I will risk asking a serious question here...

[HaZaRDouZ]

bro i always use belts. it keeps your fucken CORE strong and steady. pick up any body building video and they ALL are ALWAYS wearing a belt, even during warmups and such. They all have their own personalized nice ass belt. go out and get one, they help you! how is a belt that is keeping your core solid gnna effect the squatting > all legs.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

bro i always use belts. it keeps your fucken CORE strong and steady. pick up any body building video and they ALL are ALWAYS wearing a belt, even during warmups and such. They all have their own personalized nice ass belt. go out and get one, they help you! how is a belt that is keeping your core solid gnna effect the squatting > all legs.

1) squatting is not all legs. your core works just as hard to keep you upright (unless you are wearing a belt). Belts will weaken you if you wear them all the time.

2) BB's wear belts in videos because they are sponsered. who the hell warms up with a belt? BB's on videos do, with there customized, embroiderized, italicized ass belts.


Belts are good for heavy sets, just like wraps. Under no circumstances would i ever warm up with a belt or use it with weights less than 1.5x my bodyweight though.

 

[BlondBomber]

1) squatting is not all legs. your core works just as hard to keep you upright (unless you are wearing a belt). Belts will weaken you if you wear them all the time.

2) BB's wear belts in videos because they are sponsered. who the hell warms up with a belt? BB's on videos do, with there customized, embroiderized, italicized ass belts.


Belts are good for heavy sets, just like wraps. Under no circumstances would i ever warm up with a belt or use it with weights less than 1.5x my bodyweight though.

I agree. Your core is heavily involved in any compound motion, even heavy OHP.

Additionally, pro BBers are sponsored, and are at times not a good example for lifting gear/form.

I would recommend using a belt, and a real one (like Inzer, etc.), not a pizza belt, for your top 2-3 sets depending on the exercise.

Here is how I used mine last week deadlifting:

raw:
135x10
225x5
315x5

belt:
405x5 (~75% of 1 RM)
455x5 (~86% of 1 RM)
500x2 (~94% of 1 RM)

I did not plan to use these certain percentages, I just always go by feel. I just wanted to show that I didn't use my belt for any submaximal weights.

I would always caution you that you would be better off using your belt a little more than you should, than not using it and getting hurt.

 

[bignate73]

take a few steps back, lay off squatting for a week or 2 and focus on GM's, rev. hypers, regular hypers, pullthroughs, some more ab work. just do a mini "prehab" phase. take nothing to failure or even close just work your core. it could be a mix of repetitive use without full recovery, and also weakened muscle groups.

as for the belt recommendation, and its strictly my opinion: I ditched mine back in 98 because I found myself reliant on it to feel stable. trained without a belt as a BB'er for a number of years without regard for training my core specifically. Off and on would have minor setbacks, strains etc. Once I began training for strength specifically (which is heavy on core movements) all those little nags went away. Having a good base of posterior chain movements with varying emphasis on glute, ham, erectors will give you your own "nature's weightbelt". I still train all my extremities, but find that incorporating some specifics was all i needed. so my vote...save the money on the belt just spend a bit more time on some preventative maintenance. Imagine if they had "rotator cuff" belts, everyone would wear one, but since we don't have one, in the interest of shoulder longevity we do prehab work for it. Think of your core as the same. in the interest of spinal stability and health, train it.

 

[Scotsman]

take a few steps back, lay off squatting for a week or 2 and focus on GM's, rev. hypers, regular hypers, pullthroughs, some more ab work. just do a mini "prehab" phase. take nothing to failure or even close just work your core. it could be a mix of repetitive use without full recovery, and also weakened muscle groups.

as for the belt recommendation, and its strictly my opinion: I ditched mine back in 98 because I found myself reliant on it to feel stable. trained without a belt as a BB'er for a number of years without regard for training my core specifically. Off and on would have minor setbacks, strains etc. Once I began training for strength specifically (which is heavy on core movements) all those little nags went away. Having a good base of posterior chain movements with varying emphasis on glute, ham, erectors will give you your own "nature's weightbelt". I still train all my extremities, but find that incorporating some specifics was all i needed. so my vote...save the money on the belt just spend a bit more time on some preventative maintenance. Imagine if they had "rotator cuff" belts, everyone would wear one, but since we don't have one, in the interest of shoulder longevity we do prehab work for it. Think of your core as the same. in the interest of spinal stability and health, train it.

Best answer so far. Make sure you core is strong and you shouldn't have any back issues. I only put a belt on for max attempts or while doing a strongman comp to help prevent injury as B-true said. If you can to the 5x5 with a weight you definitely shouldn't be using a belt for it.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[musketeer]

Is there a "rule of thumb" for deciding when it might be a good idea to get a lifting belt?

I'm by no means a heavy lifter, currently doing 250lbs (5x5) in both squats (full squats) and deadlifts...However, my back is bothering me a bit... I'm sure form is in check, so i was wondering if there any "wives tales" rule.

Something along the line of ... "if you deadlift your BW you should be getting one of those belts, before you don't really need it"... or is it only common sense and I should simply go and buy it?

Your back is hurting you and you believe that the next logical solution outside of the exercise performance would be a belt. Sounds like it could be, but to be honest, there are many other things that it could also be:

Are you stretching down properly after EVERY workout with developmental stretches?

Have you made good gains on the 5x5 in terms of added strength, poundage and mass - it may be the time for a one or two week break in the cycle? (you'll really grow when you come back!)

Are you using poor form on another exercise that causes your core to be overtrained?

(or a combination of the above)

I trained with a belt after about the first year of training - when I just felt like I was ready. About the same time that I started using supplements, reading M&F and frequenting the local gyms so I could use their 'advanced machines' as well as the rusty free weights at my garage.

I would have to say that the advice in M&F was highly subjective and only 'correct' about half the time. Most of the supplements were overpriced and probably hardly worked (vanadium - advertised by Dave Fisher, anyone?) And of course, I would have been much better off sticking to my basic freeweight moves in my excellent home gym - which I didn't appreciate.

Which leaves the belt, if I had never been told about the use of weight belts, I doubt that I would ever have thought to use one. I wore a belt for 10 years after that, and it made me feel safer when using the heavier weights, which encouraged me to pile the weight on. I used a leather notched Valeo belt, and later replaced it with a Nike, velco belt (like Dorian used!)

About a year ago, I forgot my belt on a leg day and thought the new dude I was training with would have one to lend to me during our squat sets. He didn't! He was a few inches taller than me (6'2") and had never used a belt. That day he and I worked up to 180kg (400lb) full squats and my back never hurt me once. He even noted that my form was better! The whole workout I kept thinking, "my back is gonna burst open", but it never felt bad once!

After that I tried everything without a belt, and I loved it! Deadlifts (which I thought would be a KILLER) overhead presses, everything felt more comfortable and more natural.

My advice would be to; check all of the above alternative solutions, by upping your stretching and taking some recovery time out, and checking form on ALL exercises. Then try using a belt for a few weeks and see how that feels. If it helps you (as it seems most people recomend a belt) then good. Otherwise, come back and we will see what the hell is wrong with your back!

 

[Cuthbert]

I'm roughly between 275 and 285 with 12 years lifting experience and I've pulled 730 raw, squatted 664 raw, and recently did my first OLY squat over 495 on Sunday with 592, raw. No issues yet.

When I do my events, I will wear a belt on my heavy sets. It does help to protect my body so I have fewer pains the next day (belts, knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, etc...).

If you are having pains, I'd look into doing some reverse hypers, good mornings, and making sure that your spinal erectors are strong enough, your spine is in alignment, and that you are not overtraining them too often.

B True

Worth reading again.

Unless you are competing, don't bother with a belt.

 

[blut wump]

Worth reading again.

Unless you are competing, don't bother with a belt.

It's not that simple and neither is BFold's post. Everyone on this thread who suggests they lift belt-free has reason to be confident that they have a very solid core. For an low-intermediate lifter, the case is not so clear.

I've used a belt maybe half a dozen times this year since I decided in January to eschew the belt in favour of strengthening a known bad back and posterior chain but I wouldn't gratuitously suggest that someone lift belt-free without knowing them. As I said in an earlier post I generally suggest around 80% of 1RM to be a good point to consider putting a belt on. Beyond that point make sure you have a good idea what you're doing.

 

[Cuthbert]

It's not that simple and neither is BFold's post. Everyone on this thread who suggests they lift belt-free has reason to be confident that they have a very solid core. For an low-intermediate lifter, the case is not so clear.

I've used a belt maybe half a dozen times this year since I decided in January to eschew the belt in favour of strengthening a known bad back and posterior chain but I wouldn't gratuitously suggest that someone lift belt-free without knowing them. As I said in an earlier post I generally suggest around 80% of 1RM to be a good point to consider putting a belt on. Beyond that point make sure you have a good idea what you're doing.

Under no circumstances is a belt a substitute for a strong core. "Low-intermediate" lifters who might not have a strong core should DEFINITELY not use a belt; they should spend time strengthening their core. Doing compound movements with good form without a belt is a great way to help strengthen their lower back, abs, etc.

Good lifters attack areas where they are weak; they don't rely on their belts when strengthening the core will do most help.

 

[muscelove]

I have never used a belt in my 6 years of lifting. At first I moved too fast and things started to hurt. My suggestion to you is drop the weight a bit, Follow good form and strengthen your core. I see a belt to be useless If your looking to strengthen your core.