There are two types of squat shoes available: powerlifting style and weightlifting style. The powerlifting style of shoes has a flatter sole and weightlifting shoes have a lift in the heel that makes it easier to get your knees forward. The type of squat that you do and your flexibility should determine the type of shoe you get. If you do ATG Olympic squats, then you need the weightlifting shoes. If you do wide-stance …show more content…
powerlifting squats, a better bet is the powerlifting shoes. However, you should try out both regardless of which type of squat you do to determine which is best for you.
The main benefit is having squat shoes is the lack of compressibility in the shoe.
To have optimal force transfer between the floor and your body, you need to have as solid as a shoe as possible. Squatting in running shoes means that the compressible parts of the shoe will be absorbing some of the force. The lack of compressibility combined with the straps that all squat shoes come with means that your foot will be supported better. Your foot will stay stuck in the shoe and you won't have to worry about your foot causing mechanical inefficiency while you are squatting.
One thing you won't see is the injuries you are avoiding by wearing the shoes, but you can be assured that you are preventing some injuries. Injuries are prevented because the shoes make it easier for you to squat and they provide consistency between reps so you won't have to make any adjustments. These things will make squatting safer for you in the long run.
With these benefits, you will see the numbers you can do in the squat increase. With the heel making it easier to squat and the solid nature of the shoes, you will no doubt see performance gains from wearing the shoes. If you want to be a better squatter and be stronger, then you must use weightlifting shoes while
squatting.