The Importance of Weightlifting Shoes

If you are new to strength training then you might be a little skeptical about purchasing expensive weightlifting shoes. However, before you start to work out on a regular basis you might want to know why it is important to have special shoes designed for weightlifting.

First of all, the weightlifting shoe has been around for several decades and its design is constantly changing. The main feature that sets this type of shoe apart from others is that it has a raised heel. The stance that is required for properly executing weight-training exercises is complemented by this raised heel.

As I mentioned in a previous post, three of the fundamental lifts that are performed in competition are the press, the clean and the jerk. Back in the late 1920's, the International Weightlifting Federation changed the competition rules so that these 3 exercises were the only ones to be performed. Because these exercises involve both a quick upward force and a controlled descent, it was only natural for shoe manufacturers to create a product that would help athletes execute them properly.

Adidas and a handful of other brands continue to manufacture quality weightlifting shoes but they do not come cheap. If you want to get serious about strength training then I suggest that you do some research about the different shoes that are on the market. For more information about why these shoes are unique check out www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Weightlifting/WeightliftingShoes.html and read this rather informative article.