Are Basketball Shoes Good For Lifting?

Many people who play basketball also do weightlifting and vice versa. So, it is a common thing to not want to use different pairs of shoes for both activities. Therefore, you might be asking: “are basketball shoes good for lifting?”.

Unfortunately, no. Basketball shoes are not good for lifting. Because basketball and weightlifting are activities that have different movement patterns. For example, you need to jump a lot in basketball while you need stability for weightlifting. So it is not the best idea to lift weights wearing basketball shoes.

Even though it can be inconvenient to have different pairs of shoes for both activities, you shouldn’t lift weights in basketball shoes. Because it can negatively impact your training and may even cause injuries.

Lifting Weights While Wearing Basketball Shoes: Is It A Good Idea?

When you are interested in both basketball and weightlifting, you might have a couple of questions in your mind. For instance, one thing that many people as is whether basketball shoes are good for lifting or not.

Since shoes are one of the most important equipment in sports. They greatly impact our performance when playing sports or lifting weights. Moreover, using the wrong kind of shoes can even cause accidents and injuries. So, picking the right pair of shoes is very important in both basketball and weightlifting.

When it comes to lifting weights in basketball shoes, we can say that it is not a great idea. Because both types of shoes have completely different features and are not designed to be used interchangeably.

Important Differences Between Basketball Shoes and Weightlifting Shoes

In order to understand why basketball shoes are not suitable for lifting, we should first learn about the differences between basketball shoes and weightlifting shoes.

1. Heel Elevation

One very important feature of weightlifting shoes is that they have elevated heels. This feature helps the wearer to have more mobility when doing exercises like squats, deadlifts and Olympic lifts. However, basketball shoes don’t have this feature.

2. Sole Hardness and Cushioning

When it comes to basketball, one thing is for sure: you will jump a lot. So, basketball shoes are designed with this fact in mind and have good cushioning for jumping. But in weightlifting this cushioning is disadvantageous.

3. Material and Flexibility

While there is a lot of impact on your feet in basketball, that is not the case with weightlifting. So, basketball shoes are quite solid and they are made with thicker material. In comparison, weightlifting shoes provide better flexibility for working out.

4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Do Weightlifting in Basketball Shoes

Here are some of the reasons why basketball shoes are not good for lifting weights:

• The cushioning of basketball shoes is not designed for weightlifting.
• While you will need mobility for weightlifting ankle protection can create limitations.
• Basketball shoes don’t have elevated heels.
• Basketball shoes are designed for completely different movement patterns.

So, let’s check out each of these factors one by one.

1. The Cushioning Of Basketball Shoes Are Not Designed For Weightlifting

When we are playing basketball, we need to do lots of jumping. Therefore, in order to protect your feet from the impact, basketball shoes have cushioning.

However, weightlifting is a completely different activity in which we don’t usually need to jump. But we need a stable and solid foundation when lifting weights. So, cushioning is not only unnecessary in weightlifting but it also negatively impacts the activity.

2. While You Will Need Mobility for Weightlifting Ankle Protection Can Create Limitations

When lifting weights, you need to do exercises like squat, deadlift, leg press, clean and press, snatch and so on… All of these exercises require you to be able to have mobility in your feet and ankles.

While ankle protection is useful in basketball, it can actually hinder your movement in weightlifting. So, basketball shoes can create limitations in your mobility level in weightlifting.

3. Basketball Shoes Don’t Have Elevated Heels

One thing that you can easily notice when you wear a pair of weightlifting shoes is that they make certain exercises very easy. This is mainly because they have elevated heels which make it easier to squat down and bend at your hips.

However, elevated heels would slow you down in basketball. So, basketball shoes are not designed with elevated heels and they don’t give the same advantages as weightlifting shoes.

4. Basketball Shoes Are Designed for Completely Different Movement Patterns

At the core of all the differences between basketball shoes and weightlifting shoes is that they are designed for two very different sports.

Basketball involves lots of moving around and jumping high while weightlifting is about doing exercises like squats and deadlifts. Since these two sports have very different movement patterns, their shoes are designed differently. Therefore, basketball shoes are not good for lifting.

3 Things To Look for In Shoes That Are Suitable for Weightlifting

Now that we know basketball shoes are not good for lifting, let’s see what to look for good weightlifting shoes.

1. Minimal Cushioning and Good Stability

Good weightlifting shoes must have minimal cushioning to provide decent stability to the wearer. Also, you should be able to feel grounded enough to be able to create more power during lifting.

2. Tall Hells That Provide Mobility

Another feature that good weightlifting shoes should provide is mobility. And this needs to be done with elevated heels that make it easier to squat down and bend at the hips.

3. Durability and Quality

When it comes to good weightlifting shoes, another factor we should look at is their durability. Since we usually plan to use these shoes for a long time, quality is important, too.

Conclusion

If you have been asking yourself: “are basketball shoes good for lifting?”, here you have the answer. In short basketball shoes are not suitable for lifting weights.

Because they don’t provide enough stability and they don’t have the right design for lifting weights. So, if you are planning to go to the gym and lift weights, you shouldn’t wear your basketball shoes for this.