What shoes do you lift in, and other gym gear?

Rand M Arthur

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I know most of us are having to lift at home now. Personally, I've had to completely drop barbell lifts, sticking to kettlebells and calisthenics in my apartment. In 1BC (Before Covid), what shoes or other equiptment did you take to the gym?

Me?... I did my lifting in deadlift socks, then put my running shoes back on and hit the treadmill. I used to wear chucks, but one day realised I had forgot them when I opened my gym bag in the locker room, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna squat in running shoes. That is how I found out I prefer socks to chucks.

I don't use a lifting belt or straps either, just liquid chalk and a knee sleeve for my bum left knee.
 
I'm not as picky anymore. On heavy deadlift days, I do like to lift in chucks. If it's a lighter day, I may be in sambas or even something like vans. On heavy squat days, I try to be in my oly shoes, but I'll squat in sambas or chucks on other days. On any other lifting days like bench, it doesn't matter to me.
 
I used to wear running shoes to the gym for a 5-10 min warmup on the treadmill, then change into chucks for barbell lifts. But best part of setting up my squat rack in the basement 3 years ago was getting to lift barefoot. I have everything set up on horse stable mats and barefoot squats and deads on that feels way better than even socks. The only athlete's foot I'm getting is my own.
 
Busted up, ripped open, no souls New Balance trail shoes in winter. Shoeless over hot months
 
I'm not as picky anymore. On heavy deadlift days, I do like to lift in chucks. If it's a lighter day, I may be in sambas or even something like vans. On heavy squat days, I try to be in my oly shoes, but I'll squat in sambas or chucks on other days. On any other lifting days like bench, it doesn't matter to me.
I love Sambas - so versatile. I either lift in those or adidas sliders as I lift at home and it's easy to slip them on and off.
 
Have you warmed up the the reeboks at all? I love them. When I first tried them I wasn't big on them, but now I love them.
Did a deadlift workout in them yesterday. It was mighty fine. Still need to dedicate a squat workout to them tho.
 
Mostly my cheapo water shoes (that is similar to Notorious Lifts slippers). Sometimes I will just use my work sneakers or even flip flops. I can squat, bench, deadlift with nothing but the water shoes although I haven' been squatting or deadlifting that often over the past 9 months sadly.
 
Did a deadlift workout in them yesterday. It was mighty fine. Still need to dedicate a squat workout to them tho.
I like them for all 3. Now that I am in flats on bench I feel like I can really dig into the carpet with them.
 
Did some squats in climbing boots before. Was hella comfortable with the extra heel support.
 
I wear Reebok lifting shoes for squats and absolutely love them. Squats are really hard to get good form on without that stiff lifted heel. I guess if you have super flexy ankles or a relatively short torso maybe you could get by without.

Anything works for the other lifts though. Usually I just go barefoot.
 
Squat and deadlift in wrestling shoes, bench in a pair of Vans or Adidas Superstars.

Gym bag contains my belt, chalk, straps, lacrosse ball, assorted bands.
 
I squat in Adidas lifting shoes - primarily because my ankle dorsiflexion is so bad as my achilles tendons are a mess of scar tissue due to various sporting injuries when I was younger.
I deadlift in various flat footwear, I have some Adidas martial arts shoes which are very similar to deadlift slippers which work well - socks are all good too but my garage floor (DIY lifting platform) is dirty as fuck.
 
Ok the power lite mids are feeling great during squats today. I'd recommend them for any type of lifting.
 
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