Can you really lift with wrestling shoes?
There are a lot of people in the gyms who prefer wrestling shoes over lifting shoes as there are many legit reasons for that.
First, you can read these reasons and after that, you can check out two really good wrestling shoes for weightlifting.
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- Are Wrestling Shoes Good for Lifting?
- Best Wrestling Shoes for Lifting
- A Good Alternative (Really Popular)!
Are Wrestling Shoes Good for Lifting?
First of all, let’s start with why wrestling shoes can be used for lifting (squats, deadlifts…), powerlifting…
These shoes have more ankle support than almost any other classic weightlifting shoes. The reason is that it needs to help wrestlers to have safer workouts and matches. When you are lifting the weight from the ground it also provides good shock absorbing which you can use it during weightlifting as this lowers the risk of possible injuries. Serious lifters, who can lift really heavy weights, can use this quality. Also, when you do powerlifting, you exert a great amount of energy and force during a very short amount of time. You can also benefit from extra protection as well.
The support is excellent and the materials are not too tough so the wrestler can do maneuvers and their ankles are safe while they are in difficult and weird positions. However, you need to make the closure of these shoes quite tight.
The sole of wrestling is flat (does not have a heel) so the right muscles work during a session. So it is preferred that your weightlifting shoes have a flat sole. You can read the comparison of flat soles and the other sole types for lifting on here.
Also, many of you deadlift with barefoot. However, if you fall into that category, you don’t have enough traction and obviously, your feet are more likely to slip during the exercise and you may hurt yourself. Due to the requirement of this martial art, wrestling shoes provide an immense amount of traction. The wrestling shoes are ideal for people, who lift barefoot, as these also have paper-thin soles and the materials are flexible. In addition to that, the material density of them tends to be less. So these shoes are quite light.
If you prefer lifting weights with barefoot, you should definitely try on one of the wrestling shoes below.
Let’s talk about the sole. Wrestling shoes have considerably more quality soles than other sports shoes. The reason is that wrestler’s foot applies a great amount of force to the sole. So the sole needs to absorb the shock really well. This is also supposed to happen when you do squats or do almost any other lifts. Wrestling shoes are also quite good at this and help you feel comfortable. So your footing will not be so swollen after a workout. If you are a serious lifter you have experienced that some certain areas of your footing just hurt more after a workout. Basically, this shock absorbing sole reduces the pain and swelling and I am sure that many people love that about wrestling shoes.
The sides of the shoes are made for wrestling. These parts can stretch a lot and the construction doesn’t get loose easily. There can be many positions where wrestlers have a tough time to stand on wrestling mats and these parts stretch. However, these shoes can handle it. When this is the case, while you are lifting weights the shoe will not get loose anytime soon. Wrestling shoes can take tear and wear a long time and still can go strong. You can expect wrestling shoes to last more than weightlifting shoes. When you look at the prices and consider the durability, wrestling shoes offer a better quality-price ratio than many other shoe types including weightlifting and CrossFit shoes.
As you can see, there are many aspects in which wrestling shoes are just better than lifting shoes.
What Wrestling Shoes are Lack of?
The wrestling shoes have a quite thin sole. It can benefit you in some ways however this popular wrestling equipment has a drawback. I actually prefer higher soles for some lifts. Some lifts just can be done better if the shoe has a higher heel. You can squeeze your leg muscles with a shoe which has a high heel while performing a squat. So shortly wrestling shoes don’t offer the best performance for some lifts.
When you consider all the other shoes for weightlifting, the wrestling shoes have definite advantages over other sports shoes. It is even better than classic weightlifting shoes in some aspects. For example, you can do deadlifts better and overall it is quite supportive of your ankles as well. And the wrestling shoes below are preferred a lot for weightlifting. In addition to these, these shoes also have better prices than the most quality weightlifting shoes as well.
Adidas Men’s Combat Speed.5
Support: 9.0 / 10.0
Durability: 9.4 / 10.0
Comfort: 10.0 / 10.0
Check It Out: on Here
Exclusive Features
- Great support
- Very light
- Comfy
- Great for lifting (deadlifts…)
- Good fitting reviews
It has straps that are quite flexible yet it is also supportive. The material is quite thin and the sole is rubber which is also really light. Thanks to these, Adidas Men’ Combat has a quite lightweight. It literally does not feel like a shoe. It feels more like a sock. So instead of deadlifting with barefoot, you might want to consider this shoe as the sole provides a really good grip and the shoe is not bulky at all.
The material of the shoes is flexible and yet it is supportive which is again what expected from a lifting shoe.
And considering the durability, it is made of suede and the materials, mesh, rubber can last 3 years. So Combat Speed has a really high-quality price ratio.
Adidas offers great comfort. This shoe also has bigger mesh panels and these are made of top-notch materials that allow air in and out. Your feet are comfortable during workouts. These parts are also quite sturdy. When it comes to comfort, you know you can trust Adidas.
Adidas Men’s Combat Speed also has really awesome and unorthodox color selections including red and tan. If you are interested in this quality wrestling/weightlifting shoe, get your Combat Speed.
Asics Men’s Matflex 5 Wrestling Shoes
Support: 8.9 / 10.0
Durability: 8.5 / 10.0
Comfort: 8.5 / 10.0
Exclusive Features
- Really good grip
- Decent materials
- Thin and quality sole
- Comfy
- Incredibly popular!
Cons
- Break-in period (2-3 weeks)
Important Note: Many lifters suggest getting 1/2 size bigger.
The sole provides really good traction. Matflex 5 has a lot of medium and small size patterns. It provides grip for every direction and when you are lifting, the quality comes in handy.
It has a really thin sole and flat. However, it is one of the most shock absorbing ones so your footing does not have too much pressure while lifting. There is no wonder why people on bodybuilding forums wear this shoe for powerlifting, deadlifting.
It is made of textile and synthetic leather. These are preferred materials for shoes that need to be extra sturdy. Asics Matflex 5 can last a couple of years without major defects.
It has a lace garage so you don’t step up on the laces while you are in the gym.
Thanks to having decent breathability and not too rough materials, this shoe gets B+ for comfort. It is not on Adidas level but it is way above average.
However, Asics Men’s Matflex 5 has a break-in period. It will take a while to fully break-in this shoe. The toe box and the sides of Matflex will be more comfortable after a few weeks. But other than this, this pair of shoes does not have any drawbacks.
This shoe has a really good price. Even though the high-end wrestling shoes cost a lot this one surprisingly has a quite low price tag which apparently increases the number of sales.
As a final note, I bet that you have seen someone who trains with Asics Matflex series in your gym before. It is probably the most popular wrestling shoes for lifting. If you are interested, check out the most recent price.
It all comes down to your preferences. As you can see you can lift with wrestling shoes, which are comfortable and protective, quite well. With that being said, some may prefer bulkier weightlifting shoes over extra light wrestling shoes.
If you are inclined to get good wrestling shoes for lifting, the shoes above can accommodate you. With that being said, whether you choose to train with wrestling shoes or not the most important thing is that you get one which you are comfortable with and get used to training with it as this helps you show good performance in the gym and set new personal records.
I hope that you enjoyed reading and if you have lifted with wrestling shoes or just want to share your thoughts, have a comment below.
Very helpful and informative.
I like the one by Adidas, as always there choose very comfy.
Is this design also available for women?
I just had a look at it and Combat 5 is only for men. I don’t see any Combat Series for women.
This is exactly what my nephew has been looking for! I was wanting to get his some new wrestling shoes for xmas, but better late than never right? This is going to be great! Thank you for the descriptions with each shoe! Bookmarking this! Thank you!
That is good. He can lift the weights with them. These have quite a supportive ankle support as well especially when you are standing. Soon I will prepare a thorough guide and you can even see some more good selections. Be sure to check out the site!
I think these hi-top shoes are fantastic for weight lifting, especially when utilizing lower body movements like squats, leg presses, deadlifts, RDL’s, and anything requiring more ankle support. They also provide a great base for balance, allowing lifters to stick a lot of their movements. They’re something I need to invest in, myself, especially due to the fact I love my lower body movements.
The sole should absorb the shock and you should be able to stand still without losing balance. These shoes just provide that. Yeah, many people, who improve lower body muscle mass, prefer wrestling shoes.