Lately I've been flip-flopping a bit as to whether or not I should use a belt for squats.  I'm not concerned with injuries or anything, I'm just wondering if I should throw it on so I can add more weight and blast the quads a little harder.  What do you guys do?

Btw, a couple guys at my gym use a belt on practically every lift they do, wtf is up with that?  O.o
They don't have back injuries or anything, they just seem to think it's necessary for safety.

I'm in my first 5 rep week of HST and have started using my belt.  I use it only on my working sets for the squat, SLDLs, and calf raises (on leg sled).  Don't know whether it's necessary at the weights I'm using, but they're near to my PRs.

i only wore my belt when was doing any variation of squats and deadlifts. whether that being conventional or with bands/chains.  not doing anything heavy atm so i dont require the added support.  if you do choose to get a belt invest in a Inzer belt.

My Beast Journal
http://www.discussbodyb...ubs-Journal-m432294.aspx

---have new one now. goal is eventually to turn that one into a beast journal as well.

Mine's a 20 yr old Harbinger.  Probably $15.  Works for me.  They have leather ones in the gym I could borrow if I needed something more subtantial.

I have a belt, but it's covered in cobwebs.  For the past few years, I've embraced the logic that states excessive reliance on a belt causes a core imbalance and serves as a crutch.

Perhaps if I were trying to set powerlifting records, I would consider it more appropriate to wear one (in fact, you'd be foolish not to); but for the majority of people in everyday training situations, I think they are grossly overused.

All the support your spine needs for average to moderately heavy lifting should come from your core.

My home away from DBB

Veg,
  I don't use one for the back or to up my weights.  I'm just concerned about a hernia.  Is a belt not good for that concern?

I wear one when I go heavy-ish. I have a nagging injury from football a few years back that flares up on me when I go heavy without a belt.

JMBS


Veg,
  I don't use one for the back or to up my weights.  I'm just concerned about a hernia.  Is a belt not good for that concern?

Well in that case your trepidation should be twofold.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a weight-belt increase intra-abdominal pressure in the horizontal and vertical direction (since the belt prevents it from pushing outward)?  I would think redirecting even more pressure down through your pelvic girdle by resisting against a belt would increase a hernia risk, not reduce it.

My home away from DBB

Looking fwd to the answer.  If you're right, Veg, I'll ditch the belt.  Thx!

I dont own a belt. I hardly squat or dl. (Which I know should be about ALL I do.) But I have no squat rack and a sh!tty weight set from what looks like the 1980s lol.

Bench: 70 Squat 135 Deadlift: 1??s 
Supps: Creatine, Multi, Fish Oils 

Jones's Log

Nope.

"But a true champion, face to face with his darkest hour, will do whatever it takes to rise above. A man fights, and fights, and then fights some more. Because surrender is death, and death is for pussies."

You can still do bar deads and db squats w/what you have, no?

JMBS

Correct. But I'm kind of lazy and the last time i went heavy on squats and deads on lower body during football season I about died.

Bench: 70 Squat 135 Deadlift: 1??s 
Supps: Creatine, Multi, Fish Oils 

Jones's Log

I don't deadlift due to an injury, but even if I did I probably wouldn't consider using a belt.

I'm not strong enough to consider them anyway.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP


I don't deadlift due to an injury, but even if I did I probably wouldn't consider using a belt.

I'm not strong enough to consider them anyway.

MVP,
   Do you know whether belts would help to prevent hernias?
 
Did you take the test yet?

No I had to re-schedule for August 26th. (Next Wednesday).

http://www.acefitness.o..._display.aspx?itemid=101

That's a pretty good read regarding the subject.

Do you know whether belts would help to prevent hernias?

That would be the greatest advantage. The belt dissipates pressure throughout the torso.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

most people use a belt because they think it will prevent them from injury. but its a false sense of security more than anything.

u can for sure still get injured while wearing a belt. IMO if u have good technique a belt is not necessary except for maybe max attempts. i dont use one

Current: 19, 5'11", 190@7%

bench:305 squat:370(atg) deadlift:475
Goals: 4plate squat, 5plate dead

"obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated"

I use a belt when I want to put up more reps. Something I can get 3-4 without I'll get 5 with.

I'll only put it on for very heavy sets, usually last and second to last sets and only on very heavy days, not all the time.
 
I'm not on a powerlifting routine right now so I haven't used my belt in a while.

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I use it after I warm up for deadlift and squat, often times my assistance like good mornings I won't use a belt so I get extra back stimulation, although if I were to do a really heavy good morning I would use a belt.  I also used a belt for benching, some people say it makes it hard for you to arch but for me I lock my arch in with it and keeps my core tight for bigger benching.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

i use a belt on anything past 95% of my 1rm (squat/deadlift) and not with any other exercise

A 2" belt is great for benching helps keep you stable and protects against hernias too.

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Thanks for all the votes and responses. I just realized I'd written a reply to this last week in WordPad when I was offline, but I forgot to post it. It's kind of irrelevant by now, so here's the updated version..

For now I'll continue to lift beltless. I might pick it back up later on if I feel like my back is keeping me down in my squats. Rippetoe says there's plenty work for your core even using a belt on squats, so core atrophy or imbalance shouldn't really be a problem, should it? I know SS isn't the Holy Bible (though I do consider it quite a lot more useful), but still.. Especially doing everything else beltless (including deads), I don't really think core strength should ever really be a problem. Am I wrong?

i dont use belt unless im doing 250+ on squat or 300+ on deadlifts (my max on squat is 295 parallel and 325 deadlift)

219 weight trying to lower 217 now. 2 months later. lol.
250 bench
305 squat
345 deadlift