While going to the gym can be a great way to clear your mind, it can also be quite intense. When it comes to your gear, one of the most crucial things to consider is your footwear. Many people find themselves wondering what shoes are actually appropriate in the gym, and Converse always seems to pop up.
If you’ve ever wondered this yourself, make sure you keep it locked to this guide as we’ll be answering all of your frequently asked questions!
Whether the Nike owned brand will provide adequate comfort and support at the gym depends on what you’ll be doing. Converse shoes are known to have very flat soles, which makes them less useful for running, cycling, or seated rowing. However, for activities like weightlifting and even deadlifts, they can actually be very beneficial.
If you are planning to perform some cardio, then we would strongly recommend against wearing Converse sneakers simply due to their relatively flat soles. Flat soles don’t feature any additional support for areas of your feet like the arches or even the heels. Trainers that have been specifically made for exercises like running provide all the support that you need. They’re also designed to absorb the impact that occurs when your feet make contact with the ground.
Flat soled silhouettes also lack shock absorption, meaning that you’ll feel tired quickly and will be more prone to injuries.
While Converse may not be good for engaging in cardio, they can actually prove beneficial when it comes to weightlifting. Weightlifting requires more stability and more contact with the ground, which the flat soles easily offer. The increased stability makes it considerably easier to keep your balance as you pump the iron. Converse are also pretty good because, as mentioned before, they don’t have any additional cushioning or padding. While this may sound, initially, like a drawback, it’s a huge advantage with this particular sport.
The lack of padding in Converse sneakers makes it easier to engage in deadlifting because you’ll be able to push off the ground immediately, without first having to push through any padding at the bottom. This means controlling your overall momentum is so much easier. The flat soles also ensure that you can feel the ground beneath your feet. This allows you to get a greater sense of your orientation, helping you to maintain your balance over extended periods.
Another benefit that flat soled shoes have over running trainers is that the soles are not shaped. Trainers are usually shaped in a curved way that makes it easier to push off of the ground and start running. That said, this can be a con while lifting weights, because it may actually cause you to tip forward as you lift.
However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. While Converse is indeed a basketball shoe and comes with all the ankle support that you’ll ever need, deadlifting uses different muscles and tendons, so they might not be the best options compared to dedicated deadlift shoes. This type of footwear has been designed to lock the ankle into place, so that you can lift safely and confidently.
For further reading on this, check out our article on a detailed look at The Best Gym trainers for HIIT and CrossFit.
And there you have it! While Converse trainers feature the flat soles that are required for weightlifting, they’re not beneficial for cardio exercises such as running, as they don’t provide adequate support for the feet. With all that said, Captain Creps would still recommend that you invest a pair of specialist shoes if you’re planning on deadlifting. While they can be quite expensive, we promise you won’t regret it!
