Belt or no belt?

[Canadian Protein.com]

Over the years I've run into this argument a few times...should you use a belt or not. When I was lifting very heavy and especially doing deads routinely at 500lbs+ I used a belt, but I've a read a bunch of studies that say belts do not provide any safety what so ever, and actually increase the risk of injury due to the fact that it is a false sense of safety and you tend to also relying on the belt for good form rather than keeping good form throughout the movement yourself.

I'll be dead lifting very heavy again soon and will not be using a belt to see the difference. I actually haven't used a belt for the last few years and I can say that my lower back actually feels stronger than it did before.

I can see the argument raised by the "no belt" arguments since if you're going to be using bad form with a belt, IMO, it won't stop a back injury.

Opinions?

[tiramisu]

A belt will let you lift more. Lifting more lets you get stronger.
Should only be worn for heavy sets.

I doubt that it provides any more safety. It does let you pick up bigger weights.

[JonnyO]

I been wearing a belt a lot lately, because I'd like to keep my waist in check as Im bulking right now and lifting heavy, it forces me to keep my stomach tight and makes me more aware of it and keeping it tight on my own as well. Lifting heavy we have a tendancy to push out and it also forces me to breath with my chest which helps when onstage posing, as many people will still breath into their stomachs giving their gut a bloated look.

Whether it helps to actually keep the waist smaller or not IS debatable, but Im at the age where I'd rather take precaution and play it safe anyways. I've learned proper form without the use of a belt in my time so thats not an issue.

[tiramisu]

If you are using your belt properly you are pushing your stomach out against the belt. This increase intra-abdominal pressure and gives your more core stability. I have no idea whether this would make your waist smaller. Likely the opposite, but if you want to pull, push or carry heavy weight then you need to thicken up your core :)

[CanadianIron]

I been wearing a belt a lot lately, because I'd like to keep my waist in check as Im bulking right now and lifting heavy, it forces me to keep my stomach tight and makes me more aware of it and keeping it tight on my own as well. Lifting heavy we have a tendancy to push out and it also forces me to breath with my chest which helps when onstage posing, as many people will still breath into their stomachs giving their gut a bloated look.

Whether it helps to actually keep the waist smaller or not IS debatable, but Im at the age where I'd rather take precaution and play it safe anyways. I've learned proper form without the use of a belt in my time so thats not an issue.


^ agree with this. I feel much more stable when wearing a belt and as soon as I kick it for a few sets I start feeling like im hurting myself. Now I always wear a belt for anything that involves my lower back, deads, squats, bent over rows, t-bar rows etc.

btw. Is that avatar pic taken in new west?

[Shortdave]

If you are using your belt properly you are pushing your stomach out against the belt. This increase intra-abdominal pressure and gives your more core stability. I have no idea whether this would make your waist smaller. Likely the opposite, but if you want to pull, push or carry heavy weight then you need to thicken up your core :)

x2

Belts are not intended to make your waist smaller. They are to help provide structure to an area of the body that has very little support of its own.

[GYMBRAT]

for me "thickening" up my core is the last thing I want, strengthening sure.....the wider the V-taper the more pleasing to the eyes ;) though if my goal was to lift as a PL I would want my core thicker.

...and yes I do use a belt for heavier sets..:)

[Shortdave]

Dave Gulledge, a powerlifter, doesn't have too big of a waist when he is dieted down IMO. If he trained his lats he would have a incredible taper.

[GYMBRAT]

your right, awesome build yup :) amazing! you'd never know it was him if ya walked past him either in his before or afters hey ha

[Andre]

That guy Dave is built like a brick $hit house... impressive physique!

[Delt King]

I personally don't use the belt. keep your form perfect and don't worry. But then this is from a bodybuilders prospective not powerlifting.

[Danger]

This thread got me thinking and I realized everyone I know who has been lifting a long time wears a belt, seems like its probably a good investment since you only get one back for your whole life.

[Shortdave]

As tiramisu said, you should only wear the belt on your heavy sets. Lets say your max dead is 500lbs, so you start belting at 450lbs. As your dead moves up the weight that you start belting at also moves up, so when you are pulling 700 you will throw the belt on at 575 or 600

[Andre]

I have not wore a belt in over 5 years... I find my core is stronger than ever now...

My training style is bb'ing... so I don't go crazy heavy on any of my lifts...

[GYMBRAT]

My training style is bb'ing... so I don't go crazy heavy on any of my lifts...

same with me.

[JonnyO]

I have not wore a belt in over 5 years... I find my core is stronger than ever now...

My training style is bb'ing... so I don't go crazy heavy on any of my lifts...

Sometimes you have to push yourself and go crazy.

[tiramisu]

I'm kind of partial to "powerbuilding". Truthfully I'm nowhere near strong enough to be fussing with which head of my delts I should be emphasizing.

[4031]

[

I'll be dead lifting very heavy again soon and will not be using a belt to see the difference. I actually haven't used a belt for the last few years and I can say that my lower back actually feels stronger than it did before.

I can see the argument raised by the "no belt" arguments since if you're going to be using bad form with a belt, IMO, it won't stop a back injury.

Opinions?[/QUOTE]

i think you just answered your own question. Belts are not necessary. Not using a belt will make your lower back/ core stronger.The belt only shifts the stress of the weight off the L4-L5 to the cervical part of the spine

[tiramisu]

I find the argument of whether the belt provides "safety" kind of odd.
I also find the argument as to whether using a belt will make your back less or more strong odd as well.

Let me try it this way:

A belt will let you lift more than you could lift without a belt. The basic reason is that it gives your stomach something to push against to give your core more stability than it would if you weren't wearing a belt (intra-abdominal pressue). The belt is NOT designed to move stress from L4-L5 to the cervical part of the spine. There are corsets for people with bad backs that do provide this but that is NOT the purpose of a powerlifting belt.

You should only wear your belt for near max effort lifts (not your 20 rep max, your 1RM).
Your belted max will be heavier than your unbelted max for both squats and deads.

The ability to lift more than your unbelted max in both squats and deads will allow you to become stronger faster than if you didn't use a belt and didn't lift heavier.

Using a belt properly of itself will neither make your core stronger nor weaker BUT being able to lift heavier because you are using a belt on your max singles WILL make your core stronger.

If you are one of those guys who wanders around in a velcro belt for biceps curls then obviously it's not going to do anything for you but I will leave that under the heading of improper usage (retarded)

A belt has it's uses, just like wrist straps, or knee wraps and that is to allow you to move heavier weight than you would be able to if you did not use it.

Lifting heavier weight with proper form is not any more or less safe.

A weight lifting belt is not a safety tool it's a lift heavier weight tool.
Safety is in proper form/technique and the belt has no part of that discussion.

... all of this said it's been a few years since I used a belts and am only recently starting to hit weights on my squat where I think the belt would be a useful tool for developing strength. I only squat 1.5x body weight, deadlift 2x body weight and for quite a while the little stabilizing muscles limited my lifts. I am finding that I've got most of the "kinks" worked out and that the limiters on these two lifts are finally the big parts of the rear chain.

I believe that occasional max singles and double on my squats and deads (once or twice a month) w/ belt and/or knee wraps will likely provide me with the ability to build my posterior chain strength faster than not using them.

On a similar note I also use wrist straps for deads over 405 at the moment as my grip ends at about 365.

[C-money]

i only use my belt on my max attempts on deads and squats... other than that i never touch em

[GYMBRAT]

i only use my belt on my max attempts on deads and squats... other than that i never touch em

x2

[CanadianIron]

So belts add to what you can lift then?

[Shortdave]

Belts increase your ability to create intra-abdominal pressure, so it allows you to have better structure which can enable you to lift heavier weight.... it doesn't automatically add pounds to your lifts.

[CanadianIron]

So why do people act like they should get a trophy for lifting without them?

[tiramisu]

Using the belt adds about 20-30 pounds to my squat. It doesn't seem to do much for my deads as my core is not the limiter on my dead. My glutes/hams seem to be the limiter of my deads at the moment, If I can get the bar off the ground I can almost always complete the lift.

[Andre]

So why do people act like they should get a trophy for lifting without them?

When it comes to moving sersious weights, it's more impressive if the lift could be done without a belt or straps...

I don't try to move serious weights anymore, so no belt or straps are required...

[CanadianIron]

Lifting heavy without a belt is like rock climbing without a rope... sure its "hardcore" but it doesnt seem like its very smart. "Impressive" how? If the belt doesnt add pounds to your lift, i dont see what so great about lifting raw.

I guess if you have the raw build for it, great. But for most people, i see it beneficial to lift with them.

[faller]

I don't even own a belt, never have.. And no i don't want a trophy CI, its a personal choice for me. :)

[4031]

So why do people act like they should get a trophy for lifting without them?

lol,where's my trophy?

[JonnyO]

You guys are hilarious. I've never looked at a guy lifting some good weight and bothered to see if he was using a belt or straps or not and I could give a rats ass about grip strength. My lifts are the same belt or not belt, but I dont lift anything that I cant get at least 6 reps with usually...besides benching here and there lately I been going in the 4 rep ranges aiming for some more weight.

[tex]

i use my belt allllll the time. i put it a notch loose and practice filling my stomach with air and pushing hard through the lift......i have been able to cut 4 inches off my bench stroke with this method.....i bench with a pretty good arch for a tall guy and the belt reduces back trauma with the pressure it puts on my lower back.....tall guy + belt ftw!