Which weight lifting belt?

[Poser]

Extending the cervical spine to "look up" during the squat should not be considered a universal truth but I guess there is more than one way to squat a barbell.




I used straps on occasion until I learned to properly grip the bar and use chalk. Keep the bar away from your palm and the grip gets stronger without straps.

The Correct Place for the Bar in Your Hands in the Deadlift | Mark Rippetoe

“JUST PICK IT UP OFF THE FUCKIN' FLOOR!!! GRIP IT AND RIP IT!!!! ARRRGH!!!!!” is the extent to which the deadlift is coached in some high school weight rooms, gyms, and garages around the world. I'm sorry, but this level of simplicity is insufficient, and yelling does not compensate for a lack...

startingstrength.com

I haven’t heard anyone actively preach the “look at the ceiling” cue since the HS football weight room in the early 90s. -so many problems with that cue: what is looking up actually going to do for you in a high bar squat? While there are all kinds of disagreements about everything, I do expect you’d be hard pressed to find a Strength coach beyond the high school level in 2020 who actively believes that “looking up” in the squat contributes anything. Some would argue that it’s detrimental since it causes misalignments in the spinal chain. High bar or low bar, no reason not to keep the neck inline with the spine, so a gaze that is straight forward for the high bar squat and looking down a few feet in front of you in the low bar.

 

[Poser]

Overheads are certainly the most technical lift, and I wouldn't attempt it without good coaching, but they'll certainly seek and destroy weaknesses. I put them in the same category as turkish get ups, not tremendously functional in movement, but the results they get are pretty impressive.

This is basically my point - we want to get strong and fit for the woods, but a bigger number on the deadlift isn't the point, being stronger is the point. We do the standard lifts (squats, deadlifts, bench, press, etc) because they're convenient, easy to scale up or down, and they flat out work. But in the end, a bigger number on any of these lifts isn't the point - the point is to get strong. A barbell is convenient, swap it out for an axle bar and your normal numbers are going to be a far bigger challenge. Switching to a sumo style deadlift will likely make your normal numbers more challenging. You need to evaluate the purpose of a belt; if the purpose is you want to hit a bigger number on the deadlift - it will certainly help, if you want to get stronger, it may not be necessary and it might be detrimental.



This is exactly the issue, learn to solve the real problem and you won't need as many tools.

I tend to agree. Overhead squats look cool and certainly require some mobility and athleticism, but, at the end of the day, they are a very weak variant of the Backsquat -generally not heavy enough to generate training stress on the lower body relative to the Backsquat and usually limited by ones shoulder strength. Even Oly lifters often don’t employ them in isolation to the very advanced level. They are basically popular because they are in Xfit wods, but what do you really have to gain from them that is not already addressed with a (much heavier) Backsquat and standing overhead pressing? So, at that point, they don’t fit well into programming beyond a direct supplement to the Snatch, which is sport specific. Not sure if there is much to gain for a person who is just trying to have a strong body for life, hunting, etc, unless you just really like them and want to do them. I used to do them a lot for that reason, but eventually realized they don’t offer enough ROI to justify the training time: even a “light” day of backsquatting is still significantly heavier than the heaviest OH squat I could muster up.

 

[LongWayAround]

People "looking up" during a squat or deadlift make me cringe. I want my spine to be aligned during the movement. Not kinked.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

I tend to agree. Overhead squats look cool and certainly require some mobility and athleticism, but, at the end of the day, they are a very weak variant of the Backsquat -generally not heavy enough to generate training stress on the lower body relative to the Backsquat and usually limited by ones shoulder strength. Even Oly lifters often don’t employ them in isolation to the very advanced level. They are basically popular because they are in Xfit wods, but what do you really have to gain from them that is not already addressed with a (much heavier) Backsquat and standing overhead pressing? So, at that point, they don’t fit well into programming beyond a direct supplement to the Snatch, which is sport specific. Not sure if there is much to gain for a person who is just trying to have a strong body for life, hunting, etc, unless you just really like them and want to do them. I used to do them a lot for that reason, but eventually realized they don’t offer enough ROI to justify the training time: even a “light” day of backsquatting is still significantly heavier than the heaviest OH squat I could muster up.

I agree in general, it's more of a question of what the percentages look like. For me overhead squats are much heavier than a strict press, your mileage may vary.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Getting heavy on the deadlifts and think it's time to start using a belt again. I've only ever used the ones at the gym and never owned one. What's everyone using?

TLDR - Rogue leather belts are very nice, a bit spendy, but nice.

Sorry to derail your thread - I get this question at the gym I coach at on an almost every day basis: What shoes should I buy? What belt should I use? Should I get some wrist straps or grips? Should I use the liquid chalk or the powdery kind? It's that age old question of "if I buy a thing will I be better?" Certainly there are advantages to all kinds of supporting equipment, but generally I get more positive feedback from people who I've convinced to stop wearing gear than people who go and buy it.

A couple of example:
1) Wrist straps are really popular in crossfit gyms, but the conventional reason people wear them is because they haven't learned how to press properly so their wrists hurt. If you can convince them to learn how to press correctly, and strengthen their wrists to do it, they don't need them anymore. Sure they might come out for a PR attempt, but not everyday.
2) Belts seem pretty similar, we have lots of firemen at our gym and I poked at a couple of them a few years ago about wearing a belt, and a few of them stopped. Their numbers dropped immediately, but within a year they were above their old numbers all of them mentioned they saw substantial improvement in other areas that they had to work on once the belt was gone.

Anyways, all that to say, go ahead and pick up a belt if you want one, they do work. The rogue leather belts are very nice, well reviewed, and quite expensive, though they'll likely last a lifetime. But think carefully about why you want one.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Best Belts - Powerlifting and Weight Lifting Belts > Home

 

[TheGDog]

I haven’t heard anyone actively preach the “look at the ceiling” cue since the HS football weight room in the early 90s. -so many problems with that cue: what is looking up actually going to do for you in a high bar squat? While there are all kinds of disagreements about everything, I do expect you’d be hard pressed to find a Strength coach beyond the high school level in 2020 who actively believes that “looking up” in the squat contributes anything. Some would argue that it’s detrimental since it causes misalignments in the spinal chain. High bar or low bar, no reason not to keep the neck inline with the spine, so a gaze that is straight forward for the high bar squat and looking down a few feet in front of you in the low bar.

WhoTF said to look at the damn ceiling? If this wasn't the internet I'd be yellin' at y'all to run a damn Q-Tip thru your ears!

Go ahead and join the conversation... but.. take great care not to put words in the mouths of others, that they did not say.

Looking up? It prevents you from trying to cheat when you're pushing it. The first instinct everybody does when they're quads or glutes are barking at 'em that they need help... is that people tend to want to lean forward and slightly roll their backs... rather than powering thru the slam to the quads and bringing it home with the calves. You look up on that point you chose to focus on... let's say approx 8ft up on the wall. (Not the damn ceiling. No damn body said anything about a damn ceiling. Where the hell do you even get this stuff from?) because it reminds you and forces you not to round your back or try to lean over and invoke back and maybe even a little glute as a pressure let off maneuver to take the strain off the quads there at that worst part of it. That part where ya gotta get angry and push thru the beginnings of seeing stars. And if ya ain't seeing stars? Well... come back to me when ya are, cause that means ya ain't ever pushed yourself hard enough yet.

 

[Poser]

WhoTF said to look at the damn ceiling? If this wasn't the internet I'd be yellin' at y'all to run a damn Q-Tip thru your ears!

Go ahead and join the conversation... but.. take great care not to put words in the mouths of others, that they did not say.

Looking up? It prevents you from trying to cheat when you're pushing it. The first instinct everybody does when they're quads or glutes are barking at 'em that they need help... is that people tend to want to lean forward and slightly roll their backs... rather than powering thru the slam to the quads and bringing it home with the calves. You look up on that point you chose to focus on... let's say approx 8ft up on the wall. (Not the damn ceiling. No damn body said anything about a damn ceiling. Where the hell do you even get this stuff from?) because it reminds you and forces you not to round your back or try to lean over and invoke back and maybe even a little glute as a pressure let off maneuver to take the strain off the quads there at that worst part of it. That part where ya gotta get angry and push thru the beginnings of seeing stars. And if ya ain't seeing stars? Well... come back to me when ya are, cause that means ya ain't ever pushed yourself hard enough yet.

“Looking up prevents you from trying to cheat”

Got it

 

[LongWayAround]

The Gdog has spoken.

 

[307]

Lol, belts are mostly unnecessary and potentially dangerous in the hands of a person who lacks significant training age/expertise.

As has been stated, they enhance performance, but not safety. When belted lifters do suffer spine injuries, they tend to be more severe than a non belted lifter.

There is certainly a point of "strong enough" unless you're a competitive lifter in search of every last kilo (and the massive increase in risk associated with finding one's absolute limit).

A person can certainly get to that point of diminishing returns without a belt.

 

[Poser]

Lol, belts are mostly unnecessary and potentially dangerous in the hands of a person who lacks significant training age/expertise.

As has been stated, they enhance performance, but not safety. When belted lifters do suffer spine injuries, they tend to be more severe than a non belted lifter.

There is certainly a point of "strong enough" unless you're a competitive lifter in search of every last kilo (and the massive increase in risk associated with finding one's absolute limit).

A person can certainly get to that point of diminishing returns without a belt.

I don’t disagree that you can get reasonably strong to very strong without the use of a belt, there are plenty of people who don’t use them. That being said, you sure can get your body a whole lot tighter using the Valsalva method against a 10mm thick, 4 inch belt. And because it allows you to get so tight, it really teaches you to focus on being tight (and that’s how you protect the spine). By contrast, I notice that a lot of non belt users in the gym don’t have a very good concept of what it really means to brace the core when doing doing compound lifts.

I think when you logically analyze the pros and cons of the use of a belt, assuming one is willing to learn how to use it for the tool that it is, then you are absolutely safer using it for heavy lifting and so any faults associated with it is due to misinformation and ignorance of use, which admittingly, is rampant, but not because it takes a PHd figure out how to properly use a lifting belt.

 

[LostArra]

There is certainly a point of "strong enough" unless you're a competitive lifter in search of every last kilo (and the massive increase in risk associated with finding one's absolute limit).

Agree. Most who are into progressive training especially over 40 yr of age are not concerned about 1 rep max but sets of 3-5. Granted, that 5th rep can feel like an absolute limit.

 

[Bloodsoakedberber]

Just an echo at this point but I’ve been using my inzer for a decade and it’s not a purchase I’ve ever second guessed.

 

[lyle_destroys]

Just an echo at this point but I’ve been using my inzer for a decade and it’s not a purchase I’ve ever second guessed.

Thanks for getting us back on track.

 

[Dragonfish]

I like the pioneer belt, the staggered half inch holes give you the ability to adjust in half inch increments.

 

[Vek]

Get a Valeo. 6". NOT LEATHER (Leather pinches ya at high weight when ya have to cinch down hard.) I'd recommend NOT doing your DeadLifts from a stand which allows for the user to pick up the bar from even lower height than it would be if you had the 45's on it and it was just sitting on the ground. Don't do it. Just don't do it.

And for the love of all things Holy... when you're doing your DeadLifts... concentrate on NOT allowing yourself to round out your back. like AT ALL, or you WILL have bad consequences eventually! (A Disc will get pinched, etc)

And for goodness sakes, don't be that idiot that drops the bar onto the ground afterward. If you can't put it down proper, you got no business trying to lift it up.

FWIW, maybe last ten years of working out, I changed things up to where I'd do 30min of elliptical on the PRECOR... and really push it with the resistance. Like have incline at 9 or 10, and have resistance set at like... 11 to start with. Try your damndest to go as long as you can at 11. (With an Interval program) Then when need to, drop it down 1 click. Try to go as long as you can at that... then if need be drop it down 1 click more to get you to the end.

2 goals. 1) Not to have to drop it down anymore. 2) To then get yourself able to do it for 60min!

THEN... go do your Deadlifts or Squats. (On days when you know you're gonna do those, best to only do 30min)


RE: Squats - two key things I want you to remember for safety. Before you begin, with your eyes, pick a point high up on the wall in front of you, above your head. Such as at the top of the mirror plating. Keep looking at that point during the whole lift. This prevents you for screwing up and leaning forward to try to compensate. The other thing I want you to remember is "f**k the wall!" meaning as soon as you can, during the push back up, you want to get your pelvis back up and underneath you ASAP!

So those two things... "Look up High!" and "F**k The Wall!" always remember those two when you're doing your squats.

You should be soliciting advice, not giving it. 4" thick leather is the gold standard. 3" is for those with low clearance between pelvis and rib cage. All else is twaddle. There is no benefit to craning your neck back to look up the wall. Pick a point on the floor or low on the wall in front of you.

 

[TheGDog]

You should be soliciting advice, not giving it. 4" thick leather is the gold standard. 3" is for those with low clearance between pelvis and rib cage. All else is twaddle. There is no benefit to craning your neck back to look up the wall. Pick a point on the floor or low on the wall in front of you.

You... need to brush-up on your manners. Politely offer your opinion. At worst, say you disagree with what's said by that other person. What you instead chose to do here, not cool.

 

[theCaptain]

I have an Inzer and it has held up great for the last 4 years, but my next belt purchase would definitely be a Pioneer. American made from a family owned business in Coleman, Tx.

As to the debate of whether or not to use a belt, many have different opinions on this. I personally don't use my belt until i am getting close to 90% of my max or i am doing some higher volume and the stability provided toward the end of the sets where fatigue is kicking in makes the difference in hitting my desired reps without form breaking down and reduce chances of injury. It is merely a tool and part of a bigger equation which can provide benefit. If you want quality, Inzer or Pioneer would be at the top of the list.

 

[lyle_destroys]

I have an Inzer and it has held up great for the last 4 years, but my next belt purchase would definitely be a Pioneer. American made from a family owned business in Coleman, Tx.

As to the debate of whether or not to use a belt, many have different opinions on this. I personally don't use my belt until i am getting close to 90% of my max or i am doing some higher volume and the stability provided toward the end of the sets where fatigue is kicking in makes the difference in hitting my desired reps without form breaking down and reduce chances of injury. It is merely a tool and part of a bigger equation which can provide benefit. If you want quality, Inzer or Pioneer would be at the top of the list.

I have never used a belt until I get close to max or at max. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Vek]

You... need to brush-up on your manners. Politely offer your opinion. At worst, say you disagree with what's said by that other person. What you instead chose to do here, not cool.

Nothing rude about it. You're ignorant. That's not rude; that's not impolite; I'm helping you whether you like it or not. Buy or borrow "Starting Strength" by Rippetoe, learn to do it right, and refrain from offering poor or harmful advice until then.