🔥 SQUAT SHOES 

💥 When should you use them ?

Squat shoes are an accessory for leg day that can be very beneficial for some people more than others. Squat shoes can be pricey but have gone down and can be found at reasonable prices, and with being worn only for leg days they will probably last a long time. They by no means are needed but some may find them beneficial.
⠀
There are two things that make the squat shoe special, one is its rigidity (Mark H et al 2018) which in theory allows for faster RFD compared to softer shoes. Second its elevated heel; which helps by creating artificial ankle mobility by placing the foot into plantar flexion. This allows for greater knee travel and less trunk flexion (Sato K et al 2012)(Charolton J et al 2016).

[wp_ad_camp_1]
⠀
Why is this useful; increased forward lean due to restriction of knee travel or ankle mobility can lead to an increase in low back pressure of up to 1070% (Fry et al 2003). Even the NSCA recommends minimizing forward lean to decrease injury risk. Squat shoes may help those who experience low back pain or have proportionally longer femurs which make it harder to stay upright.

If squat shoes are practical to you or experience low back pain when squatting due to an excessive forward lean they may be right for you or if you use them for Olympic weightlifting. However; one should have the mobility to squat to a good depth, these shoes should merely be assistance not a means to an end they’re not magic.
⠀ ⠀
I’ve used them on a few occasions and they do make it easier to squat deep. One thing I have noticed when squatting deep with flat shoes is I get a lot of shin activation due to the great degree of dorsiflexion which can make them overwork, the squat shoes seem to alleviate that. To learn how t squat deep without squat shoes get the SQUAT GUIDE in the link above.