Training with Shoes - specifically twisting squats - SLS/PE2>iM2

Hello everybody!

Is it ok to do the Mobility - element in shoes? I am thinking of converse or minimalist shoes.

This is why i am asking:

I have been stuck at twisting squats for quite a while (read: multiple months) now.

Progress has been there, but very slow. I do think that the problem is mixed:

After stretching the element seems much easier for one.

Also, the lateral sides of my feet are quite uncomfortable when pushing up.

I have a history of anterior ligament rupture in my right ankle (anterior talk-fibular ligament) which occurred in the end of july last year. It has healed pretty well, there is just some dorsiflexion deficit which is getting better ever so slowly.

Last week i discovered that using shoes (tried it with converse chuck tailors and with minimalist shoes - merell tough gloves) immensely helped with the element. I was able to get my first reps with acceptable form.

Cheers,

Alex

I like your shoe recomendations. I have ripped open the skin on the bottom and side of my feet before during twisting squats on a gym floor. Obviously, I threw shoes back on.

I look at this mobility (and almost all other activities in general) as progressing towards no shoes as the skin and other tissues adapt, and with specific attention to the type of flooring of course.

I disagree. Honestly, being free of shoes trains your feet in a different way. I, myself, do use vibram five fingers for cardio or jumping rope, but the gymnastic training (aside from tumbling) I do barefoot. I have also torn open my feet barefoot. My suggestion is to use a yoga mat and to stand on it. The yoga mat might twist itself up, all this will do is enforce good form and greater strength in the smaller muscles in the balls of your feet and toes. Also, some gym floors are polished and so using a single yoga mat ends up being unstable as the mat will slide along the floor. To fix that put a second or third yoga mat one on top of the other. The traction/friction will keep them in place. I do all my SLS work in this way and it works well. If you have injury woes and so on, go easier on the element in terms of ROM or the requisite intensity of the element. I have similar issues with overhead shoulder flexion work, just take it slow. The constant reminder to make haste slowly is helpful. Good luck. Furthermore, training barefoot will enable you to have better balance and strength without the crutch of shoes, so if you do find it necessary to use shoes, I would aim to progress to doing all elements barefoot before "mastering" them.

I do mine on a gymnastic mat so barefoot is no problem. If you are on a hard surface you would need a minimalist shoe that has no lateral ankle support.

I train at a gym so shoes are required. I have a nice minimalist pair as Mark describes that is extremely light, but I do my leg mobility in shoes nonetheless. To be honest I haven't noticed a big difference.

I have to agree with Daniel here. I am also doing twisting squats and have tried with shoes on and barefoot. The difference is wide, I can almost get a perfect rep with shoes on but without the intensity on the lateral sides of my feet is too intense. So it looks like I will be stuck on this for a while. If you have an injury you're going to take even longer to get there. You say that you're making progress, so be happy that you haven't stalled completely.

For example, I have a torn labrum in my left hip which hasn't been fixed and though it isn't huge, it is really slowing down my progress on sPL. I am still stuck on swivel hips. My internal rotation on that leg is atrocious and I can easily foresee at least 6 months to get the required rom. Due to the old injury I have to take it slower otherwise I am going to get injured again and start going backwards. Doing 5 x 15 reps of scapular shrugs every workout for 6+ months will no doubt be trying though!

Everyone's different I guess. I've done with and without shoes and never noticed much of a difference. Really the only thing that made a difference was the floor itself. Slippery floor requires shoes for traction otherwise my feet are sliding in the sweat. Right now I do barefoot on a carpet.

trw said:

Everyone's different I guess. I've done with and without shoes and never noticed much of a difference. Really the only thing that made a difference was the floor itself. Slippery floor requires shoes for traction otherwise my feet are sliding in the sweat. Right now I do barefoot on a carpet.

I agree with all those that said using bare feet is way more productive. Plus you work the ankle joints more when you're barefooted than when you're wearing shoes.

If you can't do it barefooted because of the regulations of your gym, trying doing so at home, or some other place. You'll be astounded by the sensation of doing them barefooted. (Don't even use socks.)

I haven't noticed any difficulty in doing them barefoot when I train away from the gym

If you need shoes to support you due to a recent injury that's OK; otherwise I'd do it barefoot and cut back on the volume or range of motion and increase as allowable.  Mastery s/ probably be done barefoot.

call me crazy, i love barefoot. I have some Feiyues that i wear if i absolutely must but i prefer going barefoot. I for the most part wear sandals now.

Due to the nature of your injury, of course the shoes are helping, and it's a wise choice.

Due to this being a rehab situation, I would make the following modifications.

to the PE - Rather than doing these so the toes of the straight leg point up, try to keep the foot flat on the floor, toes pointing forward. This will also help stretch the lateral foot in a controlled fashion.

to the iM - 

Phase 1 with shoes - get comfortable here

Phase 2 - without shoes and with an ace bandage this will provide less support than the shoes for the lateral foot

Phase 3 - barefoot

For Phase 2 & 3 you can additionally break them down by reducing rom, in other words sitting on some mats or blankets.

If you master the PE then

move on to the next PE also doing it flat footed, but work both iM's concurrently; following the template above from where you left off.

edit: also, when you can, video yourself post them on the form check forum so we can see how you are actually doing. This can save a lot of frustration.

Thanks for the advice everybody!

I definitely have a more articulated plan how to proceed!

I think i will really have to commit to this element and the required flexibility. If my fears of leg strength losses grow too debilitating i can always do some lunges afterwards..