Heel Shoes vs Flat Shoes for squats

Should you wear heeled shoes or flat shoes for squats?

Short answer, if you can hit depth with flats fairly comfortably, then use flats. If not then use heels.

But, im going to delve into the pros and cons for using each.

Heeled Squat Shoes:

These are shoes for squatting that have a hard built-in heel. This allows a bit more forward knee travel than a flat shoe would. In theory for most people this makes it easier to get lower into your squat. Sounds good right? But its got its pros and cons.

Heels Pro’s:

-          Easier to hit depth. Which if you can’t hit competition standard depth, is a huge benefit.

-          Uses more quads. The forward knee travel usually means you’ll have more knee bend at the bottom of the squat. Which bias’ the quads more. This can be a benefit for those with weak quads who want to work on quad strength and size more in training. On the flip side it can also be a benefit for those already quad dominant as then you’re able to utilise your strengths better

-          Tend to suit narrow stance squatters a bit more

Flat shoes:

Usually associated with deadlifting but can also be used for squats. However, it does make it harder to hit depth. The bonus is you’re squatting off a more stable surface so you should be able to produce more force in flat shoes than heels. Imagine trying to squat in 8 inch women’s high heels. Bit of an extreme analogy, but you get the point.

Flats Pro’s:

-          More stable surface, so can produce more force and lift more weight

-          Bias’ the glutes more, which are usually stronger than the quads so should be able to lift more

-          If you can squat in flats and forget your shoes you should still be fine to do a session as you can squat barefoot. Whereas if you’re used to heels and don’t bring them with you, it might make having a good squat session harder

-          If you squat in flats you can deadlift in the same shoes. So less expensive than having a separate squat and deadlift shoes and easier to just take 1 pair of shoes rather than 2 pairs

-          Tend to work better for wider stance squatters

Overall, the type of shoe you use when squatting will affect how your squat looks and feels. There is no right or wrong answer that everyone must follow. It depends on you individually.

If you’re not sure which to get, try squatting barefoot. If you can hit depth and it feel good, then go for flats. If you cant hit depth, try putting some small plates under your heels and then squatting. If you can now magically hit depth and it feel a lot more comfortable then get heels. Doesn’t matter how strong you are at competition if you don’t hit depth on your squat.

If you do get heels I would encourage you to find what is limiting your depth without heels and work on your flexibility. As if youre looking long term to be the strongest you possibly can be, then you will probably want to switch to flats at some point.