When I was training five years ago, everyone was wearing one. No matter what lift. Now I havent seen anyone wearing one in a long time. I dont wear them anymore. Even when doing heavy squats and shoulder presses and cleans.
Is this bad? Do you guys still wear weight belts?
Yes, heavy (for me)benching, squats, and shoulder press
Belts do have their place, but in general people way overused them back in the day, trying to be Hulk Hogan.
I think for shoulder press I might start using it again. But I want my lower back to be strong.
RyPuhnie - I think for shoulder press I might start using it again. But I want my lower back to be strong.
Your lower back doesnt get strong from shoulder presses.
yea but it helps support.
I dont want to get to used to wearing a belt for everything because I want my lower back to be strong. But the weights im putting up might be too much for the lower back. But it is interesting how I never see people wearing belts anymore at gyms, including myself. I wonder if its proven they arent needed or what.
I dont know where you are training @,but anyone who has a clue that does heavy squats,rows,deads,standing militarys,shrugs,or cleans wears a belt.
And should.
I train at the Y. Some monsters there that dont wear belts. I think I might though at least for shoulder press. Squats and rows and cleans I dont think I need it, never felt unstabble or any pain whatsoever. I wish more people would chime in about whether they use them or not haha. But thanks for the input Vorhees.
TTT for other opinions.
Ok,my most extreme example.
At my strongest point in my life I was doing rows w/405 for reps(I weighed around 280)dont you think wearing a belt was citical to support that amount of weight in that position?
I no longer wear a belt. I used to when I was training like a powerlifter --- provided I was 90% of my max or heavier. But that was then.....now I don't wear a belt ever.
I use a belt on my heaviest sets leading up to a meet. If I wasn't competing im not sure I would ever use one.
unless you are lifting reeeally heavy you don't need a belt.
Huh. Been lifting for nearly 20 years. I will typically do lower rep work 2-5 with between 80-90% of my max and have never used a belt or wraps and have never had a major lifting injury. I'm sure that some of my lfits are nowhere near the weight some of you guys throw around, though.
I wont squat over 315,wont row over 185,wont dead over 315 wont shrug over 315,wont front squat over 185,and wont clean over 185 w/o wearing a belt.
voorhees - I wont squat over 315,wont row over 185,wont dead over 315 wont shrug over 315,wont front squat over 185,and wont clean over 185 w/o wearing a belt.
yahbutt, what's the criteria for when it's too heavy and you "need" a belt?
I do. I picked up a soft belt made by Harbinger at a local sporting goods store for like $20 and I feel as though it's helping me out with some added support.
I'm sure the debate regarding their usefulness will probably go on forever, but in my experience, having it on seems to provide some support, and at a very minimum, having it on tends to remind me to keep good form, so to me personally, I feel like it's worth having.
Just my opinion.
I see people using them at my gym all the time. My personal fave is the guy who wears a ginormous black leather weight belt while doing his lat pulldowns.
The guys who stand in the squat rack and jerk-arch their backs to complete barbell curls with horrible form probably would kill themselves without their belts.
Another guy wears his belt during all of his ab exercises.
shrug
aegix -voorhees - I wont squat over 315,wont row over 185,wont dead over 315 wont shrug over 315,wont front squat over 185,and wont clean over 185 w/o wearing a belt.
yahbutt, what's the criteria for when it's too heavy and you "need" a belt?
I guess its just a "feeling"for me as far as that goes.
I never use one. When I squat or deadlift heavy all of the gym experts come rushing over to tell me to use a belt. I tell them that I prefer to use the one I was born with and point at my abs.