Weight Lifting Shoes

[yosimitesam]

update... I have 2 months with the Adidas Adi power 2 and they are great shoes.... They are quite narrow but very stable.. seems like you are stuck on the ground..... but I started to develop some pain under my knee cap... I guess they put more pressure on the knee..so I rarely use them anymore..I went back to using Nike free..or sometimes I will just squat barefoot.

I was using Do Wins for my front squats and started experiencing the same problems, so I quit wearing them altogether. Heels are great for blasting your quads and loosening up the calves and hamstrings, but if you're not careful, they'll certainly do a number on your knees.

[mario_ps2]

I was using Do Wins for my front squats and started experiencing the same problems, so I quit wearing them altogether. Heels are great for blasting your quads and loosening up the calves and hamstrings, but if you're not careful, they'll certainly do a number on your knees.

Too bad I already spent 200 bucks on those darn shoes.... Oh well...

[yosimitesam]

Too bad I already spent 200 bucks on those darn shoes.... Oh well...

I wouldn't consider them a total waste. You might want to just use them sparingly on specific exercises like front squats. I've read some guys will even deadlift with heels, but I'm not a big fan of that, unless you're recovering from a calf or hamstring injury, or are working on cleans.

I'm not sure how far you are going down when squatting with heels, but the ATG actually helps avoid knee pain by keeping the hams involved. My biggest problem with them was doing front squats after my main squat movement (back squats) and being already exhausted. From that point, my back and abs were already nearly "done" and with that comes forward lean. And, of course, with that forward lean comes crappier form, and so on and so on, where the knees are having to take the brunt of the load. So, from that angle, I would put more blame on myself for compromising my form more so than on the shoes. However, if my form is already shite, then the angled shoes certainly aren't helping.

Oh, and also, you may want to hold off on sending the Adidas' to the dumpster. I've also used them with some success on bench nights. With their anchored feel and angled approach, I can get more contact with the floor when I go to arch. In addition, the bottoms hold tight and won't slip, giving me great leg drive. Try that and see what you think.

And, of course, since I never seem to learn, Reebok is coming out with a crossfit shoe that actually looks like an improved version of the Chuck Taylor. Except for the stupid "crossfit" logo on the tongue, they shoe some serious promise for old school squatting and deadlifting. And, since I can't leave well enough alone, I'll probably get a pair when they come out early next year. I may have to magic marker the crossfit logo (jk) but my Chucks are about to fall apart anyway, so that will be my excuse.

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded reply, but you'll find some use for those shoes. Those are good quality, so just use them sparingly and I'm sure you'll get some benefit without stressing your knees too much.

[mario_ps2]

I wouldn't consider them a total waste. You might want to just use them sparingly on specific exercises like front squats. I've read some guys will even deadlift with heels, but I'm not a big fan of that, unless you're recovering from a calf or hamstring injury, or are working on cleans.

I'm not sure how far you are going down when squatting with heels, but the ATG actually helps avoid knee pain by keeping the hams involved. My biggest problem with them was doing front squats after my main squat movement (back squats) and being already exhausted. From that point, my back and abs were already nearly "done" and with that comes forward lean. And, of course, with that forward lean comes crappier form, and so on and so on, where the knees are having to take the brunt of the load. So, from that angle, I would put more blame on myself for compromising my form more so than on the shoes. However, if my form is already shite, then the angled shoes certainly aren't helping.

Oh, and also, you may want to hold off on sending the Adidas' to the dumpster. I've also used them with some success on bench nights. With their anchored feel and angled approach, I can get more contact with the floor when I go to arch. In addition, the bottoms hold tight and won't slip, giving me great leg drive. Try that and see what you think.

And, of course, since I never seem to learn, Reebok is coming out with a crossfit shoe that actually looks like an improved version of the Chuck Taylor. Except for the stupid "crossfit" logo on the tongue, they shoe some serious promise for old school squatting and deadlifting. And, since I can't leave well enough alone, I'll probably get a pair when they come out early next year. I may have to magic marker the crossfit logo (jk) but my Chucks are about to fall apart anyway, so that will be my excuse.

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded reply, but you'll find some use for those shoes. Those are good quality, so just use them sparingly and I'm sure you'll get some benefit without stressing your knees too much.

I still use them for front squats and back squats... for example .. I might throw them in during my 4th and 5th set of squats when my knees are already warmed up. For front squats, I find it a lot harder to not lean forward because my back and core are already tired.

[yosimitesam]

That's the issue I have with them. And I don't like doing them as my main squat exercise, which certainly doesn't help. At least you're getting some use out of them. And hey, they're likely to last you a long time now.