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Love your running shoes? Good! They keep your legs moving faster, longer, harder, and more comfortably, thanks to all that cushioning. You can even wear some of them with your favorite suit. They’re great. But if you’re mixing it up in the gym and hitting the squat rack, you’ll want to invest in a new pair of shoes. More specifically, a pair designed for lifting. "You need a stable platform to drive from—the raised heel improves lifting position by giving your ankle a better range of motion, making you more vertical as you lift," said Albert Matheny, co-owner of Soho Strength Lab in New York City. He further explained, "Because they’re not squishy, they won’t absorb the force your trying to produce, but will transmit it to the floor." Matheny says that this kind of footwear is more helpful for your olympic lifts, primarily squats, but they’re also good for anything that requires more stability. Just plant your feet, and get to it.
So all that’s left is to pull the trigger on brand new pair. There are a lot of options out there, but you’ll want to go with something that has at least the standard .75 inch heel and isn’t going to compress as you put weight on them (most have wood or hard plastic soles). We recommend the Adidas Adipowers—they’re a good height, and aren’t wildly colored like some of the other shoes out there. Stay stable, stay strong.
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