weightlifting shoes
Weightlifting shoes can provide serious benefits for anyone looking to increase weight on squat bar. Ankle mobility might be a restriction for performing the squat, and irritation can be reduced from the increased heel height. Overall the weightlifting shoes will allow you to perform the lift while maintaining proper posture. The bottom of the shoe is flat providing lots of contact with the platform. This results in a very secured feeling when performing the squat (also olympic lifts), and will be able to put more force into the ground. Here are in my opinion three great options for weightlifting shoes.
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PROS
+ Lightweight 13 oz.
+ Heel Height .79 inch
+Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) heel
+Foot Strap
CONS
- Tongue tends to rip early
- Cost
$$$
PROS
+ Heel Height .75 inch
+ Anatomical Shape with natural contours for support, Max power
+ Full Foot Wrap - Overlapping Straps for Lockdown
CONS
- Velcro on straps wear easy
- Heavy 20.3 oz.
- Cost
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PROS
+ Cost
+ Heel Height .59 inch
+Durable Adiwear outsole; Open forefoot structure and flexible toe
+Foot Strap
CONS
- Narrow fit
Nike Romaleos 3 are quite expensive. However, they are also the lightest out of the three, and have the highest heel height of .79 inches. The tongue tends to rip prematurely. Reebok legacy lifter are very comfortable, and hug your foot. This is slightly cheaper than the Nike Romaleos 3, but is still quite expensive. Adidas powerlifting 3.1 is a powerlifting shoe, but I thought it was worth mentioning. The heel height is lower than both Legacy lifters and Nike Romaleos 3 at .59 inches. There was little to no complaints for the shoe. However, Adidas does mention its a narrow fit which were some of the complaints. This is an extremely affordable shoe, and is the cheapest out of the three.
What I Bought
I took into consideration each of these shoes when deciding on a weightlifting shoe. After looking at several shoes I narrowed it down to just a few shown above and bought the Nike Romaleos 3. I decided on the Nike Romaleos 3 because I wanted something lightweight yet durable with a relatively higher heel height. I have not experienced issue with the tongue ripping but realize it is an issue due to the construction of the tongue. I also believe the Nike Romaleos 3 look the best in my opinion.