Posted: February 25, 2024 at 8:10 am
Earlier this week we sent out an email that included some helpful tips on how your feet influence your strength training. Now, let’s take a quick look at what are some characteristics of good gym shoes. Before diving in, know that some activities are actually great to perform in bare feet, such as kettlebell swings. However, some people prefer to wear shoes, or they perform activities that wearing shoes is probably more appropriate than going in bare feet; so, for those instances here are a handful of the most important characteristics:
- NON-COMPRESSIVE – Squishy shoes (like running shoes) are a poor choice for the gym. It is important to have something sturdy underneath your feet.
- WIDE – You need room for your arch as well as room for your toes to splay. Most “stylish” shoes are narrow and pointy, the opposite of what you want for performance. Not all shoes will list this clearly, so I suggest you read the reviews online before buying.
- DROP HEIGHT – On many websites the manufacturer will list the effective drop height. A “zero drop” shoe has the heel and toe-box at the same heigh. Most shoes have the heel higher than the toe box, which is usually measured in millimeters. For our activities at Industrial Strength I recommend anywhere from a zero drop up to 6mm of drop; anything beyond 6mm tends to be too much. Be careful, because a lot of “training shoes” have drop heights well in excess of 6mm, so research carefully before buying.
So, what are soon good shoes on the market right now? Below are a few of my favorites.
ZERO DROP / MINIMALIST OPTIONS
- Xero Prio (this brand, named Xero, makes many great minimalist options)
- Inov8 Bare XF-210
- TYR DZ-1
TRAINER / LESS MINIMAL OPTIONS
- NoBull Outwork (formerly called NoBull “Trainer”) – 4mm drop
- Inov8 F-Lite G 300 – 6mm drop
If you have never had a proper pair of “training” shoes for your gym workouts, then starting with one of the two “trainer” options above is probably best. Either of the two would work well for our Strength & Conditioning class, but between those two only the NoBull would also work well for our Kettlebells class. If you already have been wearing a shoe kind of like that and want to move to something more minimal to really strengthen your feet & ankles and give great “ground feel” then try one of the zero drop options above. If you are in the market for a new pair of gym shoes, I hope you find this helpful!
-Tony
