Are Cushioned Shoes Bad for Lifting? Myth vs Research
Published:
Written by: Hirotsugu YoshimuraReviewed by: Tomonobu Someda
'Squatting or deadlifting in soft, cushioned running shoes lets your power leak away' and 'flat soles or barefoot are the only right choice for lifting' — you hear this a lot in gyms. So how much does shoe cushioning actually affect your lifting results or safety? We'll look at the biomechanics research, but up front: this area is very thinly studied. We'll honestly separate what we know from what we don't.
Let the data settle it.
Do soft shoes 'leak' power and hurt your squat?
What's said
ジムでの通説、リフター文化
Cushioned shoes compress and let force leak into the floor, so you lose out on squats and deadlifts. A hard flat sole transmits force more reliably.
What research says
- There's almost no data directly measuring 'power leak' and showing a disadvantage.
- If anything, a small study by Sinclair et al.
- (2015) found squats were deeper with cushioned running shoes than barefoot, with greater knee flexion and rectus femoris activity — participants preferred barefoot, but no biomechanical basis for that preference was found.
- Conceptually, if you treat a soft, compressible surface as a 'mini unstable surface,' you might invoke Anderson & Behm (2004), who showed roughly a 60% drop in maximal force under unstable conditions.
- But that was a chest-press study, not direct evidence about shoes or squats.
Direct evidence for 'soft shoes hurt your squat' is scarce, and some findings point the other way. It's reasonable that very compressible running shoes can feel unstable under heavy loads, but 'you lose power' is not currently supported by research.
Does shoe type change squat mechanics or joint loading?
What's said
リフティングシューズ推奨の通説
Weightlifting shoes (with a hard, raised heel) fix your squat posture and protect your knees and back, so ordinary sneakers are no good.
What research says
- That shoes change movement is consistent across several acute biomechanics studies.
- Sato et al.
- (2012) found weightlifting shoes reduced trunk lean by about 22 mm, and Southwell et al.
- (2016) found shoe type redistributed joint loading rather than making it 'good' or 'bad' (barefoot loaded the hips more, shoes the knees more).
- So weightlifting shoes tend to keep you more upright and shift load toward the knees.
- But no study compares whether this translates into differences in long-term injury rates or muscle growth.
It's true that weightlifting shoes change posture and how load is distributed, and they may help people whose stiff ankles make squatting hard. But there isn't long-term data to claim 'normal shoes are bad' or that they 'will protect you.' For most people, it's a matter of preference and comfort.
So what shoes should you actually pick?
What's said
SNS・フィットネス系の断定的アドバイス
If you're serious about lifting, it's dedicated weightlifting shoes or barefoot, period. Training in running shoes just means you're a beginner.
What research says
- The research doesn't go that far.
- What's established is only that shoes acutely change squat posture and the distribution of joint loading — all from small (n=9–32), short-term, mostly male biomechanics studies.
- A stable hard shoe (or a raised heel) is a sensible choice for heavy squats, but there's no long-term comparison showing that cushioned shoes reduce results or cause injury.
- We also found no deadlift-specific footwear studies.
If you want stability under heavy squats and deadlifts, a firm, non-compressible shoe (flat sole or weightlifting shoe) is reasonable. Still, there's no basis to say 'running shoes are absolutely bad.' For lighter sessions or if comfort matters most, there's nothing wrong with training in the shoes you already have.
Related research
- Effect of Weightlifting Shoes on Squat Posture and Trunk Lean: An Acute Biomechanics Study2012
- Effect of Footwear (Barefoot, Running, Weightlifting) on Joint Load Distribution in the Squat2016
- Squat Kinematics and Muscle Activation in Running (Cushioned) Shoes, Barefoot, and Weightlifting Shoes2015
- Reduced Maximal Force Production on Unstable Surfaces: Stable vs Unstable Conditions2004
Sources
- Sato K, Fortenbaugh D, Hydock DS (2012) J Strength Cond Res — Kinematic changes using weightlifting shoes on barbell back squat
- Southwell DJ, Petersen SA, Beach TAC, Graham RB (2016) J Electromyogr Kinesiol — The effects of squatting footwear on three-dimensional lower limb and spine kinetics
- Sinclair J, McCarthy D, Bentley I, Hurst HT, Atkins S (2015) Eur J Sport Sci — The influence of different footwear on 3-D kinematics and muscle activation during the barbell back squat
- Anderson KG, Behm DG (2004) J Strength Cond Res — Maintenance of EMG activity and loss of force output with instability
Published:
Written by
Hirotsugu YoshimuraFounder of BODYDATA / CEO of INVOLVE
I don't pick things because they "seem good." I check the data first, then test it with my own body.
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Reviewed by: Tomonobu Someda
Content reviewed from the perspective of coaching practice and supplement-industry experience
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