We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Lifting Accessories

digidoomed
digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
General question concerning lifting: how heavy do you have to be lifting to use accessories such as a lifting belt or knee wraps? I'm referencing movements such as squats/deadlifts but also any other heavy lifting you would use accessories for

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?
  • digidoomed
    digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.
  • Okiludy
    Okiludy Posts: 558 Member
    Nothing really under 75% my 1RM on compound lifts. Never on isolation lifts. Something just funny seeing someone using a belt, wrist wraps, and gloves doing high rep bicep curls.

    I really like this video on the Valsalva to explain bracing.

    https://youtu.be/d8_1xq8c23c?t=1s
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.

    This.

    I belt up for 85% of my max and up. Sometimes if I'm in an aggressive deficit I feel better putting it on sooner. Knee sleeves have not been necessary for me.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.

    This.

    I belt up for 85% of my max and up. Sometimes if I'm in an aggressive deficit I feel better putting it on sooner. Knee sleeves have not been necessary for me.

    The only lifters I know/have lifted with that use knee sleeves essentially only use them to help give a slightly spring out of the hole during squats. They train with them the same way they train with the belt, only when it's heavy work.
  • digidoomed
    digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.

    Thank you! I was just curious on the need of the belts, but I'll focus more on building my form and strength before I worry about that
  • digidoomed
    digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
    edited February 2018
    .
  • digidoomed
    digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.

    This.

    I belt up for 85% of my max and up. Sometimes if I'm in an aggressive deficit I feel better putting it on sooner. Knee sleeves have not been necessary for me.

    When you say 85% of your max, do you mean the heaviest weight you can lift?
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    digidoomed wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.

    This.

    I belt up for 85% of my max and up. Sometimes if I'm in an aggressive deficit I feel better putting it on sooner. Knee sleeves have not been necessary for me.

    When you say 85% of your max, do you mean the heaviest weight you can lift?

    Wouldn't 100% be the heaviest I can lift? lol

    85% is exactly that. 85%. If my max squat is 240, I 'd put my belt on starting at 205. (But realistically I use it for any working set starting at 185-190).
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    Wraps are for geared lifters. They don’t protect anything. They are just applied at such an extreme tightness that it literally forces your legs straight in maximal load lifts.


    Lifting shoes-always for squats
    Belt-75% of 1rm generally. Or if my stability is feeling off that day I’ll use it at a lower load
    Knee SLEEVES-always where them when squatting. They truly help with a higher volume day, your knees feel fantastic with them on. Minimal aid to lifting heavier weights, purely for health and longevity.
    Wrist wraps-75% of my 1rm and up or if my wrists are aching from work.
  • digidoomed
    digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.

    This.

    I belt up for 85% of my max and up. Sometimes if I'm in an aggressive deficit I feel better putting it on sooner. Knee sleeves have not been necessary for me.

    When you say 85% of your max, do you mean the heaviest weight you can lift?

    Wouldn't 100% be the heaviest I can lift? lol

    85% is exactly that. 85%. If my max squat is 240, I 'd put my belt on starting at 205. (But realistically I use it for any working set starting at 185-190).

    Woops my bad lol, I meant 85% of your heaviest weight but I worded it weird. But thank you!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    digidoomed wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    digidoomed wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Typically they're used for top sets working close to a one rep max. I personally don't use belts or wraps for any lift.

    What are you hoping wraps or belts will do for you?

    I've just heard they're supposed to help protect your back/knees when doing heavy lifts, but I just didn't know what that amount was supposed to be

    Belts are not for protecting your back, they help you brace your core when you lift. The best protection you can get for knees and back is to invest in a highly qualified trainer to teach you to perform the lifts correctly. If you are a beginner I would suggest you don't get a belt or wraps until you have solid form and intermediate level numbers.

    This.

    I belt up for 85% of my max and up. Sometimes if I'm in an aggressive deficit I feel better putting it on sooner. Knee sleeves have not been necessary for me.

    When you say 85% of your max, do you mean the heaviest weight you can lift?

    Wouldn't 100% be the heaviest I can lift? lol

    85% is exactly that. 85%. If my max squat is 240, I 'd put my belt on starting at 205. (But realistically I use it for any working set starting at 185-190).

    Woops my bad lol, I meant 85% of your heaviest weight but I worded it weird. But thank you!

    haha it's cool
  • digidoomed
    digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
    jessef593 wrote: »
    Wraps are for geared lifters. They don’t protect anything. They are just applied at such an extreme tightness that it literally forces your legs straight in maximal load lifts.


    Lifting shoes-always for squats
    Belt-75% of 1rm generally. Or if my stability is feeling off that day I’ll use it at a lower load
    Knee SLEEVES-always where them when squatting. They truly help with a higher volume day, your knees feel fantastic with them on. Minimal aid to lifting heavier weights, purely for health and longevity.
    Wrist wraps-75% of my 1rm and up or if my wrists are aching from work.

    Thank you! I have a pair of lifting shoes I always wear for my leg days so atleast I'm on the right track there
  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
    I wear a belt loosely for the lighter sets of squats, then tighten it when they get heavy. Keeping it on keeps my lower back warm and loose. I also wear knee sleeves to keep my knees warm and lubed, I agree that the knees feel good with them on. My 57yo knees and back ache when I don't wear the belt and sleeves.
This discussion has been closed.