Is Barefoot Training Beneficial

Shoes off in the gym has become a common practice among heavy lifters, but is it actually beneficial? The answer is not so simple. When is the best time to toss the shoes aside? Whatever you do, just keep those damn socks on...

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, team, Tossing shoes aside for heavy lifting has become
a staple in gyms across the country. But is there
real benefit to the practice? The real answer it depends.
Always listen as someone who's been lifting multiple times a
week for fifteen years. The answer still varies depending on
what I'm training, where I'm training, and what the outcome
of the day is. Nowadays, I too can be found

(00:21):
without shoes, but always socks don't be weird in the gym.
If I'm deadlifting or squatting, chances are my shoes are
beside me at the rack, though that changes throughout my workout.
When I'm in my mecon warm up or CNS prep,
I'm using shoes for protection from both impact and the
moving pieces. Same goes for when I'm lifting upper body
or working in a crowded area. If you think dropping

(00:41):
a plate on your toes sounds painful, imagine it happening
without a shoe on a blanketed way to look at
This really sits within the modality at play. If you're
playing a sport, going for a run, practicing high intensity
circuits with pliles and agilities, shoes are likely going to
be a tremendous help if you're staying in one spot
to rip out a lower body lift. There is in

(01:02):
fact benefit to practicing without shoes. Let's break those down.
Number one improve foot strength. The truth is our feet
have grown soft. We've become accustomed to shoving them into
supportive shoes all day, which causes our feet to forget
what it's like to support themselves. Practicing movement patterns without
shoes can help strengthen the arches, ankles, and lower legs.
Start with barefoot body weight squats, deadlifts, rdls, and other

(01:24):
bilateral exercises before increasing weight or moving to unilateral movements.
Number two improved balance and sensory feedback. This is an
underrated metric to improve upon. It's one thing to be strong,
it's an entirely different thing to be balanced and stable.
There are over one hundred muscles, ligaments, and tendons just
in the foot together. They need to work in perfect

(01:46):
harmony to avoid overuse, injury and pain. Teaching yourself the
power within the floor foot connection will lead to better
overall balance and make you more skill than mastering your
own body control throughout the day. Number three increased mobil
training with a shoe can sometimes give us an advantage
we didn't know we needed. Some may remove the shoes
and realize they can't squat barefoot without their heels coming

(02:08):
off the floor. Others may look down and see how
scrunch their toes are versus being able to spread and
press them into the floor With each rep in the shoe,
we're really only relying on a few of the main muscles.
Without the shoe, we call upon every structure to come
into play in strengthen together. Barefoot training is an acquired
skill and shouldn't be rushed. Start with a few sets

(02:28):
and wraps each week and work your way up as
your feet becomes stronger without the help and support of
a cushioned shoe, A good first step is stepping out
of an overall supportive shoe think running or walking shoes,
and into a shoe predominantly designed for strength. This will
be one that keeps your foot closer to the ground
with a minimal heel drop to allow for proper form
and balance. I talked about this at length with my

(02:50):
friend and fitness shoe enthusiasts Jake Bully on the bodybuilding
dot Com podcast Stay Strong, Stay Stable, and play with
new things that can help your wellness routine. Until next time,
M