Shoe Rules

I may have discovered a possible cure for the keeping the entire foot flat during the bench press rule that i hate so much. My ideal bench set up is with my feet tucked far under me with my heels off the ground driving through my toes. Ever since i started powerlifting, the rule for my fed and many others is that the entire foot must stay flat.

This kills my arch because im very inflexible. So i came up with an idea that has worked thus far. I got a pair of work boots that already have a little heel raise to them rather than a flat sole. I took it a step further by buying about 5 pairs of the 92 cent insoles at the wal-mart(i love that place) and cutting them to form to the heel of the boot and stacking them on top of each other.

I put the stacks in the heel of the boot so the boot stays flat on the ground, but in the boot its like im walking on my toes because my heels are elevated so much. I then put the boots on and took it to the bench and it works! I havent done it at a meet yet so im wondering can I get dq’ed for that? Its not in the rulebook so i may have an argument if questions arise. Let me know if im on to something or just retarded.

I just want to see you walk up to the platform…

i doubt that will be let fly dude.

The IPF has a “no outdoor boots” rule. See the following taken from their site

Shoes or boots shall be worn.
(a) Shoes shall be taken to include only Sports Shoes / Sports Boots; W/L, P/L Boots or Deadlift
Slippers. The above is referring to indoor sports e.g. wrestling/basketball. Hiking boots do not fall
into this category
(b) No part of the underside shall be higher than 5 cm.
(c) The underside must be uniform on both sides.
(d) Loose inner soles that are not part of the manufactured shoe shall be limited to one centimeter
thickness.

The heel lifts wouldnt be a go either. I guess it depends on the fed

[quote]redroast wrote:
The IPF has a “no outdoor boots” rule. See the following taken from their site

Shoes or boots shall be worn.
(a) Shoes shall be taken to include only Sports Shoes / Sports Boots; W/L, P/L Boots or Deadlift
Slippers. The above is referring to indoor sports e.g. wrestling/basketball. Hiking boots do not fall
into this category
(b) No part of the underside shall be higher than 5 cm.
(c) The underside must be uniform on both sides.
(d) Loose inner soles that are not part of the manufactured shoe shall be limited to one centimeter
thickness.

The heel lifts wouldnt be a go either. I guess it depends on the fed[/quote]

I think you violate (a), (b), and (d) above.

there are plenty of feds that don’t micromanage out there. find on that fits you, not the other way around.

Wouldn’t really work in any of the feds that have a “flat foot rule” because most will also have equipment checks, that’ll make you look like a real dummy. Although I think the real answer here would be increasing your flexibility so you can arch properly, I bench flat footed and have trained my arch to become quite substantial, don’t see why you couldn’t do the same.