LIFTING NEWS: So as I continue on the Rippetoe routine, I kind of hit a sticking point with my squats above 240. I could go higher, but it didn’t feel good. I realized that the problem was that I wasn’t very stable — the cushiony running shoes that I usually wear to the gym start feeling kinda squishy when you’ve got significantly more than your bodyweight on your back. I’ve thought of buying actual weightlifting shoes with the plywood inserts in the soles, but I can’t find them in a store anywhere (I wear a 14EEE), and I don’t like to buy shoes online.

So while we were in DC, I went to the Nike store and told the salesguy my problem and he recommended that I try these shoes. They’re not really lifting shoes, but they’ve got flat soles, minimal cushioning, and although they don’t have a strap on the outside, they’ve got some sort of internal strap that tightens around the arch of your foot when you lace them.

On trying these with heavier weight at the gym, it felt much better right away, and I successfully added 10 pounds to my lift. I felt like I could have added more, but decided discretion was the better part of valor. Anyway, if you’re feeling unstable on squats, you might try different shoes.

Oh, BTW, I also use this belt.