Choosing the right exercise shoe is vital if you want to perform to your full potential in the gym and stay injury-free. The type of shoe that suits you best will depend on the activities you're doing. If you train in shoes which aren't suitable for your training or aren't fitted properly, you run a high risk of sustaining an injury.
Converse Chuck Taylors
Converse Chuck Taylors are the ideal shoe for strength training and powerlifting. The main reason why they're so good for this purpose is because of their flat, thin soles. In many sports, this element would be a disadvantage, but not in powerlifting. Former elite powerlifter Dave Tate comments that Chuck Taylors are the best shoes for squatting, as the soles are flat and the side construction is rugged enough to push out against without rolling your ankle.
Adidas Ironworks Weightlifting Shoes
Weightlifters compete in two lifts: the snatch, and the clean and jerk. For these lifts, they need to demonstrate exceptional strength, power and mobility. The Adidas Ironwork shoes are very sturdily made, which ensures that the lifter's ankles do not give way when training with a heavy load, yet they do not restrict ankle mobility. They are built with a raised heel, which according to Olympic Weightlifting Resource, allows the lifter to descend lower in a squatting position while keeping an upright trunk, putting you in the most efficient position for weightlifting.
Vibram Five Fingers
According to No Meat Athlete, between 65 percent and 80 percent of runners are injured every year, and the more expensive your running shoes are, the greater your chances of injury. Cushioned running shoes can cause you to run with an unnatural gait, which can lead to injuries, whereas barefoot running allows your feet to feel your movement patterns, and adjust to a more natural style, thus strengthening the muscles, tendons and ligaments, and reducing the chances of injury. True barefoot running is difficult to do, however, due to the amount of debris on pavements and in parks, so Vibram Five Fingers are the next best option. The shoe is made from abrasion-resistant polyamade fabric and equipped with a hard-wearing rubber sole. Extremely light in design, these shoes allow you to run in a style as close to barefoot as possible.
Nike Frees
Nike Frees are light, non-restrictive shoes designed with cuts in the outsole, which enable the shoes to bend and move with the foot, giving maximum comfort and flexibility. The Barefoot Running Shoes website recommends the Frees as they strengthen the muscles and increase flexibility in the lower body, as well as improve balance and awareness due to their light structure, helping to reduce knee problems caused by running. Their thin, flat soles also make them a good choice for weight training. Stronglifts.com advises that all squatting and deadlifting movements should be performed in shoes with thin, flat soles to provide more stability and control.
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