Which exercises to wear a belt for?

[mcr]

I have just bought a belt, as my lower back seems to get fried all the time.

I want my lower back stronger - so which exercises (if any) should I wear a belt for.

I am thinking:

Squats
Deadlift
Standing Military Press

Good Mornings are questionable - do I want the belt for added support, or does that sort of eliminate the purpose of the exercise?

Will wearing the belt on squats and deadlift mean by lower back will not be getting stronger?

 

[w8lifterchick]

I have just bought a belt, as my lower back seems to get fried all the time.

I want my lower back stronger - so which exercises (if any) should I wear a belt for.

I am thinking:

Squats
Deadlift
Standing Military Press

Good Mornings are questionable - do I want the belt for added support, or does that sort of eliminate the purpose of the exercise?

Will wearing the belt on squats and deadlift mean by lower back will not be getting stronger?

a belt does not lift the weight for you and it won't hinder your strength gain in your back at all.
i think a belt does two things (well, 3)...
1. keeps your back muscles warm
2. keeps your disks in place
3. helps you keep proper form, since a good belt will be too stiff for you to round your back MUCH.
4. will help you push your abs against your belt during a squat.

you can wear your belt when you do any heavy lifting - if you're going to compete you're going to wear a belt anyway.

 

[Becoming]

a belt does not lift the weight for you and it won't hinder your strength gain in your back at all.
i think a belt does two things (well, 3)...
1. keeps your back muscles warm
2. keeps your disks in place
3. helps you keep proper form, since a good belt will be too stiff for you to round your back MUCH.
4. will help you push your abs against your belt during a squat.

you can wear your belt when you do any heavy lifting - if you're going to compete you're going to wear a belt anyway.

I agree with everything above... you need to practice pushing abs out against the belt... it will affect your form and execution of the lift...

normally I have to say though I don't wear a belt with anything less than 75-80% of my max out of habit... (Also I want to do some things outside of PL...)

that said the dudes I know that ALWAYS use their belts like stated above lift a hell of a lot more than me (one of the dudes is fast approaching a 900lb SQ)

 

[w8lifterchick]

I don't wear my belt all the time, only cause its a pain in the neck to get on/off, but for some things, like anything really heavy, its a must.
once you throw your back out once, you'll want to put it on all the time.
(mine is pink suade)

 

[deowang]

I prefer not to wear a belt unless going for an extreme 1rm

 

[jimm]

for sure you should be wearing you belt on Squats and deads, you back will not get weak. I admit i do my first 2-3 warm up sets with out just to warm it up, but after that it is on for every set. You should also wear you belt anytime there is any excessive back movement in a the lift and the back is not your main focus, like when doing hammer curls, or shoulder movments. when doing heavy GM's I fell you should wear a belt, there are a lot of different opinions on weaing belt and doing GM's.
I say if you feel any kind of pain or unusual movement in the back put on a belt.

Good luck with your lifting

Lift smart and safe
JIMM

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

I am thinking:

Squats
Deadlift
Standing Military Press

Those are the exact 3 I would have picked. And only when in the 5 rep or less range

 

[mcr]

Thanks everyone - very useful advice I appreciate it.

 

[pee wee]

I prefer not to wear a belt unless going for an extreme 1rm

Same with me, I just dont wear mine very often unless its something very heavy.

 

[TheProject]

I didn't used to wear mine on ME days, but have started using it more and more after I reach a weight that feels heavy to me.

As far as GM's go...it depends. If you're doing them in the 10-15 rep range for accessory work, I wouldn't. If you're doing GM's as your ME move, you might put it on as it gets heavy.

If your lower back is tiring quickly, I'd suggest having GM's in your regular rotation, as well as 45 degree hypers for accessory work.

 

[Vash]

Me being the clumbsy fat bastard I am I wear a belt on things that have a potential of injuring the back.

 

[bignate73]

i dont own one. even for my ME work, i am just used to not using one. ive never allowed myself to become accustomed to weight using one, so i stay within my capacities. ive still managed a good 275 GM, without any problems. i'll hit 300 soon. i only weigh 185, so its not that i have a layer of fat protecting me, i just train my abs and low back to handle that load.

 

[Vash]

I have built in padding.

 

[DIVISION]

I want my lower back stronger - so which exercises (if any) should I wear a belt for.

I am thinking:

Squats
Deadlift
Standing Military Press

The only one I would say perhaps wear one is heavy DL.

other than your first warmup sets, you shouldn't need it though.

The point of the lifts are to strengthen the whole muscle system, which includes the ligaments and tendons. In effect, using the belt is a crutch for your back, a hinderance, not a help.

 

[w8lifterchick]

The only one I would say perhaps wear one is heavy DL.

other than your first warmup sets, you shouldn't need it though.

The point of the lifts are to strengthen the whole muscle system, which includes the ligaments and tendons. In effect, using the belt is a crutch for your back, a hinderance, not a help.

not only do i disagree, but so do most of the world record holding powerlifters., including rickey dale crain (read the articles at www.crainsmuscleworld.com), vince anello (member of the powerlifting hall of fame and champion deadlifter) and even world famous bodybuilder, dave draper, as well as every world famous powerlifter that i know of.
a belt is not a crutch- it can't lift the weights for you or act like a muscle at all. it keeps your spinal collumn in tact, keeps your muscles warm and helps keep your form correct, nothing more.
Here's a quote from rickey dale crain:

"read dave drapers newsletters.....
every single true bodybuilder i know uses a weight belt........every single athlete i know who trians heavy uses one..........they are for protection as well as to handle heavier weight to help you get stronger faster.....
rdc"

and a quote from dave draper (www.davedraper.com - who is also a friend):
"It's imperative to use a high quality leather lifting belt to support your lower back when lifting overhead, deadlifting, squatting or performing intense standing curls and lateral raises. When lifting throughout your regular routine where there is no excessive demand on the lower spine, train without the belt to allow the muscles to do their job freely. It's a good idea to do specific exercises to strengthen the vulnerable, often troublesome low back area - hyperextension, stiff-legged deadlifts and power deadlifts."

 

[jimm]

not only do i disagree, but so do most of the world record holding powerlifters., including rickey dale crain (read the articles at www.crainsmuscleworld.com), vince anello (member of the powerlifting hall of fame and champion deadlifter) and even world famous bodybuilder, dave draper, as well as every world famous powerlifter that i know of.
a belt is not a crutch- it can't lift the weights for you or act like a muscle at all. it keeps your spinal collumn in tact, keeps your muscles warm and helps keep your form correct, nothing more.
Here's a quote from rickey dale crain:

"read dave drapers newsletters.....
every single true bodybuilder i know uses a weight belt........every single athlete i know who trians heavy uses one..........they are for protection as well as to handle heavier weight to help you get stronger faster.....
rdc"

and a quote from dave draper (www.davedraper.com - who is also a friend):
"It's imperative to use a high quality leather lifting belt to support your lower back when lifting overhead, deadlifting, squatting or performing intense standing curls and lateral raises. When lifting throughout your regular routine where there is no excessive demand on the lower spine, train without the belt to allow the muscles to do their job freely. It's a good idea to do specific exercises to strengthen the vulnerable, often troublesome low back area - hyperextension, stiff-legged deadlifts and power deadlifts."

i agree with you 100% chick, you are using the belt to save you back, not to lift the weight. I also love Drapers newsletters, there is always something hilarious about them.

 

[sergeevich]

not only do i disagree, but so do most of the world record holding powerlifters., including rickey dale crain (read the articles at www.crainsmuscleworld.com), vince anello (member of the powerlifting hall of fame and champion deadlifter) and even world famous bodybuilder, dave draper, as well as every world famous powerlifter that i know of.
a belt is not a crutch- it can't lift the weights for you or act like a muscle at all. it keeps your spinal collumn in tact, keeps your muscles warm and helps keep your form correct, nothing more.
Here's a quote from rickey dale crain:

"read dave drapers newsletters.....
every single true bodybuilder i know uses a weight belt........every single athlete i know who trians heavy uses one..........they are for protection as well as to handle heavier weight to help you get stronger faster.....
rdc"

and a quote from dave draper (www.davedraper.com - who is also a friend):
"It's imperative to use a high quality leather lifting belt to support your lower back when lifting overhead, deadlifting, squatting or performing intense standing curls and lateral raises. When lifting throughout your regular routine where there is no excessive demand on the lower spine, train without the belt to allow the muscles to do their job freely. It's a good idea to do specific exercises to strengthen the vulnerable, often troublesome low back area - hyperextension, stiff-legged deadlifts and power deadlifts."

This is nonsense. It is not imperative to use a belt at all, even on squats or deadlifts, let alone "standing curls" (!!!). If Dave Draper knows no athletes who train heavy that don't use a belt then he probably doesn't know any Olympic weightlifters, who routine squat and pull weights well in excess of 200kg without belts and who have enormously strong backs and no spinal injuries.

 

[Becoming]

This is nonsense. It is not imperative to use a belt at all, even on squats or deadlifts, let alone "standing curls" (!!!). If Dave Draper knows no athletes who train heavy that don't use a belt then he probably doesn't know any Olympic weightlifters, who routine squat and pull weights well in excess of 200kg without belts and who have enormously strong backs and no spinal injuries.

You know, it is possible to state your opinion and provide evidence without taking shots at others.

First off, we are not talking about olympic weightlifters... we are talking about powerlifters.

Top powerlifters - squatting near or more than 800-1000lbs use belts.

It is true many olympic weightlifters now do NOT use belts, but many in the past did...

The great Vasili Alexeyev wore a belt... (not that it looks like it did much good!)

Obviously there is more than one way to skin a cat.

(for the record as I said above, I personally do not always use a belt with anything less than 75-80% of my max)

 

[sergeevich]

You know, it is possible to state your opinion and provide evidence without taking shots at others.

First off, we are not talking about olympic weightlifters... we are talking about powerlifters.

Top powerlifters - squatting near or more than 800-1000lbs use belts.

It is true many olympic weightlifters now do NOT use belts, but many in the past did...

The great Vasili Alexeyev wore a belt... (not that it looks like it did much good!)

Obviously there is more than one way to skin a cat.

(for the record as I said above, I personally do not always use a belt with anything less than 75-80% of my max)

Nowhere did I take a pot shot at anyone.

Certainly the question was not about Olympic lifters, but nor was it about elite powerlifters squatting maximum weights. Dave Draper suggests that all trainers ought to wear a belt when squatting. This is simply not true, and I was pointing that out.

 

[Becoming]

Nowhere did I take a pot shot at anyone.

Sorry for mis-interpreting your tone...

As I am sure you understand there are obviously multiple valid opinions... I don't always wear a belt when squatting, and I would advise others the same..

Obviously others will have other opinions on it. So be it.

 

[Devastation]

i rarely use a belt unless going for a heavy one rep on squat or deadlift. the main purpose of the belt should be to teach you how to push your stomach against the belt creating a more stable base. i agree it can become a crutch for your back and i see people over depending on them

also dave draper was a bb. this is the powerlifting forum and bb info here should be mostly tossed right out the fukin window

 

[sergeevich]

Sorry for mis-interpreting your tone...

As I am sure you understand there are obviously multiple valid opinions... I don't always wear a belt when squatting, and I would advise others the same..

Obviously others will have other opinions on it. So be it.

Well, there could be more than one valid opinion on some issues, certainly. But either a belt is *always necessary* for submaximal squats or it is *not always necessary*. One of those opinions is right and the other is wrong.

Of course, one might say that some people, given weaknesses of form or muscular weakness, ought to use a belt, while others will be fine not doing, but that is a separate, practical issue.

 

[Becoming]

Well, there could be more than one valid opinion on some issues, certainly. But either a belt is *always necessary* for submaximal squats or it is *not always necessary*. One of those opinions is right and the other is wrong.

Of course, one might say that some people, given weaknesses of form or muscular weakness, ought to use a belt, while others will be fine not doing, but that is a separate, practical issue.

as I said - there are reasons for a varying answers... I think we are arguing two side of the same coin...

you right and wrong is one specific way and circumstances can dictate otherwise...

i say circumstances dictate what is right or wrong for the lifter...

the difference is in theory, not in practice

 

[bignate73]

use a belt if you need to know what you can handle with gear on. i train completely without equipment. except for some rosin and maybe some wrist wraps on bench. otherwise its chucks and a smile.

 

[AEKDB]

Deadlift
Squat

But only in competition