I remember back in the day when I was 17; my mom was furious that I had stocked up so many branded sports shoes, one shoe for each sport and one for going to the gym! She would always insist on keeping a shoe that would be fit for most of the basketball activities and the gym as well. So I started a hunt to find the answer to the question: Can basketball shoes be used for gym?
Basketball shoes can be used for gym since they include an anti-slip sole with lightweight rubber cushioning and synthetic fabric, making them a good choice for gymming.
Years ago, I questioned many gym trainers on whether they would appreciate if people wear basketball shoes to the gym. The trainers believed that wearing basketball shoes to the gym will enable a person to do different exercises with ease. The answer made me depressed, thinking about all the money I have wasted all these years on buying different shoes.
However, can a basketball shoe let you carry out most of the exercises with ease?
I will be reviewing the most popular gymming exercises on whether they can be performed while wearing basketball shoes to have a more precise answer to my question.
Are basketball shoes good for lifting weights?
Lifting weights is a strenuous exercise that requires the right technique and the right shoes to help with the training. There are special shoes designed especially for lifters to help them with lifting weights. When you are thinking about lifting weights, you kneel with your back straight to avoid any back injury.
Secondly, for picking up weights, you are exerting downward pressure on your feet. Hence, the shoes you choose to wear for weight lifting must have an anti-slip sole with a good grip.
Luckily, most basketball shoes have anti-slip soles to provide a good grip on the ground while playing. Basketball shoes with anti-slip sole will allow the lifter to apply more force to be able to lift the weight quickly. A good grip between the shoes and the ground will enable the lifter to use the needed amount of pressure necessary to lift the weights.
However, if the shoes have a slippery sole or if they are worn out, the lifter may not be able to exert the desired pressure to lift the weights. In this case, the gymmer may also end up having an accident or a back injury.
So, if you are looking forward to wearing your basketball shoes to the gym for lifting weights, make sure your basketball shoes have an anti-slip sole and are not worn out.
Are basketball shoes suitable for running on a treadmill?
Running on a treadmill is not as easy as it might seem. It involves the right posture, balance, and the right pair of shoes to keep you going. Also, there is a difference between running on a road and running on a treadmill.
While running on a route, you can choose when to stop, but on a treadmill, you can’t just stop right away before turning the treadmill off. Secondly, you tend to run faster on a treadmill to make most of your time by burning more calories than you might if you do regular walking.
For both these factors, a runner must choose a shoe that is lightweight, stable, firm, and has a good grip. A shoe that is extra soft is not an ideal choice for a runner as the runner may end up having an ankle injury while running too fast.
Most basketball shoes have an anti-slip sole with rubber cushioning, which will be a significant advantage for any runner. The anti-slip sole will enable the runner to run fast without tripping. Rubber cushioning will prevent the runner from tiring out too quickly and run for a longer time on a treadmill.
Moreover, your basketball shoes mustn’t have a heavy built. Heavy shoes will feel heavy on your feet as well, and you will not run smoothly. On the other hand, shoes with a light built will help your feet to move forward without any pressure while running efficiently.
Therefore, if you want to wear your basketball shoes while running on a treadmill, ensure to choose the lightweight ones.
Are basketball shoes good for squatting?
Squats and lunges are efficient exercises. Therefore, they require a lot of effort. In short, the phrase no pain no gain best describes the feeling of the person doing these dreaded exercises. And if you are not wearing the right shoes to perform these exercises, this may add to your misery.
Squatting involves bending your rear to a point where it may seem as you are sitting on a chair. You may need to keep your back straight, and your hands should be kept away from the body. After you have to bend your knees to the sitting position, then you slowly stand back up.
The weight of the whole body is applied onto the feet while doing squats; therefore, the shoes you are wearing must have soft cushioning. This way, you will not feel the weight of your body pressing against your feet.
Instead, the rubber cushioning will absorb the pressure exerted by your body. Secondly, shoes that you choose to do squats should also have an anti-slip sole. The anti-slip sole will prevent you from slipping while doing squats. Most basketball shoes have anti-slip sole to prevent the players from having an accident.
However, not all basketball shoes have a sole with lightweight, thick rubber cushioning. This is where you need to search your closet for a pair of basketball shoes that have an anti-slip sole, plus they have a lightweight rubber cushioning under the sole.
The basketball shoes with the above two features will be best suited to be worn while doing squats in a gym.
Are basketball shoes good for push-ups?
Push-ups is a form of exercise that seems very easy for the person watching it, but the truth is bitter. It’s an exercise to strengthen your chest muscles, your shoulders, biceps, and other important muscles.
This winning exercise effectively reduces your calories, hence lowering your weight, but it’s crucial to adapt to the right posture and shoes, or you might end up with a knee and hand injury.
For push-ups, you need to put your hands straight on the ground in a slightly wider position than the width of your shoulder. The person should be facing downwards and his back straight with toes on the floor. The right posture for push-ups is the one where your body is aligned straight from your shoulders to your feet.
To start the push-ups, you need to bend your elbows to lower down your body until it almost touches the floor. Then it would be best if you lift yourself back up to the original position you started with. The posture that is necessary for push-ups exerts most of the pressure on the toes and the elbows.
To save yourself from any elbow injury, wear a protective elbow gear on your elbow and hands. For the feet, you should choose basketball shoes with an anti-slip sole so that the friction between the sole and the ground allows you to hold on much longer.
It should be taken into account that shoes with a soft sole will also not be suitable to be worn while doing push-ups.
Hence, make sure your basketball shoes have a good grip, and the sole is cushioned to be able to withstand the pressure exerted by the body.
Are basketball shoes good for lunges?
Lunges is one of the most commonly done exercises in the gym because it involves complete lower body workout and helps in toning your lower body parts. Bend your front knee at a 90-degree angle and passing the weight onto your back toes.
As you bend your front knee, you simultaneously bend your back knee to the ground at a point where it almost hits the floor. On the contrary, make sure your back knee doesn’t hit the land because this will make the position more manageable and ruin the exercise results for you.
While making lunges, the pressure is applied to the front and lower feet to maintain the right posture that is required for lunges.
If you are planning to wear your basketball shoes to the gym to practice lunges, make sure not to opt for a pair that is old and may have a worn outsole.
An old pair of basketball shoes will not provide a good grip against the floor and may cause the gymmer to slip. Secondly, make sure your basketball doesn’t have a heavy built. If the built of the shoes is heavy, it will hinder your posture while making lunges.
Moreover, choose a basketball pair with an anti-slip sole so that you can maintain the grip between your feet and the ground. Maintaining a good grip is an essential part of making lunges as it enables you to improve your posture as well. Ensure to tick mark all the features mentioned above before wearing basketball shoes to the gym to make lunges.
After knowing the answer to my query, I started a mission to clean up and threw away all my basketball shoes that were old and had worn out. The sole of most of my basketball shoes had retired, so I choose to give them up.
Although mission cleanup was not easy as I had some high priced basketball shoes in my collection, they had deteriorated and not fit for use. At least my mom was happy to have some extra space for herself and promised to buy me a new pair of shoes as soon as the old pair of basketball shoes wear out, so it was all worth it.
