The ideal shoe for lifting would be an Olympic weightlifting shoe for squats and a flat shoe for most other things.
However, basketball shoes will work. Training in basketball shoes has several benefits: they provide ankle support, durability, comfort, and often have some heel elevation.
In the words of Louie Simmons, “Don’t have $100 shoes and a 10-cent squat.” Specific lifting shoes can be a luxury, but you can learn to lift effectively in any footwear.
However, lifting in basketball shoes has some dangers that I’ll share below so you can minimize the downsides.
Table of Contents
4 Reasons Why Basketball Shoes Might Be Good For Lifting
1. Basketball Shoes Have Heel Elevation
Basketball shoes normally offer a slight heel elevation. This can help with the range of motion requirements at the ankle joint, often seen during a basketball game. Heel elevation will also help most lifters achieve a deeper and more upright squat.
Heel elevation also shifts pressure from the heel into the center of the foot and the forefoot. While basketball shoes' soles are not the most solid, heel elevation is a plus.
You could check out the best squat shoes with a high heel for better performance.
2. Basketball Shoes Allow For Various Kinds of Training
One of the nice things about wearing athletic shoes to lift in is that they allow for more variety of movement during your workouts. If you are not a powerlifter, you should likely include several explosive movements in the gym.
Many strength and conditioning coaches program contrast training, which involves a lift followed by an explosive movement, such as a squat followed by a vertical jump. Basketball shoes allow both movements to be trained sequentially, but Olympic weightlifting shoes are not the best for jumping.
Check out this article for the best cross training shoes.
3. Basketball Shoes Are Comfortable
Basketball shoes are normally built to be very comfortable. They often need to be worn for hours at a time, and they shouldn’t detract from performance on the court. Another comfort component is that basketball shoes offer great ankle support.
A basketball athlete must sprint, jump, and cut hundreds of times in a game. Therefore, the shoe must protect the ankle from possible injury.
Check out this article to learn more about lifting shoes with great ankle support.
4. Basketball Shoes Are Durable
Basketball requires a huge variety of movements to be performed. Basketball players also play and practice constantly.
Most brands of basketball shoes are built to last. This makes them a great option for people with both lifting and athletic goals. They also have tremendous tread and grip to help prevent you from falling and being at a greater risk of injury.
4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Lift in Basketball Shoes
Four reasons you shouldn’t squat in basketball shoes are:
- Not stable enough
- Too much cushioning
- Limit your range of motion
- Limit your ability to generate force from the floor
1. The Soles Aren’t Built to Offer the Stability Needed for Heavy Squats
While it’s true that the soles of basketball shoes are made from rubber, like most squat shoes, they also tend to be softer and more flexible than heeled or flat weightlifting shoes.
Additionally, basketball shoes are designed to move during quick court transitions. This isn’t a concern in powerlifting, which makes them a poor choice for squatting.
2. Basketball Shoes Are Designed to Absorb Shock from Running and Jumping
While not as cushioned as traditional running shoes, basketball shoes do have some foam cushioning. This cushioning is necessary to absorb the impact from running and jumping, but it means that the shoes don’t have a solid base like weightlifting shoes do.
Squatting on an uneven base can negatively impact your depth, torso angle, and bar path. It can also place unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Squatting in cushioned shoes can even negatively impact your ability to lift heavy weights, which contradicts the goal of powerlifting: lifting as much weight as possible.
3. The Ankle Support Found in Basketball Shoes Can Limit Your Range of Motion
Many believe high-top basketball shoes are good for squats because of their ankle support. But they can actually impede ankle dorsiflexion necessary for squatting to depth.
This can cause other parts of your body to compensate, leading to poor form and injury.
4. Basketball Shoes Limit Your Ability to Generate Force from the Floor
To squat heavy, you want to maintain a stable connection with the floor. Basketball shoes have thicker soles that prevent you from being able to make this connection.
When you wear cushioned shoes like basketball shoes to squat, they absorb the force you should use to lift weights. Instead, you want to push your feet against a harder surface, like a non-compressible sole of a weightlifting shoe.
Check out my other squat shoe resources:
- Are Vans Good For Squatting?
- Are Wrestling Shoes Good For Squats?
- Running Shoes Aren't Great for Squats
What To Look For in Squat Shoes
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on an expensive weightlifting shoe for squats, but there are a few things you should look for when choosing a squat shoe.
1. A Flat Sole
Squatting in cushioned shoes gives your foot an unstable base, throwing off your balance.
You want to use your feet to generate force from the floor when squatting. You also want to ensure you have good traction to prevent slipping.
Shoes with flat, rubber soles are ideal for squats because they allow you to feel a deeper connection with the floor and help keep your feet in place.
2. Heel Height
Weightlifting shoes typically have heel heights of 0.75” – 1”. They were originally designed for Olympic weightlifters to allow for a greater range of motion, but many powerlifters wear them as well to squat to depth more easily.
Heeled weightlifting shoes can benefit lifters with poor ankle mobility, long femurs, or who prefer high-bar squats.
I recommend the Adidas Powerlift 4’s (for men) or the Reebok Legacy Lifters (for women).
Squatting in shoes with a raised heel also allows you to engage your quads more.
However, there are plenty of powerlifters who prefer to squat in flatter shoes. If you’re one of them, you should look for a minimalist shoe with a low heel drop such as Converse Chuck Taylors.
Minimalist shoes like these also help strengthen the muscles in the feet and provide more positional awareness, which allows you to quickly make technique adjustments.
How do you know if you are someone who needs a flat or raised heel? Check out my article on Heel or Flat Shoes While Squatting: 6 Things To Consider.
3. Support and Stability
Heeled weightlifting shoes typically come with one or two metatarsal straps that offer additional support for the foot. They help keep the foot in place and prevent it from slipping inside the shoe when you have a heavy barbell on your back.
Metatarsal straps aren’t totally necessary as many powerlifters squat in shoes that don’t have them, but they do offer an extra level of lateral support that a lot of lifters appreciate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Lifts Should You Avoid When Wearing Basketball Shoes?
You can do all lifts in basketball shoes. One of my favorite lifters and coaches, Chad Wesley Smith, squatted 800 lbs raw at his first meet in Nike Frees. Some people needed to comment, but none squatted more than him that day.
Basketball shoes aren’t ideal for heavy squats and deadlifts. However, many people have gotten plenty strong without lifting in what would be considered the optimal footwear.
Are Jordans Good For Lifting?
There are many variations of Air Jordan basketball shoes. Many people like training in Jordan 1s. Jordan 1s are one of the best basketball shoes to train in because they have a relatively flat sole and are rather solid. This makes them a decent option for both squatting and deadlifting, if you prefer no heel elevation since you want a flat-heeled shoe for deadlifts.
Check out this article to learn about training in Nike Blazers.
Check Out My Other Lifting Shoe Resources & Reviews
- 12 Best High Top Lifting Shoes
- 5 Best Lifting Shoes For Narrow Feet
- 5 Best Lifting Shoes For Wide Feet
- 7 Best Women’s Powerlifting Shoes
About The Author
Amanda Dvorak is a freelance writer and powerlifting enthusiast. Amanda played softball for 12 years and discovered her passion for fitness when she was in college. It wasn’t until she started CrossFit in 2015 that she became interested in powerlifting and realized how much she loves lifting heavy weights. In addition to powerlifting, Amanda also enjoys running and cycling.