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How to use a weighlifting belt for fitness [Article]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Feb 5, 2018 10:00:00 AM

 

 How to use a weightlifting belt for fitness

Weightlifting belt or no belt for fitness?

 

Lately, I had a discussion at John Reed. John Reed is the new brand of McFit in Germany. There was a young bodybuilder and the place was crowded so we shared a power rack. He was doing rack pulls with 90kg while I was doing squats 140kg 5x5. After the second set, he approached me and asked whether I was competing in powerlifting. I said no as my squat and deadlift are not good enough for a decent total. He said he knows the feeling. Berlin is very competitive for bodybuilding. He does not want to step on stage without a chance to place top three at least. He wore a lifting belt and asked me what I would think about wearing them as I was lifting quite heavy. I told him I was on a juggernaut cycle and had not been using a belt for at least a year. Nasty comments on YouTube and a weak lower back lead me to that decision. He replied that his mentor is a huge fan of belts. That got me thinking.

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Why would you wear a belt

 

There are two main reasons why you would wear a belt in the gym. Here is why:

Injury prevention or Performance increase. The exercises for which it makes the most sense to wear a belt are: Barbell versions of

 

 

In these movements, extra protection for the spine can help to prevent injury. Extra stability for your midsection can improve performance. Exercises, where it makes less sense to wear a weightlifting belt, are:

 

 

Dumbbell work is more suited to bodybuilding and working on weak parts. It helps to work on imbalances so wearing a belt is rather distracting from this goal. Back extensions, kettlebell swings and good mornings are exercises which target the lower back. Belting for these defeats the purpose of strengthening the lower back. Rather than using a belt, lower the resistance when doing them.

All variations of use boil down to injury prevention or performance increase. So let's have a look at these supposed benefits of a belt. Using a belt for injury prevention is useful in maximum effort or overuse scenarios. There are studies which look into less wear and tear on high repetition programs when wearing a belt. As High repetition work leads to hypertrophy it makes sense to use a belt here.

 

When it comes to strength performance it depends on whether the competition allows a belt or not. In most scenarios allow belts with either 10mm or 13mm thickness. If that is the case it makes sense to wear a belt to protect your spine. Injury risk increases with maximum effort attempts. The risk of failure for technical or strength reasons increases. Use lifting belts for protection of the spine and lower back. Thes points will always be a weak link no matter how hard you train. The joints at the arm, legs, the neck and the lower back will always give in first. Ligaments can not strengthen by lifting as they are not muscles.

 

If it is allowed a belt makes the most the sense on the squat, deadlift, yoke and farmer's carry. A belt helps you to build more pressure in your midsection. This makes your entire upper body more stable and increases your ability to lift heavy. Bench press shirts, squat and deadlift suits take this idea even further.

 

As long as it allowed use belts in competition to increase performance.

 

Bodybuilding

 

Wearing a belt in bodybuilding scenarios does not make a lot of sense. You won't wear a belt in competition. Heavy lifts near one repetition maximum will not be performed. Thus also 13mm belts or even 10mm belts make less to no sense. If budgets are tight, get a Nylon belt.

 

For bodybuilding, the main use of a belt comes in when being on German Volume Training. If you use this 10x10 rep scheme on the squat and deadlift it is a good idea to wear a belt. This way you take the stress off your lower back and can do more volume at less injury risk.

 

CrossFit

 

In CrossFit, you do a great many of different combinations of lifting. There are very heavy workouts like Linda and King Kong. There are also lighter WODs (workouts of the day) which do not need a belt.

 

For Crossfit whenever you go very heavy get a belt on. For lighter weights use a belt if the WOD asks for barbell lifts only. For circuit training avoid a belt as taking it on and off will only cost you time. Here is some guidance for you on popular CrossFit routines including barbells:

 

No belt:

 

 

Belt:

 

 

Depending on your training you might choose a belt. Crossfitters who lack in strength might go on a Stronglifts 5x5, Wendler 531 or Smolov cycle. For Wendler and Smolov you should use a belt at least for the top sets of the day.

 

Powerlifting

 

Powerlifting is the sport in which it makes the most sense to use a belt. This sport perfected the use of tools to make athletes lift more. Bench press boards, shirts, and squat suits are some of the gimmicks to train harder for longer.

 

Lifting with a belt is a skill. You need to practice it to know how and when to brace. The correct breathing makes a lot of difference to how much pressure you can build. The more pressure you can build the more you will lift. Still, do not expect more than 5 - 20kg added to your maximum depending on your strength level.

 

A belt helps, but weak stays weak. The gains with bench press shirts and squat suits are more considerable. At the same time, the use is also a lot more technical. This is only for you if you are serious about competing in powerlifting meets. The suits are a considerable investment and it is almost impossible to get them on without help.

 

Weightlifting

 

Weightlifting is a mixed bag when it comes to belts. Weightlifting is all about maximum effort. It makes sense to squeeze out a few extra pounds or repetitions with a belt if it does not come at the expense of speed.

 

Thick belts help you to get the weight off the floor during the first pull. The first pull for the snatch and clean and jerk are deadlifts. What works in powerlifting also works in weightlifting. Where it gets tricky is the second pull. The second pull of the Olympic lifts is the phase in which the lifter brings his body under the bar. You could also think of it as the transition from your palms facing downwards to upwards. This phase of the lift starts from the hip. A thick belt makes your midsection stiffer and less mobile.

 

While helpful in the first pull it slows you down during the second pull. This is why the belts for weightlifters are usually smaller. You get some of the advantages for the first pull, without immobilization during the second. Some weightlifters do not use lifting belts at all. You have to try for yourself. The bottleneck in the Olympic lifts is not absolute power. It is bar speed and how fast the lifter is able to get under the bar. A belt usually makes you slower until you perfected technique with one.

 

Type of belts

 

There are many belts out there you can buy. I use a Rogue Ohio belt and I am very satisfied. The most common belts are made of velcro or leather. I am not a big fan of velcro. The advantage is that you are a lot less likely to bruise up using one. This comes at the cost of less stability and support.

 

Velcro belts often close without a clasp. This makes them easy to pop open at the worst time. It always gives me the shivers when I see someone attempt a one rep max in these. Velcro belts have a tendency to be misused and open up when support is crucial to the lifters health.

 

Leather belts are more expensive. They are also less forgiving on your body. You should pay attention to the quality of the leather. The higher the price of the belt, the better the quality of the leather. Another sign of quality is that they are not made of too many pieces. The less stitching and bolts on the belt the better for you. Any stitch is a weak point.

 

At the points where bolts and stitches are used check whether they are sturdy. Leather belts also come in various forms. The 13mm versions are the best fit for powerlifting applications. The 10mm belts are the all-rounders of the lifting world. Anything below that and you might as well wrap yourself in a towel.

 

For weightlifting, you might consider some of the special belts. These have the leather cut out in the front. A 10mm will do but get in the way. A good belt will set you back 100 150 Dollars or Euros. Anything lower than that usually sacrifices some quality.

 

Do you need a belt?

 

This my most important piece of advice for you. For the first two years of strength training avoid a belt altogether. You will be tempted to use a belt because of ego. Avoid that. It happened to me and YouTube trolls did the rest. Build yourself up to a decent level of strength without a belt. Otherwise, you end up like me doing tons of kettlebell swings, glute ham raises and sit decline sit-ups. I have to do this as I trained too much with belts and my midsection is weak.

 

Conclusion

 

The first question to ask is whether you REALLY need a belt at all. The answer is most likely no. Once you decide you need a belt it makes the most sense to get one for powerlifting. Second in line is weightlifting, third bodybuilding, and Crossfit last.

 

Further reading

On the deadlift

On the squat


On the bench press

Topics: Fitness