Leg Exercises and Sandals

One of the most fundamental and universally accepted rules in a weight training facility or gym is that all members must wear sports based or close toed shoes. Sandals, on the other hand, are an open-toed shoe with a flat sole that are typically worn in the summer time. Performing leg exercises with sandals simply does not work for several reasons.

Safety

From a safety stand point, sandals are one of the worst footwear selections you can make when performing leg exercises. Many leg exercises, such as the squat and lunge, require you to hold onto a dumbbell or barbell to perform the lift. As you fatigue, the likelihood of dropping the weights you are holding increases. The open-toed nature of the shoes offers little protection to a falling barbell or dumbbell. Choosing sandals for a leg workout greatly increases the chance of a toe related injury should you drop a weight.

Foot Support

The flat sole of the sandal acts as the support for the bottom of your feet; however, your body is designed to have a natural arch in the foot. This flat sole sandal design offers little to no support for the arches of your feet. Closed-chain leg exercises, where your feet are in contact with a flat platform or floor, require strong arch support. The downward force exerted by weights on your body when performing leg exercises can flatten your arches if no arch support is present.

Durability

Leg exercises require highly durable shoes that can withstand repeated movement at your ankle joint. Exercises such as calf raises, which require you to plantarflex or push down at your ankles, can place a great deal of strain on the shoe you are wearing. Tennis shoes lace up around the feet which helps direct the tension across the whole shoes. Sandals do not have this. The sandal is typically held on the foot by placing the anchoring point of the sandal between your big toes and index toe. When you flex at your ankles, you repeatedly tug on this piece without any distribution of wear and tear to other parts of the shoe. This can cause your sandals to break more quickly.

Considerations

Performing leg exercises in sandals is not recommended. Tennis shoes or multi-purpose sports shoes are much better suited for leg exercise training. These shoes provide better protection, more arch support and are durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of a leg training workout. Weight lifting shoes also provide better stability when performing leg exercises. This is important for allowing you to perform exercises correctly and avoid falling.