Which exercises to wear a belt for?

[Vash]

Me being the clumbsy fat bastard I am I wear a belt on things that have a potential of injuring the back.

 

[bignate73]

i dont own one. even for my ME work, i am just used to not using one. ive never allowed myself to become accustomed to weight using one, so i stay within my capacities. ive still managed a good 275 GM, without any problems. i'll hit 300 soon. i only weigh 185, so its not that i have a layer of fat protecting me, i just train my abs and low back to handle that load.

 

[Vash]

I have built in padding.

 

[DIVISION]

I want my lower back stronger - so which exercises (if any) should I wear a belt for.

I am thinking:

Squats
Deadlift
Standing Military Press

The only one I would say perhaps wear one is heavy DL.

other than your first warmup sets, you shouldn't need it though.

The point of the lifts are to strengthen the whole muscle system, which includes the ligaments and tendons. In effect, using the belt is a crutch for your back, a hinderance, not a help.

 

[w8lifterchick]

The only one I would say perhaps wear one is heavy DL.

other than your first warmup sets, you shouldn't need it though.

The point of the lifts are to strengthen the whole muscle system, which includes the ligaments and tendons. In effect, using the belt is a crutch for your back, a hinderance, not a help.

not only do i disagree, but so do most of the world record holding powerlifters., including rickey dale crain (read the articles at www.crainsmuscleworld.com), vince anello (member of the powerlifting hall of fame and champion deadlifter) and even world famous bodybuilder, dave draper, as well as every world famous powerlifter that i know of.
a belt is not a crutch- it can't lift the weights for you or act like a muscle at all. it keeps your spinal collumn in tact, keeps your muscles warm and helps keep your form correct, nothing more.
Here's a quote from rickey dale crain:

"read dave drapers newsletters.....
every single true bodybuilder i know uses a weight belt........every single athlete i know who trians heavy uses one..........they are for protection as well as to handle heavier weight to help you get stronger faster.....
rdc"

and a quote from dave draper (www.davedraper.com - who is also a friend):
"It's imperative to use a high quality leather lifting belt to support your lower back when lifting overhead, deadlifting, squatting or performing intense standing curls and lateral raises. When lifting throughout your regular routine where there is no excessive demand on the lower spine, train without the belt to allow the muscles to do their job freely. It's a good idea to do specific exercises to strengthen the vulnerable, often troublesome low back area - hyperextension, stiff-legged deadlifts and power deadlifts."

 

[jimm]

not only do i disagree, but so do most of the world record holding powerlifters., including rickey dale crain (read the articles at www.crainsmuscleworld.com), vince anello (member of the powerlifting hall of fame and champion deadlifter) and even world famous bodybuilder, dave draper, as well as every world famous powerlifter that i know of.
a belt is not a crutch- it can't lift the weights for you or act like a muscle at all. it keeps your spinal collumn in tact, keeps your muscles warm and helps keep your form correct, nothing more.
Here's a quote from rickey dale crain:

"read dave drapers newsletters.....
every single true bodybuilder i know uses a weight belt........every single athlete i know who trians heavy uses one..........they are for protection as well as to handle heavier weight to help you get stronger faster.....
rdc"

and a quote from dave draper (www.davedraper.com - who is also a friend):
"It's imperative to use a high quality leather lifting belt to support your lower back when lifting overhead, deadlifting, squatting or performing intense standing curls and lateral raises. When lifting throughout your regular routine where there is no excessive demand on the lower spine, train without the belt to allow the muscles to do their job freely. It's a good idea to do specific exercises to strengthen the vulnerable, often troublesome low back area - hyperextension, stiff-legged deadlifts and power deadlifts."

i agree with you 100% chick, you are using the belt to save you back, not to lift the weight. I also love Drapers newsletters, there is always something hilarious about them.

 

[sergeevich]

not only do i disagree, but so do most of the world record holding powerlifters., including rickey dale crain (read the articles at www.crainsmuscleworld.com), vince anello (member of the powerlifting hall of fame and champion deadlifter) and even world famous bodybuilder, dave draper, as well as every world famous powerlifter that i know of.
a belt is not a crutch- it can't lift the weights for you or act like a muscle at all. it keeps your spinal collumn in tact, keeps your muscles warm and helps keep your form correct, nothing more.
Here's a quote from rickey dale crain:

"read dave drapers newsletters.....
every single true bodybuilder i know uses a weight belt........every single athlete i know who trians heavy uses one..........they are for protection as well as to handle heavier weight to help you get stronger faster.....
rdc"

and a quote from dave draper (www.davedraper.com - who is also a friend):
"It's imperative to use a high quality leather lifting belt to support your lower back when lifting overhead, deadlifting, squatting or performing intense standing curls and lateral raises. When lifting throughout your regular routine where there is no excessive demand on the lower spine, train without the belt to allow the muscles to do their job freely. It's a good idea to do specific exercises to strengthen the vulnerable, often troublesome low back area - hyperextension, stiff-legged deadlifts and power deadlifts."

This is nonsense. It is not imperative to use a belt at all, even on squats or deadlifts, let alone "standing curls" (!!!). If Dave Draper knows no athletes who train heavy that don't use a belt then he probably doesn't know any Olympic weightlifters, who routine squat and pull weights well in excess of 200kg without belts and who have enormously strong backs and no spinal injuries.

 

[Becoming]

This is nonsense. It is not imperative to use a belt at all, even on squats or deadlifts, let alone "standing curls" (!!!). If Dave Draper knows no athletes who train heavy that don't use a belt then he probably doesn't know any Olympic weightlifters, who routine squat and pull weights well in excess of 200kg without belts and who have enormously strong backs and no spinal injuries.

You know, it is possible to state your opinion and provide evidence without taking shots at others.

First off, we are not talking about olympic weightlifters... we are talking about powerlifters.

Top powerlifters - squatting near or more than 800-1000lbs use belts.

It is true many olympic weightlifters now do NOT use belts, but many in the past did...

The great Vasili Alexeyev wore a belt... (not that it looks like it did much good!)

Obviously there is more than one way to skin a cat.

(for the record as I said above, I personally do not always use a belt with anything less than 75-80% of my max)

 

[sergeevich]

You know, it is possible to state your opinion and provide evidence without taking shots at others.

First off, we are not talking about olympic weightlifters... we are talking about powerlifters.

Top powerlifters - squatting near or more than 800-1000lbs use belts.

It is true many olympic weightlifters now do NOT use belts, but many in the past did...

The great Vasili Alexeyev wore a belt... (not that it looks like it did much good!)

Obviously there is more than one way to skin a cat.

(for the record as I said above, I personally do not always use a belt with anything less than 75-80% of my max)

Nowhere did I take a pot shot at anyone.

Certainly the question was not about Olympic lifters, but nor was it about elite powerlifters squatting maximum weights. Dave Draper suggests that all trainers ought to wear a belt when squatting. This is simply not true, and I was pointing that out.

 

[Becoming]

Nowhere did I take a pot shot at anyone.

Sorry for mis-interpreting your tone...

As I am sure you understand there are obviously multiple valid opinions... I don't always wear a belt when squatting, and I would advise others the same..

Obviously others will have other opinions on it. So be it.