womens weightlifting shoes

Women’s weightlifting shoes may not be what springs to mind when you consider workout equipment.  Many believe that powerlifting or weightlifting are sports that require no equipment at all.

Well, if you browse our site you have probably found that isn’t the case…

Maybe you have found that your current sneakers are not up to the job when lifting heavy weights. Perhaps you felt off-balance when performing squats or leaning backward and falling onto your heels for deadlifts.

A weightlifting shoe is a perfect solution to these problems. In this guide, we will look at some of the best weightlifting shoes for women.  If you are a male, check out our best weightlifting shoes guide.

Weight lifting shoes have these noticeable benefits over your typical footwear:

  • Quality – Powerlifting shoes are often manufactured to a much higher standard than regular sneakers or trainers.
  • Support – They provide much better support than regular shoes and have features such as metatarsal straps.
  • Balance – They often have a heel that is raised to help with proper positioning of the feet for lifting along with a wide base.
  • Solid soles – A sole that does not compress is often built-in so that force can be transferred effectively and balance is improved. This means that less cushioning is better.

The above features are important when it comes to serious lifting. A shoe that does not have the above cannot be considered a serious lifting shoe at all. So let’s take a look at some of our top-rated shoes for women in the gym:

Our Top 6 Womens Weightlifting Shoes

    Review
#1
4.8 out of 5 stars
Adidas PowerLift TrainerClick For Adidas Powerlift PriceBest overall. Comfortable and great for heavy lifting.
#2
4.2 out of 5 stars
NOBULL TrainerClick For NOBULL Trainer priceBrilliant for lifting, CrossFit and everyday use.
#3
4.2 out of 5 stars
Reebok Lifter PRClick For Reebok Lifter PR PriceGreat for cross-training and weightlifting
#4
4.5 out of 5 stars
Inov-8 Fastlift 335Click For Fastlift 335 PriceStable and robust but also lightweight.
#5
4.1 out of 5 stars
Adidas Adipower PerformanceClick For Adipower PriceExceptionally comfortable and perfect for squats
#6
3.9 out of 5 stars
Pendlay Do-WinClick For Pendlay Do-Win PriceA strong all-rounder and lightweight

#1 – Adidas PowerLift Trainer – Best Overall Womens ShoeAdidas Womens Powerlift Shoe

The Adidas Powerlift Trainer is designed for CrossFit enthusiasts bought it is also a great shoe for weightlifting. These training sneakers for women can make great CrossFit shoes or used as powerlifting footwear.  These trainers are incredibly comfortable while still offering great value for money. They are available in a wide range of color combinations which make them appealing to many female weightlifters. They have the following benefits for ladies:

  • Lightweight upper with air mesh sections which allow for excellent breathability.
  • Anti-slip Flat sole with a raised heel to create a large surface area.  This helps to disperse weight across the entire foot and assists with balance
  • An enhanced midsole for additional support and comfort

The Adidas PowerLifts provide excellent stability for women. adidas powerlift shoe blue

If you have been working out in running shoes previously, you will see an amazing difference the first time you use them. Their stiff sole will balance you through the heaviest of lifts so you can focus less on keeping your feet in the correct position and more on completing the lift or set.

Click For Adidas PowerLift Price

#2 – NOBULL Training Shoes – Best All-RounderNOBULL training shoe

NOBULL is a newer brand when compared to Adidas and Reebok. Actually, the NOBULL company founders previously worked for Reebok. But their products are taking the sports community by storm. The NOBULL training shoes are no different!

The NOBULL shoes are more all-rounders rather than full-on lifting shoes, hence they don’t have the traditional elevated heel. But they are exceptionally sturdy and lightweight while featuring excellent grip and comfort. They boast the following features:

  • The upper is manufactured from one piece of their SuperFabric which is durable, breathable, and also abrasion resistant
  • The sole offers superb stability and is designed for indoor, outdoor use, and also rope climbing
  • Flexible enough to be used comfortably for everyday use

We found that they were flexible while having stiffness in areas where it is needed, such as near the ankles and heel (for powerlifting). Being a great all-rounder makes them perfect for CrossFit as they are supportive and yet flexible. Plus they have some nice features for rope climbing too!

If you want to great pair of shoes for lifting that you can use for other sports or use every day, these are the ones for you!

Click For NOBULL Price

#3 – Reebok Lifter PR – Best For CrossFitReebok Crossfit Lifter Shoe

Straight away you can see that a lot of development has gone into the Reebok Lifter PR. A thick single Velcro strap and a liner that prevents friction are just some of the examples of many features that these ladies’ weightlifting shoes have. They are available in a wide range of color combinations on the female version, which helps to portray just how good these gym shoes are. Their features also include:

  • Durable real leather upper
  • Excellent grip thanks to a premium rubber sole
  • Velcro strap to help keep the feet in position when lifting

These workout shoes provide rock-solid stability where you feel almost bolted to the floor, and it’s much easier to maintain the correct form. They will help you feel more confident in pushing yourself. There is absolutely no sponginess in the soles for optimum transfer of force.

Click For Reebok Lifter PR Price

#4 – Inov-8 Fastlift 335 – Best LightweightInov8 Fastlift Shoe

Inov-8 specializes in creating shoes for sports such as running, rock climbing, and weightlifting. The Inov-8 335 features their innovative meta-flex and technology which allows the foot to flex correctly. They also feature Power Truss technology to wrap around and support the heel. The 335s feature a raised heel for correct foot alignment and many other things to assist in stability and make this a great shoe for ladies lifting weights or powerlifting.

Available in pink, the Fastlift 335 features a durable and breathable upper and strap to keep your foot in place when lifting. The sole is extremely grippy and flexible so you should be able to improve upon your personal bests thanks to the excellent research and development that has gone into the shoe. Their features include:

  • Better foot alignment through an elevated heel
  • Durable and breathable upper
  • Wide heel and toe areas for enhanced balance
  • Excellent gripping sole

fastlift womens weightlifting shoe handThe Inov-8 Fastlift 335 are great weightlifting shoes for women with an appealing appearance. They create a juxtaposition as heavy weights crash around these beautiful pink Olympic lifting shoes. They are very sturdy but lightweight and well manufactured, so you can expect them to last a very long time.

They are particularly good for keeping the torso upright during squats or overhead presses. Also, take note that their pink color is actually more intense in real life than they appear in pictures.

Click For Inov-8 Fastlift Price

#5 – Adidas Performance Adipower – Best For Comfortadidas adipower womens shoe

The Adidas Adipower Performance shoe suitable for women features the classic black three stripes on a white design that everybody instantly recognizes. These are one of the more comfortable pairs of shoes available made specifically for weightlifting and powerlifting.

The upper section of the trainer is leather coated in PU which provides great support and adds to the already good comfort. Another great feature of this footgear is the outsole which uses the Adidas VentFlow system for added ventilation. This is the kind of footwear that once you start wearing these, you completely forget as they are so comfortable.

These do tilt you forward a little, so they are not the best weightlifting shoes available for deadlifting. But for other activities, they are perfect, especially when it comes to leg exercise making them a great pair of shoes for squats. The heel is exceptionally stable, and they actually have a slight slope from heel to toe. Also, these are lightweight and manufactured from an injected polymer.

The overlay on the heel adds to the stability while keeping the sneaker lightweight and the sole provides its wearer with a brilliant grip. The rear of the shoe is perfectly anchored while the hook and loop system over the top of the sneaker adds to the security ensuring that they stay on the wearer’s feet.

Click For Adidas Performance Adipower Price

#6 – Pendlay Do-Win – Best For CrossFitpendlay do win gym shoe

The Pendlay Do-Win weightlifting shoe for women is a revised version of the original Pendlay workout shoe. Some drastic improvements have been made, especially to the sole area. This new sole is manufactured from a single piece which will increase the flexibility and also strength of the trainers’ sole.

This footwear is not only suitable for various types of weightlifting but also for everyday exercise too. And Pendlay insists that these trainers can be worn for CrossFit lifting with ease. These are also ideal for those who have wider or flatter-shaped feet. As the toe area is wider than other weightlifting shoes that we have seen.

When it comes to grip, the sole of the sneaker is excellent, and it is actually quite difficult to get your feet to budge when you’re performing squats or another powerlifting movement. The upper area of this gym footwear is manufactured from leather and offers reasonable comfort and breathability.

A difference from other types of shoes is that the Do-Win has two straps over the top which provide that additional security to keep your foot in place when heavy lifting. The heel on these is 3/4 of an inch making them the perfect height for Olympic weightlifting.

Click For Pendlay Do-Win Price

Other Shoes Worth Mentioning

Nike Romaleos

This pair of Nikes is give you a very stable platform to lift from. The Nike Romaleos 4 is the latest version and they provide a wider toe box when compared to the well-known Romaleos 2.

The athletic shoes are great for competitive Olympic lifts and even box jumps. But they are expensive. You can expect to pay around $200 for a pair. You can pay a lot less for slightly less performance. If you don’t care about price, these are certainly a solid pair of weightlifting shoes to consider.

Converse Chuck Taylors

The chucks are a popular choice among lifters. They are flat shoes with minimal cushioning. This means that they are a stable base and allow you to push from the floor. But there are also comfortable and suitable for wide feet.

These versatile shoes are can be used as walking shoes or in the gym. They are also very lightweight and come at an affordable price.

How The Shoes Compare

Heel Elevation

Here is how the heel elevations compare across the footwear that we selected:

Heel Elevation (mm) Heel Elevation (inches)
Adidas Powerlift 4 15mm 0.6″
NO BULL Training Shoes 4mm 0.15″
Reebok Lifter PR 22mm 0.86″
Inov-8 Fastlift 335 16.5mm 0.65″
Adidas Adipower 19mm 0.75″
Pendlay Do-Win 19mm 0.75″

A heel elevation of 0.75″ is the general industry standard.

Which Is The Best Women’s Weight Lifting Shoe?

The Reebok shoe had excellent engineering and technology, but only the more experienced lifters would benefit from these. The 335 looks great and is very good overall. But both of these are beaten by the Adidas PowerLift which is an outstanding shoe and also offers excellent value for money. With these, you will be able to purchase them as a weight lifting beginner. You will still be wearing them as a veteran reaping the great benefits that these have to offer.

Without a doubt, there are great benefits to ladies wearing weightlifting shoes in the gym. The best weightlifting shoes for women do not only provide great styling and appearance but also excellent performance too. Be sure to check out the video below for more information on weightlifting shoes.

 Advantages Of Ladies Wearing Shoes For Weightlifting

We all know that every sport has a particular type of shoe designed for it to enable sportspersons to perform their best. These types of shoes may also help to prevent injuries. Whatever the advantages, professionals in their sports always ensure that they have the correct shoes for the job. But many people overlook the fact that specialist weightlifting shoes should be worn when lifting weights. Is actually quite a common oversight and the majority of individuals will just wear their regular shoes at the gym or anything that they feel comfortable wearing.  But in actual fact, they are even more important than your gym gloves.ladies gym shoes with dumbbells

Shoes for weightlifting are there for a reason. Just like many of the other shoes for their particular sport, they help to improve the wearer’s performance as well as assist in their safety.

For example, you wouldn’t see anyone wearing a pair of spikes for running long-distance, and in the same type of way people shouldn’t be wearing running shoes for weightlifting.

One of the bigger advantages of weightlifting shoes is that they improve the wearer’s stability. This is achieved by having a wide base and a raised heel. This raising of the heel allows the ankle joint to bend while still keeping the wearer’s feet flat.

The reason for this bend and raising of the heel is to assist with the wearer’s balance. By assisting with this ability to keep their feet flat on the ground, they have less chance of losing balance and thus have an easier time lifting weights with good form and in a controlled manner.

Another great advantage of wearing the correct shoes for working out is to help in the prevention of injury. If the weightlifter loses stability, this force shifts to other areas of the body such as the joints. When this occurs, there is a chance that an injury can happen.

Weightlifting shoes for women are designed to utilize the lower muscles and in a fuller way. If you have a pair, you may notice that the soles are particularly hard. This is to improve the transfer of force. A hard sole does not allow the force to be spread across the floor. Instead of this, the power and energy that passes through the feet are channeled more directly to the lift. So weightlifting shoes help to utilize all of the force that you create when lifting the weight and so making it easier to lift heavy weights.

Women’s weightlifting shoes have superb levels of grip. You will have a hard time losing balance or slipping when wearing any sort of weight lifting shoes.

At the same time, these women’s lifting shoes are flexible as the wearer’s feet actually bend a lot, especially when performing squats or deadlifts. Flexibility allows some storing of elastic energy which is created by the straightening and bending of the foot. Because of this flexibility, and the bending of a weightlifter’s feet being a common occurrence, weightlifting shoes need to have a very high level of grip. So for all of these reasons, by obtaining a pair of weightlifting shoes, you will see massive improvements in your heavy lifts.

Even with all the right research and the best guidelines for Olympic weightlifting shoes, the best way to see how the shoes fit is to buy a pair for yourself. After you get the experience of lifting in a pair, you will really be able to see the effect these CrossFit lifting shoes have on your performance.

Gym Shoe Buyers Checklist

girl weight lifting shoesA lot of stress can be placed on the body when weightlifting. So the base of your body is crucially important when lifting. The only people who should not be wearing weight training shoes are the ones who really cannot afford them. The majority of people can and should put some money aside to get a good pair that will last them for a long period of time. Here are the key things to look for when shopping around for your next pair of gym shoes:

  1. Stability – This is one of the most important things that need to be considered when buying shoes for weightlifting. It is essential if you are lifting heavy weights. An unstable shoe can end in disaster. Our recommended best lifting shoes for women have been tried and tested and are highly regarded across the weightlifting community.  Many people prefer high-top shoes for extra stability.
  2. Fit – It’s of extreme importance to ensure that your shoes fit correctly. This is true in any sport. If they are too loose or too tight they can be uncomfortable and can also potentially lead to an injury. Is also important to ensure that the shoes that you choose are durable and reliable.
  3. Appearance – The appearance and design of a shoe make no difference to its performance. But of course, in today’s world, image is important to a lot of people and you want to look in the gym. There are plenty of shoes with appealing appearances out there. You just have to choose the ones that you like the look of the most.
  4. Cost – This is one of the main things that people look at especially if they don’t have a lot to spend. But just because you can afford a product doesn’t mean that it will perform as you expect. This is why it is important to look through our guide to ensure you are getting excellent footwear for your money. Is also important not to cut corners and get a cheaper shoe as it’s quite likely that you will be disappointed with its performance and cheaper shoes can increase the chance of injury.

Ladies, What Do You Need To Look For?

Although all-female lifting shoes have the same sort of idea behind them, not all are created equal. We’re here to help you wade through all the various styles and models. The first thing that should catch your eye about your potential new shoes for lifting weights is whether or not you like them. While this may seem trivial when you’re thinking about your performance as an athlete, the way you connect with your shoes really will affect how you lift.lady tying shoes

Next, you’ll want to look at the mechanics and build of your footwear. You should try to get an understanding of what heel height works best for your body as you may lift better with a lower heel than a higher one. Once you have determined the right heel height for you, you’ll want to look into the support and strapping.

When you try your shoes on, your feet should have support in every direction. As you check for support, you should pay close attention to the width of the shoes in comparison to your feet. Certain brands are better for wider feet while other companies specialize in wider styles. When considering the sizing of women’s powerlifting shoes, you will need to get a shoe that is as close to a fit as possible. Though most trainers have laces lining them, you will want to have a shoe that is already stable and supportive before lacing up.

In the realm of weightlifting footwear, you can actually find multipurpose shoes that have semi-rigid soles in addition to weightlifting shoes that are rigid through and through. The multipurpose shoes are perfect for those involved in CrossFit or any other form of functional fitness. With shoes that offer a little more flexibility, you can continue on with your workout which may include gymnastics, calisthenics or cardio.

While you may be tempted to skimp on the price of your new sneakers, remember that quality craftsmanship beats cheap pricing every time.

Expect to spend around $200 for a pair of good women’s Olympic lifting shoes. If you are looking at some of the well-known brands, their best shoes will be a little bit more costly than this. Generally, weightlifting shoes can last for a long time, but only if they are made correctly initially. As you look around, don’t settle for the best offer you see; take time to shop, and compare prices, brands, and quality.

Ultimately, the best test of your weightlifting footwear will be in the gym. Take your time to find the right fit and when you’re ready, you’ll determine when and how your new footwear really works for you.

When to Wear Your Workout Shoes

After you’ve made the decision to purchase weightlifting shoes, you may wonder what the proper protocol is for wearing your new footwear. Since your trainers are for working out, you may be tempted to wear them for anything and everything fitness-related, but you will soon find that wearing weightlifting footwear requires the right occasion.female weight training shoe

Just like many other lifestyle-enhancing accessories, wearing weightlifting shoes in your daily life can seem to be more effective. Depending on your shoe’s flexibility, you may or may not be inclined to wear them outside of weightlifting. Start off by wearing them as you weightlift, of course, and then when doing other workouts. Wearing womens Oly shoes when squatting will actually help you squat more than you might with the shoes off. When you heavy squat with women’s weightlifting shoes on, your muscles are training more effective for getting in and out of the position.

As you wear your squat shoes more frequently in the gym, you will also be improving your weightlifting abilities at the same time as well.

If you lift competitively, When it comes to powerlifting, Olympic lifting and other big lifts you may or may not want to wear your weightlifting trainers. Depending on how your body is proportioned, the heels on your weightlifting shoes can have a positive or negative effect on your progress. The test for wearing this kind of footwear will always be the same: take the shoes for a spin and see how you feel lifting and wearing them. Do you lift more or less wearing these? If the answer is the latter, it’s a good idea to switch to other shoes for these kinds of lifts.

Best Practices For Wearing Your Weightlifting Shoes

The bottom line is that weightlifting trainers should be worn whenever you need some extra stability, position or range of motion during your workout. Determine if the trainers will impede you as you continue your workout. For example, if you need to run during your training, you may not want to be wearing your weightlifting shoes.girls feet with weights

As you wear your ladies lifting shoes more often, you may start to feel a kind of dependency on them. It will be hard to go back to weightlifting without your special footwear, but this is can be a good thing. Be sure, however, to focus on improving your range of mobility with and without your trainers. This will strengthen your abilities overall and keep you from being solely dependent on your trainers. This is true in the case of other aids like wrist wraps and belts. Make sure you focus on stability and strength without all the extra trappings.

Additionally, while you can continue to wear your training sneakers for more than just weightlifting, it is important to always have an extra pair of women’s Olympic lifting shoes on hand as well. An extra pair will make it easier for you to work hard lifting weights and then switch your footwear and put in that same amount of effort into your cardio. When it’s time to leave the gym, it’s best to take your girls weightlifting shoes off, as the wear and tear from walking around should be saved for your trainers.

In short, only wear your weightlifting footgear when you are sure they will aid in your performance. The best weightlifting shoes should be worn selectively during your weight training. As you continue to train more, you will see that the right timing and the right footwear can make all the difference.

Conclusion

Women’s weightlifting shoes have all of the qualities that male weightlifting shoes possess. You may have seen professional powerlifters on TV and they all have shoes designed specifically for lifting weights.

The training footwear we have found is the best available at present, and even if you don’t pick our favorites you will still be heading in the right direction with any weight lifting shoe. Another example of getting the right equipment is a weightlifting belt. Be sure to check out our women’s weightlifting belt guide for more information.