Squatting Barefoot (Real Opinions Of Lifters)

Barefoot has become all the rage with running shoes so why wouldn't it become popular in the lifting world. Getting down closer to the ground for better balance and a little more leverage on the deadlift right? Well lets dig into it first and go from there with views from actual lifters.

So should you squat barefoot?

Squatting barefoot is just fine as long as you don't have any mobility or ankle issues it can be a great thing that leads to great gains. You want the weight in your heels when squatting most shoes will actually cause you to lean forward so you are having to fight gravity in more ways than one. If you do have any balance issues going on when you squat looking into weightlifting shoes can be an option although it can be an expensive option.

That is the great thing about going barefoot it is cheap and free. When you are squatting you want to keep the weight in your heels where most shoes will actually take the weight off your heels causing you to lean forward a bit more.

Below we gathered information from weightlifters on squatting barefoot versus using lifting shoes. The data we found was very intriguing.

Barefoot Squats Benefits

Most anybody that knows about our evolution over the years knows we weren't really born to wear shoes. So have we evolved or de-evolved? As a species we have gotten softer our bodies are meant to be pushed a lot more than 99% of people push themselves. Squatting barefoot may be looked at as caveman and that is actually a great thing. Everything from our food being processed to always wearing gloves, belts, shoes, etc. has made us soft as a species. So this is your chance to take it back with Barefoot Squatting. Below are some of the benefits there are many more these are just the main ones that Arnold himself realized.

Barefoot Squatting Advantages

• Increased Mobility – with shoes on you are limited to the width of the shoe for one. Barefoot means you can spread your toes and actually grip that floor. This will help with the mobility of your entire foot through your calf region.
• Tougher Feet – what do you do when you have a bad back? You strengthen your core. This works the same with your feet, ankle, calf etc. If you have an injury you need to create armor around that injury to protect it and strengthen it as well. Improving your foot strength will improve every workout you ever do in the future. Your feet are everything without them it is tough to do anything. Lifting barefoot will help build raw strength in your feet where most all shoes actually weaken them.
• Big Gainer – this is why you lift right? Most people wear shoes with most workouts and that is fine. Anybody who has been lifting knows that if you do the same thing all time your body will adapt and you will plateau. This is the same with your feet with shoes. So going barefoot will increase your body's strength as it will need to adapt to your balance using your total body muscles.
• Awareness – with shoes on there is nothing touching the ground there is a barrier so your nerves are basically dulled. When you are barefoot your nerves are basically connected to the ground you are more aware of your surrounding (I know too hippyish), but it is very true. More muscles will be activated due to this putting your body on high alert.

Barefoot Squatting Disadvantages 

• Exposure – your feet are exposed and this can lead to injuries. You can drop a weight on your foot without the additional protection of shoes it will be much worse. You can also be exposed to other things like athletes foot if you are lifting at a public gym. Blisters and chaffing can happen as well leading to being uncomfortable. Need to be careful especially when first starting out just like with your hands until they are callused.
• Support – if you have a bad ankle or tight calves you are going to have issues at first getting used to squatting barefoot. This will disappear overtime just be careful in the beginning starting with bodyweight then adding additional weight slowly.

Squatting Barefoot VS Lifting Shoes

We didn't want you to only take our opinion on this matter since there are so many body types out there everybody is going to be a bit different. So we wanted to get info from a lot of different people by gathering information from forums, sub reddits, websites and Facebook groups. These opinions were curated meaning nothing was changed except spelling and grammar where needed.

Real Weightlifters

1. Viandobulo “Don't buy before you try” – I don't think there's a one-size fits all answer here because so much depends on your anatomy, flexibility, and technique. Maybe shoes will help you. Maybe they'll just screw you up. If you want a cheap taste of what lifting shoes might do for you, go get yourself a piece of wood, somewhere around 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. (Sometimes 5 lb plates are a good thickness for this too.) Then do your lift with your heels on the wood and your toes on the floor. See how it feels.

2. Brontosaurus-Rex “Should see improvements with lifting shoes” – Just listened to a Paleo Solution podcast last night where Robb and Greg Everett (catalyst athletics) give give their take on lifting shoes. Pretty funny. Here's a transcript. I think the takeaway is that most people see their lifts improve with lifting shoes, but you should try it and see. Maybe see if you can borrow a pair for a few lifts, or /u/Viandobulo‘s idea sounds good, too:

Greg: With regard to weightlifting shoes specifically, we get this a lot honestly with some of our fitness clients. I don’t want to wear weightlifting shoes. Oh, that’s cheating and that’s a nine. That’s not natural. It’s like – well, the barbell you’re holding right now is not natural either. So, if you really want to run the natural argument, you need to go swing around some trees and pick up some rocks. Otherwise, save it.

Robb Laughs

Greg: And then, the best part though is that – and this happened again very recently with one of our clients. Completely resistant weightlifting shoes, didn’t want to hear it. Finally, Steve actually talked him into wearing weightlifting shoes one night. Did a set of squats, looked at Steve and just didn’t even have to say anything. Was like, “Okay, I get it.”

Robb Laughs

Greg: I’m not going to say another word. And now, he wears weightlifting shoes when he does the lifts.

Robb: Right.

Greg: And I mean – so weightlifting shoes are – they exist for a reason. It’s not an accident. You know, you have a raised heel because that increases the range of motion of the ankle and the ankle has to flex, dorsiflex a great deal to hit those bottom positions with an upright torso. It’s just unavoidable unless your femur is only four inches long. So, in one regard, it’s a safety issue. If you bottom out that ankle, you’re going to be in big trouble. It’s not going to feel good. It’s going to take a long time to recover from. It’s going to be a huge limiting factor forever, essentially. And you also have an extremely rigid, stable platform to stand on. And so, the response to that is usually I got what I wear. Chuck Taylor is what I wear. Old school Vans, that’s a flat sole. Yeah, it’s flat but it’s still squishy. I promise you no matter how hard you think it is, it’s a lot squishier than a weightlifting shoe. So, like the whole paleo deal that Robb always spits out, try it.

Robb: Just play with it.

Greg: Okay? Stop freaking, pontificating about it all over the internet. Wear them. If you like them, if they work for you, continue to wear them. If you don’t, then, you know, wear dress shoes or toe shoes or whatever you want. I don’t care if you wear Jerusalem cruisers.

Robb Laughs

Greg: You know what I mean? Do what works for you and enjoy it.

Robb: You know, if folks are tackling kind of a general fitness deal when you’re doing Sumo lifting and some trail running and maybe some plyo work and stuff like that, then maybe you should have a pair of weightlifting shoes, a pair of Vibrams and then a pair of like A6 Tigers that you can do some stop-start mobility work with because, you know, I definitely don’t lift as well unless I have a lifting shoes on. If I’m doing some sort of off-road stomping around, the Vibrams are kind of cool to wear. And, but the thing is, is that if I do any type of legitimate acceleration or change of direction drills, I will destroy my pair of Vibrams in one session. And I’ve done it. I have blown the side wall out of a brand new pair of one session of just change of direction drills. Whereas, my A6 Tigers end up lasting for two years. So, you know, it’s again like really cool to experiment with stuff. We live in an amazing time where we have all kinds of different options and everything. But, sometimes, looking at who’s doing things really, really well and then kind of emulating that even if you’re kind of a generalist is maybe not a bad idea. And again, like I really goofed this one up early on thinking that you could O-lift just fine without, you know, the raised heel and all the rest of that. You absolutely cannot.

Greg: Well, yeah. And some people get by without them for quite a while. They do fairly impressive lifts. But, I mean, literally, the moment they put those shoes on, you can see it in their reaction. They understand why…

3. Daveuall “Always use weightlifting shoes” – I would never consider doing another heavy squat or bench without weightlifting shoes. Some people like chucks or whatever, but for fast, deep, narrow squats and heels down benching, I think oly shoes are good for a majority of lifters. Deadlifts, as long as its low profile and hard (eg just socks) its fine.

4. JooRage “Oly shoes for squat slipplers for deadlift” – Oly shoes for squat, slippers for dl, running shoes for bench. Not sure if there is any science behind any of those choices but that is how Ive always done it

5. Sabbathan1 “Shoes for squatting/benching and socks for deadlift” – Weightlifting shoes for squatting and benching, long socks for deadlifting. I use these, which I can highly recommend and which are cheaper than the big name brand ones.

6. Sir_Kmp “Lifting shoes really help” – Lifting shoes really help me with my squat, but you don't NEED them if you don't want to spend the money or are not sure of them, try slipping a 5 or 10 pound plate underneath each of your heels and see how it feels while you squat.

7. Jessej80 “Chucks all the way” – I started lifting in barefeet, then eventually bought a weight lifting shoe and for me it was a pretty big fail. My squat form went to shit in a raised heel, forget about deadlifting in it. I guess pressing was ok with them on. Eventually I bought a pair of chucks and found love. raised heel shoes aren't for every lifter.

8. CountsBy5s “Romaleos II Weightlifting shoes” – I'm a little late but to add another anecdote, I just recently bought the Romaleos II on sale and absolutely love them for squatting (high bar back and front). I am far more comfortable and stable in these than going barefoot with and without 2 and 1/2 plates under the heel and nike trainers with and without 2 and 1/2 plates under the heel. However, with deadlifts I was more comfortable without them and prefer barefoot.

9. Sirdanimal “Skate shoes for me” – I've been using a pair of skateboarding shoes for squats for 4 years and I'm happy with them. Very thick rubber sole. I like them more than chucks but after looking at this I might give real weightlifting shoes a try.

10. Dan-o07 “Shoes when squat and barefoot for dead” – Really it is just about comfort, I wear shoes when i squat but then i like being barefoot when i deadlift. The guy I lift with, who is national ranked in single ply lifting, he just wears a pair of converse when he does his lifts, cheap and they work just fine.

Results

Overall 80% of the data we went over (293 opinions) preferred some kind of lifting shoe vs being barefoot/socks. This makes sense when you are in a public gym or at a meet you might want shoes on so you don't contract any fungal infections. Also most gyms these days make you wear shoes where the days of Arnold being barefoot have pretty much come and gone. This is where lifting at home can be the advantage for barefooters. If you don't the money don't splurge on weightlifting expensive weightlifting shoes like mentioned above you can find some cheap ones around $35.00 or just go with something like skate shoes or socks.

Related Squatting Questions

Is It Bad To Squat Barefoot?

It is never bad to squat barefoot as long as your feet and ankles are healthy when it comes to stability and flexibility. Squatting barefoot has many advantages where you can actually grasp the ground and have more control especially then regular shoes. Weight lifting shoes of course have their place as well, but when first starting out go barefoot if you can your feet and squat will thank you.

What Does Squatting Without Shoes Do?

Squatting without shoes will make you actually feel the lift more activating more nerves and muscles. Feeling the lift means your balance will be helped with the spreading of your toes so you can actually grip the floor which creates this muscle activation. It can be much better to squat without shoes.

Should I Squat And Deadlift Barefoot?

You should squat and deadlift barefoot if you are able to as it will strengthen your feet and help tremendously with your lifts. Especially on deadlift as it will put you down at a lower profile then you would be with shoes. This is why many deadlifters will only wear socks as well. You create more leverage and also more balance by being able to spread your toes and actually grip the ground.

Do Shoes Matter When Squatting?

Shoes can make a big different in squatting especially as you increase your weight. Most average tennis or basketball shoes get you to lean a bit forward and this can create havoc and instability for your squats. This is why most serious weightlifter either go barefoot or use specific weightlifting shoes meant to keep your heels flat and balanced.

Can You Do Bodyweight Squats Barefoot?

Doing bodyweight squats barefoot is a great way to get a good workout and will help strengthen your feet and ankles. You can actually spread your toes and grip the floor so you will also increase your stability and balance. It is okay to get airborne doing jumping squats as well as long as you don't have problems with your joints.

Can You Squat Barefoot In Competition?

Squatting barefoot is not allowed during powerlifting competitions unfortunately. Working out at home and some gyms it may be okay, but once you get too competition you are required to wear some kind of sole on the bottom of your feet. This can be any weightlifting shoe or shoe you are comfortable with. You should definitely stay away from running and basketball shoes that are meant to get you to lean forward. Practice with your soled shoe before going to the competition.

Does Squatting Barefoot Actually Help?

Squatting barefoot can help greatly especially as a beginner so you can have increased gains. Your stability and balance will also increase since you can spread your toes and actually grip the floor while squatting. Don't buy weightlifting shoes until you think you are ready to go compete since you won't be able to go barefoot at competitions.

Why You Shouldn't Squat Barefoot?

You should squat barefoot if you have ankle or feet issues as this will leave you open to further injury. If you would like to work your way up to barefoot see about strengthening your ankles with therapy styled workouts first. That is really the only reason you shouldn't squat barefoot and also that you can contract fungal infections so make sure to wash your feet after lifting somewhere in public.