Lose the belt!

[TauRine]

Hey guys, just started leaving my belt off whilst training - apart from when going close to maximal lifts! Did deadlifts last night with sets of 3/4 reps - man, I never knew how much your abs are used for stabilisation - they're burning today!

Definitely will be doing this from now on. What do you guys think - belt on or belt off?

TauRine.

 

[Geno_O]

I use the belt for box squats with bands and for competition
lifts. All of my heavy gym work is generally done w/o a belt.

 

[spatts]

I have yet to use a belt for a comp lift.

<----------------------------see?

 

[Geno_O]

Spatts, good one.

 

[p03t1c]

the belt is just supposed to be your reminder to expand your stomach. since the stomach should be pushed out to the extreme on all three major lifts, it is a good training tool. i use the it on DE squat days for the box squats and for speed pulls if i feel like i need it. sometimes i wear it on bench days to remind myself that i need to be hold my belly fully of air.

if you feel like you need it during the ME training or whatever, then by all means use it. i need to work on strengthening my core, and with the belt on during most exercises, i don't feel like i get the same results, so i tend to keep it off.

 

[spatts]

I actually feel like a belt inhibits my ability use my air. I'm MUCH better off just flexing my abs, and then pushing out against my own ab wall.

Now for lower back support under extreme conditions, that's a different story.

 

[TauRine]

Yeah spatts, would agree with you on that - when doing deadlifts I find it difficult to hold onto a big gulp of air when I go down to the bar.

I'm also finding that I can lift more weight now when i *do* wear my belt. p03t1c: I only put it on now when going for a PR or something - with good form there's no need for it anyway?

TauRine.

 

[powerlifterjay]

Usually i wear my belt loose, but recently been doing beltless workouts. And love it. Now i can lift alot more with a belt. Thats just fact. But off season and speed no belt here. The only time i use a belt would be a max or big squat, or max deadlift or good AM. No speed squats or ME box squatting. Just max contest lifts done the same as the contest.