The Best Nike Shoes for Deadlifts

First, let’s answer one burning question: Are shoes necessary? After all, some people perform deadlifts barefoot. Nick Manzoni, personal trainer at Limitless Health and Fitness in Ridley, Pennsylvania, says, “Some people opt for barefoot deadlift if they feel their shoes don’t give enough room to adequately plant the toes in a position to translate force from the floor, especially those who do sumo deadlifts.”

While going barefoot is okay for some, the best shoes for deadlifts will optimize your performance and help prevent injury. “Those who use shoes to deadlift sometimes need to have their feet rooted in place to ensure no slipping,” Manzoni says. “Good connection to the floor gives better force translation. Driving the hips out on ascent can potentially cause the feet to slide outwardly, but a good shoe sole will remedy that.”

Because your shoes can impact how you target the muscles in the lower body when doing a deadlift, it’s important to wear the right pair. This will help avoid injury and provide benefits when it comes to coordination, balance, mobility and stability. The best shoes for deadlifts feature:

• Thicker soles and higher heel heights for experienced deadlifters
• Flat base for beginners
• Adequate width to allow for extra room around the toes

Training shoes designed for lifting have a thicker sole and higher heel, enabling your torso to be in an upright position and allowing for more knee bend — important for deadlifts.

Wearing the wrong shoe can do more harm than good. When performing a deadlift, you must keep your toes spread out. Some shoes are too narrow, leaving your toe area without much breathing room. One example is shoes designed for squats. These shoes do not provide enough ankle support and could cause injury.

“Wearing squat shoes with an elevated heel will be more detrimental due to the inability to drive enough through the midfoot to avoid being pitched forward,” Manzoni says. “A good deadlift of any variety requires balance, and being pitched forward from the floor will cause more energy loss pulling back to neutral.”

With this in mind, let’s take a look at the best Nike shoes for deadlifts.

Competitive powerlifters need a shoe that will optimize their performance. Look no further than the Metcon 9 and its sister shoe, the Metcon 9 Premium, for the ultimate powerlifting shoe. The gold standard for lifting and worn by some of the world’s greatest athletes, the Metcon 9 comes complete with a larger Hyperlift plate, helping you feel grounded. Another highlight is the flexible, durable support in the toe area, keeping the area feeling roomy.

Stability is a key factor in the design of deadlifting shoes, necessary whether you’re a beginner or a competitor. The flat, wide sole of the men’s Air Max Alpha Trainer 5 helps keep you grounded, and its enhanced rubber tread pattern provides exceptional stability and traction. The women’s Air Max Bella TR 5 combines the soft cushioning of the Air Max with a foam midsole along with a stabilizing, flat base to keep you grounded while you weight train. Likewise, the MC Trainer 2, available for both men and women, features an extra wide flat sole to help keep your feet in place.

Finally, the larger Hyperlift plate of the men’s Metcon 9 and the women’s Metcon 9 Premium provides greater stability for deadlifts. An EasyOn version is available for both men and women.

If deadlifts have only recently become part of your training routine, you need an appropriate shoe. “A beginner needs to have a shoe that is roomy enough for their toes to freely adapt and be placed properly, a flat sole or zero drop heel, with decent sole grip, and as little material between their arch and the floor as possible,” Manzoni says.

The Air Max Bella TR 5 for women will help keep you stable while toning and sculpting. The design helps keep your feet supported and contained around the sides and top of your feet. The men’s Air Max Alpha Trainer 5 features Max Air cushioning for comfortable stability when lifting. The wide, flat base offers enhanced stability and grip for all kinds of tough workouts.

What kind of shoe do you need when deadlifts are only part of your fitness regimen? If you’re a recreational deadlifter, you need a shoe that is well-suited for both deadlifts and other types of workouts. The MC Trainer 2 for men and women has you covered. The beauty of this shoe is its versatility; it can help you seamlessly shift from circuit training in the weight room to the field turf for fast-twitch conditioning. This multipurpose powerhouse offers stability and longevity, whether doing deadlifts, squats or sprints. With the MC Trainer 2, you can power through your workout without having to replace your footwear.

Words by Erica Brooke Gordon