the best weightlifting shoes for women

The 5 Best Weightlifting Shoes For Women

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In this list of the best weightlifting shoes for women, we’re going to cover the best options you have for your feet when it comes to working out.

It’s no secret that investing in proper footwear and equipment is the key to upping your performance as an athlete. Whether you’re a runner, cyclist, or simply enjoy going hard in the gym, you must invest in the right clothing appropriate for your sport. 

One of the most important pieces of clothing for any athlete is footwear. The shoes you wear will ultimately affect your performance, whether it’s to improve your speed or balance.

After all, there’s only so much you can do with a pair of regular running trainers. 

When it comes to weightlifting, you might not consider shoes to be an important part of the clothing. However, your feet are your absolute base in weightlifting, so they need to be covered with appropriate footwear that will keep you stable. 

Without further ado, here’s our guide to the best weightlifting shoes for women! 

Reebok Women’s Nano X4 Cross Trainer

image of the all-new reebok nano x4 cross training shoe

The key to finding the best weightlifting shoes for women is versatility. Unfortunately, women’s weightlifting gear is still lacking in comparison to what men have on offer, so you need to find a decent pair of trainers that are suitable for various exercises, including weightlifting. 

First up on our list is the Reebok Women’s Nano X4 Cross Trainer. These trainers are incredibly versatile and ideal for weightlifters who like a bit of variety in their workouts.

So, you don’t have to feel restricted to solely weightlifting in the gym, as these shoes are also ideal for running, climbing, jumping, and more. 

These shoes consist of a knitted upper designed to keep your feet cool, energy foam to keep your feet cushioned and blister-free, and shock-absorbing EVA foam as the midsole that’s ideal for high-impact workouts.

The back of the shoe is fairly high, so you don’t have to worry about the shoes accidentally falling off, either. 

When testing this product, we appreciated that the trainers are built with an elevated heel, which is a key design feature for weightlifting trainers.

Elevated heels help to keep the foot and ankle stable, subsequently supporting the shins and preventing ankles from rolling. 

Pros:

  • Versatile – Suitable for weightlifting, running, jumping, climbing, and more
  • Comfortable – Mesh upper and foam padding provide breathability and cushioning respectively
  • Elevated heel – Designed to keep ankles and feet stable and strong

Cons:

  • Sizing – Make sure to look up the sizing guide, as these shoes can run slightly big

Inov-8 Women’s Fastlift 335

When you’re weightlifting, you don’t want to be thinking about how your feet are slipping against the floor. You need a pair of shoes that will grip to the surface to support you as you lift heavier weights. 

That’s where the Inov-8 Women’s Fastlift 335 trainers come in. These trainers are equipped with a sticky rubber sole, allowing maximum traction when lifting heavy weights.

This is matched with the elevated heel, which helps to keep the foot and ankle stable and prevent rolling. Elevated heel soles also help to keep the shins in position. 

These Adidas weightlifting shoes are some of the best weightlifting shoes for beginners, designed with convenience in mind. While they might not be the most stylish shoes on our list, they’re certainly one of the most secure.

They are fitted with a thick strap that covers the middle of the foot, which not only helps to keep your foot secure, but also keeps the laces hidden underneath (one less thing to worry about!). 

Not only this, but these shoes come with a wide toe box, which encourages you to spread your toes out naturally to improve your balance.

While some might feel comfortable in slimmer toe boxes, the ability to spread out your toes will naturally improve your performance. 

When testing this product, we noticed that despite its chunky appearance, these shoes are surprisingly flexible and lightweight, making them ideal for a first-time lifting shoe. 

Pros:

  • Grips to surface – Rubber soles provide maximum traction 
  • Wide toe box – Allows you to spread your toes out for balance
  • Lightweight – Surprisingly lightweight despite its chunky appearance

Cons:

  • Appearance – Not the most stylish shoe on the market 

Reebok Legacy Lifter

When it comes to finding a reliable shoe for any type of exercise, sometimes it’s easiest to stick to what you know. Reputable brands, like Adidas, are great at offering a vast range of reliable and trustworthy footwear for a range of sports, including weightlifting. 

The Reebok Legacy Lifter is ideal for a first-time lifting shoe.

If you’re new to the world of weightlifting and not sure which shoes to go with, then you can always trust a reputable brand like Reebok to provide you with high-quality footwear. 

These shoes are made of a fabric and synthetic mix designed to keep your feet cushioned, prevent blisters, and to maintain comfort.

This is met with a sturdy yet lightweight rubber sole, which is designed to grip to the surface and keep you stable while lifting heavy weights. It also features an elevated heel to provide more stability in your feet. 

The design of the shoe is slim, which is why these shoes are ideal for those with slimmer feet. The one downside is that the toe box is also quite slim, so women with wider feet might struggle to spread their toes out comfortably. 

When testing this product, we appreciated how the shoes come with the classic strap that is synonymous with weightlifting footwear.

This strap is designed to provide extra support to the midsole as well as keep the laces protected underneath, so you don’t have to worry about them unraveling. 

Pros:

  • Reputable brand – Reebok is a trustworthy and reliable footwear company
  • Comfortable – Cushioned, breathable, and comes with an elevated heel for maximum comfort 
  • Great for slim feet – Slimmer design is ideal for women with slim feet

Cons:

  • Not for wide feet – Slimmer design is not ideal for women with wide feet

Adidas Women’s Powerlift 5 Cross Trainer

Style isn’t everything when it comes to weightlifting – as there are more important things to focus on – but it does help when you know you look good. So, if you’ve found the previous shoes on our list pretty unappealing, then these are the shoes for you. 

The Adidas Women’s Powerlift 5 Cross Trainers come in 8 different colors, all of which are attractive and aesthetically pleasing. Aside from the pretty colors, these shoes are designed especially for lifting heavy weights thanks to their appropriate design. 

These shoes are equipped with a rubber sole designed to grip to the surface, cushioned foam inside the whole shoe to absorb the shock of impact, and a breathable mesh upper to keep your feet cool.

These Adidas weightlifting shoes also feature a slightly elevated ankle support, however, this elevation is lower than the other shoes on our list.

When testing this product, we appreciated that the snug, narrow fit made our feet feel secure while lifting weights.

However, these shoes are best suited for beginner weightlifters, because lifting heavier weights requires a wider toe box for your toes to stretch out for balance. As a result, we suggest only beginners buy these shoes. 

Pros:

  • Suitable for beginners – Ideal for those lifting lighter weights and beginners starting weightlifting 
  • Attractive – Appealing design comes in multiple colors
  • Effective – Work well for weightlifting, squatting, and more

Cons:

  • Slim fit – Advanced weightlifters need a wider toe box to provide more stability 

Otomix Women’s Stingray Escape Bodybuilding, Weightlifting, & Wrestling Shoes

For advanced weightlifters, you probably are looking for something more effective than regular weightlifting trainers. You need something more hardcore, something more serious – especially if you are also a bodybuilder or wrestler alongside your weightlifting practice. 

The Otomix Women’s Stingray Escape Shoes are ideal for bodybuilding, weightlifting, and wrestling. So, if you implement a mixture of all three sports into your exercise routine, then these shoes are ideal for you! 

The most striking feature of these shoes is that they have high ankle support.

This is designed to keep the ankle stable and prevent it from rolling, which would otherwise cause strains, sprains, fractures, and even breaks that would be detrimental to your weightlifting career.

Instead, this ankle support keeps the foot aligned, the ankle supported, and the shin straight.

The soles are flat and provide traction to the floor, but are surprisingly thinly sewn.

This is so athletes can feel the surface underneath the sole, which is ideal for improving balance and correcting positions during lifts. This also means the shoes are surprisingly lightweight, so all your energy can go straight to the heavy weights.

When testing this product, we appreciated how the mixture of leather and synthetic materials meant that these shoes are as durable as they are breathable. 

Pros:

  • Versatile – Suitable for weightlifting as well as bodybuilding and wrestling
  • High ankle support – Designed to protect the entire ankle when lifting heavy loads
  • Lightweight – Thin sole helps to keep the shoes lightweight to improve balance

Cons:

  • Price – Slightly on the expensive side
  • Advanced – Recommended for more advanced lifters

Best Weightlifting Shoes For Women Buyer’s Guide 

Buying a pair of weightlifting shoes is easier said than done. There’s actually a unique history to weightlifting shoes, which is why it’s important to buy a pair of shoes specifically designed for lifting heavy weights rather than wearing your regular running shoes. 

So, if you’re new to buying weightlifting shoes, here’s our handy buyer’s guide of factors to consider when buying shoes for weightlifting. 

Weightlifting Shoe Elevated Heel

Arguably the most important part of weightlifting shoes is the elevated heel.

Elevated heels were introduced in weightlifting shoes by the Soviet Union after they realized male weightlifters benefitted more in their ankle mobility when the heel was lifted. Since then, elevated heels have become a must-have feature for weightlifting shoes. 

Nowadays, the size of the elevated heel will depend on the manufacturer. In most cases, elevated heels are around three-quarters of an inch tall. Some have less elevation than others, so it mostly comes down to personal preference. 

If you’re an advanced or experienced weightlifter, you’ll know the importance of elevated heels and how they help to keep your feet in a stable position. Even for beginners, you should train your feet alongside the elevated heels to provide more stability in your ankles. 

Women’s Weightlifting Shoes Ankle Support

Women's Weightlifting Shoes Ankle Support

Speaking of your ankles, when looking for the best weightlifting shoes for you, it’s incredibly important to consider your ankle health when weightlifting. Your feet need to be supported by your ankles, which are then supported by the shins and the legs.

So, if you have weak ankles or if you’re lifting heavy weights, then you might want to consider getting a pair of shoes with a higher upper boot.

Otherwise, you can always invest in some ankle supports that aren’t attached to the shoes. This is ideal if you plan on using the shoes for other activities aside from weightlifting. 

Women’s Weightlifting Shoe Versatility

Unless you’re a pro weightlifter, odds are you’re probably going to use your shoes for more than just lifting weights. Weightlifting is only effective when you activate other parts of your body in strength training, whether it’s bodybuilding or wrestling. 

So, if you wish to implement other forms of strength training into your exercise routine, then you might want to consider finding a pair of shoes that are versatile. 

Wide Toe Boxes

Your toes provide far more balance than you might think. So, to improve your stance and stability when lifting weights, you need to find a pair of shoes with an adequately wide toe box.

This will allow enough room to spread your toes without restriction, which will dramatically improve your balance. 

However, it’s not always easy to find shoes with wide-toe boxes for women. This is because most women have slimmer feet compared to men, so it might take a while to find the right shoes if you have wide feet.

Of course, if you feel you have enough room for your toes in a slim shoe, then this shouldn’t affect your performance. 

Tightening Strap

Most weightlifting shoes are characterized by a tightening strap, which is a thick strap (usually Velcro) that goes across the middle of the foot.

This is designed to tighten and loosen the shoes with ease, so you don’t have to worry about untying the laces to be comfortable. 

These tightening straps are also useful for preventing your foot from rolling to the side and they keep the laces from loosening. 

Weightlifting Shoes Stiff vs Thin Soles

This mostly comes down to personal preference. Some shoes have a stiffer sole, while others have thinner soles.

The benefit of stiff soles is that they are generally more durable and provide more traction to prevent slipping on the surface. However, stiff soles don’t offer much flexibility in the foot. 

Thinner soles, on the other hand, allow the user to feel the floor underneath the shoe. While this might make the shoe feel less durable, this actually works to improve balance when lifting weights and shifting your position. 

So, whether you should get shoes with a stiff or thin sole is completely up to you. 

Weightlifting Shoe Size

Above all, the shoes have got to fit comfortably! So, make sure to always check the sizing guide from each manufacturer, and look at the customer reviews.

Some shoes are known to run slightly bigger or smaller than the regular size, which can be beneficial for slim weightlifting shoes if you want more space to stretch your toes out. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Better To Lift Weights With Flat Shoes?

While most running shoes come with a built-in arch for foot support, weightlifters actually benefit more from flat shoes. This is so you can root the feet into a more balanced position, which also means you have more leeway to shift your stance depending on the weights. 

Can You Wear Running Shoes To Lift?

While running shoes are versatile for multiple exercises and activities in the gym, it’s generally discouraged to wear them while lifting.

This is because running shoes are designed for – you guessed it – running, whereas weightlifting requires specific shoes that will promote a balanced stance. 

Running shoes lack some of the key components that are necessary in weight lifting shoes, such as an elevated heel, tightening strap, ankle support, and wide toe boxes.

You might be able to use running shoes for lifting light weights as a beginner, but you will need more support as you progress to heavier weights. 

Also, running shoes are equipped with a built-in arch designed to help the foot bounce off the floor while running. This arch doesn’t do anything to support or strengthen the muscles in the feet or ankles, rendering running shoes almost useless for lifting. 

Why Do Deadlifts Barefoot?

Doing deadlifts barefoot is actually a brilliant way to improve your lifting technique. Going barefoot while deadlifting helps to improve balance, reduces the risk of rolling ankles, provides a better force transfer between your feet and the ground, and engages the posterior chain muscles. 

While wearing shoes specifically for weightlifting is ideal for deadlifts, sometimes, professionals will train without shoes at all if they need to focus on shifting their stance and improving their stability. With better balance and stability, this should help you lift heavier weights. 

Summary

When looking for the best weightlifting shoes for women, you need to take into account what you will be using them for. If you’re looking for the best shoes for squats and deadlifts, you will want a shoe with a decent heel. You also of course need to take into account how much you’re willing to invest in your weightlifting shoes and try to pick a balance between quality and price.

Well, that about sums it up. We hope you enjoyed and took some value from this list of the best weightlifting shoes for women.

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