A bodybuilder knows how important it is to have proper form. The risk of injury is reduced when you master good form and work out. During an exercise, it is also important to maintain proper form to target the right muscles.
But when it comes to bodybuilding and lifting weights, your footwear is most important! Getting the most out of your workouts and training requires proper bodybuilding shoes with elevated heels and firm soles matched with the perfect bodybuilding clothing. For instance, you can squat correctly when you wear shoes with raised heels. While the form sole keeps you stable during the workout.
Wearing bodybuilding shoes has many benefits, but what are they? As a part of this article, we explained what bodybuilding shoes are, their benefits, disadvantages and whether to buy them. Find out more by reading on.
What Are Bodybuilding Shoes?
Bodybuilding shoes are an accessory that helps athletes improve their performance. These shoes are suitable for squats, deadlifts, clean & jerks, as well as other lower body movements that require strength.
Benefits Of Wearing Bodybuilding Shoes
Following are some of the benefits of wearing bodybuilding shoes:
Improves Stability
Lifting shoes have increased heel ankle support and a firm base to help improve your mobility. This allows you to produce strength and maintain proper posture during training. When looking for bodybuilding shoes, choose one that fits your gait and lifting style well.
Improves Lift
Bodybuilding shoes allow you to distribute your weight between three contact zones; the base of the big toe, the bottom of the little finger, and the heel. It gives you the stability and confidence to lift weights.
Provides Better Resilience
Bodybuilding shoes can help prevent injuries, especially when performing complex movements and lifting weights. They have a solid base and additional straps that provide support, reducing the risk of injury.
Ankle Support
Some people have injuries in the ankle or tighter ankle that prevents them from working out to their fullest due to genetic and biomechanical reasons. The high ankle of bodybuilding shoes increases ankle range of motion, allowing them to squat deeply. Moreover, improving ankle mobility also reduces the chances of injury.
Strengthen Overall Mobility
Better body movement during a workout is associated with a high heel, a firm base, and ankle support. All of this improves our mobility during lifts, especially in the ankles, knees, and hips. When we increase our ability to be mobile, we increase our chances of properly generating strength and maintaining posture. Poor ankle and hip flexion is a limiting factor in maximal power production in the squat and Olympic exercises. Here good quality bodybuilding shoes come into play and help in improving overall mobility.
Things You Need To Know Before Buying Bodybuilding Shoes
Good bodybuilding shoes should meet your training goals and needs. When shopping for bodybuilding shoes, look for the following features:
- Non-compressible soles
- Flat sole
- Appropriately elevated heels that support your height
- Secure hold on the back of the shoe
- A solid fit that leaves plenty of room for your foot
- High boots with ankle support
- Strong lacing and strap lock
- Lateral support
- Non-slip rubber outsole
- Durability
How Often Should You Wear Bodybuilding Shoes?
The purpose of bodybuilding shoes is to improve your performance. They are similar to gym gloves and weight lifting belts. Therefore, don’t rely too much on them and treat them as accessories. Bodybuilding shoes should be worn according to your current state and goals. You shouldn’t wear bodybuilding shoes if you have ankle mobility issues, for example. For this problem to be fixed, you should first improve your form. However, the exercises that require heel-to-floor movement should be performed in bodybuilding shoes only.
These exercises include:
- Squats
- Deadlift
- Snatch & Thrusters
- Overhead Press
- Leg Press
- Lunges
Bodybuilding shoes are necessary for these exercises because they require explosive strength and power to stimulate your lower body. The hard and stiff sole of bodybuilding shoes allows you to transfer energy throughout your body.
Cons Associated With Bodybuilding Shoes
Bodybuilding shoes offer a range of benefits, but also come with considerable risks to the body form. Following are a few drawbacks of wearing bodybuilding shoes, including:
Masking Mobility
As bodybuilding shoes provide too much stability and support, they can mask your movements. It becomes difficult for you to notice poor form, which can lead to injury if not corrected.
Not Suitable For Every Sport
Bodybuilding shoes are not suitable for other sports. You will need to buy other shoes if you do other sports like running etc.
Too Expensive
Bodybuilding shoes can be more expensive than other gym shoes and accessories. It is not affordable to everyone.
Wrapping Up
Each of us has different fitness goals. Consequently, stating one way or another is hard since what works for you might not work for others. As a professional bodybuilder, using bodybuilding shoes will help you improve your performance by protecting your ankles and providing support. Bodybuilding shoes not only provide proper form, but also provide great comfort as well as help in flexibility, toning, and development of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, unnatural heel height may hinder this development.
To lift weights while working out safely and effectively, choose bodybuilding shoes that offer stability and provide support to your knees, feet, and ankles. Furthermore, it is recommended to wear shoes designed specifically for the sport you are participating in, so one should not perform other exercises while wearing bodybuilding shoes. Therefore, keep your bodybuilding shoes handy and don’t become too dependent on them.
Before You Go!
When looking for bodybuilding shoes for workouts like squats, deadlifts, or lunges the name of the game is stability and stability again. The last thing you want when theres a heavy weight on your back is to feel off-balance, or have your feet and ankles wobbling.
Shoes that compress are great for running and jumping because they help to absorb some of the impacts of landing, but thats not ideal for squats. For bodybuilding shoes that are made for squatting or lifting, you cant beat these thats why we chose the Gorilla Wear Perry High Tops as our best choice for bodybuilding shoes! So, take a look at the offers available at ANAX Fitness and buy your bodybuilding shoes right now!
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