The Platform
Why the Strongman Community Is Switching to Minimalist Footwear
Why strongman athletes are moving toward Sumo Sole Gen 5 and Radix Pro for carries and pulls, while Ronin Lifters still win where heel elevation matters.
Deadlift Slippers: How a Minimalist Movement Changed Powerlifting
Deadlift Slippers: How a Minimalist Movement Changed Powerlifting The story of how Notorious Lift invented a category Your shoe shouldn't constantly be reminding you it exists. Pressure points. Overheating. Sliding...
How to Test Your Ankle Mobility — And What It Means for Your Squat
Stand facing a wall, place your toe five inches away, and try to touch your knee to the wall without lifting your heel. That test takes ten seconds. What it...
The Beginner's Guide to Choosing Your First Pair of Lifting Shoes
You walk into the gym for the first time, ready to get stronger. You see people squatting in chunky shoes with raised heels, others deadlifting in what look like ballet...
Training for Strongman? Start With Your Shoes.
Most athletes who start training for strongman don't change their footwear. They train in whatever they already own — usually running shoes or general athletic trainers — and they make...
Squat Shoes vs. Flat Shoes: Which One Do You Actually Need?
The debate over squat shoes versus flat shoes has been going on for decades. The answer is usually simpler than people make it: what are you actually trying to do...
Flat Sole or Heeled Shoe for Strongman? The Case for Having Two Pairs
At some point in your strongman training, your footwear becomes a problem. Not because one shoe is bad — because the events sit on opposite ends of what footwear needs...
Why Your Toes Need Room to Spread — And What It Means for Your Lifts
There's a moment in a heavy squat where your toes want to grip. The forefoot spreads, the arch stiffens, and the whole foot acts as a single rigid unit pressing...
What Shoes Do Strongman Athletes Actually Wear? A Complete Event‑by‑Event Guide
Strongman has a footwear problem that most other strength sports don't. A single competition might include a max deadlift, a log press, a yoke carry, and an atlas stone event....
Converse for Lifting: Why It Works, and What's Actually Better
Converse All Stars became a gym staple almost by accident. The flat, thin sole and minimal drop turned out to be better than most athletic shoes of the era for...
Why Running Shoes Are Holding Back Your Deadlift
At some point you've probably pulled a deadlift in running shoes — or watched someone else do it. The shoe feels fine. The weight moves. The problem is subtle enough...
Are Our Shoes Competition Legal? Every Major Federation's Footwear Rules, Explained
IPF, USAPL, Powerlifting America, USPA — powerlifting footwear rules are nearly identical across every major federation. Here's exactly what they require, and why every Notorious Lift shoe passes.
