this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2023
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I'm a big believer in barefoot shoes for lifting (and basically everything), and there is very little difference between all of xeros shoes. The running ones will be fine IF a barefoot lifting shoe is what you want. If you want a shoe with a big heel wedge, xeros are not it.
Maybe watch some YouTube videos on barefoot lifting before deciding. It's better for flexibility and range of motion and balance, but not necessarily getting the heaviest lift.
Right now I just take off my shoes for squats but I wanted to get proper shoes so that I can get more stability for OHP, lunges, etc. (Also it lowkey feels gross lol.) My ankle mobility is good. So I think barefoot is fine for me. Thank you for the info that the xeros running shoes would also work!
In my experience - at least after my feet got stronger - shoes take away more stability than they add. You're on the right track with your other comments: you need flexible soles for lunges if you are going to take advantage of the full range of motion of your toes, and improve that range. For ohp, a wide shoe is nice as it helps your toes splay out and create a wide base.
I'm not sure where you are, but in Canada there are barefoot shoes on Amazon called whitin and joomra that are super cheap. I like the joomras more, they just seem better made, but both have very squeaky soles, which sucks. Still, they are cheap and feel great. I have 3 pairs: one for boxing and gym, one for town, and one tighter pair for baseball. Highly recommend.
Wydm by shoes taking away stability? Do you mean non-barefoot shoes?
I'm in the US, so those brands should be available here as well. Thanks!!
Edited to add: I realized that I hate doing lunges because of how unstable I feel doing them in my current (running) shoes, but I've seen excellent results after doing weighted lunges for 2 months (my sport uses lunging movements frequently and they feel so much easier). So that's one of the reasons I'm looking for shoe advice. Lunges are excellent and I want to continue doing them in a way that's comfortable and feels safe.
I mean traditional shoes take away stability. Probably the most stable foot is a strong bare foot. Minimal barefoot shoes probably take away some stability but a negligible amount.
Stability comes from toe splay, and engaging the arches of the foot. Traditional shoes bind the toes, making your foot narrower than it otherwise would be, and less stable. They also have foam, providing an unstable surface, and usually arch support, preventing your arches from engaging.
But - most people have weak feet from years of wearing shoes that weaken their feet. If you have weak feet, then most of these things (arch support, foam, tight fit, heel drop), will increase the stability of a weak foot.
Your feet will strengthen as you do exercises with minimal shoes. Over time, you will become more stable than you could be a traditional shoe.
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