How often do you wear belts?
FoxyMcDeadlift
Posts: 771 Member
Hello everyone,
I am increasingly moving towards being a raw lifter. But last week as I was getting to around 90% of 1RM I decided to wear my belt for my deadlift. When I hit my final warmup set for a triple, the belt was fine. However I then pulled about 90% of my programmed weight for a triple and the belt destroyed me. It just sucked all the air out of me and made me feel like I was going to vomit. This just made me curious about how often everyone wears their belts, at what percentage they start putting them on and if there is any benefit to wearing them for your warm up sets. I am personally of the opinion that I will only wear my belt from now on for heavy singles as otherwise it hinders my ability to actually lift the weight for multiple reps and takes my focus away from the next set.
Thanks
I am increasingly moving towards being a raw lifter. But last week as I was getting to around 90% of 1RM I decided to wear my belt for my deadlift. When I hit my final warmup set for a triple, the belt was fine. However I then pulled about 90% of my programmed weight for a triple and the belt destroyed me. It just sucked all the air out of me and made me feel like I was going to vomit. This just made me curious about how often everyone wears their belts, at what percentage they start putting them on and if there is any benefit to wearing them for your warm up sets. I am personally of the opinion that I will only wear my belt from now on for heavy singles as otherwise it hinders my ability to actually lift the weight for multiple reps and takes my focus away from the next set.
Thanks
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I historically wear my belt for my top working sets of squat and deadlift. (Currently rehabbing from shoulder surgery and top deadlift sets are still relatively easy and I don't wear my belt.) I've never felt uncomfortable or hindered wearing a belt. Maybe you are wearing it too tight?0
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I've recently changed.... I used to wear mine from 80% on all Lifts..... Then I broke the 90KG BW barrier, and got a "Powerlifters Gut"(Yeah it's a bit of belly, But "PL Gut" sounds wayyy cooler....) Belt started to get a bit awkward THEN the IPF Decided to be a bunch of Ar*** and Decided most of us needed to buy a new belt... I went a brought a new Belt, and Found Squats = Yes... Deadlifts = No.. I then forgot it on Bench, Hit a PB, and thought "Do i really need it for this?" So far the answer is still no...
Personally, I still use it on Squats around 80% +.. I compete in Power lifting, so i hit that range a lot more than most. I found the belt got in the way for Deadlifts, built them up without, and have had no problems... I've added 12.5KG (25Lbs) in the gym to my best competition Bench without a Belt, and Pulled 275KG (606Lbs) without a belt.
A LOT is personal Preference.... I've Used different belt settings\holes on Squats than Deadlifts.... It the reason i went with a (Double) Prong vs Lever, so IMHO, it'd be worth playing around with settings on lower sets, before trying the same on heavier0 -
I wear mine for my top two sets on deadlift and squat - so ~80% and up. I did have to change the way I breathe when I first started wearing it, but I'm used to it now. I do wish I had a second belt for squats - I love my lever, but it's too tight for squats and does make me feel like I want to puke.
Have you tried letting it out a hole for sets greater than one rep? That might help with topping your air off between reps.0 -
Squats - Belt up at 55% which is still warm-up weight.
Bench - Belt up at 80%.
Pulls - Belt up at 55%.
I also have different preferences for holes and placement. If I'm holed in too tight or too loose, I can't breathe into the belt which defeats the purpose.0 -
If it was sucking the air out of you maybe you had it too tight? Or placed funny? I wear mine low so that the top of the belt is just touching my belly button. Personal preference but I've never experienced what you described.
I wear it on my max effort sets only. Very recently I've been wearing it if my deadlift warmups exceed low 400s as well. Yesterday my last warm-up was 440x3 and I was like EHHHHHH, might as well put it on.0 -
Thanks guys. I think its a deadlift only problem so I will dabble with adjusting the lever for my deads and see if it has any impact ss if I'm going heavy I like the reassurance of having it on for the last warm up set.0
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I tend to belt up right around my last ramp-up set before my first working set.
I belt on bench/squat/deads -- bench was a recent addition and surprisingly I really love it.
On deads I had the same problem you mention although for ME it's likely because I pull with a rounded thoracic (intentionally). Best solution for me after some fiddling around was to loosen the belt. Feels weird at first in that when I'm standing up at the barbell it feels too loose, but once I grab air, and then round the thoracic in prep to pull, it's perfect.0 -
Never wear a belt
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I typically belt when I get to about 80% BW on squats and don't typically belt for deads and bench unless I'm really feeling it.0
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I don't currently wear one, but I think it might be a good idea to start. If so, my plan is to wear it for max working sets. At first, though, I might wear it for other sets to break it in (if necessary) and to get used to it.
But, I'm not sure. RPS only allows 4-1/2" width belts, and all the stores around here have 5" or 6" belts. I don't think I want to order one online without trying it on and judging the quality for myself, though.0 -
I don't currently wear one, but I think it might be a good idea to start. If so, my plan is to wear it for max working sets. At first, though, I might wear it for other sets to break it in (if necessary) and to get used to it.
But, I'm not sure. RPS only allows 4-1/2" width belts, and all the stores around here have 5" or 6" belts. I don't think I want to order one online without trying it on and judging the quality for myself, though.
5-6" belts? Are you sure? I've never seen or heard of anything that big other than those little foam/nylon belts with velcro. Those aren't really proper belts from what I've seen. Every actual lifting belt I've seen was 4" or it was one of those belts that were fat in the back and skinny in front (old school style).
FWIW, at my old gym they had about 30 different belts that you could use. I tried them all (the ones that fit anyway). Single prong leather was by far the best overall in my opinion. I ended up buying this: http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-13mm-powerlifting-belt (they had 10mm version as well). It's perfect, I could not ask for more.0 -
Can't go wrong with Best Belts.I don't think I want to order one online without trying it on and judging the quality for myself, though.
http://www.bestbelts.net/
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Belt while benching? Splain please?0
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I belt on my top sets (irrespective of the day - hyper, power or strength) - and belt on the last warm up set to get a 'feel' for it.
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_benjammin wrote: »
Can't go wrong with Best Belts.I don't think I want to order one online without trying it on and judging the quality for myself, though.
http://www.bestbelts.net/
*nods*
They are also broken in to a large extent - so less rib bruising!!0 -
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FoxyMcDeadlift wrote: »Hello everyone,
I am increasingly moving towards being a raw lifter. But last week as I was getting to around 90% of 1RM I decided to wear my belt for my deadlift. When I hit my final warmup set for a triple, the belt was fine. However I then pulled about 90% of my programmed weight for a triple and the belt destroyed me. It just sucked all the air out of me and made me feel like I was going to vomit. This just made me curious about how often everyone wears their belts, at what percentage they start putting them on and if there is any benefit to wearing them for your warm up sets. I am personally of the opinion that I will only wear my belt from now on for heavy singles as otherwise it hinders my ability to actually lift the weight for multiple reps and takes my focus away from the next set.
Thanks
First, we must define "raw." Do you mean that you're choosing to not use any supportive gear for your general training purposes? Or are you conforming to a competitive lifting federations definition of "raw" for comp purposes? If the second is true, make sure they define raw as "no belt" as most "raw" federations actually allow the belt as it is supportive, not assisstive (like a suit or knee warps).
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I like Greg's take on it. http://www.strengtheory.com/should-you-wear-a-belt-or-not-study-write-up/
But even so, you will need to do what is specific to your goal. If your goal in competition is to deadlift without a belt, then during your peaking if not a little before, you need to train with that specificity of training without a belt. If you are more in a hypertrophy block cycle, then training with or without, will probably not be as much of a concern.
This is another article from Greg on using a belt with his more current thoughts
http://www.strengtheory.com/the-belt-bible/0
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