Weightlifting Shoes in Australia

Weightlifting shoes are purpose built for Olympic lifting and are also ideal for kettlebell sport and power lifting.  If you are serious about any of these sports, or incorporate these types of lifts regularly into your training, a good weightlifting shoe can make a world of difference.

For safety, comfort and to get the most out of your training it is worth taking a close look at what you're wearing on your feet and make sure it's appropriate for what you're doing.

So why use weightlifting shoes?

Weightlifting shoes lift the heel with a solid base.  The raised heel of a lifting shoe allows you to get a steeper angle between shin and ground in either a squat or knee dip, which in turn allows you to get lower in either of these movements and benefit from either increased stability or power.  The raised heel of the weightlifting shoe is particularly beneficial for those who are limited in their squat depth or comfort by their ankle flexibility (or lack thereof).

The solid base of a weightlifting shoe sets it apart from the running shoes you so often see people doing their weight training in at the gym.  It seems obvious to seasoned lifters but many people think that a sports shoe is a sports shoe, and that running shoes are synonymous with sports shoes.  This couldn't be further from the truth.

Running shoes are highly cushioned in order to reduce impact - when running - however this also means that they have a degree of instability that is not favourable for weight training.  For weight training, especially for any heavy lifting or ballistic lifting, you want to have  a base that's as stable as possible for safety and efficiency.  Watch the video below to see how much movement there is in the foot when performing squats and Olympic lifts with a running shoe compared to a weightlifting shoe:

While lifting shoes have a solid base that typically extends from the arch of the foot to the heel, they also allow flexion through the foot, which is crucial for triple extension and landing in the split position for Olympic lifts.

Weightlifting shoes are also used for kettlebell sport.   Lifting shoes allow the shin to get lower in the first dip of the jerk to increase the power generated through the legs and the solid base increases stability for high repetition ballistic lifting - in fact anyone who does a lot of kettlebell jerks, snatches or long cycle will benefit for a good pair of weightlifting shoes.

More information...

For a very detailed article on the history of weightlifting shoes and how they can improve lifting, click here.

Weightlifting shoes at IronEdge

IronEdge currently stocks two different types of weightlifting shoe: Do-Wins and Nike Romaleos.

The Do-Wins are a solid lifting shoe with a traditional wooden base (3/4 inch heel) that are durable and certainly very good value for the price.  The Do-Wins tend to suit a broader foot (if you have narrow feet they may not be the best choice for you).

The Nike Romaleos are for those who are serious about their training and want a shoe that is very comfortable and extremely durable.  The Romaleos have some unique features such as the heel cup, which provides extra support and stability for the heel and the plastic heel wedge with a system of metal trusses and bridges that is designed to withstand extreme punishment with minimal heel compression.  You get what you pay for, and in this case you'll get a lifting shoe that will last for years while maintaining its high performance.