Every day millions of people are doing silly-ass shit in gyms across the world. One of these things includes wearing Vibram Five Fingers to the gym. For those of you who aren’t Californians, CrossFitters, or the outdoorsy type, they look like this:
I’ll point out that most people think that these things are…not straight. I can see how they’d say that, but they are useful for outdoorsy shit like rock climbing, kayaking, or wearing to the beach (I know because I was gifted a pair, and I have worn them doing these things).
Edit: When I tried explaining this to my girlfriend, who hates the Vibrams, I said, “Well, they are useful for some things–” She interrupted me and said, “What? When you want to put your toe in someone’s ass?”
Some people wear them for running (those people are vegetarians or have other unrewarding characteristics such as — and this is a direct quote from my girlfriend — “armpit hair or a huge bush”). I think that wearing them for running is taking the “functional” shit way too far, not to mention running in them is clearly less safe (consider the environment, and accept the fact that the vast majority of people can’t POSE correctly).
“Ohhh, but what about the functionality of aborigines running properly?”
Yawn.
Look, POSE running is good and more efficient. Getting all crazy and doing it in Vibrams indicates you don’t have anything else important to do. Does Brian MacKenzie wear Vibrams when he races? No. He doesn’t.
More importantly, Vibrams shouldn’t be worn to workout, ESPECIALLY when lifting. Jesus, I see people wearing them to squat in and it makes my teeth hurt. When I see them attempting the Olympic lifts, I have a seizure on the spot. “Functionality” isn’t about trying to do things like the australopithecus did “because we evolved that way”. Functionality is a by product of getting strong, and to get strong efficiently, you wear appropriate footwear. You can run into a host of foot problems by stupidly wearing the Vibrams to lift in. Not only is getting injured not a sport, it’s not fucking functional either. If some shit head can only squat 250 wearing Vibrams, and this other not-so-shithead can squat 450 by wearing a belt and shoes — both of which will help make him stronger, a trait that directly contributes to real world events — then he is much more functional than the first guy. And if he isn’t conditioned from a respiratory/vascular perspective for the “worst case scenario hysteria people”, then he can get more conditioned faster because he is strong.
Vibrams Five Fingers are horrible to lift in. If some fitness ass-burger is telling you otherwise, then you now know they are a burger made of ass. Mechanically they create more problems and don’t solve any, injuries are prevalent (hey, let’s jump and stomp our feet without shoes on with an additional 100+ pounds in our hands — good idea, right?), and they don’t have any merit for optimal strength training. If any of you wear Vibrams, then you should have the money to spring for a cheap pair of lifting shoes. Save the Vibrams for what they were made for: wearing them outdoors when no one is looking.
Here is an exceptional example of what not to do. Look how unhappy he is.
Vibrams just look fucking rediculous, if I wore them around Newcastle i’d get lynched! Why would people want to fuck about getting their toes into them??
just another horrible trend started by those elite athletes who do “Crossfit”
Alright, there, big boy, show me some WHY before you go harpin too much on these things. I bench and DL in vibrams and have ever since I started lifting (everything else is done in some Pendlay’s). I’ve got zero issues with anything currently. I would like to hear what, specifically, you take offense for in them (for those two lifts specifically)- they have no cushion, they have great traction, I don’t DL sumo or anything so no worries about my ankle turning… I’m happy to change if there’s a good reason for it but so far all I’ve heard is you call them gay.
A. Deadlifting in Vibrams won’t utilize your quads in pulling off the floor as efficiently as pulling in lifting shoes would
B. You will not be able to drive through your feet as well when you bench with little/no heel.
C. All of this will help you get stronger like Justin stated.
D. I’d rather get tied to a chair and get burnt by lit cigarettes than have you lift in Vibrams
–A.C.
I already indicated why they aren’t as stable in the article. Their “traction” is largely irrelevant given that running shoes can also have traction. They are inferior to a lifting shoe regarding stability and mechanics, and that means that they aren’t optimal. By choosing to not be optimal, you are choosing to not get as optimally strong.
–Justin
I have armpit hair, and I wasn’t aware that it was unacceptable.
Some guy at my last meet was wearing vibrams. This class-A moron made his second attempt, came back to the warm up room, and attempted his third attempt before he went to do it on the platform. He missed both.
Women with armpit hair is unacceptable. Guys that shave their armpit hair are unacceptable.
–Justin
Justin, check out this article in today’s Washignton Post. It’s about the differences between how men and women workout–right up your alley.
Here is the article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/01/AR2011030102973.html
There’s also question time on the subject online today at 10 am eastern:
http://live.washingtonpost.com/fitness-how-men-and-women-exercise-differently.html
They are great for doing squats on swiss balls
Haha made my morning
First of all, I am cracking up at the Vibram ad on the border of a post that trashes ’em.
I have been running Pose style for several years but the vibrams are just too damn goofy looking. I vary between barefoot, Converse and Feelmax shoes that are basically socks that look like regular shoes. Squats and Oly lifts are all done in rogue do-wins, though.
Did it really have a Vibram ad? Google ads randomizes the advertisement. I get a small amount of money through these ads, and that’s better than no money so they will stay up. After I finish some projects I’ll go about getting some more pertinent ads from real companies.
–Justin
For what it’s worth, I struggled for years to run in regular running shoes before finally trying Vibrams about three years ago. The day I first ran in them was a truly eye-opening experience and I completely changed my outlook on running. They are damn goofy, but frankly I don’t give a crap what people think when they see me since the shoes just work for me.
Okay? My post was on not wearing them when lifting. You can have eye opening experiences with proper running technique without wearing Vibrams — Brian MacKenzie makes this happen at each one of his seminars.
–Justin
Hey, even Rip says they’re ok, if not ideal. “Training barefoot is not allowed in my gym. I don’t need your DNA all over the room if you stub your toe or drop a plate. The Vibram things are fine as long as they contain your fluids. But I don’t see why you people are so defensive of your Right To Train Barefoot. There’s a good reason why everyone that is serious about barbell training trains with both barbells and weightlifting shoes.”
This really bothers you. Let me emphasize that I don’t care. Furthermore, I know Rip better than most people, and I have personally heard him say, “Vibrams are gay and only fags wear them.” I’m not saying he didn’t change his mind or that he’s right, but I can assure you he’s more concerned with the blood in his gym.
–Justin
That’s a good post. I have a pair of vibrams, I’d wear them if I were doing some kind of outdoorsy stuff, just for laughs.
@ Stillgrowing you made me laugh out loud
One time I was wearing Vibrams while canyoneering, I slipped and fell down into a tight ravine, a 400 lb boulder followed right behind me, it ended up trapping my arm. After more then 5 days I was forced to cut my arm off, they made a movie about it. Thanks Vibrams.
wait, so is armpit hair not considered 79s big anymore?
It was never okay with women, and that’s what the comment referred to. Focus, SMC.
–Justin
Then again, Brian Mackenzie (B MACNCHEESE) doesn’t finish races, so he’s not the best example. UNSCARED (of DNF).
I’m not aware of recent results, but he’s a friend. Tread lightly, gzt.
–Justin
there was an article I was reading recently about how a ton of people are getting hurt running in vibrams (I thought it was outside magazine but couldn’t find the article online).
It went as far as contacting some bigwig at vibram who basically confirmed that they aren’t meant for running long distances too. It made a lot of the same points regarding functionality and adaptation as well.
Your girlfriend is mean.
And clever. A deadly combination.
–Justin
@smithb9
I think the problem is that people get a pair of Vibrams and go out and run 6 miles just like they usually do in their traditional running shoes, which is a recipe for disaster. It’s just like someone totally new to lifting trying to round-back deadlift 200 pounds. They may get it up, but without proper instruction or research, it’s just asking for injury.
I can weightlifting in them would be a bad idea. But beyond the looking stupid factor I don’t see how vibrams would perform any different from low cut chucks or going barefoot? I prefer to squat/deadlift/press with chucks due to the flat heel. I do wear my weightlifting shoes for weightlifting for the support of the elevated heel at the bottom.
They look goofy but I wouldnt kill someone for wearing them for squatting, pressing or deadlifting in them.
I will most definitely agree they are not 70’s big though.
I really, really hope that the girlfriend mentioned was talking about women with armpit hair and a huge bush..
Or do I have to start shaving all of my body to be 70s big? Is leg hair ok? :P
As for footwear: I squat and DL barefoot. I’ll get some proper squat-shoes later..
All of you can’t be this dense. Women aren’t supposed to be hairy.
And squatting without shoes is going to be sub-optimal. Deadlifting barefoot is fine, but mostly for advanced powerlifters who need to have the extra 3/4″ reduced from their pull length. 99% of readers on this site don’t have to worry about that. Additionally, to get the muscles strong, the mechanics of a lifting shoe will be much beneficial for most body types.
–Justin
@gzt
You are 100% right.
Please don’t use B Macncheese (Mackenzie) as an example for anything 70’s big.
He is only good for DNF’s
Well, go fuck yourself. He’s a friend of mine.
–Justin
Don’t know anyone personally who wears these but I will submit this:
Getting changed in the locker room before a workout and it smelled like someone was wearing rotten hockey eguipment (for those of you not in the know it is the worst smell on earth. Ball cheese stench has nothing on hockey gear stench).
Fuck if the smell didn’t follow me into the weightroom.
It was then that I looked over and saw a little man doing reverse-grip bent over rows with 95lbs with his feet tucked into the back extension machine wearing….Vibrams.
The noxious smell had now permeated every fissure of the weight room and people were starting to say out loud “what the fuck is that smell”.
Little monkey man continued his workout without a care in the world moving from reverse grip rows to preacher curls…to cable crossovers. He was awesome.
Moral of the story: Vibrams smell worse than a hockey gear AND ball cheese stew.
As if Justin needed another reason to hate them…
You can wash them in the washing machine. You should tell him to do so.
–Justin
Number5 – Being 70s big is about doing what’s best for you, not some girl you’ve never met!
So what is the difference between squatting in chuck taylors vs Vibrams? Just curious: thicker sole?
There is additional stability given the sole (greater and wider surface area). I still think chucks suck to squat in, though.
–Justin
It’s great that everyone makes their own choices here on what they want to lift in and I am glad we all aren’t mindless Zombies here. Some people prefer Chucks/Vibrams over lifting shoes in various cases, but sometimes you have to put away what you WANT to lift in and start using what you NEED to lift in.
I love my vibrams because I hate wearing shoes in general and would rather go barefoot outside. That being said, I can’t imagine anyone being dumb enough to try the clean and jerk or the snatch while wearing them. Of course, I’m surprised by the behavior at the gym every time I go, so who knows. The .5″ heel on the lifting shoes I have makes my squat feel much more powerful than if I attempt it barefoot. When wearing the .75″ heel, I never felt like I was in a good positiion to deadlift, but the .5″ heel feels perfectly natural to me, but I’m only 5’9″.
Justin started some controversy on WGM facebook status update.
Love how some people are calling out Justin as someone who should be commenting etc etc.
Ignorant people are the bestest!
I don’t even know what you’re referring to. I was sick last week and didn’t get on the interwebz.
–Justin
shouldn’t be*
who cares if anyone thinks they are “not straight” and why is that an implied insult?
i despise this groupthink, group echo-chamber bs that really just serves to get everyone in line. questioning conventional thought is where it’s at, not manipulating the sociocultural dynamic here so that trainees interested in strength and 70sbigness can feel like they’re being assaulted by the naive, effeminate, flamboyant purveyors of crossfit and ‘functional fitness’.
challenging vibrams’ usefulness and safety in the gym is another thing entirely.
i have a pair of vibrams, i wear them outdoors whenever i want, and indoors wherever i want and fuck you if you don’t like it. i just discovered they’re great for painting a big ass house in. i used to wear them to train, i don’t any longer. my own trial and error and independent study brought me to many of the same technical/form conclusions Justin has listed in this post.
as for running barefoot, Dr. Lon Kilgore has written several articles on the problems with traditional running shoes. you can find one simply by googling ‘Lon Kilgore’ and ‘barefoot running’.
good article on why to wear weightlifting shoes when weightlifting:
http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/sportivny/library/farticles015.html
^ overreaction
slow your roll bro
we can’t go from talking about some lame ass fucking shoes to discussing fucking “sociocultural dynamics” jesus christ your roll needs to get slowed the fuck down i can’t even begin to clock how fast you were going but you better fucking believe the judge is not going to dismiss this fucking ticket i am writing you
I think Brent would be more effective if he chose to use grammar.
–Justin
Brent, that was so epic, you dont even KNOW
trust me joe
i fucking know
It’s not super great or anything, but I’ve squatted 455x5x5 in my fivefingers, and, more sport specifically, I feel like running in the five fingers has greatly improved my wind while standing and striking.
I also hike and shit in em. I like em.
To be fair though, I don’t squat in them on the reg, I had left my chucks at home that day.
wow, holy shit-stirring batman! I had no idea people got so uppity over this shit.
A. I’ve never seen any of the top powerlifters lifting in vibrams. Chucks, yes, 5fingers, no, barefoot, no. Those guys can’t all be wrong. But maybe I just haven’t watched enough powerlifting.
B. All my best PRs have come wearing weightlifting shoes, works for me.
C. These and f’ing toe-socks give me the heeby-jeebies. Really? You want each toe seperated from one another with something wedged in there? GROSS!
D. Barefoot in the gym is infinitely more GROSS
I’ve never seen or worn them, is there arch support in those things?
No. Consider it a layer of rubber on the feet for protection.
–Justin
@DrMcFacekick
Let’s not forget you also wear crocs.
People, obviously your choice of shoe depends on what you are doing. It seems as if there is some question as to whether to wear Vibram Five Fingers while barbell training. As it pertains to this site, “barbell training means squatting, pressing, deadlifting, cleaning, jerking, and snatching.” Unfortunately- NEWS FLASH- Five Fingers aren’t made for this sort of activity. They’re made for all sorts of stuff- rock climbing, trekking, perhaps running, etc. NOT BARBELL LIFTS. There’s a reason why Doug Young, Anatoly Pisarenko, and anyone else who we’d consider “strong” wore shoes with strong heel support. Barbell lifts REQUIRE it if you are serious about making progress.
We’ve been over this. There’s a path to getting strong- if you’re smart enough to read this website, you’ve got a pretty good idea on what that is. Many people have walked down this path, rolled up their flannel sleeves, worked hard, and have gotten strong. There’s also a strong correlation between their strength gains and their use of proper equipment. Until you get strong, use the proper equipment.
And for the record, don’t claim you’re “getting 70’s big” while wearing vibrams, board shorts, and doing a workout named after some girl.
If this was on Facebook I’d “Like” it.
–A.C.
I’ve never worn Vibrims but I was thinking of getting some just to try, until I found out the cost like $80. They’re now towards the bottom of my list of shit to buy.
I enjoy my Addidas Adistars and think they help me squat better. So far I’m still deadlift barefoot since I’ve read a lot about how that’s better. If I knew of some hard soled flat shoes I’d get them for deadlifting, so far chucks are the best item but I don’t want to carry 4 shoes with me on my commute (leather dress shoes + sneakers + lifting shoes + chucks)
Fact: Crocks make your feet stink. However the fact that they weigh like 1 ounce makes them useful for backpacking as somethign to slip on for river crossings and wearing around camp, but that’s about it.
I love to lift as heavy as I can go!
I am also a Crossfitter. But…
– I work out with a shirt on
– I dont wear board shorts
– I am not on the Atkins….er…I mean paleo diet.
– And I will never wear the 5 toed shoe!!!!
So I am probably going to get kicked out soon…..
Anyway, I am not going to hate on people for going with the VFFs if thats their thing. But, I have to think that there’s a ton of guys who wear these “shoes” because they feel its part of some sort of CF uniform, or something….I know my triathlon-nerd neighbor only wears them for that reason. And, yeah, lets face it – THEY. LOOK. FOOLISH.
I am too poor for now, to have a pair of lifting shoes, so I lift in my Helly Hansen traill runners. The sole is worked in enough so there is not much give anymore. When I am deadlifting heavy, I usually go in socks only. Recently, I have been putting 5# plates under my heel to help me keep my weight off my toes…are there any risks because of this, or will I develop bad habbits because of this?
I don’t really want to get into this silly shoe argument, but I will invite any other Austin people to join me and some friends in a strongman-style workout this Sunday, followed by Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood. Email if interested – jcloud at gmail. Shoe choice not mandated. Jorts, however, are a must.
This would have been cool. I like the new screen name, too.
–Justin
Thanks A.C. :) I certainly don’t mind changing to a different kind of shoe, I just wanted to know exactly why you hated vibrams so much.
@High Voltage, yeah I wear Crocs as slip-ons to go to and from the gym, wanna fight about it?
Anything I can do to help man!
–A.C.
@ The Muck
I like your post. I think you crossfit the right way. you would like this post I found http://www.afterwod.com/2011/03/01/155/
Those shoes look real stupid. I say if your going to wear them just go barefoot. Otherwise get some nike frees or something. Lifting shoes should be worn while weightlifting. Use the right equipment…any chance you see an NFL player or MLB’er play barefoot this year?
Thank you for helping all of the fucking CrossFit nutjobs come out on my Facebook page in response to this post. “I would rather use my own body (or minimal support) to perform a task even if it means I acheive less than a maximal effort with support. It’s a bit like using weightlifting gloves, belts, etc I can deadlift more with gloves or straps but I’d rather use my hands than an unnecessary artificial skin.” Have fun with that, and keep on sucking at life.
Jesus. The logic doesn’t even make sense. Are they aware that gloves are gay?
–Justin
Tbone – You almost, emphasis on almost, have to admire their commitment to the lunacy. Perhaps suggest that they walk everywhere instead of driving or taking public transportation, since both are ‘support’. They won’t get it.
You’re going to hate me even more. That 500 lb deadlift PR was in Vibrams, as was my 405×5 squat PR.
Okay? You train sub-optimally.
–Justin
I’ll admit, the only reason I don’t like the Vibrams is because they’re biased toward people with “ideal” feet.
I have normal sized feet, from the heel to the ball, but…I have really, really tiny toes…
I stopped wearing them after some chick said, “You know what they say about guys that can’t fill their shoes…”
@TBone
Hilarious! :D
Jesus all this shit over a pair of unusually shaped shoes…..
I actually agree with Theonidas a bit, in that I’m inclined to think that fuck people who bitch about someone who chooses to wear something slightly different. Society doesn’t like my shoes, but society cant be trusted. Society likes men to be skinnier than women right now.
Like who gives a fuck.
“Your shoes are strange”
“That’s nice, I haven’t noticed what your shoes are like because looking at your feet would be submissive behavior and I’m clearly the fucking dominant animal here.”
I wore Vibrams deadlifting a couple of times cos my old gym was anal about having to wear shoes and my weightlifting shoes….well….they properly fucked over my deadlift and chuck taylors suck for lifting in too. Because the compress. They are not incompressible. I’ll lift in socks now I’m in a new awesome Gym.
I agree with the core message of the article that they are generally a suboptimal choice for Squatting.