Whether you’re a casual CrossFit athlete, a serious CrossFit competitor, an avid weightlifter, or an Olympic lifter, the right model can make a big difference in your performance.
Weightlifting footwear give your feet enough support to stabilize your feet during heavy lifts, such as back squats, overhead squats, push press, deadlifts, cleans, jerks, and snatches.
Top Rated Weightlifting Footwear
Reebok CrossFit Lifter Plus
Why are Lifter Plus so important for your strength training?
If you’re doing Olympic lifts, they can help you land firmly on the mat, giving you more opportunity to successfully complete the lift. In power lifting, they keep your feet planted so they’re not moving around during the lift.
Since signing a sponsorship deal with CrossFit a few years ago, Reebok has worked hard to perfect the sneakers used by athletes.
The Reebok is a great example of this. They offer great heel stability and come with instructions to heat and form to your own feet.
Reebok also offers many options to customize your own shoes with colors and design. The Reebok CrossFit Lifters start at $149.
Features:
When youre trying to gain strength and set new PRs in your squats, presses, and Oly lifts, nothing beats a good weightlifting shoe.
Reebok recognizes this but also understand the needs of the typical CrossFit athlete. How many models can we carry with us to the box? The Reebok CrossFit Lifter Plus gives us the best of both worlds. The stability is comparable or better than many sneakers. But the added lightweight flexibility make it the most versatile lifting shoe around.
Nike Romaleos 2
Nike has worked hard to help Olympic athletes achieve great lifts. The Nike Romaleos 2 offer durability and engineered safety for the serious lifter.
The heel is designed to hold maximum weight, so the lifter can feel safe and secure during heavy lifts.
Nike has joined the weightlifting shoe cohort and their latest, greatest shoe is the Nike Romaleos 2.
This shoe is lightweight, with two different insoles you can wear (a softer one for training, a firmer one for competition). They have two big straps that secure your feet in place during your lifts.
They also feature flexible upper material that moves with your feet during lifts. Your feet stay in place due to the hard sole and thick straps, but can move just enough to give you a little flexibility.
These are more durable than Nikes first model.
Features:
Overall
Overall, the latest weight lifting shoe from Nike is a hit among CrossFitters.
Whereas many lifting shoes feel heavy and clunky, the Nike Romaleos 2 is lighter in weight and more flexible, while still offering a lot of stability during Olympic lifts.
The heel is a little bit higher than some sneakers, but very strong.
They are also offered in more stores than regular lifting shoes, so the athlete may want to seek them out to try them on before ordering them. With their bright colors, snug fit, and durable sole, the Nike Romaleos 2 are a must-have for the serious lifter.
VS Athletics Weightlifting Shoes
The VS Athletics Weightlifting Shoe favors function over style. It uses reinforced rubber in the heel, creating a stable foundation for your lift. Some people complain that these aren’t the prettiest shoes to look at, but if you’re looking for a reasonably priced lifting shoe, these are a great option at $94.99 on Amazon.
When first trying out new lifting shoes, start by only using the shoes for heavy lifting. Many athletes notice a big difference in their squats right away.
The stability of your feet sets up a solid foundation that can make the overall lift feel much better, giving the athlete more confidence in the lift. When starting to do Olympic lifting, athletes often feel more powerful because their feet are landing in a solid position.
After getting comfortable with their shoes during lifts, many CrossFitters start wearing their footwear during WODs (workout of the day).
If the WOD contains some sort of lift, athletes may opt to keep the shoes on. Athletes find the shoes difficult for movements like running, box jumps, and double unders, so they’ll wear their normal trainers for those.
Some athletes even like lifting shoes for squatting movements like wall balls, as they help with overall form.
Whatever your purpose, weightlifting footwear is a useful addition to your gym bag. Make sure to read reviews, especially when it comes to sizing. Often, these shoes will run a half size bigger than normal, so check with the manufacturer before ordering.
Then get ready to set new PRs with your new shoes!
Features:
It will help the CrossFitters during their strength training. Their thick, strong heel will withstand the heavy loads of squats. The durable outside will help keep the foot in a good position during heavy lifts.
It shouldn’t be worn during WODs, as they can be a little heavier than the normal athletic shoe. They may be good to wear during skill work in pistols (one-legged squats) and wall balls, as they help drive that heel down during these moves.
More models and brands to consider: Adidas Adipower Olympic sneakers, Do-win, Asics, Pendlay, Inov-8, Under Armour, Nike Metcon. You can get most of this models on Amazon or Rogue Fitness.
Overall
The VS Athletics Weightlifting Shoe is a great entry-level lifting shoe for a CrossFitters. The durable rubber sole will keep your feet in place during your heavy lifts.
They will help you focus on form during your squats, presses, and Olympic lifts. They are also less expensive than other Olympic lifting shoes on the market, running just under $100.
