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Barbell Warmup with Belt or Belt Only On Work Sets

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JeffC

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I did two months of beltless barbell training, and I am back to pushing my numbers a bit, so on with the belt, sleeves, and bite guard.

If my belt and belted technique is dialed I just use the belt on work sets or when it would benefit me.

I am a bit out of practice and volume is low so I wear my belt on all sets.

I have lost a bit of weight and I am experimenting with fit and technique. I need a new belt I am at the end of adjustment and out of the midrange where you should be.

I practice with the belt so I am primed for work
 
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I wear a belt whenever I do the powerlifts, even if I'm just lifting the bar. Mainly for practice and carryover since I compete with a belt. Also I think I get more abdominal work, having ssd's something external to push my abs against.

I dont wear a belt for anything else though.
 
I wear the belt for the LAST warm-up set, and the work sets. For example, a typical session, in lbs:

Low bar back squat:
45 x 5 x 2 (2 sets of 5 with the empty bar, no belt. Sometimes do first set before I change to lifting shoes).
95 x 5 (1 set of 5, no belt)
135 x 5 (1 set of 5, no belt)
165 x 3 ( 1 set of 3, WITH belt)
185 x 5 x 3 (work sets - 3 sets of 5 with 3-5 minutes rest between sets, WITH belt for sets, taking off between sets)

Press:
45 x 5 (no belt)
75 x 5 (no belt)
85 x 2 (WITH belt)
90 x 5 x 3 (work sets - 3 sets of 5 with 3-5 minutes rest between sets, WITH belt for sets, taking off between sets)

Deadlift:
135 x 3 (no belt)
185 x 3 (no belt)
225 x 2 (usually no belt, but have been wearing it lately > 200 lbs post-surgery recovery for a little extra security)
255 x 1 (WITH belt)
275 x 5 x 2 (work sets - 2 sets of 5 with 3-5 minutes rest between sets, WITH belt for sets, taking off between sets)
 
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For me, only for heavy work sets. I don’t like to rely on it, and like the psychological benefit of using it when the weight gets heavy, 90% and above.

Cinching the belt tight and wearing knee socks is good for 10 pounds on my “competition max”.
 
I have lost a bit of weight and I am experimenting with fit and technique. I need a new belt I am at the end of adjustment and out of the midrange where you should be.
Although I've never worn a belt for powerlifting, this use of a belt meets with my approval. :) :) Congrats on the weight loss (assuming you are happy with that turn of events).

I bought several belts, none of which I liked, when I was training for girevoy sport. Although smaller for you is likely still bigger than my belts, I would be delighted to send you one of mine and see it put to good use. If you're at all interested, Geoff, PM me, I'll take inventory, and we can see if something is a good match for you.

-S-
 
I either train with a belt or without one, depending on the cycle. In one session, I try to make every rep the same.
 
I did two months of beltless barbell training, and I am back to pushing my numbers a bit, so on with the belt,...

Belt Misconceptions

Putting on a belt for lifting does not mean your abs take a nap during the exercise set and wake up when the set is over.

The abs are engaged with or without a belt. Wearing a belt employ the ab differently.

"Compared with the no-belt condition, the belt condition produced significantly greater rectus abdominis activity and significantly less external oblique activity." An electromyographic analysis of sumo and conventional... : Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

As per William, " I get more abdominal work, having...to push my abs against" it.

In pushing against the belt, William is performing an Isometric Action, contracting the abs against an immovable object.

Essentially, William is performing a Vertical "Abdominal Plank".

Facts And Fallacies of Fitness
Dr Mel Siff

As Siff's research noted in this book, pushing on the weight belt with your abs, increases stability in the back via Intra-Abdominal Pressure.

The more stability you have, especially in the core, the more force you can produce.

The greater your stability the more Limit Strength and Power you are able to display; the more weight you move.

"Leakage", Staying Tight
Dr Stuart McGill

In a heavy Squat, the bridge between you legs in driving the weight up and the bar on your shoulders is your core.

If you are unable to maintain a ridig, stiff core, a "Leakage" of strength and power occur in driving the weight up. That means you are going to lift less.

Early Powerlifters and The Belt

The early Powerlifter used Olympic Lifting Belts; narrow in the front, wide in the back

Powerlifting Belts were not around; belts about 4 inches all the way around, front to back.

Powerlifter would turn the Olympic Lifting Belt around backward. The narrow part of the belt in the back, the wide part of the belt in the front. They knew that worked better but not why.

As it turn out, placing the wider part of the belt in front allowed the abdominal muscles have a larger area to push against, increasing stability in the lower back, producing Intra-Abdominal Pressure.

This allowed them to Squat more. Thus, the evolution of the Powerlifting Belt.

When To Wear The Belt

It does not make much different if you wear the belt or don't wear the belt for your light sets. It is not going to dramatically weaken or increase your ab strength.

Increasing your ab strength occurs with dedicate ab training.

Kenny Croxdale
 
I've never worn a belt...no reason for it though, just haven't.
 
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