Do You Really Need Special Shoes For Strength Training?

Between butt-lifting shorts, sparkly weightlifting belts, and lifting straps, TikTok may think you need all sorts of special clothing and equipment to hit the weights. But if you’re going to invest in just one special accessory for lifting, most experts recommend making it a strength training shoe. 

A strength training shoe, put simply, is a shoe that is designed to be worn while you lift weights, explains Kamaye Surgeon, group fitness instructor and manager with Crunch Fitness. 

“The term itself is an umbrella term that includes shoes for a wide variety of strength sports and exercises, such as CrossFit and powerlifting,” she says. Cross-trainers, powerlifting shoes, Olympic lifting shoes, and “lifters” are all considered strength training shoes. 

While the exact make, shape, and features of the strength training shoe will vary by style and brand, their main priority is to keep you stable whether you’re snatching or squatting, cleaning or curling, she says. 

Ahead, a full breakdown of the benefits of lifting in strength trainers. Plus, a look at the different types of strength training shoes on the market and how to find the best pair for you and your fitness goals. 

Who Needs a Strength Training Shoe?

No matter the activity, wearing proper footwear is important —  but that is especially true for strength training, according to physical therapist Grayson Wickham, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., the founder of Movement Vault, a stretching app that helps users address and prevent pain and injury.

“Your feet are our connection to the ground, and when you strength train, you need to be well-connected to the ground in order to optimize power and performance,” he explains. If the shoes you’re wearing do not allow you to adequately connect to the ground, you won’t be able to fully recruit all the muscles in your feet and lower body that you need to lift flawlessly, he says. In some cases, this can even lead to poor form and injury.  

Most commonly, when individuals don’t have special strength training shoes, they show up to the weightlifting room or CrossFit box in running sneakers. (No shade to these folks at all; after all, showing up is the hardest part). Unfortunately, running sneakers and strength training are not the best match.

“Most running shoes have a foamy, squishy sole,” explains Wickham. On the road or treadmill, this foam may help cradle a runner’s foot while providing additional spring to every stride. In the strength room, however, it’s an impediment. The foam in running shoes is inherently unstable, he explains, so when you lift in running shoes, you are lifting on an unstable surface. “When you lift on an unstable surface, the muscles in your ankles, feet, knees, and hips have to work overtime to keep you stable,” he says. And when these muscles are being used to keep you from wobbling and bobbling, they can’t be utilized to help you lift heavy. 

Who May Not Need A Strength Training Shoe?

Most people can benefit from investing in a special strength training shoe. But minimalist shoe wearers don’t need to worry about such a thing, according to physical therapist and podcast host Jen Fraboni, PT DPT.

Quick refresher: A minimalist shoe, sometimes known as a barefoot shoe, is a shoe that facilitates the natural movement of the foot. Typically, these shoes have a wide toe-box that allows toes to spread in such a way that they are able to grip the ground, explains Wickham. (These days, many shoes have narrow toe-boxes that interfere with this natural spread and compress the top half of the foot, he says).  Most minimalist shoes also have zero drop between the heel and the foot, which means there is no structural compensation for poor ankle mobility, he says. 

“People who are already accustomed to wearing minimalist shoes should continue that while strength training,” says Fraboni. People who wear minimalist shoes, she explains, have foot muscles that are used to working and working and working in a way non-wearers' feet muscles are not accustomed. Therefore, they don’t need a special strength training shoe that takes on some of the work, she says. Everyone else, however, should buy and wear special strength training shoes.

The 3 Types of Strength Training Shoes, Explained

Similar to how distance runners need a different kind of running shoe than sprinters, people doing different kinds of strength training have different footwear needs. 

These are the three main categories of strength training shoes, plus insight into who these are best for. 

1. Cross-Trainers

Cross-trainers are the shoes most folks think of when they think of a strength training shoe. After all, the vast majority of shoes listed under Reebok and Nike’s ‘Training & Gym’ shoe section online all fall into this category. 

“Cross-trainers are designed to be worn for training that involves strength training, as well as other modalities like rowing, some running, and jumping,” says Wickham. These shoes marry stability with comfort by having enough cushion to cradle your foot during high-impact activities like running or jumping, he says, but not so much that you’ll feel unstable while lifting, he says. 

“Cross-trainers are usually the best option for gym-goers,” says shoe expert Tal Short, product director with Reebok. They are also what's best for most Bootcamp goers, CrossFit athletes, and HIIT enthusiasts, he says. 

2. Olympic Weightlifting Shoes

Sometimes known simply as weightlifting shoes or lifters, Olympic weightlifting shoes have a high, firm heel, says Short. “The heel elevation of the shoe manufacturers ankle mobility for individuals who do not currently have it,” explains Wickham. By enabling individuals access to a greater range of motion during their lower body movements, they are able to go through a greater range of motion, which increases the number of muscle fibers being activated in the movement, he says. In turn, this increases the movement's strength-building potential. 

The heel lift can also allow individuals with ankle mobility limitations to squat with proper form. “If you don’t have adequate dorsiflexion in your ankles to sit at the bottom of a squat, your surrounding connective tissues like the lower back and knees will compensate,” explains Wickham. Over time, this puts undue pressure on both, which can increase your risk for injury, he says. Wearing lifters until you increase your ankle mobility may help reduce injury by allowing you to maintain better form. 

As for who should wear Olympic weightlifting shoes? Any Olympic weightlifter, as well as anyone doing a squat-, snatch-, or clean- specific strength program. 

3. Powerlifting Shoes

In competitve powerlifting, athletes are ranked based on how much weight they collectivly move while performing back squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. Each of these lifts requires a slightly different shoe type, so the category “powerlifting shoe” is a bit amorphous. 

When squatting, most Powerlifters opt for lifting shoes with a heel lift, says Surgeon. “However, they will take these off and replace them with a flat, zero-drop shoe while deadlifting,” she says. Why? Because when deadlifting, you want your entire foot to be able to press down into the ground for power and leverage, explains Wickham. Wearing a shoe with a heel-lift (like an Olympic weightlifting shoe) while deadlifting would allow the front half of your foot to do so, but not the back, which would impede form and ultimately the amount of weight lifted, he says. 

As a result, most powerlifters have a collection of shoes. Though, usually when a shoe is referred to as a “powerlifting shoe”, it is a zero-drop “deadlifting shoe” with a sturdy base. Such as: the Sabo Deadlifting Pro or Converse Chuck Taylor All Star High Tops. 

The Benefits of Strength Training Shoes

Strength training shoes are, in a word, stable. 

Again, wearing unstable shoes (like running shoes) while you clang and bang barbells can impede form and get in the way of you lifting as heavy as you might want. Meanwhile, wearing stable shoes while you strength train helps support power transfer from the ground up through your legs, Fraboni says.

Actually, Wickham says that he commonly sees individuals besting their last PR by upward of ten to fifteen pounds in a single session just by switching into strength training shoes. “The added stability an individual gains when they put on a strength trainer makes a huge difference,” he says. 

In addition to being stable, Olympic weightlifting shoes also have a heel lift that can support strength routines that include squats. “The elevated heel allows you to squat deeper while still maintaining an upright position,” explains Surgeon. “This reduces stress on the back and ultimately allows individuals to squat more safely,” she says. 

Considerations When Choosing a Strength Training Shoe

As you shop, mull over these few things:

1. Consider Your Fitness Goals

The strength training shoe you buy for Bootcamp is going to be different from the shoe you buy for training sessions where you’re working on your squat and deadlift PR. So, Surgeon says the first thing to do before buying a strength training shoe is to ask yourself, what your workouts look like and what are your goals are.

If you want to be a well-rounded athlete who does some cardio and some strength, your best bet is likely going to be a cross-trainer, she says. Meanwhile, if you’re serious about improving your squats, Surgeon suggests getting an Olympic lifting shoe with an elevated heel.

2. Pay Attention To Heel Lift

Different types of strength training shoes have different heel drops, which is a measure of the drop from the heel to the toes. 

Shoes with zero heel drop, called zero drop shoes, “have the same sole thickness from the heel to the toe, and therefore have no elevation,” Alissa Kuizinas, M.D., a virtual podiatrist and ankle wellness specialist, previously told Shape. Meanwhile, shoes with a heel drop position the heel above the toes. 

Generally speaking, you want a 0mm drop shoe for deadlifting. (Here, find the best zero-drop shoes, according to podiatrists). If you’re squatting and don’t yet have perfect ankle mobility, you want a shoe with a 10mm+ drop. The Tyr Women's L-1 Lifter, for example, has a 21mm drop. 

3. Make Sure Your Toes Aren’t Squished

If possible, you want to try on your strength training shoes before purchasing them, according to Wickham. This will help you ensure that you are buying a shoe that’s actually comfortable. 

In particular, he suggests paying attention to how tight the shoe box is on your toes. “You want your toes to be able to splay fully in the toe box,” he says. If they can’t — and are instead scrunched up inside — you won't be able to fully ground your body and access the strength in your legs. 

“Usually, shoes marketed as strength training shoes are wider in the toe box,” says Short. But you’d still be wise to try them on, as every shoe will fit every foot differently.