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I hear a lot of guys are saying that you shouldn't use wraps so you can develop your grip etc. But what about a belt?
No wristwraps, but what about belt?
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Ok...most true powerlifters do not have back problems very often...back me up on this one Hannibal. Train your core!!!!! If you have a strong mid section, front and back, you will not have back problems. Do not use your belt unless you are in prep for a contest or you are pushing extremely heavy weights. Chances are great that if you are asking this question...you are not using heavy enough weights to worry about a belt.
Also...if you are going so heavy that you do need a belt...then you probably need to go lighter.
Just my opinion...and the truth I believe!!!
B True
Also...if you are going so heavy that you do need a belt...then you probably need to go lighter.
Just my opinion...and the truth I believe!!!
B True
DOM said:
ALWAYS is a pretty strong word. Why would you say that without a belt you will injure yourself. This type of thinking amazes me. Just as B True said...TRAIN YOUR CORE!!! Most back related injuries are due to poor form or more than likely weak abs. And when I say weak abs please understand what I mean. You can have a "six pack" and still have ab strength that is out of proportion with your lower back. A belt is a tool not a crutch. If you constantly use a belt to hide your weakness you will never fix it. And if you continue to increase the weight you use witout addressing the weakness you more than likely will sustain an injury...whether you are wearing a belt at the time or not.
Personally I train as heavy as I possibly can. Doing a max effort exercise in the squat, deadlift, or goodmorning once a week. And since I have stopped using my belt my core strength has jumped considerably. Then when I put a belt on at a meet I will be that much stronger. Then only time in training that I EVER use a belt is on Dynamic Squat day...and that is simply to teach myself to use my abs when I squat.
The belt is a tool...don't use it as a crutch.
Strength and Honor
Straight copy and paste for me...read the article...learn it.
B True
-------
One question I am asked all the time is how can I increase my squat and deadlift. Most all problems associated with these two lifts boil down to one reason. The lifter has a weak torso. The midsection is the key when it comes to the powerlifts. If you do not have strong enough abdominal strength then the bar will shift forward on you leading to a missed lift. If your lower back can’t keep the bar in position, then you miss the lift. How many of you like the feeling of missing a lift? What if you could avoid this situation with proper abdominal training? We have found that there are right and wrong ways to go about torso training. There are many gimmicks and different opinions dealing with the subject of abdominal training but very few that actually help. Many times studies will be sited explaining why you must use this product or train a certain way. I have always wondered how many of these studies focused on the powerlifter training under tension and strain? When I get under a personal record squat I want to know I am ready and stable based on what works not what is supposed to work according to this or that. Wouldn’t you agree?
The first thing you need to realize is that torso training is very important. Think of your midsection as the gateway to the barbell. When you fire out of the hole in the squat you need the force to transfer to the barbell. If your midsection is weak (or soft like a sponge), all the force will be lost in the core without any transfer of power. Now, if your midsection is hard like a rock then all of your force will be transferred? What would you want under an 800pound barbell a sponge or a rock? The answer is simple, so how do you go about creating a solid midsection?
We use several movements to train the abdominal region to maximize the squat and deadlift. These include but are not limited to: Zercher Squats, Hyper Sit-Ups, Strapped-In Abs, Pull Down Abs, and Spread Eagle Sit-Ups. As you can see we like those movements that work the hip flexors and abdominal at the same time because this is how they work under the barbell. Now some of you may not be able to do some of these movements without back discomfort. In this case you need to make your back stronger! Stick with those movements that don’t hurt you back and concentrate on strengthening your lower back. If you have a strong back none of these movements will hurt you. There is no such thing as an unsafe exercise, just unsafe application. You must know your limitations and fix them; otherwise you will be limiting yourself on the platform.
1. Zercher Squats: This movement was first introduced to me when I first came to Westside. I remember thinking what the hell is this going to do for me. It wasn’t until years later that I found out. The Zercher Squat is preformed cradling the barbell in your arm and performing a barbell squat. Since the movement is best preformed off the floor, many will find they will have to do it out of a power rack. The key to making this work is to concentrate on flexing the abdominal as hard as possible. The version I like best and the one I found to be the most effective is the seated version. With this version you sit on the end of a bench and cradle the barbell in your arm and bend over at the waist so the bar falls out in front of you. Pull yourself back into the starting position by flexing you abs. My favorite way to do this is with a heavy medicine ball for sets of 8 to 12.
2. Hyper Sit-Ups: Some may call these Roman Chair Sit-Ups. These are best preformed with a slight bending of the knees and a slightly rounded back. Pull your self into an up right position and lower yourself to a point parallel to the floor. At this point hold the position for a 2 to 3 count and then curl yourself up. I also like these while holding a broomstick or barbell behind your back.
3. Strapped-In Abs: This movement is true Westside. I determine true Westside by how crazy and stupid the movement looks. If it looks stupid and feels like if really works then you are on to something. Louie is a genius at coming up with stupid shit! I suppose that it is a contradiction in terms, but it’s true. He has come up with some things that left me on the floor many times. Sometimes in pain and other times laughing to the point of tears. The strapped in abs movement is really best described with pictures (See photos). The movement is a standing cable crunch facing away from the machine. Then you strap yourself from the front allowing enough support for you to lean back into the movement. This allows for a greater range of motion. This is also a great exercise for the squat and deadlift because it is preformed on your feet. The best rep range seems to be in the 5 to 7 range for most people. You want to do this one as heavy as possible.
4. Pull Down Abs: This is the number one abdominal movement at Westside. I can’t think of a single lifter that is not doing it at least two times per week. This movement is preformed using a leather push down strap or some other type of strap on a lat pull down machine. You will pull the strap flush against the back of your neck and face away from the machine. You begin the movement by bending and crunching over at the waist. Think of this as a reverse dead lift. When you return to the starting position don’t be afraid to use some body swing to get momentum for the second repetition. The body swing will allow for a greater stretch and a fuller range of motion in the hip flexors and abdominal region. This movement can be performed several ways. The first and most common way is to train heavy for sets of 6 to 10. The second way is to perform it using ultra high reps. The reps are never counted, just pick a song on the radio and keep going until the song is over.
5. Spread Eagle Sit-Ups: This is another great movement for the hip flexors and abdominal region. Matt Dimel used to do this movement with a 135 pound barbell behind his neck for sets of 6 to 10. For those who do not know of Matt. He was one the first to squat over 1000 pounds. Matt held the world record with a 1020 pound squat as a SHW. This movement is preformed by hooking your legs under a power rack or some other type of heavy object. You want to keep your legs in a spread and straight position. At this point you perform a standard sit up.
The abdominal muscles are only part of the equation. As mentioned above, you must also have a very strong back. While this will be the focus of another article it is important to note a couple items for back training.
1. For every arch you do you need some type of bend. For example squatting is an arching activity while the reverse hyper is a bending movement. This does not mean you have to match each rep for rep but be aware that they both need to be performed. I am a very strong believer of the reverse hyper machine. I have been at Westside for over 10 years and know for a fact that every lifter does these at least twice per week. Once on Monday, and again on Friday. I have also seen and preformed good mornings with weights in the 600 to 700 pound range, dead lifts over 700 pounds and squats in the 800’s and 900’s. With all these lifts I have never seen a lifter with lower back problems that last more then one day. If they strain their back they hit the reverse hyper machine for high reps for a couple days and are back in the game come the next training session. The only constant over these years is the use of the reverse hyper machine. When asked, "what can I do if I don’t have one"? I usually replay, "Get one" and until then try rotating hyperextensions, pull throughs, and good mornings.
2. If you want a big squat and big deadlift then you need to have a big good morning. Aside from the stress they put on the glutes, hamstrings and lower back, they also serve another major function. Chaos training is defined as training designed to avoid chaos. Well in our sport of powerlifting the worst thing that can happen to you during a squat or deadlift is falling forward. Now, how do you recover from falling forward? This is accomplished by arching as hard as possible and getting the bar back into position. Sounds somewhat like a good morning, doesn’t it? Not only will the good mornings help with recovery, it will also keep you from getting into a bad position in the first place.
In summary, the information in this article can make a tremendous difference in your training. Durring my career I have read many articles on abdominal training but figured I was getting all the ab work I needed by squatting and deadlifting. Well this was true to a point but what happened when my squat got higher than my core could handle. When I began to shake real bad under maximal loads. I would go to a meet and scare the hell out of everyone when I went to set up a squat. You would think an earthquake was going on by the way I was shaking. Once I began training my abs the shaking went away. It took about six months of heavy ab training to balance my abs with the rest of my body. When this balance occurred my squat jumped 35 pounds almost overnight.
If you have any questions or you are interested in one of our catalogs give me a call at Elite Fitness Systems 888-854-8806 or contact me via e-mail at [email protected].
B True
-------
One question I am asked all the time is how can I increase my squat and deadlift. Most all problems associated with these two lifts boil down to one reason. The lifter has a weak torso. The midsection is the key when it comes to the powerlifts. If you do not have strong enough abdominal strength then the bar will shift forward on you leading to a missed lift. If your lower back can’t keep the bar in position, then you miss the lift. How many of you like the feeling of missing a lift? What if you could avoid this situation with proper abdominal training? We have found that there are right and wrong ways to go about torso training. There are many gimmicks and different opinions dealing with the subject of abdominal training but very few that actually help. Many times studies will be sited explaining why you must use this product or train a certain way. I have always wondered how many of these studies focused on the powerlifter training under tension and strain? When I get under a personal record squat I want to know I am ready and stable based on what works not what is supposed to work according to this or that. Wouldn’t you agree?
The first thing you need to realize is that torso training is very important. Think of your midsection as the gateway to the barbell. When you fire out of the hole in the squat you need the force to transfer to the barbell. If your midsection is weak (or soft like a sponge), all the force will be lost in the core without any transfer of power. Now, if your midsection is hard like a rock then all of your force will be transferred? What would you want under an 800pound barbell a sponge or a rock? The answer is simple, so how do you go about creating a solid midsection?
We use several movements to train the abdominal region to maximize the squat and deadlift. These include but are not limited to: Zercher Squats, Hyper Sit-Ups, Strapped-In Abs, Pull Down Abs, and Spread Eagle Sit-Ups. As you can see we like those movements that work the hip flexors and abdominal at the same time because this is how they work under the barbell. Now some of you may not be able to do some of these movements without back discomfort. In this case you need to make your back stronger! Stick with those movements that don’t hurt you back and concentrate on strengthening your lower back. If you have a strong back none of these movements will hurt you. There is no such thing as an unsafe exercise, just unsafe application. You must know your limitations and fix them; otherwise you will be limiting yourself on the platform.
1. Zercher Squats: This movement was first introduced to me when I first came to Westside. I remember thinking what the hell is this going to do for me. It wasn’t until years later that I found out. The Zercher Squat is preformed cradling the barbell in your arm and performing a barbell squat. Since the movement is best preformed off the floor, many will find they will have to do it out of a power rack. The key to making this work is to concentrate on flexing the abdominal as hard as possible. The version I like best and the one I found to be the most effective is the seated version. With this version you sit on the end of a bench and cradle the barbell in your arm and bend over at the waist so the bar falls out in front of you. Pull yourself back into the starting position by flexing you abs. My favorite way to do this is with a heavy medicine ball for sets of 8 to 12.
2. Hyper Sit-Ups: Some may call these Roman Chair Sit-Ups. These are best preformed with a slight bending of the knees and a slightly rounded back. Pull your self into an up right position and lower yourself to a point parallel to the floor. At this point hold the position for a 2 to 3 count and then curl yourself up. I also like these while holding a broomstick or barbell behind your back.
3. Strapped-In Abs: This movement is true Westside. I determine true Westside by how crazy and stupid the movement looks. If it looks stupid and feels like if really works then you are on to something. Louie is a genius at coming up with stupid shit! I suppose that it is a contradiction in terms, but it’s true. He has come up with some things that left me on the floor many times. Sometimes in pain and other times laughing to the point of tears. The strapped in abs movement is really best described with pictures (See photos). The movement is a standing cable crunch facing away from the machine. Then you strap yourself from the front allowing enough support for you to lean back into the movement. This allows for a greater range of motion. This is also a great exercise for the squat and deadlift because it is preformed on your feet. The best rep range seems to be in the 5 to 7 range for most people. You want to do this one as heavy as possible.
4. Pull Down Abs: This is the number one abdominal movement at Westside. I can’t think of a single lifter that is not doing it at least two times per week. This movement is preformed using a leather push down strap or some other type of strap on a lat pull down machine. You will pull the strap flush against the back of your neck and face away from the machine. You begin the movement by bending and crunching over at the waist. Think of this as a reverse dead lift. When you return to the starting position don’t be afraid to use some body swing to get momentum for the second repetition. The body swing will allow for a greater stretch and a fuller range of motion in the hip flexors and abdominal region. This movement can be performed several ways. The first and most common way is to train heavy for sets of 6 to 10. The second way is to perform it using ultra high reps. The reps are never counted, just pick a song on the radio and keep going until the song is over.
5. Spread Eagle Sit-Ups: This is another great movement for the hip flexors and abdominal region. Matt Dimel used to do this movement with a 135 pound barbell behind his neck for sets of 6 to 10. For those who do not know of Matt. He was one the first to squat over 1000 pounds. Matt held the world record with a 1020 pound squat as a SHW. This movement is preformed by hooking your legs under a power rack or some other type of heavy object. You want to keep your legs in a spread and straight position. At this point you perform a standard sit up.
The abdominal muscles are only part of the equation. As mentioned above, you must also have a very strong back. While this will be the focus of another article it is important to note a couple items for back training.
1. For every arch you do you need some type of bend. For example squatting is an arching activity while the reverse hyper is a bending movement. This does not mean you have to match each rep for rep but be aware that they both need to be performed. I am a very strong believer of the reverse hyper machine. I have been at Westside for over 10 years and know for a fact that every lifter does these at least twice per week. Once on Monday, and again on Friday. I have also seen and preformed good mornings with weights in the 600 to 700 pound range, dead lifts over 700 pounds and squats in the 800’s and 900’s. With all these lifts I have never seen a lifter with lower back problems that last more then one day. If they strain their back they hit the reverse hyper machine for high reps for a couple days and are back in the game come the next training session. The only constant over these years is the use of the reverse hyper machine. When asked, "what can I do if I don’t have one"? I usually replay, "Get one" and until then try rotating hyperextensions, pull throughs, and good mornings.
2. If you want a big squat and big deadlift then you need to have a big good morning. Aside from the stress they put on the glutes, hamstrings and lower back, they also serve another major function. Chaos training is defined as training designed to avoid chaos. Well in our sport of powerlifting the worst thing that can happen to you during a squat or deadlift is falling forward. Now, how do you recover from falling forward? This is accomplished by arching as hard as possible and getting the bar back into position. Sounds somewhat like a good morning, doesn’t it? Not only will the good mornings help with recovery, it will also keep you from getting into a bad position in the first place.
In summary, the information in this article can make a tremendous difference in your training. Durring my career I have read many articles on abdominal training but figured I was getting all the ab work I needed by squatting and deadlifting. Well this was true to a point but what happened when my squat got higher than my core could handle. When I began to shake real bad under maximal loads. I would go to a meet and scare the hell out of everyone when I went to set up a squat. You would think an earthquake was going on by the way I was shaking. Once I began training my abs the shaking went away. It took about six months of heavy ab training to balance my abs with the rest of my body. When this balance occurred my squat jumped 35 pounds almost overnight.
If you have any questions or you are interested in one of our catalogs give me a call at Elite Fitness Systems 888-854-8806 or contact me via e-mail at [email protected].
Ohhh Master....young grasshopper learns quickly.
B True
B True
Asianpersuasion
New member
Alright no more wraps or belts for me!
I agree with these folks. You need to strengthen your back. People say you need a belt to prevent injuries when the truth is that dependency on belts causes injuries. If the muscles in the lower back get a crutch every time you lift you are not going to build them up. I actually fell victim to this. I decided to stop using a belt since nothing else seemed to help. And now I have zero back probs. I will go up to about 500 in the deads before I use a belt. I am not recommending this, but I feel good as hell and love stepping up to the bar because of it. Take what you may.
I assume when you say wraps weaken your grip, you mean straps, right?
I assume when you say wraps weaken your grip, you mean straps, right?
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