Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below I stopped using a lifting belt a while back because I was really into MMA and wanted to be able to lift heavy weight without any things to help me. But now I'm more into building big muscles again. Would it be a lot safer for me to be using a belt in the long run? Say in 20 years from now I don't want to have a horrible back from not using a belt, or injure it anytime soon.
Should I be using a Lifting belt?
- Thread starter tommboy
- Start date
italianpumped
New member
I went 4 years without using a lifting belt, but recently starting having lower back pains from the lifting I was doing. Then I bought a new belt from Inzer and started using it a couple of weeks ago and it has helped my lower back greatly. I think if your going to be lifting in the 8-10 rep range or even below that range, then you should probably get a lifting belt. Inzer Advance Designs has a tapered lifting belt, which is what I use and I love it.
http://www.inzernet.com/detail_belt.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FOREVER_BB_TAPER_BUCKLE
http://www.inzernet.com/detail_belt.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FOREVER_BB_TAPER_BUCKLE
shoestring
New member
tommboy said:
Imo forget the belt for most of the time in the gym. I wore one for years for most exercises and as a result I failed to build a strong core. I don't use it any more unless I am planning on going super heavy on something like squats or deads or bent over rows. I really think you need to build the core and hold your abs tight while lifting. When people wear belts they tend to push against the belt with there body instead of holding tight. So unless you are gonna go supper heavy or power lift I say leave it at home..
A belt has numerous benefits
it helps to create intrathoracic pressure to stabilize the lower vertebre
it keeps the lower back warm
it provides proprioceptive feedback to keep a nuetral spine on your lifts.
the core will still work and the muscles of the trunk will not atrphy because of belt use. If anything it will promote better core control and stabilization for bodybuilding and powerlifting style workouts
same goes for wrapping the knees and using power suits
it helps to create intrathoracic pressure to stabilize the lower vertebre
it keeps the lower back warm
it provides proprioceptive feedback to keep a nuetral spine on your lifts.
the core will still work and the muscles of the trunk will not atrphy because of belt use. If anything it will promote better core control and stabilization for bodybuilding and powerlifting style workouts
same goes for wrapping the knees and using power suits
blacksabbath1987
New member
use a back machine more and roman chair as stated abovetommboy said:
a belt still is a good tool but build the muscles in your back and abs.
I always use one. I have had the same belt for 15years now...
karachi183
New member
I always use one for back days.....
AhMadKooL
New member
precision said:
Where do you get your info? have you done your research?
Read this link:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/strengthening/a/aa060201a.htm
It says:
"A weightlifting belt has two main purposes. It reduces stress on the lower back while the person is lifting in an upright position and prevents back hyperextension during overhead lifts. A belt reduces low back stress by compressing the contents of the abdominal cavity. This increases the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), providing more support in front of the bones of the lower back. This allows the spinal erector muscles, which would normally provide this support of the lower back, to produce less force during the lift. Another benefit of increased IAP is a reduction in the amount of spinal shrinkage (lower back compression) a lifter may experience during circuit weight training. Some belts have a wide back and a narrow front. Therefore, it would be advisable to wear the belt backwards if increased IAP is desired, as the area gives the contents of the abdominal cavity more surface area to push against."
Also it says:
"belts should only be used on two primary occasions. The first is when performing maximal or submaximal lifts in exercises such as the squat or deadlift, in which the weight is supported by the lifter's back. The second is while performing exercises, such as the military press, which may cause the back to hyperextend."
bignate73
New member
awesome! so we have a bunch of votes for belts!
1. it does increase IAP. artificially. sounds like a nice recipe for injury in the future. false strength=false confidence.
2. it does give proprioceptive feedback, but it also inhibits neural contraction of the TVA via pressure to the sensory nerves surrounding your spine. basically giving off a false signal that your TVA is working. (see below article)
3. pushing out against it does give more support to your internal organs. via gross stability. but does nothing for segmental stability and hoop tension. (if you don't know, you better learn the differences and how they relate to each other) here or same article on one page
4. it does keep it warm, does anyone have a problem maintaining body temperature? maybe in joints where bloodflow is less but a heavily muscled area?
5. if you are getting back pains, check your form. is it bad? check your routine. are you overworked and not recovering fully? check your weaknesses. are you missing some strength in your "chain"? do you have a pre existing condition?
6. Mental crutch. I'll use this analogy again: if you are comfortable lifting 300 lbs with your belt, and you normally put it on at 250 (just to be safe), now you increase your lift to 325. Proud of yourself you still put on that belt at 250. the progress continues. one day you leave your belt at home....what can you lift? mentally....you can lift 250 "safely". you keep increasing the mental gap between what you can lift with and without a belt.
7. The whole point of training is to condition your body to handle particular loads, on a repeated basis. just like when you can't do more than 50 crunches would you like someone to come hold your hands and lift you up for another 10?
8. Where do you stop? First a belt, then wrist wraps so you can "focus more on your back". Then knee wraps to give you some spring. Then orthotics and ankle braces because your knees cave in. pretty soon you look like a Roman Warrior wrapped up for battle. each weak point on your body reinforced, while the gap further increases from your "strength" to your actual stabilized strength. But you are strong...maybe.
I don't knock those that train with equipment as their sport and know the help they get from it, because they basically know what their shirted max and raw max is and train accordingly. or in bfold's case where he knows what he needs for competition and trains his body accordingly with minimal equipment. He is intimately aware of when weakpoints crop up and how to fix them. His equipment just helps him on game day.
I'm tired now.
edit: links fixed.
1. it does increase IAP. artificially. sounds like a nice recipe for injury in the future. false strength=false confidence.
2. it does give proprioceptive feedback, but it also inhibits neural contraction of the TVA via pressure to the sensory nerves surrounding your spine. basically giving off a false signal that your TVA is working. (see below article)
3. pushing out against it does give more support to your internal organs. via gross stability. but does nothing for segmental stability and hoop tension. (if you don't know, you better learn the differences and how they relate to each other) here or same article on one page
4. it does keep it warm, does anyone have a problem maintaining body temperature? maybe in joints where bloodflow is less but a heavily muscled area?
5. if you are getting back pains, check your form. is it bad? check your routine. are you overworked and not recovering fully? check your weaknesses. are you missing some strength in your "chain"? do you have a pre existing condition?
6. Mental crutch. I'll use this analogy again: if you are comfortable lifting 300 lbs with your belt, and you normally put it on at 250 (just to be safe), now you increase your lift to 325. Proud of yourself you still put on that belt at 250. the progress continues. one day you leave your belt at home....what can you lift? mentally....you can lift 250 "safely". you keep increasing the mental gap between what you can lift with and without a belt.
7. The whole point of training is to condition your body to handle particular loads, on a repeated basis. just like when you can't do more than 50 crunches would you like someone to come hold your hands and lift you up for another 10?
8. Where do you stop? First a belt, then wrist wraps so you can "focus more on your back". Then knee wraps to give you some spring. Then orthotics and ankle braces because your knees cave in. pretty soon you look like a Roman Warrior wrapped up for battle. each weak point on your body reinforced, while the gap further increases from your "strength" to your actual stabilized strength. But you are strong...maybe.
I don't knock those that train with equipment as their sport and know the help they get from it, because they basically know what their shirted max and raw max is and train accordingly. or in bfold's case where he knows what he needs for competition and trains his body accordingly with minimal equipment. He is intimately aware of when weakpoints crop up and how to fix them. His equipment just helps him on game day.
I'm tired now.
edit: links fixed.
Last edited:
Guinness5.0
New member
I don't own a belt. I usually train for a max single/triple in some sort of squat/deadlift variant weekly. I highly doubt that adding support equipment on a regular basis has any benefit to long term development. I believe that becoming reliant on such equipment is asking for injury.
I have often had low back pain in the past - since abandoning the belt entirely and practicing a few technique improvements (Vasalva technique, mostly) I have experienced a tremendous reduction in back pain while simultaneously improving my strength by a large margin.
I have often had low back pain in the past - since abandoning the belt entirely and practicing a few technique improvements (Vasalva technique, mostly) I have experienced a tremendous reduction in back pain while simultaneously improving my strength by a large margin.
blut wump
New member
I agree 100% with Bignate and Guinness on this. To be totally confident with your lifts in terms of real-world strength a lifting aid should be viewed as either an assist or as a crutch.
Use as a crutch is probably a bad idea in general since it leads to unexpected weaknesses. Use as an assist is a conscious decision one makes for one's sport or whatever other reason.
Use as a crutch is probably a bad idea in general since it leads to unexpected weaknesses. Use as an assist is a conscious decision one makes for one's sport or whatever other reason.
blut wump
New member
Bignate didn't dispute the conclusions you drew merely their validity.
It's not a good thing to permit muscles an easy ride during a heavy lift. We've done this merry-go-round numerous times when discussing the Smith or any movement where one has artificial stabilisers. On competition day, do whatever you must. Prior to that you should differentiate between training for competition day and training for functional growth and strength.
It's not a good thing to permit muscles an easy ride during a heavy lift. We've done this merry-go-round numerous times when discussing the Smith or any movement where one has artificial stabilisers. On competition day, do whatever you must. Prior to that you should differentiate between training for competition day and training for functional growth and strength.
Guinness5.0
New member
Hmmm... do you think that triple-bodyweight squatting is respectablemaldorf said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH-IadDDsK4
400 pounds, from the floor the overhead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu4v-USn0DE&search=olympic lifting
EDIT: and FWIW I don't think that using a belt occasionally is a bad idea - I'm saying that constantly using them for most heavy sets is asking for trouble down the line.
Jim Ouini
New member
Guinness5.0 said:Hmmm... do you think that triple-bodyweight is respectable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH-IadDDsK4
EDIT: and FWIW I don't think that using a belt occasionally is a bad idea - I'm saying that constantl;y using them for most heavy sets is asking for trouble down the line.
I love that vid, I have the DVD. His GM's are pretty wild too, oly style.
djeclipse
New member
Guinness5.0 said:Hmmm... do you think that triple-bodyweight squatting is respectable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH-IadDDsK4
400 pounds, from the floor the overhead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu4v-USn0DE&search=olympic lifting
EDIT: and FWIW I don't think that using a belt occasionally is a bad idea - I'm saying that constantly using them for most heavy sets is asking for trouble down the line.
hahha OWN3D!
Guinness5.0 said:Hmmm... do you think that triple-bodyweight squatting is respectable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH-IadDDsK4
400 pounds, from the floor the overhead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu4v-USn0DE&search=olympic lifting
EDIT: and FWIW I don't think that using a belt occasionally is a bad idea - I'm saying that constantly using them for most heavy sets is asking for trouble down the line.
Not talking about what someone else can do, Im talking about what the person making the statement can do. Sure there are genetic freaks out there. Hell, even Ronnie Coleman would be wearing a belt at that weight.
s8nlilhlpr
Banned
Actually I have a question for those that wear it constantly. At least at my gym, I've never seen them tighten the belt once, after they initially put it on for the day. Aren't you supposed to wear it tight? I crank mine down, when I do use it, until I'm TIGHT, then suck in air to make everything solid. If you wear it constantly isn't it too loose to be effective?
silver_shadow
New member
i see guys do an entire workout of triceps (on the cable off course), dips, 3" seated shoulder press (we have a machine for that which is like a t-bar for shoulders - no i don't use it!) and some DB curls wearing a belt all the while... i doubt they tighten it... they also walk around with some bad ILSs8nlilhlpr said:
maldorf: the guys i've seen frequently use belts ARE the ones with 225 squat maxes with 5" ROM on the smith.
AhMadKooL
New member
bignate73 said:
With the right referances it is credible...
Bro i never said you should put it on all the time; only when your doing heavy Squats, deadlifts and military presses; you don't wanna get a spinal injury just because you wanna work the stabilisation muscles; If your not lifting very heavy then i guess you don't need it. At best, we have to agree to disagree
bignate73
New member
AhMadKooL said:
ok, I agree that different people will have different priorities. I'm still shaky on using them with military presses. if someone is hyperextending to get the weight up they are compensating for a weakness somewhere in the press.
cool. thats all I wanted to clear up and its my opinion.
silver_shadow said:i see guys do an entire workout of triceps (on the cable off course), dips, 3" seated shoulder press (we have a machine for that which is like a t-bar for shoulders - no i don't use it!) and some DB curls wearing a belt all the while... i doubt they tighten it... they also walk around with some bad ILS
maldorf: the guys i've seen frequently use belts ARE the ones with 225 squat maxes with 5" ROM on the smith.
You do see many of those guys around, thats true. I think those of us here that say wear a belt have all agreed it is when you are lifting heavy, and only during certain lifts. There is noway in hell I would think about doing reps with 495 on the squat without wearing my powerlifting belt, and for that matter I wear it when i go as low as 405 for sets of 10.
silver_shadow
New member
i used to fall back on the belt but i'm learning to listen to my body so i can avoid it. so if i'm squatting for reps, then i always know if this rep is my last safe one. if i'm going heavy i keep the ego in check.maldorf said:
the "problem" in my gym is that they keep around 15 good belts for people to use... so you find alot of scrawny guys lifting dimes on the bar, put them on and walk around with puffed chest imagining they are hardcore weightlifters.
ironically when i moved to this gym a few yrs ago, i thought that having belts available was so cool compared to the previous gym which didn't have any...
Illuminati
New member
tommboy said:
belts do not prevent injuries. to get full use out of a belt, you need to push your abs against your belt. this keeps your core tighter, and can increase your chances of not getting injured.
ChinkNasty
New member
agreed. dont overthink it.
Tweakle said:
Extra_Strong
Well-known member
all they do is give a false since of strength " artificial security.". and wearing one to much will cause you muscles to adapt to the belt.
There's no need for a weight belt. Your core should be strong enough to support the weight, otherwise you're not ready for it.
There is a great debate about the use of belts when squatting, some sources insist that you must wear one, while others state quite the opposite. It is worth noting that there are plusses and minuses to wearing one. Using a proper belt while squatting can serve to increase intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) which will serve to stabilize the spinal column, reducing compressive forces acting upon the spine and reducing back muscle forces. (25) However, muscle activity of the trunk appears to be significantly reduced when using a weight belt, which can lead to the muscles of the trunk receiving a less than optimal stimulus when using a belt. (26) Other proponents of belt use have shown that the use of a properly designed power belt may improve a lifter's explosive power by increasing the speed of the movement without compromising the joint range of motion or overall lifting technique. (27)
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5124176&postcount=825
There's no need for a weight belt. Your core should be strong enough to support the weight, otherwise you're not ready for it.
There is a great debate about the use of belts when squatting, some sources insist that you must wear one, while others state quite the opposite. It is worth noting that there are plusses and minuses to wearing one. Using a proper belt while squatting can serve to increase intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) which will serve to stabilize the spinal column, reducing compressive forces acting upon the spine and reducing back muscle forces. (25) However, muscle activity of the trunk appears to be significantly reduced when using a weight belt, which can lead to the muscles of the trunk receiving a less than optimal stimulus when using a belt. (26) Other proponents of belt use have shown that the use of a properly designed power belt may improve a lifter's explosive power by increasing the speed of the movement without compromising the joint range of motion or overall lifting technique. (27)
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5124176&postcount=825
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
tommboy said:
I would not consider using a belt all the time. Walking around in the gym with a belt on for every exercise IMO does not build a strong core. I have been around world class lifting athletes for many years and most shy away from the belt unless necessary.
I think the important thing to discuss is "How do I build a strong posterior chain?"...so you do not need to wear the belt and also avoid injury as you would have a strong core; stabilizer muscles, etc.
Shall we discuss this instead? The belt is an inanimate object and the focus should be the fitness and strength of your own body. Put the belt on the bench and it just sits there...same as a bench shirt etc. The gear doesn't lift the weight - you do.
Thoughts?
Jim Ouini
New member
I'll never forget the guy at my gym who walked up to me while I was doing BB rows ala Madcow. This guy had his belt on of course and asks why I'm not wearing one. So I respond with 'I don't wear one except for maybe heavy squats'.
So he rolls his eyes and gives me a look like 'HOOOOOKKAAAY it's your funeral' and walks away.
Anyway, after my set I glance over and he's in the powerack. No, not squatting. He's got his belt on and he's hanging from one of the posts doing dumbell tricep kickbacks.
So he rolls his eyes and gives me a look like 'HOOOOOKKAAAY it's your funeral' and walks away.
Anyway, after my set I glance over and he's in the powerack. No, not squatting. He's got his belt on and he's hanging from one of the posts doing dumbell tricep kickbacks.
Tweakle said:
I think this sums it up. If I werent using a belt now there is noway I could be doing sets of 10 with 405 on the Squat. The weight would be considerably lower and this would mean the stimulus to my legs would be much lower. In fact my legs would atrophy. In bodybuilding its not how much you lift raw, but how much hypertrophy you can induce and how you look. There is noway I am going to sell myself short of that extra stimulus a belt can provide in these basic powerlifts. How much you can lift with a belt on is always going to be higher than without, so why sell yourself short?
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
maldorf said:
Its not selling yourself short though to build your posterior chain so you can focus more on your own strength rather than thinking the belt is the key to your set of 10 at 405. Have you tried this squat without the belt? Focusing on proper form and staying tight through the squat with a big belly of air? What about all the other exercises that focus on the posterior chain...Good mornings, hypers, pull-thrus, glute-ham, zerchers...etc, are any of these a focus of your workout?
All just questions and food for thought. Your statement about atrophy is not true. If you work your posterior chain you could most likely progress to 405 for 10 without a belt in a short amount of time. However, just because you aren't squatting 405 all the time does not mean your muscle tissue will diminish (unless squat is the only exercise you perform for legs - which I can't imagine is so. ) Something else to consider, muscle tissue enjoys the stimulus, but it also enjoys symmetry and proportion. For example, if you had injured one side (leg) and you work the other leg frequently - the body will compensate and you won't lose as much mass on the non-worked side. Also, nutrition plays a part as well. You can do all the hard work lifting, but without the proper amount of cals nothing changes.
...it just sounded so much in your statement as there was a dependence on the belt - I just wondered. No knocking you - just conversing.
Guinness5.0
New member
I'm With QS S on this - if you HAVE to use the belt in order to hit a certain weight for reps, then there is a weakness/imbalance somewhere.
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
s8nlilhlpr said:
Not so tight that you could not fill your belly with air. One should work to have a strong core and posterior chain before the belt goes on.
Quadsweep's Sister said:Its not selling yourself short though to build your posterior chain so you can focus more on your own strength rather than thinking the belt is the key to your set of 10 at 405. Have you tried this squat without the belt? Focusing on proper form and staying tight through the squat with a big belly of air? What about all the other exercises that focus on the posterior chain...Good mornings, hypers, pull-thrus, glute-ham, zerchers...etc, are any of these a focus of your workout?
All just questions and food for thought. Your statement about atrophy is not true. If you work your posterior chain you could most likely progress to 405 for 10 without a belt in a short amount of time. However, just because you aren't squatting 405 all the time does not mean your muscle tissue will diminish (unless squat is the only exercise you perform for legs - which I can't imagine is so. ) Something else to consider, muscle tissue enjoys the stimulus, but it also enjoys symmetry and proportion. For example, if you had injured one side (leg) and you work the other leg frequently - the body will compensate and you won't lose as much mass on the non-worked side. Also, nutrition plays a part as well. You can do all the hard work lifting, but without the proper amount of cals nothing changes.
...it just sounded so much in your statement as there was a dependence on the belt - I just wondered. No knocking you - just conversing.
Not overrelying on a belt really. Squats, being the primary exercise I do for leg development, I am going to strive for it to be as intense as possible. There is no other exercise that stimulates growth in the lower body, leg presses dont even come close. Sure I could stop using a belt and work my way back up to 405 for 10, but for what? So that I can say may posterior chain is stronger? Right now my development sure looks pretty symetrical, I dont think it would do anything to improve my appearance. So lets say I do work my way back up to 405 for 10 without a belt, if I slap on my belt I could pile on more weight which is going to stimulate my quads that much more. Nobody can deny that a belt is going to allow you to lift more, and to me that is going to translate into more stimulus on the muscles you are training. Im not doing squats so much to build my abdominals and spinal errectors etc, im doing them for my lower body. Nothing anyone can say is going to convince me that I shouldnt use a belt when doing heavy squats and deadlifts.
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
maldorf said:
Well.....not so much so you could 'say' your posterior chain is stronger, just so that it 'is'...
I always tried myself to think of the body as a whole, more from an overall athletic level rather than bits and pieces. I guess it came from a lot of years of bodybuilding and then a foray into powerlifting. I was always doing something, biking, triathalon... for me I guess it was the nutrition + weight training + conditioning which would equal an overall level of fitness for me. To only think of my quads and the growth in them was like leaving out many pieces of the puzzle. Why would I want a stronger posterior chain? Well, the hamstrings are the opposite of the quad and the legs as a whole from a pure symmetrical standpoint (and visual) would require the PC work for growth. It is indeed possible to have a nice quadsweep without a nice hamstring in the back.
To be completely honest - the quads are not the muscles responsible for building a stonger squat; it is the hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes and core. The posterior chain so to speak. So in the end - the increase in numbers in your squat will come from this work. Its really not about the belt after all I don't think.
bignate73
New member
if 405x10 isn't possible without the belt, and the number beltless is considerably lower....there is your weakness. you arent recruiting your core enough.
similar example: seated overhead press and standing overhead press. large disparity between the 2 weights lifted...theres a break in the chain. generally its right in the middle, core.
giving up the belt crutch is the same as those that can't give up using straps. often times the argument is that they don't want one specific bodypart to suffer from a weak grip, weak core...whatever. the body is a unit, works as one and the way to keep it working properly is keep all its pieces working in unison. when they aren't working together they break.
in the raw bench press this is apparent. where the weakness is based on what area of the stalling or sticking points tells what is the problematic/lagging area. the person then assesses the weakness and trains accordingly to strengthen the weak area, essentially strengthening the weak link in the chain. new ones crop up, reassess, retrain, improve, continue. this is true of all compound movements. the more moving parts that are involved to do the work, and the more to learn about on how to improve.
similar example: seated overhead press and standing overhead press. large disparity between the 2 weights lifted...theres a break in the chain. generally its right in the middle, core.
giving up the belt crutch is the same as those that can't give up using straps. often times the argument is that they don't want one specific bodypart to suffer from a weak grip, weak core...whatever. the body is a unit, works as one and the way to keep it working properly is keep all its pieces working in unison. when they aren't working together they break.
in the raw bench press this is apparent. where the weakness is based on what area of the stalling or sticking points tells what is the problematic/lagging area. the person then assesses the weakness and trains accordingly to strengthen the weak area, essentially strengthening the weak link in the chain. new ones crop up, reassess, retrain, improve, continue. this is true of all compound movements. the more moving parts that are involved to do the work, and the more to learn about on how to improve.
Guinness5.0
New member
x2. A large disparity between belted and beltless = an imbalance.Always identify and address the weakest point.bignate73 said:
I think this is especailly worrisome with sets using reps above limit strength levels (like more thasn 3 reps).
Extra_Strong
Well-known member
bignate73 said:
agree agree!!!
