Thread: Lifting Belts...When do you use them?

Many women also used them in a effort to avoid widening of the waist...

I have used one and its still stiff and new. Tried it on for legs and deads and it just didnt feel right. And I push around some heavy weight.

How does a belt prevent widening of the waist?

I don't use one. Never have. But, I could see one being used for max or near max attempts. Who decided that 400lbs was the cut off though? Maximum intensity is relative to the person. If you max attempt is 200lbs, then you can (if you wanted to) use your belt for that max attempt. To think that you have to squat "x" amount of weight to use the belt for an attempt is silly. All that stuff is relative.

I just don't ever feel comfortable with a belt on....especially during the o-lifts.

Its beleived that, since inner stabilizing muscles and abdominals are relieved of much of their duty and dont get stimulated as much, (say for big lifts) exponential growth of waist/abdominal and core muscles, is reduced(and apparently, so is "waist " growth). Few women do weighed ab work for those same reasons!

After working in various construction trades for many years I'm so used to wearing bags that I never notice a weight belt after it's on. Lol I even wear a waist-pac all the time.

Sooo yeah I wear one always.

Originally Posted by crazy_enough

Its beleived that, since inner stabilizing muscles and abdominals are relieved of much of their duty and dont get stimulated as much, (say for big lifts) exponential growth of waist/abdominal and core muscles, is reduced(and apparently, so is "waist " growth). Few women do weighed ab work for those same reasons!

how much do the inner stabilizing structures contribute to the 'bulk' of the waist? I have never had someone come in and tell me they were nervous about the size of their TVA or multifidi.

My "stabilizers" get plenty of work, belt or not.

Originally Posted by P-funk

how much do the inner stabilizing structures contribute to the 'bulk' of the waist? I have never had someone come in and tell me they were nervous about the size of their TVA or multifidi.

im gonna hire somebody to come tell you that.

I'm one of those complete fools who wears a belt the entire workout, even when I'm just doing bicep curls and tricep extensions. Wahh!

Originally Posted by P-funk

How does a belt prevent widening of the waist?

I don't use one. Never have. But, I could see one being used for max or near max attempts. Who decided that 400lbs was the cut off though? Maximum intensity is relative to the person. If you max attempt is 200lbs, then you can (if you wanted to) use your belt for that max attempt. To think that you have to squat "x" amount of weight to use the belt for an attempt is silly. All that stuff is relative.

I just don't ever feel comfortable with a belt on....especially during the o-lifts.

Nobody decided it for everyone. DOMs and I were just saying that we would guess our load threshold was somewhere near 400.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Herniating disks seems to be rarely related to lifting weights. It has a lot more to do with lots of sitting and repeated lumbar flexion. Sometimes people think the two have a closer relationship than they do because they have reduced the load tolerance of their spine through chronic means, and then comes an incident that brings that chronic stress to light.

Again, I'm not saying ditch the belt when you need it, but wearing a belt to prevent disk herniations doesn't exactly make sense. You should focus more on the root of the problem.

Also, it has been shown that those who injure their backs and wear belts tend to suffer more serious injuries that put them out of commission for longer than those who injure their backs and don't wear belts.

More food for thought.

Thats actually what I was about to ask.

Ive been getting back into Squats lately since I herniated my L5 disk last year. I didnt rupture it, but in the MRI you can see its clearly bulged on the scatic nerve.

Ive been repping squats in the 200-215lb range. Theres little inflammation in my lower back, but it really feels like a blood filled muscle. No sharpness, numbness, tingling, just soreness really. And I only feel it when I am done with the lift rather than the lift itself. Deads are much easier than squats.

Anyway, I want to go a little heavier and devise some sort of 8RM program on 4 compound lifts. Squats is one of them, but Ive got to be careful.

The question is...with my present back problem, would wearing a belt with heavier weight really be counterproductive? I do core work everytime before I lift (its my warm up). I never do too much cuz of the fact that deads and squats call upon my core, so I dont over do it.

So far I havent needed a belt..however, there is some soreness (i never feel it when I leave the gym) and the intensity is more in the 12RM range. Will going heavier call the need for a belt?

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Thats actually what I was about to ask.

Ive been getting back into Squats lately since I herniated my L5 disk last year. I didnt rupture it, but in the MRI you can see its clearly bulged on the scatic nerve.

Ive been repping squats in the 200-215lb range. Theres little inflammation in my lower back, but it really feels like a blood filled muscle. No sharpness, numbness, tingling, just soreness really. And I only feel it when I am done with the lift rather than the lift itself. Deads are much easier than squats.

Anyway, I want to go a little heavier and devise some sort of 8RM program on 4 compound lifts. Squats is one of them, but Ive got to be careful.

The question is...with my present back problem, would wearing a belt with heavier weight really be counterproductive? I do core work everytime before I lift (its my warm up). I never do too much cuz of the fact that deads and squats call upon my core, so I dont over do it.

So far I havent needed a belt..however, there is some soreness (i never feel it when I leave the gym) and the intensity is more in the 12RM range. Will going heavier call the need for a belt?

I herniated my S1/L5 as well and I will never do squats, deadlifts, rows or even a leg press again.

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Thats actually what I was about to ask.

Ive been getting back into Squats lately since I herniated my L5 disk last year. I didnt rupture it, but in the MRI you can see its clearly bulged on the scatic nerve.

Ive been repping squats in the 200-215lb range. Theres little inflammation in my lower back, but it really feels like a blood filled muscle. No sharpness, numbness, tingling, just soreness really. And I only feel it when I am done with the lift rather than the lift itself. Deads are much easier than squats.

Anyway, I want to go a little heavier and devise some sort of 8RM program on 4 compound lifts. Squats is one of them, but Ive got to be careful.

The question is...with my present back problem, would wearing a belt with heavier weight really be counterproductive? I do core work everytime before I lift (its my warm up). I never do too much cuz of the fact that deads and squats call upon my core, so I dont over do it.

So far I havent needed a belt..however, there is some soreness (i never feel it when I leave the gym) and the intensity is more in the 12RM range. Will going heavier call the need for a belt?

I would be careful. Are you absolutely sure there is no lumbar flexion when hitting the bottom portion of a squat? Perhaps that is why you feel something when you are done. Maybe the tolerance of the intervertebral discs to loading has been reduced to the point where you can't really go too heavy on a squat? I don't really know what's causing you to feel it when you are done, so you may want to figure that out first.

If the issue is simply a lack of tolerance to compressive forces on the spine, then a belt will only make things worse. Belts actually increase spinal compression, but they do aid in buttressing the spine against shearing forces and preventing an uneven application of forces throughout the intervertebral disc itself. You may have to unload more often, ensure that stresses outside the gym are minimized (Sitting in a static posture!), and that you progress slowly to ensure you do need exceed the tolerance of a given tissue.

If, however, you lack the hip/ankle mobility, or maybe even thoracic spine mobility, to squat as deep as you would like while maintaining a neutral spine (Have a 3rd party observe this), then you should address that issue before you get back into squatting at higher intensities.

what is everyone's opinion on wearing a belt during exercises that may compromise your lower back, such as a standing overhead press or during bent over rows? you can say that your back should be strong enough to support these exercises, but the lower back isn't the primary target of a row anyway, so why not get a little "help" to get better results in the targeted muscles themselves?

Originally Posted by Stewart20

what is everyone's opinion on wearing a belt during exercises that may compromise your lower back, such as a standing overhead press or during bent over rows? you can say that your back should be strong enough to support these exercises, but the lower back isn't the primary target of a row anyway, so why not get a little "help" to get better results in the targeted muscles themselves?

Again, I see nothing wrong with belts. First and foremost, a belt is not going to hurt anything, and if it gives you peace of mind, then wear it. I injured my spine in high school by going for a max lift on squats without a belt. I'll never go for a max lift again without a belt. But, for regular hypertrophy, I don't see a need to use one.


I would also like to buy another belt, so I can have one for doing shrugs. Shrugs are eventually going to put me in the hospital if I don't stop doing them without a belt. My spine just can't handle 500lbs bouncing up and down on it.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

I would be careful. Are you absolutely sure there is no lumbar flexion when hitting the bottom portion of a squat? Perhaps that is why you feel something when you are done. Maybe the tolerance of the intervertebral discs to loading has been reduced to the point where you can't really go too heavy on a squat? I don't really know what's causing you to feel it when you are done, so you may want to figure that out first.

If the issue is simply a lack of tolerance to compressive forces on the spine, then a belt will only make things worse. Belts actually increase spinal compression, but they do aid in buttressing the spine against shearing forces and preventing an uneven application of forces throughout the intervertebral disc itself. You may have to unload more often, ensure that stresses outside the gym are minimized (Sitting in a static posture!), and that you progress slowly to ensure you do need exceed the tolerance of a given tissue.

If, however, you lack the hip/ankle mobility, or maybe even thoracic spine mobility, to squat as deep as you would like while maintaining a neutral spine (Have a 3rd party observe this), then you should address that issue before you get back into squatting at higher intensities.

Not sure what Ive been doing, but it might be cuz of lousy warm ups? Who knows...cuz today was different.

I did planks for 80 sec for 2 sets, 2 sets of regular floor bridges of 20 reps each (really clenched my ass) and 3 sets of 5 L pullups. I was warmed up by then, but I did a few low rep ATG squats before I jumped into doing heavier sqauts (225) and I had NO problems today. Not even any inflammation.

On previous squat days, I saw my knees bowing out a bit during some reps. On those days I was inflammed and thats with lighter weight. When I did the 4x6 of 225lbs, I really focused on keeping my knees straight. Just a thought..

When I think of the function of a belt, it really is just doing what the abs and the lower back muscles should do...keep it straight. When I squat, there is no bending or rounding of the spine, so Id believe for me, I dont need one.

But I like Stewart's question. I do wonder if my back arches during heaving OH presses.....

Originally Posted by KelJu

Nobody decided it for everyone. DOMs and I were just saying that we would guess our load threshold was somewhere near 400.

it wasn't directed at you guys specifically. I was just speaking in general.....I always hear people put a number on things, like....I will use a belt if I can squat "x" amount of weight.

I use one when doing dips. I attach a chain to it to hold my added weight.

I use a belt when squatting max rep...

... not!

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Not sure what Ive been doing, but it might be cuz of lousy warm ups? Who knows...cuz today was different.

I did planks for 80 sec for 2 sets, 2 sets of regular floor bridges of 20 reps each (really clenched my ass) and 3 sets of 5 L pullups. I was warmed up by then, but I did a few low rep ATG squats before I jumped into doing heavier sqauts (225) and I had NO problems today. Not even any inflammation.

On previous squat days, I saw my knees bowing out a bit during some reps. On those days I was inflammed and thats with lighter weight. When I did the 4x6 of 225lbs, I really focused on keeping my knees straight. Just a thought..

When I think of the function of a belt, it really is just doing what the abs and the lower back muscles should do...keep it straight. When I squat, there is no bending or rounding of the spine, so Id believe for me, I dont need one.

But I like Stewart's question. I do wonder if my back arches during heaving OH presses.....

Belt or no belt, I would be very judicious about your weight increases, as annoying as that might be sometimes. So, get pretty comfortable with a given weight for a few session, ensuring no negative health response, before raising the weight.

P-funk uses a belt for all his lifts, he has me hit him in his ass with it to get fired up.

I use a belt for deadlifts, and if I ever squat heavy again (doubtful), I will use one then also. I really don't see the problem with having added insurance of performing a safe lift, even if it is mental.

What's worse? Using a belt, or using wrist straps when doing a 1 RM deadlift?

What's worse? Using a belt, or using steroids or even energy supps when doing 1 RM squats?

I don't think a belt really increases your max numbers, but the alteratives I mentioned sure do...

For me its a comfort thing on squats only - I squat quite heavy for my size but I dont wear one for deads because I feel like I have more control with those. Its probably just psychological and i dont think we should get into a macho argument like the one over whether you should use gloves or whether that makes you less of a man!

Do what feels right for you - thats what I say.

safety always comes first,does'nt it?
personally i never use belts,although if i felt the need,iwould.

Originally Posted by Prince

I herniated my S1/L5 as well and I will never do squats, deadlifts, rows or even a leg press again.

Didnt you have surgery? How did your injury happen?

belts are for women....so their waists won't get wider.

Always wear one when doing squats, hacks, Bent rows/T-bars and deads. Same with knee wraps (well, only for leg workouts). Better safe than sorry IMO.