Belt never helps with deadlifts?

[TheWiseEggroll]

I absolutely love the feel of using a belt when squatting heavy, and it definitely increases my overall poundage on squats, but for some reason I could never quite get it to feel like it's doing anything besides getting in the way of setting up when deadlifting. Is there a certain "art" to using the belt on deadlifts that's different from squatting or something, or are different varieties of liting belts better suited to it? Sorry if this is a stupid question, just wondering.

[_Aggression_]

Sorry, can't really help you, bro. I use a belt getting heavy on deads and I feel it helps by offering more support. Gotta find a comfortable position for it so it doesn't interfere.

[arian11]

When I first got my belt and it wasn't broken in, I felt it got in the way for deadlifts. But if it is broken in and you are setting up correctly, it should be helpful. You can try putting it high on your abs or low on your abs and see if its better. How specifically does it get in the way? Can't bend over? Crushing hips? Bruising ribs? Can't breathe?

[manganostrength]

I understand what you are saying completely. I have switched to a thinner belt for pulling and it has really helped. EliteFTS even makes a specific thinner belt for pulling, though I have never used it.

[simp3204]

You probably just need to wear it higher most likely. I wear my belt around 1-2" higher on deads than squats.

[HamburgerTrain]

I can't think of anymore than three reasons why you wouldn't be getting anything out of your belt:

1. Your form is really, really bad. If you are pulling with straight legs and a rounded lower back then the purpose of wearing the belt is completely elminated.

2. You have very very weak abs. Flex hard against the belt when you pull. Use your abs as a brace to hold your body up and, if you do them, don't do sit-ups every again. They make you bad at lifting weights.

3. Your belt is either too tight or too loose. Either one is not very helpful.

[ASUblatnik]

just like in squatting you have to learn to really push out against the belt with your abs. i feel like i take my air in slightly different from my squat and deadlift. make sure your belt is tight enough so that you can brace against it. when I warm up (first put belt on at moderate weights) i leave the belt a little loose and really try to use my air and abs to push against the belt so that when i get heavy i can then tighten the belt and create enough pressure. also you could try one of the Spud Deadlift belts - might just work better for you.

[bigfor15]

If your stats are right, then you probably don't have enough core musculature for the belt to really grab onto. You can either move the belt position, get a tighter belt, or gain some weight.

[allergic2rice]

not sure what the problem is.

but try holding your breath before you set up. this seems to be a common thing that people neglect when pulling

[dlt76028]

why use the belt if you don't need it?

[TheWiseEggroll]

When I first got my belt and it wasn't broken in, I felt it got in the way for deadlifts. But if it is broken in and you are setting up correctly, it should be helpful. You can try putting it high on your abs or low on your abs and see if its better. How specifically does it get in the way? Can't bend over? Crushing hips? Bruising ribs? Can't breathe?

I think I overemphasized the whole getting in the way part, aside from occassionally bruising up my ribs it doesn't really interfere with me getting in position. One weird thing that I noticed is that on deadlifts the belt seems to actually make me less aware of the position my spine is in on any set higher than one rep. Maybe it just makes me a little too confident in the safety of my back or something, but the belt just seems to screw with knowing that I'm maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement. I know this because I have recorded sets while wearing it, or not wearing it.

I understand what you are saying completely. I have switched to a thinner belt for pulling and it has really helped. EliteFTS even makes a specific thinner belt for pulling, though I have never used it.

That may be the problem. My belt is of the very thick variety, probably a tad too thick for somebody my size.

You probably just need to wear it higher most likely. I wear my belt around 1-2" higher on deads than squats.

Thanks, I'll try playing with the positioning next time.

I can't think of anymore than three reasons why you wouldn't be getting anything out of your belt:

1. Your form is really, really bad. If you are pulling with straight legs and a rounded lower back then the purpose of wearing the belt is completely elminated.

2. You have very very weak abs. Flex hard against the belt when you pull. Use your abs as a brace to hold your body up and, if you do them, don't do sit-ups every again. They make you bad at lifting weights.

3. Your belt is either too tight or too loose. Either one is not very helpful.

As somebody with an extensive history of spinal issues from birth who was scared sh**less of deadlifting until recently believe me when I say I take the whole "arched/neutral spine" thing very seriously lol. I do have a high hip position though simply because my flexibility allows me to do it safely. It's hard to find the balance between being too tight or too loose with my belt, really makes me wish I got a lever belt instead of a prong belt. Also, my abs are very, very weak, so that may be one of the issues. I should probably stop neglecting the ab wheel rollouts.

If your stats are right, then you probably don't have enough core musculature for the belt to really grab onto. You can either move the belt position, get a tighter belt, or gain some weight.

Old stats, 145 now and leaner than when I started, but obviously I still have a long way to go.

[strongjim]

Ditch the belt if it interferes with your lifting. No need for any lifting aparati.

[Norse1308]

I had this exact same problem. Put it either a notch looser so you're able to expand your abs fully, or wear it higher.

[TheWiseEggroll]

Ditch the belt if it interferes with your lifting. No need for any lifting aparati.

why use the belt if you don't need it?

I want to some day compete in raw powerlifting, and seeing as belts help you lift more weight while still being allowd in most raw federations I figured I might as well learn how to get the most out of it.

[hammerfelt]

Do you feel that you must wear a belt for dead lift?

I do alright without one.

[PhreEkGarden]

Use your abs as a brace to hold your body up and, if you do them, don't do sit-ups every again. They make you bad at lifting weights.

Please elaborate on this.... and do you do any direct ab work?

[TheWiseEggroll]

Do you feel that you must wear a belt for dead lift?

I do alright without one.

Damn bro, mirin your raw deadlift. As I said above, I was just looking to use every tool available to me in my first meet, whenever it may be. Never felt the need for a belt at all, but since I have it and it helped me tremendously with my squats I figured why not deadlifts.

[pryme]

I use my belt for squats and push press. I dislike it for deadlifting.

[HamburgerTrain]

Please elaborate on this.... and do you do any direct ab work?

Instead of going nuts on here... just go here and read this:

http://deathtofitness.blogspot.com/2...nd-why_22.html

I do direct ab work everyday. It's 99% of the time done standing and it's usually heavy as ****.

[FatGuyPower]

Instead of going nuts on here... just go here and read this:

http://deathtofitness.blogspot.com/2...nd-why_22.html

I do direct ab work everyday. It's 99% of the time done standing and it's usually heavy as ****.

good read, thank's for posting!

[the_pupil]

I absolutely love the feel of using a belt when squatting heavy, and it definitely increases my overall poundage on squats, but for some reason I could never quite get it to feel like it's doing anything besides getting in the way of setting up when deadlifting. Is there a certain "art" to using the belt on deadlifts that's different from squatting or something, or are different varieties of liting belts better suited to it? Sorry if this is a stupid question, just wondering.

It could be that you are not setting up properly, not using it as a stabilizer like you probably do on squat, but there are some people that just simply dont like them. Look at KK, he doesn't really get much out of his belt so he doesn't use it. If you have strong core and your DL keeps going up I would not worry about it.

[LT1Squirrel]

I pull around 2x bw and ive never gotten the correct feel for belts either, and ive tried lots of different ones

[Wolzen]

i'd be scared to deadlift without a belt, but i lift with a old leather inzer that's possibly older than me. I deadlift 600

[Indivdude]

I pull around 2x bw and ive never gotten the correct feel for belts either, and ive tried lots of different ones

Same here but I think I'll try what Norse said and put my inzer belt a notch looser. See if that helps. Might help with squats too.

[BombDonald]

I used to not get much out of a belt for anything until I learned to push against it with my abs. Now it definitely helps.

[h3adbang3r14]

ive found belt inhipppites my ablity to do dead lifts properly thus i dont use one

[John Prophet]

I used to not get much out of a belt for anything until I learned to push against it with my abs. Now it definitely helps.

thats what I was going to say. If you arent getting pressure in the gut pushing out against the belt then it isnt going to help much. It definitely is easier to feel it on squats.

On deads I get some air into the gut and as I bend down to get the bar I can feel the tension against the belt increase. As long as I feel that tension increase then I feel it helps that little bit when I lift the bar.

That being said, I absolutely can NOT use a belt on stiff legged deads. I am talking about rounded back stiff legs. I do them with 25lb plates and off a platform for more range and the belt just gets in the way.