Athletic Footwear – What is the Best Shoe to Wear for Fitness Training in the Gym?

I was wondering about your thoughts on the best type of gym shoes to buy. I am sure barefoot would be best, but some gyms have a shoe policy. What shoe (for male and female) would be best to get? Nike free? Vibram Five Fingers? Etc.

Barefoot Vs. Traditional Footwear for Strength Training

Barefoot, or simulated barefoot training may be appropriate in some situations, but this doesn't mean you should throw out your sneakers for good.  Let us look at the pros and cons of using traditional footwear vs. barefoot training.

Safety Concerns for the Feet In Strength Training

When considering the type of footwear to use in the gym, you should first take into account the safety factor.  Although gym accidents are relatively rare, you do not want to have a weight dropped on your foot while barefoot, or in a very thin shoe.  A sturdy leather cross trainer or a good Olympic weightlifting shoe provides at least some degree of protection.

Barefoot Training with Traditional Gym Exercises

You asked about the best "gym" shoes, so I will assume that you will be doing traditional weighted exercises.  For the majority of leg exercises you are going to be performing in the gym, such as squats, step ups, deadlifts, etc., your feet and ankles should be on a very stable and hard surface.

One or both of your feet will be stationary for the duration of a set with most exercises. This stable environment allows for the majority of your neural drive to be focused in the appropriate muscles for lifting heavy weights.  There is not a significant amount of work has to go into stabilizing the foot and ankle.

What this means is that these types of exercises put a relatively low proprioceptive demand put on foot and ankle. This negates the main benefit of training barefoot or in very thin soled shoes. Conditioning the muscles of the feet and improving the proprioception of the foot and ankle are not the primary goals of performing these types of exercises.

When can you Train Barefoot?

A few instances come to mind when training barefoot or in a shoe such as Vibram Five Fingers can be beneficial in the gym.  For example, when performing calf raises of any variety, wearing thin soled shoes or training barefoot can be useful because it will allow for more range of motion.  Just make sure you are using a foot platform with a rounded edge in order to avoid putting to much pressure on the arches. 

Training barefoot can also be an excellent option for running drills done on an appropriate surface such as a grass or turf field.  This allows the muscles of the feet to be conditioned in a safe and effective manner.

Additionally, athletes who compete in sports involving a fixed-type boot, such as skiiing, hockey, and inline skating can benefit greatly from training barefoot. This is because the muscles supporting the ankles and feet will become deconditioned after being braced in these types of boots for weeks on end.

Strength Training Barefoot: The Verdict

To sum it up, a good weightlifting shoe or a solid leather cross trainer would be ideal for traditional gym workout because of their safety and durability. The benefit of barefoot or simulated barefoot training in the gym is negligible.  If you have a home gym, then go ahead and train barefoot if you like, but don't think that you are missing out if you are unable to do so in your commercial gym.