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I made an Instagram post the other day: "When I wear my Batgirl converse to the gym, you know I came to leg press."
I often get asked, "Why?"
The first reason is Batgirl is awesome. End of story. Seriously. I put them on and I'm smiling. I have another pair, pink ones. They don't compare to wearing Batgirl.
The second reason is more important. Why do so many lifters wear Converse? I see them all the time at the gym and until I lifted in them, I didn't know why.
They are completely flat which allows your weight to be evenly distributed through the entire plane of your foot. Before, I was wearing running sneakers which had a considerable cushion/lift in the heel; it made my weight shift forward toward my toes, throwing off my balance and increasing my risk for injury. As we push down through our legs and into our feet, our feet have the natural tendency to flare out. When your feet flare out in a running shoe, there’s no side support above the sole. Running shoes are usually made with a thin, lightweight mesh and your feet can easily roll. A flat sole helps prevents this.
Additionally, the closer you are to the ground, the easier it is to exert energy into the ground. Running shoes have a raised sole/heel and are cushioned to help absorb shock. Because of this, your foot sits high and you can’t firmly plant your feet. You also lose a lot of the energy you're exerting because now it needs to travel through the padding, then into the floor, and then upwards with the weight. Sorry, I'm just not willing to work harder for less!
Really, what it comes down to is that a nice pair of Chuck Taylors is one of the best shoes for your big 3 lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. They'll connect you to the ground and help prevent injury. I also love them for the leg press and calf raises for the same reason.
Go Chucks!
I often get asked, "Why?"
The first reason is Batgirl is awesome. End of story. Seriously. I put them on and I'm smiling. I have another pair, pink ones. They don't compare to wearing Batgirl.
The second reason is more important. Why do so many lifters wear Converse? I see them all the time at the gym and until I lifted in them, I didn't know why.
They are completely flat which allows your weight to be evenly distributed through the entire plane of your foot. Before, I was wearing running sneakers which had a considerable cushion/lift in the heel; it made my weight shift forward toward my toes, throwing off my balance and increasing my risk for injury. As we push down through our legs and into our feet, our feet have the natural tendency to flare out. When your feet flare out in a running shoe, there’s no side support above the sole. Running shoes are usually made with a thin, lightweight mesh and your feet can easily roll. A flat sole helps prevents this.
Additionally, the closer you are to the ground, the easier it is to exert energy into the ground. Running shoes have a raised sole/heel and are cushioned to help absorb shock. Because of this, your foot sits high and you can’t firmly plant your feet. You also lose a lot of the energy you're exerting because now it needs to travel through the padding, then into the floor, and then upwards with the weight. Sorry, I'm just not willing to work harder for less!
Really, what it comes down to is that a nice pair of Chuck Taylors is one of the best shoes for your big 3 lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. They'll connect you to the ground and help prevent injury. I also love them for the leg press and calf raises for the same reason.
Go Chucks!