Weightlifting belt

[ballslee]

Anyone know some good places to get a workout belt?

I want a leather one, and not one of the plastic kinds that people use the whole time in the gym. just for like squats and dead lifts.

i found one place i think it is called inzer....but their belts were a bit expensive. anyone know where to get a custom one...like with my name on it or something?

 

[stevesmi]

I highly recommend not getting started using a belt. trust me on this.

 

[buddhabuilder]

Belts are for when you have started to max out your natural abilities. And even then, you will still want to do your warm up sets with no belt. Tell us the numbers you are currently hitting on the big lifts.

 

[Headholio]

Inser belts are great and they've been around forever.

If you are a powerlifter I am a firm believer in belt use for heavy sets.

 

[Headholio]

I just checked the Inzer web site and was suprised to see the standard powerlifting suede 10mm belt is 80 bucks. I think they were 80 bucks in the 80's!

 

[forcd]

It's just another tool in your " pardon the pun " tool belt. Do you have a short torso? Then maybe a wider belt not the best for you. There is no point where anyone is ready for anything..... Do entire sessions without it and do entire sessions with it. Make sure you use it though don't wear it....make surr its tight, exhale into it while getting set to lift. Whether its a wrist wrap or a squat suit if you don't use it right it ain't gunna do shit. I didn't add a gram to my squats when started wearing a squat suit until I realised i gotta use it not just look like a homo in it. I've gone through a few belts and my favourite has been a jay cutler one which is signed and slowly getting destroyed. Get what works for you not what everyone else is wearing

 

[ballslee]

I only use a belt for deadlifts and heavier squats. i do 'use' it, and don't wear it.

I use a belt for squats above 315 because it does help me keep better form above this range......and is definitely a habit i have had since high school.

deadlifts above the same number i use it as well.

i don't really max out on these lifts anymore, more going for hypertrophy.....
my bench is: 455 (i do max out occasionally on this)
squat: above 500...i usually don't go above 405 or 455 because i just want more reps and have bad knees
Deadlift: usually don't go above 405, but occasionally 495, and can easily do in the 6's.

 

[stevesmi]

Inser belts are great and they've been around forever.

If you are a powerlifter I am a firm believer in belt use for heavy sets.

at your age yes.. but the OP is like in his early 20's. i don't think someone that young needs to be messing with belts, wraps, straps, or any of that shit right now.. if you need to use any of that stuff then you are overtraining and you are gonna wreck your ligaments and tendons before you get to 30.

we see this among 20's guys a lot.. and then you read guys in their 30's and 40's all over the board having tendon and ligament problems. there is a huge connection between how bad you abuse your body when you are young, and having problems when you get older.

just ask burnthiscorpse about that.

 

[ballslee]

^okay steve, but i guess my question for you would be how is wearing a belt in minimal times going to hurt me? I literally use it for probably max 5 sets (2-3 squat, 2-3 deadlift) that is it. and it is for protection purposes, along with it helping on squat....wasn't really aware of tendons or ligaments in my back. I know there are discs and all of that, but i fully don't think i am abusing my body. if my body hurt, i wouldn't do those excercises. it doesn't hurt tho, it is more about protecting the back from injury, and being safer in times when it 'could' become compromised. I only go heavy like that if i am feeling good too, if there is an inkling that my back were hurt i wouldn't even mess with going that heavy

 

[stevesmi]

^^^ using a belt on your big lifts probably won't hurt you no.

but developing a habit of walking around the gym like a lot of guys with their bellies hanging out over their belt throwing around as heavy a weight as they can will make you dependent on it and it will become a crutch.

i used to wear a belt when i was younger too and powerlifted.. the next year i got rid of it and my lifts did not suffer.. if anything i thought my lifts improved and i felt better on my clean and jerks not using a belt.

i'm concerned about younger guys using gloves, straps, belts, etc. it can end up hurting you more than helping you. i am very anti all of those things and don't recommend it as simple as that. i had a guy come to me a couple months back at the gym and ask me when i was squatting "thats a lot of weight why don't you wear a belt?" i explained why and he thought about it for a few seconds and said "you know what you are right, never looked at it that way" .. i can only give the advice i feel is right.

in the end you are a smart guy and will have to make your own decision.. just want to make sure you are aware of the cons to wearing a belt, not just the pro's. i'm in no way trying to persuade you either way

gloves on the other hand i never recommend under ANY circumstance as it will prevent forearm and wrist development and harm your grip strength long term. i say that as someone who wore gloves for a couple years straight and learned from my mistake.. its like jogging with walmart $15 shoes