When to start using a weightlifting belt?

fullback4glin · 30-10-2010 10:03PM #1

I've been squatting for the last 18 months now an am 10kg away from a 1.5xBW Squat. When should I start using a belt? And similarly for deadlifting?

Nate--IRL-- · 30-10-2010 11:13PM

EDIT:- I'll leave the link as a reminder to myself that google doesn't know all. But you'd be better off following the advice given in Starting Strength IMO.

http://stronglifts.com/weight-lifting-belts-to-wear-or-not-to-wear/

Nate

_JOE_ · 30-10-2010 11:17PM

I think 1.5 x BW for squat and 2 x BW for deadlift is a good guideline but just that. Some lifters are comfortable belting up earlier or later in their sets.

For example, I'm circa 80kg, and wouldn't belt up until 120 for squat and 180kg for deadlift...

Westwood · 31-10-2010 12:06AM

Is their a belt for squats and deads etc that can also be doubled as a dip belt? im kinda suffering with lower hip/back problem now at 120kg and was hoping to get one too.

Hanley · 31-10-2010 01:48AM

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

http://stronglifts.com/weight-lifting-belts-to-wear-or-not-to-wear/

Nate

Someone needs to hack that website and shut it and everything that ever came off it down.

In 5 years, when people look up "internet lifting guru" - there'll be a picture of him.

Hanley · 31-10-2010 01:54AM

Hanley wrote: »

Someone needs to hack that website and shut it and everything that ever came off it down.

In 5 years, when people look up "internet lifting guru" - there'll be a picture of him.

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I just read a bit of his website...

In one place it says he's training > 11 years.

In another it says he's "approaching a 500lb deadlift @ 165lb"

And in another it says "I’m not a powerlifter, but I did an easy 418lbs deadlift in July 2010, so the 3xBW deadlift (500lbs for me) should be there soon"

If I sucked that bad, I probably would be forced to kill myself.

Nate--IRL-- · 31-10-2010 12:44PM

Hanley wrote: »

Someone needs to hack that website and shut it and everything that ever came off it down.

In 5 years, when people look up "internet lifting guru" - there'll be a picture of him.

Whoops, I take it it is bad advice then? Sorry OP.

Nate

token · 31-10-2010 01:59PM

Read this and the articles it links to
http://www.70sbig.com/?p=1594

Nate--IRL-- · 31-10-2010 02:27PM

Just re-read Starting strength, basically what is said is that if you feel you need it, err on the side of caution and use one.

Nate

fullback4glin · 31-10-2010 02:39PM

Thanks for the advice and links etc. I'd prefer peoples own experience on when they felt they needed to start wearing a belt, because there are so many vastly different opinions online.

token · 31-10-2010 03:00PM

My numbers are similar to yours and I just started using one this week and am never taking the thing off again

When my worksets on squats start to feel heavy I have a hard time keeping my chest up and if it gets heavy enough I'll end up doing a quasi good morning. This happens well before my legs crap out. This is the reason I tried a belt because of the extra pressure and support it provides. My form is good again now since putting on the belt and my chest is no longer dropping. I'm properly able to push it on the squat and grind out reps if need be without my core collasping for the first time.

dartstothesea · 31-10-2010 03:24PM

I read those articles on 70sBig, there. So using the belt won't mean I'm training* anything less than I would be without it? 'Til now I sort of had the vague impression the belt let your abs or erectors just... not work as hard I guess.

It's just I've read articles recently contradicting the notion that every serious lifter should be belted. I can't remember where now, maybe it was on Choas & Pain? Could've been elsewhere. I think it said something like you can, without a belt, train your intra-abdominal **** to work just as hard as a belt would make them work. If that even makes sense.

*I use the word training because I'm talking about using something that will improve as a result of using it. If my ability to hold a breath will never improve from training it, then I don't care about training it, etc.

d'Oracle · 31-10-2010 04:52PM

You can read contradicting articles all day.
Basically its a call you have to make yourself.

dartstothesea · 31-10-2010 06:20PM

Ah, okay. I was just gonna stay on my all-day article-reading marathon 'til the stroke of midnight tonight and just blindly follow the advice of whatever one I happened to be reading at that moment.

TommyKnocker · 31-10-2010 06:28PM

dartstothesea wrote: »

Ah, okay. I was just gonna stay on my all-day article-reading marathon 'til the stroke of midnight tonight and just blindly follow the advice of whatever one I happened to be reading at that moment.

Mod Note: There is no need for the sarcasm! There will be folks advising for and against using a weight lifting belt. There are folks who lift seriously large weight without a belt and there are folks who swear by a belt. There are comps AFAIK where belts are allowed and others where they are forbidden.

In the end of the day as d'Oracle has said, the choice is yours to make.

M

dartstothesea · 31-10-2010 06:35PM

Ha, alright, just being a wiseguy. I'm happy to get and take the advice about making my own call. Thanks.

Hanley · 31-10-2010 10:33PM

B-Builder wrote: »

There are comps AFAIK where belts are allowed and others where they are forbidden.

Nope. Belts are allowed in every comp that matters.

dartstothesea wrote: »

I read those articles on 70sBig, there. So using the belt won't mean I'm training* anything less than I would be without it? 'Til now I sort of had the vague impression the belt let your abs or erectors just... not work as hard I guess.

It's just I've read articles recently contradicting the notion that every serious lifter should be belted. I can't remember where now, maybe it was on Choas & Pain? Could've been elsewhere. I think it said something like you can, without a belt, train your intra-abdominal **** to work just as hard as a belt would make them work. If that even makes sense.

*I use the word training because I'm talking about using something that will improve as a result of using it. If my ability to hold a breath will never improve from training it, then I don't care about training it, etc.

Squat 400lb beltless... cool.

Keep training and squat 500lb with a belt...

Which do you think your core will be strongest at?

TommyKnocker · 31-10-2010 10:54PM

Hanley wrote: »

Nope. Belts are allowed in every comp that matters.

Cheers Hanley. Wasn't sure whether belts were allowed in all comps or not.

M

jugger0 · 01-11-2010 09:45PM

You dont need a belt.

Edwardius · 01-11-2010 11:39PM

jugger0 wrote: »

You dont need a belt.

For what?

Sangre · 01-11-2010 11:45PM

Dead Ed wrote: »

For what?

To live but other than that it can be a useful tool in helping a serious lifter (as in dedicated not huge numbers) progress to the next level in their lifting.

Edwardius · 02-11-2010 12:10AM

Sangre wrote: »

To live but other than that it can be a useful tool in helping a serious lifter (as in dedicated not huge numbers) progress to the next level in their lifting.

Exactly. Nobody "needs" one, but they help to make you stronger.

kevpants · 02-11-2010 12:17AM

A belt is not a bandaid. You use it to lift more weight. It's not about injury prevention, but it can prevent injury.

Your middle bit is a bendy bit, if it bends it absorbs power that should be transferred to the bar. Using a belt correctly stiffen the middle bit. It won't do it itself though, you will get immediate carryover from it but you can learn it and get extra kg's based on how you brace against it etc.

Set a target weight and get to it beltless then get a belt and have fun breaking it in.

jugger0 · 02-11-2010 12:18AM

Dead Ed wrote: »

Exactly. Nobody "needs" one, but they help to make you stronger.

Well the majority of people use them as an insurance policy, they wear them for every set, dont put them on tight enough etc, if your a serious powerlifter going for a new pb fair enough, but 1.5 bw? seems unnecessary IMO.

Hanley · 02-11-2010 12:20AM

jugger0 wrote: »

Well the majority of people use them as an insurance policy, they wear them for every set, dont put them on tight enough etc, if your a serious powerlifter going for a new pb fair enough, but 1.5 bw? seems unnecessary IMO.

If you're not putting on your belt tight enough, you're probably using it the right way.

Next.

Remmy · 02-11-2010 12:24AM

Hanley wrote: »

If you're not putting on your belt tight enough, you're probably using it the right way.

Next.

how tight should the belt be?I just got mine and was under the impression that it should be as tight as I can get it?

jugger0 · 02-11-2010 12:25AM

Hanley wrote: »

If you're not putting on your belt tight enough, you're probably using it the right way.

Next.

Thats the complete opposite of everything ive ever heard about belts, i was told it should be uncomfortably tight?

Hanley · 02-11-2010 12:29AM

Remmy wrote: »

how tight should the belt be?I just got mine and was under the impression that it should be as tight as I can get it?

jugger0 wrote: »

Thats the complete opposite of everything ive ever heard about belts, i was told it should be uncomfortably tight?

You were both told wrong.

Assuming you both have PL style belts which are the same thickness all around, the whole idea of using it is that you brace your abs against it. To do that it needs to be a hole or looser than you think it should be... Ugh it's hard to explain this over the net, but basically if you can fit your hand between your belt and your abs without sucking in your abs excessively, it's about right. Try to force your belly against it before descending into a squat (ie give yourself that pregnant look) and you should end up a lot tighter and more stable.

If the belt's too tight you run the risk of it getting up under your ribs and cracking one, and it'll pull you forward at the bottom of a squat and cause you to lose your arch... putting you more at risk of injuring your back.

Sangre · 02-11-2010 12:35AM

Does this also apply to a smaller belt (in thickness and height) where there isn't the risk of it cracking a rib?

Remmy · 02-11-2010 12:35AM

Hanley wrote: »

You were both told wrong.

Assuming you both have PL style belts which are the same thickness all around, the whole idea of using it is that you brace your abs against it. To do that it needs to be a hole or looser than you think it should be... Ugh it's hard to explain this over the net, but basically if you can fit your hand between your belt and your abs without sucking in your abs excessively, it's about right. Try to force your belly against it before descending into a squat (ie give yourself that pregnant look) and you should end up a lot tighter and more stable.

If the belt's too tight you run the risk of it getting up under your ribs and cracking one, and it'll pull you forward at the bottom of a squat and cause you to lose your arch... putting you more at risk of injuring your back.

ah right thats a bit different to what I was doing so thanks man!

Hanley · 02-11-2010 12:36AM

Sangre wrote: »

Does this also apply to a smaller belt (in thickness and height) where there isn't the risk of it cracking a rib?

If you're talking about a BB belt with a bigger back tapering to a smaller front... you can't do it cos there's not enough support at the front for it.

When to start using a weightlifting belt?

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