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[Afro]

Question, how bad is it to weight lift barefoot.. specifically squats.

[adonis]

It's not bad, however if your feet are not strong enough to handle the loads your legs are used to squatting you could coimpress your arch, and be in some pain.

Otherwise it's Eh! OK

I personally like to do my deadlifts barefoot. I can make better contact, and get more "feel" from my lift. It also helps to teach someone to "spread the floor" during deads.

It's also great for prorioceptive drills.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by adonis

It's not bad, however if your feet are not strong enough to handle the loads your legs are used to squatting you could coimpress your arch, and be in some pain.

Otherwise it's Eh! OK

I personally like to do my deadlifts barefoot. I can make better contact, and get more "feel" from my lift. It also helps to teach someone to "spread the floor" during deads.

It's also great for prorioceptive drills.

I was about to mention the same thing about deadlifts. They are the best without shoes.

[Warchief]

Arnold and his buddy Franco Colombu are always on barefoot while they lifting weight's...even when they squating 500lbs of barbell, they are still on barefoot.

[prseinziger99x]

those guys had balls squating and deadlifting with that much weight and no shoes. i recently dropped a friggin 45 plate on my toe and if i wasnt wearing shoes, the bone in my toe would have probably shattered. so im all about shoes.

[Spain215]

i doubt anyone on here is at the level arnold was at. i just say safety first and wear some shoes, in the end it doesnt really make a difference.

[Warchief]

As long as you can squat a heavy barbell while on barefoot, that's fine...but if the weight is too much for your feet and toe's...then that is the time to ware a shoes for protection.

[krayven]

I'd at least wear a lightweight pair of running shoes or cross trainers man. sanitary reasons alone. i've tried lifting barefoot and all it seems to does is cause sore feet and unessesary callouses at the end of the day, then again I always do a light run after lifting to break up all the acids etc. .. so i'm stating an opinion more than anything.

[Warchief]

Originally Posted by krayven

I'd at least wear a lightweight pair of running shoes or cross trainers man.

Or regular sandals...like i always ware, while lifting weights.

[CrossFitter]

All my WODs and heavy lifts are done barefoot. It is good for building muscles in your feet that are atrophied otherwise by conventional shoes. Have we forgotten that shoes are a fairly new invention on the world history timeline. However, lifting heavy stuff (maybe not for a MMA or just to look good naked) is NOT a recent discovery. I HIGHLY recommend lifting without shoes. I actually recommend being barefoot as much as possible. It is just better for you. Check out Dr. Romanov's paper on being barefoot. Training With Dr.Romanov: BAREFOOT RUNNING Archives