Instagram/TikTok @mattvena instagram.com/mattvena Email mattvena@live.ca or DM @mattvena on instagram for coaching/programs Belts Effect On Forces On Spine: PMID17047531 (note how forces only decreased with inhalation, the bracing is what matters not the belt) Belts Do Not Decrease Injury Risk: PMIDs 15676878 11105177 32754669 Nick Manders Video (Should have mentioned bracing is a big part too): instagram.com/p/C0STALcgDVP/?hl=en Belt Effect Core Activation: www.strongerbyscience.com/the-belt-bible/
The first study recommends wearing a lifting belt as it does reduce spinal loading by 10% The second study was done baggage handlers at the airport. Nothing to do with weightlifting injury risks. Confusing video.
"The belt reduced compression forces by about 10%, but only when inhaling before lifting. The moment generated by IAP increased when wearing a belt and inhaling, but this moment was small and the increase was largely negated by the flexing moment generated by abdominal muscles." As he mentioned in the description where he cited the study, it only reduces force on the spine when inhaling, and it notes that it's mostly canceled out by the flexing of the abs. So, I think his point more or less stands
@@MrRickulus Bro the *entire* point of the belt is that you inhale, that's how you get the intra-abdominal pressure in the first place. Tensing your core without a belt doesn't reduce the compressive spinal forces by much, because there's little reactive force pushing inwards to create the pressure that keeps rigidity - it helps for stability only. This is like 10th grade physics.
The argument I’ve heard for belts is that the intradbominal pressure increases torso stability and rigidity. It’s not that it takes force from the spine, but helps keep it in a position to more optimally handle that force
Belts are a clutch. What will you do when you are at your job and your boss orders you to lift a 400 pound furniture and put it back down for 5 repetitions, and when you ask him for a belt he'll tell you that it's imperative for your company's future that you do this beltless. You'll get fired and you'll go homeless. So far all I do in my day to day between gym sessions is scratch my balls and chill on the couch, but I'm sure the importance of being able to squat and deadlift high amounts of weight beltless will spring up at any moment, per all the raw lifters I've met.
I save my belt and knee sleeves for my +90% work, I like practicing bracing without it, and when I add it in, gives me a mental cue that it is time to rock and roll.
@@beomheekim9619 I always thought I needed to use my belt for every lift starting with the bar, now the more I have been lifting I see where it is a tool that has it's purpose, but not allow it to be a crutch. Happy lifting!
@@joecowan3719 exactly the same. I weigh 155 so my rule was always use belt after my bw but I just started seeing how much more I can do and realize I can comfortably warm up to like 85-90% of my 1RM range.. One benefit overusing belt did was help understand brace as I never understood how to brace until I felt that brace action with always using the belt lol. Did Legs today and now finishing w/ a big ass bowl of steak pho (Vietnamese noodle) cheers!
My exact same experience with the belt. Mmm Pho is delicious, enjoy! I am currently on a 3 week holiday, so walking a lot every day but taking a break from lifting. Helps me heal and get ready to start the grind again when I get back! @@beomheekim9619
I find that lifting with a belt often feels much more comfortable, particularly at heavy loads or near failure. Definitely something I would consider an essential for serious lifters.
I started lifting without a belt and it helped me fix my relationship with my girlfriend and reconnect with my father. It helped restore my faith in humanity and helped me learn to appreciate more diverse forms of music. Numbers kinda suffered though because for my particular leverages my squat does better with the belt
If you wear a 13mm powerlifting belt it does protect your spine somewhat. You can get away with sloppier form when grinding for a 1RM or going for AMRAP and getting to those last few hard reps. But you still gotta keep reasonable form to prevent injury. Belts add 30-50 lbs in your squat for sure. But you gotta know how to brace, wear the correct size and adjust to the right fit to get the most out of it.
This question might be a bit out of the subject. However, which SBD belt do you recommend. Should I go with the 10mm or the 12 mm? Do you have any guidelines?
I have used both, I am a 5’11 190 lb powerlifting enthusiast.PRs ver middle with squat 405 dl 505. I started with 10mm inzer forever belt, moved to 12mm sbd belt. I had some concerns that the 12mm would be too thick and not allow me into position, but it was a non issue for me. I think you just need to try them both and figure out what feels good for you.
@@howardsmith5474 did you try the 12 mm in conventional deadlift? How was it? That's the lift I'm the most worried about due to the amount of bend at the hips.
@@danolo2762 for me it was no issue whatsoever. My honest opinion is I don’t think it really matters that much. If money is not an option, then get the SBD. If you are still very concerned about the thickness getting a 10 mm belt is still going to be an insanely huge upgrade compared to any other belt you’ve ever used. I didn’t find 12 mm compared to 10 mm to really be any meaningful difference.
Bro the study you quoted literally states that compressive forces are reduced significantly on the spine. Overall forces of course don't decrease (that's just Newton's Third Law), but compression is the main cause of disc herniation and spinal disc disease.
Been using a belt since I deadlifted in the 200s, now i pull 600 and i’ve done 550 beltless (conventional). Dont really see how it’s limited my core strength.
The main thing that I noticed when I started using a belt is that my core and lower back fatigued a lot more slowly, hence I was able to push my lifts heavier.
I have never used them .. for me it was always just another gadget that helps you lift more weight. I guess it makes sense for competing lifters but I only wanted to get stronger as I am. Also I was suspecting that if it helps to prevent the injury it might be just because when you lift with a belt you somehow supplement your core so it actually creates a dependency and imbalance which makes you more likely to injure yourself on occasions when you actually decide to not used it or forget it at home. Good to know that it actually doesn't help with injury prevention. Now there is absolutely no reason for me to use it.
Yeah, I've always found myself to be stronger at deadlift without the belt, not exactly sure why. On the other hand, a belt improves my squatting strength tremendously. Also, a funny anecdote about the injury prevention myth about belts, I've actually only injured my back when I was using the belt, never without it
2:12 It does make sense, because a belt changes bracing by shifting load from the obliques to the abdominals (shown by research). Overall core activity isn't lower, but it is different.
In Oly lifting training we go beltless on heavy loads to force our body to brace in order to not break form. And when we put a belt on, it just feels like a safety net rather than something that helps you brace better. I've know heavy lifters that actively not use a belt because it made no difference. Beltless training encourages bracing to be natural, this is tried and true atleast in oly lifting discipline.
Good knee sleeves help my knees stay tight and I always wear them for squat, but belt has never done anything for me. I used a belt when younger and lifting much heavier than now, but tried without it and saw no difference. I was doing incline situps holding 45 lb plate for high reps, so my abs were very strong back then. Without good abs I do think a belt is necessary.
Belts help me exactly zero on deadlift especially after I cut a bunch of weight, the exact opposite for me on squats, I wear it a bit high so it pinches my ribs just a bit. Compared to no belt while holding and walking out it feels like I took a plate off, doesn't help a lot with the actual squatting but it save me plenty of energy on walking out and makes it way easier to get my breath right.
wow. once i was repping 2 plates on squat the lower back pain was too much and i had to buy one lol, definitely helped my mindset toward leg day. what are your maxes?
I personally save my belt use for 80% or higher work on squats and deadlifts, which are usually my topsets/heaviest sets. I have recently experiented with wearing it on 90%+ on bench and I think it has helped a little bit? But I’m still not sure. Either way I believe in practicing bracing techniques belt-less as much as possible. But when I wear it I do just feel more rigid, and I like having something to push against
I’ve noticed bros get hella emotionally attached to their belts. I think people got a little triggered when I said I take pride in not using one in the poll. I don’t judge anyone who uses them 🤷 if you want to wear a belt, wear a belt, idgaf lol
Dude has top tier strength genetics and capitalizing on it to sound like a guru .. 100% guarantee he wouldn’t start this channel if he had average/below-average genetics even if he put in the same work and effort. In other words no one gets impressive lifts unless they are genetically gifted, no matter how hard they work at it. But for some reason these dudes think they are subject experts just because they can lift heavy - again due to genetic endowment.
Beltful lifting feels like gymnastics with wrist wraps to me. It helps, but is a huge turn off. It just looks odd, when someone uses some equipment to help lift more weights, when it's unnecessary. Not pure, not primal. I am bad with my words, but Clarence spoke about it well.
@@kapoioBCS I listened but it seems to me that to test strength belts make it so that the test is different and to build strength they are unnecessary, but might slightly help due to higher load, so overall I just don't get why anyone needs a belt other then people competing in a comp that allows them and id prefer that they aren't allowed then again I don't like powerlifting in general so my opinion doesn't matter much
