There’s a lot going on when you squat.
Not only are you simultaneously flexing your hips, knees and ankles to perform this compound movement.
But oftentimes, you’re having to support a heavy barbell or set of kettlebells on your back or shoulders.
As a result, you might be looking for ways to make the squat a little easier to coordinate.
One of which, is experimenting with squatting without shoes on to better grip the ground.
But is the squat barefoot actually safe?
And is barefoot squatting better than squatting with your shoes on?
Barefoot squatting is……..
However, barefoot squatting certainly isn’t for everyone.
As result, we’ll be weighing up the pros and cons of squatting barefoot squatting.
To help you decipher whether it’s the right option for you.
Or whether you’re better off sticking to your typical shoes.
Here’s what we’ll be covering:
- Why Do People Squat Barefoot?
- Barefoot Squatting Pros
- Barefoot Squatting Cons
Let’s dive in.
Open Table of Contents
Why Do People Squat Barefoot?
So if you’re reading this article, you’ve probably been going to the gym for at least a few weeks or months.
As you work out, over time you start to observe other gym goers’ traits, habits and behaviours.
It’s only natural that there are people in the gym we look up to and whose workout tactics we like to emulate.
Perhaps one of the habits you’ve noticed is that some other gym goers perform exercises (in particular squats) in their bare feet.
So why do people squat without their shoes on?
Here are some of the reasons why people squat barefoot:
- Helps to improve ankle mobility
- Ability grip the floor better
- Greater stability during the movement
- Improved foot strength
- Better proprioception and body awareness
So as you can see, there are plenty of reasons to start squatting barefoot, however, you’ll first need to find out if it’s even an option at your facility.
Whether your gym is one where squatting barefoot is commonplace or not really comes down to the type of gym you attend.
For instance, if your gym is a little more intimate or yoga/wellness focused, taking your shoes off may be pretty common.
Whereas big commercial gyms are on the other end of the spectrum and may not even allow shoes to be removed at all.
Why You Should Squat Barefoot
Squatting barefoot certainly has its benefits and is absolutely worth considering if your gym facility allows it.
Helps to improve ankle mobility
Some of the habits we’ve adopted in this 21st century life are very debilitating to our posture and mobility.
For instance, we’re oftentimes hunched over a laptop or phone screen, leading to rounded shoulders and tight chest muscles.
Or we start getting a sore back from tight hip flexors due to sitting for up to 8 hours day.
Another example is having poor ankle mobility from the constant wearing of shoes with an elevated heel.
Over time, this can lead to chronic shortening of the calf muscles, reducing one’s ankle mobility.
When we squat without shoes on, we’re playing our part in helping undo these bad habits our body is contending with.
By squatting without shoes on, our ankle joint and calf muscle will be put into a greater stretch as our shin angles further over our big toe.
Ability to grip the floor better
Another downfall of wearing shoes when squatting is the oftentimes large, cumbersome sole in between your foot and the floor.
This makes it difficult to achieve your desired contact and purchase with the floor.
When you squat without shoes on, you’re allowing a larger percentage of your foot to gain traction with the ground.
Once you’ve adjusted to this over time, it not only feels better, but it can also help many people lift more weight compared to their previously used squatting shoes.
Greater stability during the movement
Depending on your current shoe sole, you may actually be hindering your squatting performance.
Oftentimes, the runners we buy contain soles that are thick and rubbery, which are not ideal for squatting.
This rubber sole is not a hard surface which you can adequately push and transfer force against.
This is why many people find that squatting barefoot helps them to feel more stable during the squatting movement.
Improved foot strength
Another issue with wearing shoes all the time, is that it chronically reduces our foot strength. They’re kind of like a crutch for our feet.
It’s no wonder that many of us roll our ankles all the time due to loose tendons and ligaments!
When you squat barefoot, you’re forcing the intrinsic muscles of your feet as well as the muscles that control your ankle, to become stronger.
This will not only help your squat performance, but will also improve your life as a whole and can decrease your chances of ankle rolls going forwards.
Better proprioception and body awareness
Imagine having to type at the computer with gloves on.
Or having to wear sunglasses in a dark room.
Wouldn’t that feel like you’re not really getting any decent feedback with the surface you’re trying to engage with?
Well, that’s kind of what it’s like when you squat with shoes on.
Instead of getting live feedback on how your ankles are feeling throughout the movement, you’re actually limiting something called proprioception.
By squatting without shoes on, you’re enabling your body to get better feedback from your surroundings, helping you to perform it to a higher level.
Why You Should Stick to Squatting with Shoes On
So although there are certainly many reasons why you should squat with your shoes off, it absolutely has some downfalls you need to be aware of.
More often than not, these are short term issues and can be resolved if you persist with squatting barefoot.
So don’t let them deter you from making the switch if that’s what you’re hoping to do.
Poorer Squat Depth
As we descend into a squat, our hips sit back.
As a result, our knees must translate forward over our toes in order for us to stay balanced and not end up on our ass.
When we switch to barefoot squatting, the elevated heel we once had in our shoes is now gone.
Making it more difficult for our shins to move forward over our toes.
This means that when you first switch to barefoot squatting, your squat depth may be compromised.
Not to worry, over time this should improve as your body adjusts and your ankle mobility improves.
In the meantime, you can try our the exercises below to speed up the process.
Initially Less Stable
When you first switch to barefoot squatting, you’ll almost feel….
…a little naked.
When your feet were covered with shoes, you most likely compensated for any weaknesses in strength or mobility.
But now, you’ll probably feel initially less stable and like your ankles might roll in or out at any moment.
As a result, you might need to take some weight off the bar as you adjust to having no shoes on when performing the squat.
Shift in Loading Patterns
Do you remember the first time you performed a squat, deadlift, bench press, or any new big movement for several sets?
Well, you probably pulled up pretty sore!
This is because your muscles were performing a new movement pattern which breaks down the microfibres within the muscle belly.
And also places a moderate amount of healthy strain on your bones and joints.
When you shift to barefoot squatting, your body is essentially adjusting to a slightly different movement pattern.
As a general rule, most people will load up their hips more and quads less after making the switch.
This might mean you may pull up feeling sorer than usual in areas such as your lower back or glutes.
Keep in mind that your body should adjust within a few sessions of the new squatting set up.
Higher Risk of Injury
Although the gym is perfectly safe almost all of the time.
There’s always a chance of dropping a weight on yourself, or catching your foot on a piece of equipment.
When you switch the barefoot squatting, you’ll need to keep in mind that you are placing yourself at a slightly higher risk of accident exposre.
As a result, it’s best to keep your bare feet to an isolated area, such as within the squat rack or on a dedicated lifting platform.
Rather than walking around the gym in bare feet in between each set, or performing the movement in a traffic-heavy area of the gym without shoes on.
Not As Hygienic
When squatting barefoot, you’ll also want to consider the cleanliness of the facility you’re a member of.
Gyms have people sweating all over the place, and they’re also not always cleaned very thoroughly.
As a result, you can always keep your socks on when squatting barefoot to avoid being exposed to potentially unhygienic gym floors.
Barefoot Squatting Alternatives
Even if you’re keen to give barefoot squatting a crack, there may be circumstances that make it impossible, such a your gym not allowing it or you having previously injured feet/ankles.
So are there any alternatives?
Ditch the Overly Rubbery Soles
Our first piece of advice would be to stop wearing runners that have a thick, rubbery sole.
Instead, we recommend opting for a dedicated squatting shoe such as:
- Weightlifting shoes
- Flat Footed Shoes
Depending on what you’ll be using the shoe for in addition to squats will help you decide which one
Replace with a Weightlifting Shoe
I remember the first time I squatted with a weightlifting shoes, it was like heaven.
I personally struggle with hip and ankle mobility, so squatting for me is at the best of times a challenge.
With weightlifting shoes, you have two main features:
- A raised heel to improve your ankle range.
- A hard surface sole to push against.
When using weightlifting shoes, I was able to lift more weight and squat deeper.
Replace with a Flat Footed Squatting Shoe (Crossfit Style Shoe)
One downside to weightlifting shoes is that they’re not really built for anything other than squatting or weightlifting.
If you’re planning on doing any sort of cardio like running, jumping or skipping in addition to your squats, weightlifting shoes are going to be uncomfortable.
As a result, we recommend opting for a hybrid, which has a thinner sole and no raised heel, helping you avoid that thick, rubbery sole we’ve mentioned.
These are commonly known as CrossFit shoes and are a great all-rounder shoe for the gym as well as squatting.
They’re a great way to feel like you’re squatting barefoot with a little extra support.
Is Barefoot Squatting Harder?
Whether squatting with shoes off is harder or not really depends on your current state of strength individual circumstances.
In general, Barefoot squatting is initially more difficult as it required greater foot strength and ankle mobility than squatting in runners. However, if you squat barefoot consistently for a period of weeks and months, you may end up finding it easier than squatting in shoes with a thick, rubbery sole.
We recommend a stair step approach to barefoot squatting, where you might warm up in bare feet but do your working sets with your usual shoes, before jumping straight into heavy barefoot squatting right away.
This will allow you to slowly adjust to the new movement, limiting the chances of extra soreness due to a sharp change in loading patterns.
Should I Squat Barefoot?
At the end of the day, whether you end up squatting barefoot or not really comes down to your own personal preference and ultimately, whether your gym even allows it.
Squatting barefoot can be a great option as it allows you to get purchase on the floor below you, can help you feel more stable, and can help improve your foot and ankle strength. However, keep in mind that there will be a period of adjustment where you may feel less stable, have decreased squat depth and feel extra soreness.
By introducing the new approach over a period of weeks or months, we believe that you’ll really enjoy squatting barefoot.
Happy squatting!
