running shoes to weight lift is dangerous, but many gym-goers still hit the weight racks entirely unawares. Besides, it can be confusing to find the right sneaker for the right activity — how do you choose the right shoe for pumping iron, and what are you supposed to look for?
"When lifting, look for shoes that provide stability and space for your foot to be as close to barefoot as possible," said personal trainer and injury prevention specialist Liz Letchford, MS, ATC. "Traditional lifting shoes have a slight heel lift to allow a greater range of motion in your lower body lifts, especially if you don't have ideal range of motion in your ankles."
While she notes that the lifted heel is "an acceptable shoe option," she says she prefers "improving my clients' ankle mobility instead of providing a crutch." In these cases, she encourages her clients to find a more neutral shoe without a lift — going back to her point about being as close to barefoot as possible.
The following shoes are "the next best thing to lifting barefoot," as Liz puts it. Check out some of our favorite weightlifting shoes that'll keep you safe and injury-free.
