Where to wear a lifting belt?

[deadshot138]

Used a belt today for squats and felt no support bracing or anything. Think it was too low. Where do you where your lifting belt ?

 

[WARinsertname]

Depends on what you are doing, and what type of belt you have.

I have a powerlifting lever belt, I set it up with the top below my lats with the bottom of the belt on my belly button or slightly below for squats.

For deadlifts I lower it so that the midway point of the belt is on my naval. Some put it way higher for deadlifts but I did not feel safe or secure with it higher.

Trial and error is what I would suggest, not everyone tends to feel the same about how their belt supports them.

If you are using a bodybuilding belt, well I can't help you there.

If you don't have a lever belt, I suggest it. You feel much more secure than any pronged belt.

 

[cincymma79]

I pull sumo so mine goes up to lowerlats squat and dead

Still don’t know why people use it for bench but whatever works. They all bench significantly more than me

 

[rocketskates]

Try different places to find where the breaking point is at in your back. Start with lower weight and wear it where it makes you feel most explosive. For squats I wear mine around my bellybutton but for deadlifts I go a little higher.

 

[deadshot138]

I had it so low that when I braced I felt nothing. Gonna raise it a bit.

 

[Aleks Sytsevich]

I wear mine fairly high now, but that wasn’t always the case. You will find the spot that suits you best by trial and error.

 

[Oblivian]

I know you are new to a belt, so I'm wondering what kind you have? Is it just a shitty one from a sports store? I don't think I'd really feel much bracing from those.

 

[deadshot138]

I know you are new to a belt, so I'm wondering what kind you have? Is it just a shitty one from a sports store? I don't think I'd really feel much bracing from those.

I bought an elite fts belt

 

[Ian Coe]

Here's a daft question and not to hijack;
Do people tend to use a belt at the higher end of their lifts?

I only ask because I have yet to ever use one, but I have pinged my lower back numerous times (usually due to insufficient recovery from a run, poor warm up or just general tightness which has pinged it before my working sets have even started).

 

[ajccoming]

I've been told never to use a belt when lifting because it trains your back to use support that your body isn't supposed to have but I'm not sure if that's completely true

 

[MilkManUK]

Here's a daft question and not to hijack;
Do people tend to use a belt at the higher end of their lifts?

I only ask because I have yet to ever use one, but I have pinged my lower back numerous times (usually due to insufficient recovery from a run, poor warm up or just general tightness which has pinged it before my working sets have even started).

Yes, I don't belt up until my heavier worksets. Heavier being relative of course.

 

[TheeFaulted]

I've been told never to use a belt when lifting because it trains your back to use support that your body isn't supposed to have but I'm not sure if that's completely true

Whoever told you this is a fucking moron.

 

[WARinsertname]

I've been told never to use a belt when lifting because it trains your back to use support that your body isn't supposed to have but I'm not sure if that's completely true

That's just what hacks who squat and deadlift sub-200lbs say.

Your core is working the whole time, your muscles are pushing against that belt and working hard.

 

[RayA]

I've never actually thought about this. Whenever I did squats (3×10), my low back got so tight I sometimes had to end the workout there. I asked around and everyone said my form was great.

I got a belt and now I stretch between sets and it's no longer a problem. I wear it with my belly button on the bottom third of the belt.

With deadlifts however, while I never experienced that problem, I don't feel a difference with the belt on or off. I guess I'll start experimenting with where to set it.

 

[ocean size]

Used a belt today for squats and felt no support bracing or anything. Think it was too low. Where do you where your lifting belt ?

apologies for asking but are you valsalva-ing and actively pushing into the belt?

I've been told never to use a belt when lifting because it trains your back to use support that your body isn't supposed to have but I'm not sure if that's completely true

Nah. The belt is just giving your core muscles something to push against so they can fire more - has been demonstrated with electromyography. If you squat with a belt, your raw squat improves. If your goal is a strong raw squat, a belt is a tool that will help you get there faster.

Maybe there is something to be said for doing some sets without one so you have the 'raw muscle memory', but that's as easy as doing warmups and lighter working sets raw

 

[WARinsertname]

apologies for asking but are you valsalva-ing and actively pushing into the belt?




Nah. The belt is just giving your core muscles something to push against so they can fire more - has been demonstrated with electromyography. If you squat with a belt, your raw squat improves. If your goal is a strong raw squat, a belt is a tool that will help you get there faster.

Maybe there is something to be said for doing some sets without one so you have the 'raw muscle memory', but that's as easy as doing warmups and lighter working sets raw

I was watching a Jujimufu video on youtube just the other day. Jack Morrow was on it and spoke about belted lifting.

He said if he is intending on lifting with the belt for heavy sets, he will be using it for warm ups as well. Only using the belt for maximal lifts doesn't get you accustomed to the feel of pushing against it. By his logic, and I find it makes perfect sense, it's better to warm up with it on so the feel of it carries into the next sets.





One of these two videos, can't remember which one.

 

[legkicktko]

I pull sumo so mine goes up to lowerlats squat and dead

Still don’t know why people use it for bench but whatever works. They all bench significantly more than me

If you have expensive/aesthetic belt, it is more of a fashion statement while you bench. Also, it prevents shirt from riding up and exposing powerbelly on instragram videos during bench.

 

[WARinsertname]

If you have expensive/aesthetic belt, it is more of a fashion statement while you bench. Also, it prevents shirt from riding up and exposing powerbelly on instragram videos during bench.

I left it on once while supersetting between my squats and bench...It felt oddly great. I setup, got tight under the bar, breathed into it and felt great.

I was pushing against my belt hard, and it made my bench feel even more stable/tighter.

 

[ASUThermo]

I pull sumo so mine goes up to lowerlats squat and dead

Still don’t know why people use it for bench but whatever works. They all bench significantly more than me

I like it for bracing similar to squat and deadlift. Comes in handy for me for top sets

 

[Demogoblin]

I like it for bracing similar to squat and deadlift. Comes in handy for me for top sets

hmm ,i feel that it makes my dead lift less smoother on the way up and down and i dont get as long as range when use the weight belt
deadlifts are great though .. i have very bad carpal tunnels so i am trying to get " posture" but squating is just flat out dangerous unless you use the machine