Tommy Kono, who is acknowledged as being "The Greatest American Weightlifter of All-Time, said on the very first sentence on Page 239 of his book, Weightlifting, Olympic Style, "DON'T USE A LIFTING BELT IF POSSIBLE." Tommy Kono also said, "If you have to use one, use it when you really have to. By foregoing the belt: (a) You learn to keep your torso and hip area "tight" when performing any kind of exercise or lift. (b) Because you use the "girdle" muscles to support you instead of the belt, you become stronger in this area. (c). Your posture improves. You'll develop a smaller waist and a larger chest.
Wearing a belt allows you to push your muscles harder. When you've got more core stability from increased intraabdominal pressure, your unconscious CNS will allow you to push your muscles harder, resulting in more force output and superior stimulus for strength and hypertrophy.
I think of it in terms of physics and mechanical engineering. Your body has two major shock absorbers: your feet and your spine. Both must be made more rigid in order to lift the most weight. While the lower torso musculature can become incredibly strong in terms of increasing rigidity, at some point it becomes limiting for increasing strength elsewhere (just as grip eventually becomes limiting for the deadlift).
I feel as though the main difference between belt and no belt is I am more connected to my core and get better contractions with my belt. As a result I mostly wear my belt and get most of my unbelted training in sport. I feel the same way about upper and lower body tights, knee sleeves, etc.. seem more connected to the muscles when they are being squeezed lol
Exactly that happened to me when wearing a velcro belt from a well known sports superstore in Europe, extra tension in the hole, bang, off flies the belt, stopping what would have been a 225lb x 5 PR... as you can imagine, I was excited to be trying that number for reps for the first time... I lived to tell the tale and buy a proper belt... if only you'd made this video two years ago... 🤣
I use two belts but in the opposite way that you described. I deadlift and press with a 4" 10mm Pioneer lever belt and squat with my old Schiek Leather contour belt. While the thicker belt will pinch on deadlifts, it does not negatively impact my lift. For squats, the thicker belt throws off my balance at the bottom......maybe because I squat too deep.
I'm a big fan of putting the belt on for warmup squat sets after about 100KG, mainly because I've noticed that I fatigue so much more slowly with it on.
6 years ago I got a good American 4" belt. A couple months later I got a 3" for deads. Very good investment. I was doing Starting Strength at the time and learning a lot. Don't buy junk. These American made belts have adapted to me as much as I have to them. Instead of lifting at home on Monday, I did my overhead presses at a gym, without my 4" belt. Previous week I'd gotten 8, 7, 7, 8, 8 (going for a 5x8). Instead of finishing my 5 x 6-8 rep progression I got 7, 6, 7, 4 and luckily needed to clear out for an incoming class. Later at home, with my belt, I got my 5th set, this time all 8 reps. Dang I wanted to add weight and start again at 5x6. Come Monday I'll be at home wearing my 4" belt, going for 5 sets of 8.
I lift zero more with a belt. The belt for me is used to prevent pulling on the muscles of either side of lower back leading to sore back for days. Or, as is more common, my lower back hurts because I have a ranch and I am always lifting and torquing with it, it prevents it from pulling harder on those muscles during lift, making it uncomfortable.
My back's a trainwreck and I need a belt for anything over warmup weight. I couldnt do squats or deadlifts without one. I slide the belt around so the buckle isnt in front.
The Element 26 belt is a good belt for those that don't want to wrap dead cow skin around their body. I haven't heard of one giving out, at least if you're only squatting under 405 lbs. Might be a wiser introductory belt for only $35. It will probably outlast most lifters. Maybe Starting Strength should make a better non-dead-cow belt and sell it for $149 too. Some at Starting Strength like Robert Santana at Weights and Plates in Phoenix are not anti-vegan.
I've seen lots of discussions on this and still don't understand the need for a belt. If the abdominal muscles don't brace sufficiently to lift the load doesn't that mean the load is too heavy? Aren't the abdominal muscles trainable, just like every other muscle in the human body? Based on my understanding if you can deadlift 450lbs with a belt, then you can probably do 420lbs without one. That's a 30lb delta from the belt. But let's say you hit 500lbs with the belt. My guess is the beltless lift will be 470lbs or thereabouts (a similar delta of 30lbs). The abdominal muscles do get stronger, and progress is possible without the belt. The belt merely artificially increases your lifting numbers by introducing a prop. There shouldn't be a need for this if plain ol' strength is the objective. If there was a safety concern though that might be meaningful. But I don't think it's unsafe to lift beltless.
Should You Use A Weightlifting Belt? NO DONT USE IT it's also about strenght and to be able to lift the same thing you lift on the bar outside the gym, I know many people who had injuries because they tried to use the strength they built in the gym outside the gym, not having a belt, by lifting the couch If you want to be strong and always ready to use the acquired strength outside the gym, don't use the belt
This is a very uninformed opinion from someone that doesn't understand the broader utility of a belt. It's a valuable tool that can be exploited in conjunction with beltless squats and has more benefits and functions than you think it does.
I am a lifetime natural lifter. In well over a decade, I’ve never used a belt or sleeves. I’m 41. You may have issues that require a belt, but I would encourage new lifters to stay away from support equipment for as long as possible.
I appreciate the purity of thought in your approach, but there can be other considerations. I have mechanically defective shoulders, and a completely ruptured right shoulder supraspinatus, not surgically repairable. Maintaining or increasing my shoulder muscle mass keeps me from chronic shoulder pain. Using a belt when overhead pressing allows me to press more, maintains the muscle mass, and keeps them pain-free. Benching helps a little, but not nearly as much as overhead pressing.
I didn’t use a belt until I pulled 600 beltless & strapless conventional. Rusty is my coach, starting strength fuckin rules.
Bought the Strength Co belt, took 3 weeks to arrive, worth every penny & second waiting.
😂
Tommy Kono, who is acknowledged as being "The Greatest American Weightlifter of All-Time, said on the very first sentence on Page 239 of his book, Weightlifting, Olympic Style, "DON'T USE A LIFTING BELT IF POSSIBLE."
Tommy Kono also said, "If you have to use one, use it when you really have to. By foregoing the belt:
(a) You learn to keep your torso and hip area "tight" when performing any kind of exercise or lift.
(b) Because you use the "girdle" muscles to support you instead of the belt, you become stronger in this area.
(c). Your posture improves. You'll develop a smaller waist and a larger chest.
Wearing a belt allows you to push your muscles harder. When you've got more core stability from increased intraabdominal pressure, your unconscious CNS will allow you to push your muscles harder, resulting in more force output and superior stimulus for strength and hypertrophy.
This guy can save our Country. Broggi for President.
I think of it in terms of physics and mechanical engineering. Your body has two major shock absorbers: your feet and your spine. Both must be made more rigid in order to lift the most weight. While the lower torso musculature can become incredibly strong in terms of increasing rigidity, at some point it becomes limiting for increasing strength elsewhere (just as grip eventually becomes limiting for the deadlift).
I have both now but haven’t used the 4” since I got the 3”. No more looking like I’ve been whipped around the midsection…
I feel as though the main difference between belt and no belt is I am more connected to my core and get better contractions with my belt. As a result I mostly wear my belt and get most of my unbelted training in sport. I feel the same way about upper and lower body tights, knee sleeves, etc.. seem more connected to the muscles when they are being squeezed lol
There's actually a video review on Amazon of that E26 belt with the velcro strap flying off just from the guy doing a single bodyweight squat.
Exactly that happened to me when wearing a velcro belt from a well known sports superstore in Europe, extra tension in the hole, bang, off flies the belt, stopping what would have been a 225lb x 5 PR... as you can imagine, I was excited to be trying that number for reps for the first time... I lived to tell the tale and buy a proper belt... if only you'd made this video two years ago... 🤣
GREAT video - tons of information, thanks for posting - really appreciated
I was just wondering if I had my belt too tight, but it sounds like I’ve got it dialed in. Thanks for the video.
I have an 8mm single ply 3 inch for deadlifts and a 4 inch 10mm for squats and some other stuff.
If it bothers you much, don't use belt during warm ups, only during main lift
I use two belts but in the opposite way that you described. I deadlift and press with a 4" 10mm Pioneer lever belt and squat with my old Schiek Leather contour belt. While the thicker belt will pinch on deadlifts, it does not negatively impact my lift. For squats, the thicker belt throws off my balance at the bottom......maybe because I squat too deep.
I'm a big fan of putting the belt on for warmup squat sets after about 100KG, mainly because I've noticed that I fatigue so much more slowly with it on.
I fatigue very fast. Belt does nothing for that.
6 years ago I got a good American 4" belt. A couple months later I got a 3" for deads. Very good investment. I was doing Starting Strength at the time and learning a lot.
Don't buy junk. These American made belts have adapted to me as much as I have to them.
Instead of lifting at home on Monday, I did my overhead presses at a gym, without my 4" belt. Previous week I'd gotten 8, 7, 7, 8, 8 (going for a 5x8). Instead of finishing my 5 x 6-8 rep progression I got 7, 6, 7, 4 and luckily needed to clear out for an incoming class. Later at home, with my belt, I got my 5th set, this time all 8 reps. Dang I wanted to add weight and start again at 5x6. Come Monday I'll be at home wearing my 4" belt, going for 5 sets of 8.
Mine is like 4 inches in back, and 3 on sides.
I was literally on Amazon looking at the black and red belt. lmao
I lift zero more with a belt. The belt for me is used to prevent pulling on the muscles of either side of lower back leading to sore back for days. Or, as is more common, my lower back hurts because I have a ranch and I am always lifting and torquing with it, it prevents it from pulling harder on those muscles during lift, making it uncomfortable.
Does "no velcro belts" apply even to belts from reputable high-quality brands like Rogue?
My back's a trainwreck and I need a belt for anything over warmup weight. I couldnt do squats or deadlifts without one. I slide the belt around so the buckle isnt in front.
I’m the same way. Without the belt I can’t seem to get tight enough to not injure myself.
The Element 26 belt is a good belt for those that don't want to wrap dead cow skin around their body. I haven't heard of one giving out, at least if you're only squatting under 405 lbs. Might be a wiser introductory belt for only $35. It will probably outlast most lifters. Maybe Starting Strength should make a better non-dead-cow belt and sell it for $149 too. Some at Starting Strength like Robert Santana at Weights and Plates in Phoenix are not anti-vegan.
I feel attacked, haha my current belt is the first amazon belt.
I prefer single prong belt.
2 belts is one and 1 is none
3 is 2 and 2 is 1 and 1 is none therefore 3 is none.
14:49 oh #^!% I feel seen.
Same. I was look at that black and red belt. lol
Don't worry. I hate Amazon. Lol
Actually I do
I've seen lots of discussions on this and still don't understand the need for a belt. If the abdominal muscles don't brace sufficiently to lift the load doesn't that mean the load is too heavy? Aren't the abdominal muscles trainable, just like every other muscle in the human body?
Based on my understanding if you can deadlift 450lbs with a belt, then you can probably do 420lbs without one. That's a 30lb delta from the belt. But let's say you hit 500lbs with the belt. My guess is the beltless lift will be 470lbs or thereabouts (a similar delta of 30lbs).
The abdominal muscles do get stronger, and progress is possible without the belt. The belt merely artificially increases your lifting numbers by introducing a prop. There shouldn't be a need for this if plain ol' strength is the objective.
If there was a safety concern though that might be meaningful. But I don't think it's unsafe to lift beltless.
Don’t need a belt to bench
Nah
Should You Use A Weightlifting Belt? NO DONT USE IT
it's also about strenght and to be able to lift the same thing you lift on the bar outside the gym, I know many people who had injuries because they tried to use the strength they built in the gym outside the gym, not having a belt, by lifting the couch
If you want to be strong and always ready to use the acquired strength outside the gym, don't use the belt
That's why football players don't use belts they would tear up muscle
this muscles they build up must be have 100 percent functionality in the game
This is a very uninformed opinion from someone that doesn't understand the broader utility of a belt. It's a valuable tool that can be exploited in conjunction with beltless squats and has more benefits and functions than you think it does.
This is fake news.
I am a lifetime natural lifter. In well over a decade, I’ve never used a belt or sleeves. I’m 41. You may have issues that require a belt, but I would encourage new lifters to stay away from support equipment for as long as possible.
I don't buy it. If you can't lift it without the belt, it's a crutch and you can't really lift it.
I appreciate the purity of thought in your approach, but there can be other considerations. I have mechanically defective shoulders, and a completely ruptured right shoulder supraspinatus, not surgically repairable. Maintaining or increasing my shoulder muscle mass keeps me from chronic shoulder pain. Using a belt when overhead pressing allows me to press more, maintains the muscle mass, and keeps them pain-free. Benching helps a little, but not nearly as much as overhead pressing.
Never ever buy a Velcro belt complete waste of money
He is 100% correct buy leather only❤
The velcro belt is for olympic lifts. The leather belt is for everything else.