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0.5" Heels

Oli

Member
Rogue Fitness

Rips new invention, 1st generation.

The idea behind it seems pretty solid - the slight heel balances out force between the posterior chain and quads.

Would save a lot of time changing shoes between lifts, and might lead to a better deadlift.

What do you guys, especially weightlifting shoe wearers think?

For now I'm sticking with my cons as I have no trouble making depth in a flat heel.
 
Changing shoes between lifts? I wear the same pair for the whole session but perhaps I'm odd? :)

I love my adidas lifting shoes, the heel is higher than rip's but that is probably a good thing given my extremely limited posterior flexibility. If flexibility is not an issue I think the smaller heel on a solid[\I] sole will still be lightyears ahead of lifting in cross-trainers.

Never worn chucks so don't know what sort of sole they have but even the tiny weights I squat, press and pull cause my running shoes to squish under my feet which throws everything off a little - hence I do not wear them while lifting any more.

I'd never lift in anything but lifting shoes now (or bare foot) and for anyone (unlike Oli :) who does have flexibility issues a taller heel shoe is probably a better option but rip's are bound to be better than running shoes!

My $0.02
 
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I think its a great compromise between a proper lifting shoe and a shoe that a crossfit guy may wear.

You guys know how I feel about compromise.

Either do something properly or not at all, not sure who this shoe is for, the casual lifter maybe?
 
whats recomended then? because in all honesty ive been training in brooks runners, i was a keen runner for a while and im just so used to them so since ive started weight lifting i sorta just kept the same shoes lol...
 
I think its a great compromise between a proper lifting shoe and a shoe that a crossfit guy may wear.

You guys know how I feel about compromise.

Either do something properly or not at all, not sure who this shoe is for, the casual lifter maybe?

Markos (is it cool if I call you that?)

You know how most powerlifters change into flat soles when they deadlift so they can get more posterior chain involvement? Rip's idea is that the lower heel creates a better balance between quad and posterior chain involvement in the deadlift, and is better suited to a low bar, shoulder width stance squat, which is what he teaches.

It'll either be a revolution or a bit of a flop.

whats recomended then? because in all honesty ive been training in brooks runners, i was a keen runner for a while and im just so used to them so since ive started weight lifting i sorta just kept the same shoes lol...

You owe me reps for this.

Basically runners have a cushy sole, which makes you unstable at the bottom of the squat. On the other hand, the heel prevents you from getting proper hamstring involvement in the deadlift.

Weightlifting shoes have two main features:
1) They have a solid heel (usually wood) which doesnt compress in order to keep the foot stable. This allows less flexible (ie most) people to get better depth in the squat and balances out quad and posterior chain involvement so you can exert more force against the bar.
2) They have straps which bind tightly across the foot, preventing any movement

Squatting in both kinds of shoes with any decent weight would be enough to show you that this is a pretty big deal.

However, over the years there's been a lot of contention over heel height.

Being designed for stability in OLYMPIC LIFTS, the standard heel on Olympic shoes (0.75-1") is too high, preventing proper posterior chain involvement in the deadlift and also for those who adopt a wider squatting style (ie shoulder width and wider).

Powerlifters (APF and WPO excluded) have traditionally owned two pairs of shoes - both weightlifting for squatting and a flat sole for deadlifting.

Mark Rippetoe (probably the biggest authority in the world for the slow lifts right now) has designed a shoe specifically for the slow lifts - it has a lower heek (0.5") which will supposedly create a better balance between quad and posterior chain involvement in both the squat and deadlift. Time will tell its success.
 
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no idea how to leave reps dude but if i ever work it out ill send some your way lol. it all makes sense i suppose... i just guess im about the only person at my gym that trains for strenght.... all the others seem to love their curls lol basically ive never had any training experience with someone who knows what there doing in the way of weight lifting.... my gf has just finished her pt course and i plan on starting it soon enough, so my technique is pretty good, its just little things like what shoes to wear that i havent had the privellage of learning about lol... i really think i should find a new gym anyways, my gym doesnt even have a power rack... im forced to do most of my workouts with dumbells... and i squat with either a smitch machine or this other device for dead lifting etc.. atleast with the 2nd machine im able to use a more natural technique and have to balance a bit as im still holding all the weight, its just in my hands to the sides thats all lol...
 
Olympic lifters are the best true squatters anywhere. The PL squat is bastardised and unrecognizable. I dont have a problem with that, the entire sport is about reducing range of motion in order to move more weight.

If you truly want to get full benefits from the squat and dont ever plan to compete in PL, get a proper Olympic lifting shoe. For the record, the PC development in OL is light years ahead of that the the PL posses. Its not even in the same postcode.

This shoe is then developed for PL. More weight has been deadlifted in slippers than anything else, will be interesting to see if the WR goes up using these shoes. I do believe they will help squatters though, any heel will.

Either way, they are 1,000,000 times better than sneakers lol
 
Olympic lifters are the best true squatters anywhere. The PL squat is bastardised and unrecognizable. I dont have a problem with that, the entire sport is about reducing range of motion in order to move more weight.

Eh, I love monolifts and belly benching (though I dont do it :( ). Its all about lifting more weight!
 
Have you ever used a monolift?

My wife has at the Nationals, she absolutely loved it.

Max reckons he would walk the weight out on principle lol
 
Have you ever used a monolift?

My wife has at the Nationals, she absolutely loved it.

Max reckons he would walk the weight out on principle lol

hahaha.

These shoes look good, I could wear them out for the soul purpose of gaining height.
 
Have you ever used a monolift?

My wife has at the Nationals, she absolutely loved it.

Max reckons he would walk the weight out on principle lol

Nah, theres not a gym in newcastle, and I'd be suprised if there was in the state with a monolift.

I just train at home the same style most powerlifters do - regular squats (low bar, shoulder width stance), 28" wide bench grip, but if there was a powerlifting club around here I'd go for hell with a wide stance and grip.

Hey Markos can I ask a question? why do powerlifters use a really wide grip on the squat? I find it mind boggling as your back wouldnt be tight?
 
Because they are shit athletes with poor flexibility and have never learnt to squat properly.

That is a serious answer to your question.

My point is, if Max and Ghosty can open at my comps with well over double bodyweight using a close stance, high bar, close grip rock bottom squat, why cant everyone.

Why are novices taught the shitty poowerlifting system right off the bat.

Max and Ghosty, along with Nick who squats exactly the same way, have the best quad development of any lifter at PTC, as well as the biggest squats for BW.

So they squat correctly, get massive numbers AND development, why would you use any other way?

Belts, parallel depth, wide stance, low bar, thats not a squat as it was intended, and I dont believe any novice that doesnt actively compete should squat like that.

I do believe that if you are a shit squatter and you plan to compete that you should adapt to that style as soon as possible though.
 
powerlifters have to do what they have to do otherwise their out of a job.

i'm going to buy my lifting shoes once i double BW squat, even tho i would love some now.
 
Oli was asking WHY they squat the way they do.

I was simply replying that they are not very good squatters. I dont class what they do as what originally was classed as a squat, a deep knee bend.

You only need to check youtube and watch powerlifters squat and Olympic lifters squat to see what I mean, maybe I should put up some examples for those that dont know the difference?
 
YouTube - Brent Mikesell world record squat 517,5kg !!!

YouTube - IronMind 1998 Training Hall: Unbelievable Bulgarians

In the second clip a guy squats 250kg @ 69kg with not another person in the pic, no wraps, belts, suits, monolift, rock bottom, no fan fare. Its a very easy training lift with minimal effort with a mind boggling weight in perfect form, staying true to the original squat.

In the first pic see if you can count how many people are in the shot, the depth, the assistance gear, 27 spotters, its a brilliant weight by an elite powerlifter, but only one of those lifts is a squat in my opinion.

Two different sports, two different styles, you do what you have to do, but only one of them is squatting.

Again, its only my opinion.
 
Eh, strict form is boring. What I would call standard form (low bar, shoulder width, below parallel and raw) nobody has ever lifted much over 275kg for, a couple of russians in untested feds get around 300 but there it bottoms out.

I like to see people pushed to their physical limits, and i think a monolift, wide stance and belly benching allows for that. As for depth, to be honest, i dont know of any fed without depth. IPF is notoriously low, whereas monolift feds are a different kettle of fish - a squat with an ultra wide stance is going to have a very different hole to a more narrow stance.

Regardless, if you look up wendler and kroc training you'll find they both squat low bar, shoulder width, below parallel squat and 28" grip, bench to the nipples with a slightly arched back in training as thats how you build strength in the first place.
 
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I'm not talking about limits, I'm talking about what a squat actually is.

And your miles out as to what has been done by Olympic lifters, Paul Anderson was the first and possibly only man to squat 1,000lbs raw, no belt, wraps, monolift or half squats.

I was just watching Rezza rep 320kg like I rep 40kg. Apparently 450kg was easily within his capabilities, but why? He puts 266kg overhead, so I dont doubt him.

You know I like to push the envelope in strength training, but the exercise still needs to resemble the original form. There is no way you can tell me those 2 lifts are even close in execution.

Powerlifting should have called their lift an assisted dip
 
i cant find anything beyond internet hearsay about paul anderson. IPF world records for the 125kg category are at 457.5kg and thats suited.

100% raw records (only raw, drug test powerlifting fed) are stuck at 650lbs for the 220lb class, and a 700ish for the 300lb class.

again, if those olympic lifters squatted (though I'd bet they couldnt stand up to kirk, kroc or bolton) they'd be able to get more out with a multiply suit, wide stance and a monolift.

sorry to be a dick markos, but I like my monolifts and belly benches, dont knock them :p
 
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There not squats sorry Oli.

That vid I have posted, the PL weighs twice as much as the OL, and he is squatting twice as much.

Difference is, one has 23 spotters, wraps, belts, suits, undies, monolift and the other is squatting.

as I doubt you've ever squatted, you wont know the difference.

Take it from someone who has squatted both ways, they are different movements
 
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