No pair of shoes is going to immediately make you stronger, but they can help you improve your performance. Lifting shoes are designed for one purpose; weightlifting. The flat soles allow your feet to be as flat against the floor as possible, which helps you generate the force required to squat heavy amounts of weight. You're likely to find that your squat progression is more pronounced when using lifting shoes or flat-soled shoes like Vans in comparison to athletic or running shoes, which have a dip in the sole.