Lifting belt basics

This post was written by Bear Ross, human performance specialist, Parkview Sports Medicine. 

If you’ve spent time around a weight room, you’ve likely seen lifting belts. This accessory is a useful tool for intermediate and experienced lifters that can aid with the overall performance of certain lifts. However, there are common misconceptions about what a lifting belt is used for and when to use it. Some lifters wear their belt throughout the entirety of their workout, while others only use it for certain maneuvers. In this post, we’ll cover how these accessories help and when they should be used for optimal support.
 

How lifting belts work

Most assume the lifting belt is used to support the lower back by wrapping around it tightly, but this is an incorrect use of the accessory. Rather, lifting belts are used to aid in producing intraabdominal pressure to create a more rigid and secure core and spinal column. This pressure and tightness in the body’s core can be created without a belt as well, but the belt can be helpful when the maximal load exceeds the body’s ability to support the weight.
 

When to wear a lifting belt

With this purpose in mind, belts should be used more as a training aid rather than a crutch for weak core strength or back pain. This means that most gym-goers and individuals training can complete their programs without ever needing a weight belt.

Belts are not necessary for every lift and should only be used during maximal effort lifts. For a general guideline for identifying “maximal effort” requiring the use of a lifting belt, remember that the lowest percentage weight of a one rep maximum should be around 85% before you put the belt on. 

Furthermore, lifting belts should only be used during compound lifts, such as squats or deadlifts. Some Olympic lifters elect to wear belts during snatch and power cleans, but others choose not to, citing possible interference to the bar path during the movement.
 

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