Minimalist Shoes Beat Cushioned In Force Production Study!

Barefoot-style shoes have become a sensation largely by word of mouth, but the science is catching up to what many devoted Peluva customers already know: barefoot is better for a variety of fitness endeavors, especially strength training. A recent randomized crossover trial from Liberty University in Virginia used force plate data to reveal that athletes wearing minimalist-style footwear generated more force and reached peak force faster during a trap bar deadlift compared to those wearing standard athletic shoes.

That’s right, footwear affects force production! This is a huge deal because force production and rate of force development are the essence of deadlift and other population multi-joint compound lifts in the gym. Liberty researchers tested athletes using two different types of footwear: Minimalist footwear (low heel-to-toe drop, wide toe box), and Standard athletic shoes (typical cushioned trainers.)

Each participant was assessed for stability across multiple planes, rate of force development (how fast force is produced), and one’s max effort performance for reps of bodyweight deadlifting the trap bar (aka “hex bar”). Force plates are platforms capable of measuring how much pressure is applied on the surface. They are commonly used for fitness assessments and sports performance physical therapy. For example, a subject can jump in the air off force plates, the individual pressure applied off of each leg can be measured. 

The results were quite validating to the burgeoning barefoot shoe movement amongst serious strength athletes: The subjects wearing minimalist shoes improved stability under load, produced greater force, and reached peak force faster. These results were consistent across both legs and repeated trials.

Why barefoot is better

The reasons minimalist shoes outperform elevated, cushioned shoes is all about physics. The elevated heel tilts your center of gravity forward, causing an adverse alteration in joint mechanics and compromising optimal technique. The thick, compressible midsole absorbs force rather than allowing the subject to apply force directly into the ground. This is how a weight is lifted off the ground by the way, which is why a common powerlifter cue is to “drive the feet into the ground” to execute a heavy lift correctly. It’s not about pulling the weight up with the arms - the weight is too heavy for that. It’s about applying counter-force into the ground to allow the entire body to contribute to the lift. 

In minimalist shoes (or in bare feet of course), a zero-drop sole allows for correct posture and center of gravity, allows weight to be distributed evenly through the foot (powerlifters talk about forming a “tripod” to distribute weight evenly), minimizes any energy lost into a cushioned sole, and also improves proprioception. With improved proprioception, the small stabilizer muscles are engaged to allow the big muscles to perform their work safely and efficiently. Read our article, Try The Peluva Deadlift Test to see for yourself how minimalist shoes are superior for deadlifting and other compound lifts in the gym where you feet interact with the ground, including: squats, romanian deadlifts, and the Olympic lifts. 

Another interesting and lesser discussed finding from the study was how minimalist footwear improved stability in multiple planes of motion. This matters because stability isn’t just about balance—it’s about how well you can express force. If you are lifting off an unstable base (i.e., an elevated, heavily cushioned shoe), your nervous system downregulates force production. This results in less efficient movement and a significant increase in injury risk. Most serious lifters are already on board with these ideas, you can find them lifting in barefoot-style shoes, stocking feet or even bare feet when the facility allows it. Unfortunately, many novices are not aware of how dangerous their typical running shoes are when they stand over the bar and work with heavy loads. 

So, whether you’re an expert or a novice, it’s time to consider using Peluvas for all of your strength training sessions. Any minimalist shoe is a huge improvement from an elevated, heavily cushioned shoe, but Peluvas have the added benefit of the five individual toe slots to allow for toe splay under load. This gives you a significant edge in balance, proprioception, and the activation of the important stabilizer muscles starting in the foot and extending all the way through the lower extremities and highly vulnerable lower back. Once you try strength training in Peluvas, you'll never go back to regular shoes!