It depends. But I’d argue the answer is often yes.
For a long time, trainers and influencers demonized the usage of running shoes for any weightlifting exercises. It was often recommended that you should always lift with flat shoes – like Chuck Taylors or Vans. In fact, many of these same people also argued it was best to lift barefoot.
I know. I was one of them.
This argument was made because running shoes have “too much cushion.” This excessive cushion tends to shift your bodyweight too far forward. As a result, your weight is mostly on your toes, making it hard for you to “ground yourself” and maintain balance.
Here’s the problem with this statement.
While its not entirely wrong, it doesn’t paint the whole picture. Most people who are first getting into fitness have weak feet from working a sedentary job. Some individuals who wear heels at work often have high arches or bunions. Additionally, obese individuals often have flat feet. This is due to the excess bodyweight pushing their center of gravity so far forward that they apply all of their weight onto their toes. On the other hand, there are other individuals who were born with flat feet. Is it fair to say that each and every one of these individual’s feet all have the same strength and capacity to support their body during a strength training session using flat shoes? It’s not.
The foot is a complex mechanical structure of the human body.
It is composed of 33 joints and 26 bones.
The muscles, tendons and ligaments that support these 26 bones are either strengthened or weakened by the person’s daily movement patterns. Advanced gym rats have developed the body awareness and the ability to control their bodyweight over their feet. The most common issue I see with beginners in the gym is knowing how to shift their bodyweight over their feet.
For example when learning to ride a bike, we use training wheels to help us gain confidence. We also do this to understand the feeling of control and balance. With time, you learn to ride a bike without those training wheels.
If you haven’t strength trained before or worked on your foot muscles then having a supportive running/walking shoe is a great training wheel for the gym.
So the best way to get started with weight training is NOT to strip the individual down to bare feet. It is to provide them with a supportive shoe and show them how its supposed to feel to have a stable base of support. Bunions, high arches, and flat feet are often permanent in adults. I can’t say I’ve ever seen someone change their foot shape without surgery but I wouldn’t doubt that there are individuals who have managed to improve their foot health. I know I have.
With that being said, not all running shoes are created equal. There is SOME truth to the overly cushioned shoe argument. Brands like Nike, Skechers, Adidas, and Puma make very cute shoes but at the expense of being overly cushioned or with zero regard to arch support. Instead, I often have my clients take a test online to determine their foot’s limitations and needs. Then they’ll purchase a shoe (usually Brooks or Asics) that provides the support they need as they learn how to move their bodies in the gym. As for advanced gym goers, Olympic lifting shoes can be great for improving your Squats and Weight lifting exercises but are not entirely necessary for the average gym rat.
TLDR: Not all feet are created equal and there’s no shame in getting a shoe to support your unique foot structure.
