Monday, April 6, 2009

Workout of the Day:
Deadlift – find your three-rep max:
3-3-3
and then,
Five rounds for time of:
5 x Deadlift (80% of 3-rep max)
10 x Handstand Push-Up

Jill's looking strong on her deadlift.

It’s Gotta Be the Shoes
Written by Mark Riebel

If you take a close look at some of our members’ and coaches’ feet, you’ll notice that on days when we’re lifting heavy weights or doing Olympic lifts, they put on funny looking shoes that make a lot of noise when they stomp the ground. That’s because those shoes have a hard sole made of wood or tough rubber. Although it seems strange, shoes like this can have huge benefits for you in heavier workouts.

First and foremost is transmission of force through the ground. When you’re going for a PR squat or trying to drive up weight on your push jerk, you want as much of your strength to go into the bar as possible, and wearing lifting shoes helps. If you’re wearing a typical pair of running shoes, they create a slightly wobbly surface for you to stand on because they are designed to absorb shock. Try squatting or jumping off of a bed or even something as simple as a foam mat. It’s very unstable and you lose a lot of the power you’re trying to transfer into that movement. Now, a pair of Nike’s isn’t like squatting on a bed, but as the weight goes up and up, that little bit of instability could make all the difference between a missed lift and a new PR. 

Lifting shoes also have a host of other benefits, such as increased quad recruitment and compensation for tight calves and hamstrings. If you’re up for a long read, check out the history of lifting shoes here. It’s exhilarating.

But don’t feel like you need to get a pair of lifting shoes. When we’re going heavy, try going barefoot; it’s better than your running shoes.