13.3 Footwear

The big question I’ve gotten all day long on 13.3 is whether or not to wear a typical tennis shoe or to wear the weightlifting shoe. Obviously I’m biased as I would wear my bright red Adidas traffic cones for everything including a 400 m run.   That’s a lie… I’d never run 400 m.  However with the dawn of 12.4 repeated, the question becomes whether or not the advantage of a weightlifting shoe for the wall balls outweighs the disadvantage in the double unders.
If you read my post from last night you know that the key to a good efficient wallball is torso angle and glute activation to mimic that of your front squat or back squat. All the squats should be the same. I cannot write this enough. Therefore, since you squat most efficiently with weightlifting shoes and the raised heel in the weightlifting shoe allows for the most ankle dorsiflexion then it only make sense that wallballs are performed at a more efficient, higher capacity with the weightlifting shoe. Basically, if a weightlifting shoe helps you mimic your front squat and make use of the strength you have gained all year long in the squat then it only makes sense to use them. In this workout you are going to be performing wall balls for a minimum of 5 to 7 minutes. That’s 5 to 7 minutes of advantage versus 2 minutes of arguable “disadvantage” in the doubleunder. Furthermore, by this point I hope each of you practiced a work out that includes a squat and a skill at the same time. Most athletes who have been completing CrossFit workouts at all should have run into I’m combo of squatting or snatching or wall ball with a double under. This is where good programming and good practice comes in the play.  If you’re not someone who has ever seen these combinations before…maybe you should examine your workout programming.
The conclusion is simple. The weightlifting shoe makes me squat more efficient and save my quads a little bit as I’m able to use the energy and strength I’ve built.  This will ultimately leave a little more in the tank for double unders and muscle ups. Remember muscle ups are the key to this workout. The goal is to have as much in your tank as you can when you approach the rings. The weightlifting shoe best allows us to happen.
And if you don’t have Adidas… you should get some. (I’ll take my check anytime Herbert)