Sorry, more newbie questions...

christianteach

I used a belt today when I did my SLDL and it felt much better. Is there anything wrong with using one? If I would have thought of it, I would have used it for my BOR's too. I also used gloves because my hands tend to get sweaty while I lift and I'm also getting a couple of calluses. I got my cage yesterday, which made everything easier and much more convenient, even though the weights felt heavier today...is that normal when you hit your heavy day?

jasonheyd

I used a belt today when I did my SLDL and it felt much better. Is there anything wrong with using one? If I would have thought of it, I would have used it for my BOR's too.

Check this out: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108908741&page=1

I also used gloves because my hands tend to get sweaty while I lift and I'm also getting a couple of calluses.

The gloves can affect your grip mechanics, so they can be slightly detrimental... A good chalk bag can really help with the calluses as well, but you may not want chalk clouds floating all over your house. :-)

I got my cage yesterday, which made everything easier and much more convenient, even though the weights felt heavier today...is that normal when you hit your heavy day?

Could be any number of things. Sometimes my heavy day seems easier than my lighter days, sometimes the heavy day (especially with higher reps at the end of the cycle) feels like someone added an extra barbell to the mix.

I think it depends on my calorie intake, my rest, my mood, whether there's an elephant standing directly opposite me on the other side of the planet at exactly that moment... Ok, maybe not that last one.

jasonheyd

Here's Rippetoe's quote about belts as well... further down the thread:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108908741&p=189018701&viewfull=1#post189018701

"You may not need a belt at all for much of the early part of your training career. and if your abs are strong and your back is uninjured, you may prefer never to use one. This is a judgemment call, but it is probably prudent to err on the side of safety if there is any question at all about it."

christianteach

Here's Rippetoe's quote about belts as well... further down the thread:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108908741&p=189018701&viewfull=1#post189018701

"You may not need a belt at all for much of the early part of your training career. and if your abs are strong and your back is uninjured, you may prefer never to use one. This is a judgemment call, but it is probably prudent to err on the side of safety if there is any question at all about it."

My abs are far from strong and I have had back problems (on occasion) my entire adult life, so it sounds like it's a good idea for me to use it. Thanks!

jasonheyd

My abs are far from strong and I have had back problems (on occasion) my entire adult life, so it sounds like it's a good idea for me to use it. Thanks!

Agreed. You might try using it on the heavy/work sets, but skip it on the warm-ups and medium/light, or at least light days.

christianteach

My abs are far from strong and I have had back problems (on occasion) my entire adult life, so it sounds like it's a good idea for me to use it. Thanks!

Agreed. You might try using it on the heavy/work sets, but skip it on the warm-ups and medium/light, or at least light days.

I agree.