Important Things: Training

[kylebee]

Originally published at Kyle Boddy. You can comment here or there.

The most important things I've done with regards to my own training are:

• Buying a pair of good weightlifting shoes from VS Athletics
• Getting on a good training program - Starting Strength, in my case
• Buying a high quality weightlifting belt from APT
• Learning about self-myofascial

Comments

[kuzanagi_]

I'd be very interested to hear about how you find the weightlifting shoes. I've never used them before, I tend to wear martial arts trainers (flat sole) for weightlifting, then when I get to my heavier deadlift/squat/hack squat sets I'll just wear socks.

[kylebee]

I used to wear Chuck Taylors for all my lifting and got fairly far with them (400 squat, 500 DL). I switched to Olympic shoes after tons of recommendations from the powerlifting gym I went to, so I picked up a cheap pair from VS Athletics ($90 with shipping or so).

The difference is huge in the squat and the Olympic lifts. The metatarsal straps keep my feet cemented into the ground and the slight heel lift helps with depth (though it was never a problem before). I still deadlift in my socks; I don't like the shoes when it comes to heavy pulling. But I do like them when I bench. I'm not sure what I think about them when it comes to overhead pressing (though I don't do much of it).

They're mandatory for Olympic lifting, I'd say, and strongly recommended for squatting, IMO.

[kylebee]

And those are stupid imperial units, of course. I don't squat 400 kg or DL 500 kg. ;)

Konstantinovs I am not.

[kuzanagi_]

You mean you're not pulling a twelve plate a side deadlift?

SON I ARE DISAPPOINT