Bowling shoes

[ricepower]

Ive been thinking about the benefits of lifting shoes, especially for front squats for a while. Ive just read starting strength too and was actually quite surprised to find lifting shoes so strongly recommended.

So im seriously thinking about getting some. The problem is, proper lifting shoes are so much more expensive than any piece of footwear/clothing I would ever normally buy. I cant quite justify buying them when they will be worn so little.

Do-Win shoes seem like the only affordable ones, and are incredibly ugly too. Being actual olympic lifting shoes they are not going to be wearable outside the gym.



For about the same price I can get some quality leather bowling shoes and am wondering if they would be a reasonable substitute? They have a rigid heel and stable wide soles. They also look pretty cool so I would actually wear them outside the gym too.





The only gyms ive used so far have a rubbery floor surface, so Im sure grip would be fine. But maybe split cleans on a hard shiny floor wouldnt work!

[tobylosangeles]

Nice pics. You can go barefoot - it actually helps with Proprioception. At some point you may need foot support but I don't know when. And converse are good for lifting they are 40 bucks.

[ricepower]

Nice pics. You can go barefoot - it actually helps with Proprioception. At some point you may need foot support but I don't know when. And converse are good for lifting they are 40 bucks.

I already have flat shoes similar to converse. But like I said, rippetoe so strongly recommends actual lifting shoes (as in with a heel). I have foudn it difficult to master front squats and really think it could help, im sure it will also add depth to my back squat.

[Subdeacon]

Nice pics. You can go barefoot - it actually helps with Proprioception. At some point you may need foot support but I don't know when. And converse are good for lifting they are 40 bucks.

I already have flat shoes similar to converse. But like I said, rippetoe so strongly recommends actual lifting shoes (as in with a heel). I have foudn it difficult to master front squats and really think it could help, im sure it will also add depth to my back squat.

Note that in the photo at the top of http://stronglifts.com/forum/powerful-images-t18475.html, both Dave Draper and Ahnold are wearing converse-like canvas sneakers.

I first started lifting wearing running shoes, before I found out that this was a bad idea. Now, I'm using kung-fu shoes from Hong Kong that have soles made from the sidewalls of car tires -- thin, flat, no tread at all.

[lint]

Nice pics. You can go barefoot - it actually helps with Proprioception. At some point you may need foot support but I don't know when. And converse are good for lifting they are 40 bucks.

I already have flat shoes similar to converse. But like I said, rippetoe so strongly recommends actual lifting shoes (as in with a heel). I have foudn it difficult to master front squats and really think it could help, im sure it will also add depth to my back squat.

Note that in the photo at the top of http://stronglifts.com/forum/powerful-images-t18475.html, both Dave Draper and Ahnold are wearing converse-like canvas sneakers.

I first started lifting wearing running shoes, before I found out that this was a bad idea. Now, I'm using kung-fu shoes from Hong Kong that have soles made from the sidewalls of car tires -- thin, flat, no tread at all.

If you look closely, you will also see that Draper has a block under his heels.

If cost is an issue, you don't have to go with the Do Wins, although they're amongst the best value. Take a look at VS Athletics as well for cheap lifting shoes (http://www.vsathletics.com/section.php?xSec=158&xPage=1). If you're serious about adding weight to your front squat, don't cheap out with bowling shoes.

[dhw]

Ive been thinking about the benefits of lifting shoes, especially for front squats for a while. Ive just read starting strength too and was actually quite surprised to find lifting shoes so strongly recommended.

So im seriously thinking about getting some. The problem is, proper lifting shoes are so much more expensive than any piece of footwear/clothing I would ever normally buy. I cant quite justify buying them when they will be worn so little.

Do-Win shoes seem like the only affordable ones, and are incredibly ugly too. Being actual olympic lifting shoes they are not going to be wearable outside the gym.



For about the same price I can get some quality leather bowling shoes and am wondering if they would be a reasonable substitute? They have a rigid heel and stable wide soles. They also look pretty cool so I would actually wear them outside the gym too.





The only gyms ive used so far have a rubbery floor surface, so Im sure grip would be fine. But maybe split cleans on a hard shiny floor wouldnt work!

The problem with bowling shoes is that you have two different types of soles. One is slick for your slide foot and the other is a type of rubber for grip. I could see stepping back from the rack or going to rack the bar and the slide shoe slipping.. would not be pretty. They are a specialty shoe and should not be worn outside of a bowling ally. They even make slip-on covers for when you need to leave the bowling area as you do not want to screw up the slick shoe.