Chris Adams Personal Training
  • Home
  • Articles
    • Exercise Guide
      • Lower Body Exercises 1
        • Stiff Legged Deadlift
        • Hip Thrust
        • Back Squat
        • Glute Ham Raise
        • Trap Bar Deadlift
        • Deadlift
        • Leg Press
        • Romanian Deadlift
        • Safety Bar Squats
        • Bulgarian Split Squat
        • Good Morning
        • Front Squat
        • Paused Squats
        • Calf Raises
      • Upper Body Push Exercises
        • Bench Press
        • Overhead Press
        • Incline Bench Press
        • Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
        • Close Grip Bench Press
        • Dumbbell Bench Press
        • Low to High Cable Crossover
        • Standing Cable Fly
        • Dips
        • Pin Overhead Press
        • Floor Press
        • Lateral Raise
        • Arnold Press
      • Upper Body Pull
        • Pull ups and chin ups
        • Shrug
        • Seal Rows
          • Face Pulls
        • Band Pull Apart
        • Dumbbell Row
        • Rear Delt Rows
        • Prone rows
        • T-Bar Machine Row
      • Arm Exercises
        • Dumbbell Curls
        • Hammer Curls
        • Cross Body Hammer Curls
        • Tricep Push Down
        • Barbell Curl
      • Farmers Walk
      • Core Exercises
        • Grip Exercises
        • Reverse Hyper
        • Cable Side Bends
        • Wheel Roll Outs
    • Strength and Gaining Muscle
      • 330 Method
      • Dead Stop vs Touch and Go Deadlifts
      • Macro loading-Dan John-Big Plates
      • Linear, Wave and Step Loading
      • 6 Mistakes When Trying to Gain Muscle
      • Push-Pull-Legs Training Split
      • Record Your Lifts to Improve Your Form
      • Rest-Pause Sets
      • Not Everyone Can Deadlift
      • Breaking Through Plateaus
      • Myo-Reps Sets
      • Drop Set
      • Strength Training for Old Age
      • Cluster Sets
      • Five Ways to Progress Without Increasing the Weight
      • 50% Sets
      • 350 Method
      • Super Sets
      • Gallon of Milk a Day (GOMAD)
      • Two Days a Week Strength Training Program
      • Density Training for Strength
      • Double Progression
      • How to do Warm Up Sets (Ramping Up)
    • General Training and Health
      • General Training 1
        • The Importance of Consistency
        • Starting Personal Training When You're Older
        • The Importance of Mobility Work
        • Can You Target Certain Areas of the body to Reduce Fat From?
        • Women and Strength Training
        • MyFitnessPal
        • Training in Your Late Thirties
        • How to Survive the Weekend Without Ruining Your Diet
        • Common Questions From Clients
        • Do You Need to Push Yourself to The Limit?
        • Dangers Of Health Risks Associated with Obesity
        • Rehab After Injury (Tearing Rotator Cuff)
        • Six Pack Abs
        • Training with Lupus
        • Boxing Pad Work
        • Hill Sprints
      • General Training 2
        • Mainstream Media on Nutrition
        • Sleep
        • Cardio and Conditioning Exercises
        • Healthy Shoulders (Face Pulls and Band Pull Aparts)
        • SETTING GOALS - S.M.A.R.T
        • Body Transformation
        • Tips on Losing Weight
        • How to Deal With Bad Workouts
        • Focus on What You Can Do
        • Keys to Success : Intensity, Consistency and Time
        • Walking
      • General Training 3
        • My Gym is Too Busy
        • The biggest mistake beginners make is listening to other beginners
        • When it comes to weight loss, your nutritional habits have a much bigger impact than your training.
        • Strength Training and Osteoporosis
        • The Scales Don't Always Tell The Truth
        • More Exercise is Not Always Better
        • How to Make Cardio Less Boring
        • The Problem with Before and After Pictures
        • Returning to Training After a Break
        • Blood Pressure
        • How to Survive the Weekend Without Ruining your diet
    • Nutrition
      • Multivitamins
      • Fish Oil (Omega 3)
      • Vitamin D
      • Tracking What You Eat (MyFitnessPal)
      • Caffeine
      • Magnesium
      • Gift Vouchers
      • Are Your Friends and Family Sabotaging Your Diet?
      • Healthy Eating on a Budget
      • Supplements
      • Alcohol and Training
      • Creatine
      • 10 Foods That Are Great For Bulking
    • Real World Fitness
      • 8 Reasons You Should Look For a New Personal Trainer
      • Why Choose Real World Fitness?
      • Client Results: Only Training Two Days a Week
      • Personal Trainer in Nottingham
      • Gym in Nottingham
      • Outdoor Group Fitness Training in Nottingham
      • Most Personal Trainers Are Useless.
      • PAR-Q
    • Equipment and Books
      • Weightlifting Belt
  • Prices
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Booking
  • Home
  • Articles
    • Exercise Guide
      • Lower Body Exercises 1
        • Stiff Legged Deadlift
        • Hip Thrust
        • Back Squat
        • Glute Ham Raise
        • Trap Bar Deadlift
        • Deadlift
        • Leg Press
        • Romanian Deadlift
        • Safety Bar Squats
        • Bulgarian Split Squat
        • Good Morning
        • Front Squat
        • Paused Squats
        • Calf Raises
      • Upper Body Push Exercises
        • Bench Press
        • Overhead Press
        • Incline Bench Press
        • Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
        • Close Grip Bench Press
        • Dumbbell Bench Press
        • Low to High Cable Crossover
        • Standing Cable Fly
        • Dips
        • Pin Overhead Press
        • Floor Press
        • Lateral Raise
        • Arnold Press
      • Upper Body Pull
        • Pull ups and chin ups
        • Shrug
        • Seal Rows
          • Face Pulls
        • Band Pull Apart
        • Dumbbell Row
        • Rear Delt Rows
        • Prone rows
        • T-Bar Machine Row
      • Arm Exercises
        • Dumbbell Curls
        • Hammer Curls
        • Cross Body Hammer Curls
        • Tricep Push Down
        • Barbell Curl
      • Farmers Walk
      • Core Exercises
        • Grip Exercises
        • Reverse Hyper
        • Cable Side Bends
        • Wheel Roll Outs
    • Strength and Gaining Muscle
      • 330 Method
      • Dead Stop vs Touch and Go Deadlifts
      • Macro loading-Dan John-Big Plates
      • Linear, Wave and Step Loading
      • 6 Mistakes When Trying to Gain Muscle
      • Push-Pull-Legs Training Split
      • Record Your Lifts to Improve Your Form
      • Rest-Pause Sets
      • Not Everyone Can Deadlift
      • Breaking Through Plateaus
      • Myo-Reps Sets
      • Drop Set
      • Strength Training for Old Age
      • Cluster Sets
      • Five Ways to Progress Without Increasing the Weight
      • 50% Sets
      • 350 Method
      • Super Sets
      • Gallon of Milk a Day (GOMAD)
      • Two Days a Week Strength Training Program
      • Density Training for Strength
      • Double Progression
      • How to do Warm Up Sets (Ramping Up)
    • General Training and Health
      • General Training 1
        • The Importance of Consistency
        • Starting Personal Training When You're Older
        • The Importance of Mobility Work
        • Can You Target Certain Areas of the body to Reduce Fat From?
        • Women and Strength Training
        • MyFitnessPal
        • Training in Your Late Thirties
        • How to Survive the Weekend Without Ruining Your Diet
        • Common Questions From Clients
        • Do You Need to Push Yourself to The Limit?
        • Dangers Of Health Risks Associated with Obesity
        • Rehab After Injury (Tearing Rotator Cuff)
        • Six Pack Abs
        • Training with Lupus
        • Boxing Pad Work
        • Hill Sprints
      • General Training 2
        • Mainstream Media on Nutrition
        • Sleep
        • Cardio and Conditioning Exercises
        • Healthy Shoulders (Face Pulls and Band Pull Aparts)
        • SETTING GOALS - S.M.A.R.T
        • Body Transformation
        • Tips on Losing Weight
        • How to Deal With Bad Workouts
        • Focus on What You Can Do
        • Keys to Success : Intensity, Consistency and Time
        • Walking
      • General Training 3
        • My Gym is Too Busy
        • The biggest mistake beginners make is listening to other beginners
        • When it comes to weight loss, your nutritional habits have a much bigger impact than your training.
        • Strength Training and Osteoporosis
        • The Scales Don't Always Tell The Truth
        • More Exercise is Not Always Better
        • How to Make Cardio Less Boring
        • The Problem with Before and After Pictures
        • Returning to Training After a Break
        • Blood Pressure
        • How to Survive the Weekend Without Ruining your diet
    • Nutrition
      • Multivitamins
      • Fish Oil (Omega 3)
      • Vitamin D
      • Tracking What You Eat (MyFitnessPal)
      • Caffeine
      • Magnesium
      • Gift Vouchers
      • Are Your Friends and Family Sabotaging Your Diet?
      • Healthy Eating on a Budget
      • Supplements
      • Alcohol and Training
      • Creatine
      • 10 Foods That Are Great For Bulking
    • Real World Fitness
      • 8 Reasons You Should Look For a New Personal Trainer
      • Why Choose Real World Fitness?
      • Client Results: Only Training Two Days a Week
      • Personal Trainer in Nottingham
      • Gym in Nottingham
      • Outdoor Group Fitness Training in Nottingham
      • Most Personal Trainers Are Useless.
      • PAR-Q
    • Equipment and Books
      • Weightlifting Belt
  • Prices
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Booking
Search

Weightlifting Belt

Picture
Strength Shop Weight Lifting Belt
Whether or not you should wear a lifting belt is often argued about on internet forums.  Some people believe you should always wear a belt as it decreases the chances of injury shouldn't ever wear a belt because they think “it makes your core weak”. 

Benefits of Using a Belt.
It greatly improves your performance in the gym. You'll be able to lift more weight for the same sets and reps, or lift the same weight for more reps or set. Normally people can lift around 10% more on the squat and deadlift with a belt, and do around 1-3 reps more with the same weight for a set.  It’s hard to put a number on precisely how much more people can lift with a belt, but it seems to be at least 5-15% for most people who are accustomed to wearing a belt. 
This increased performance will add up to more strength and size for the prime movers over time. 


Does Wearing a Belt Make Your Core Weaker? 
Studies so far haven't shown this to the case. Some studies have shown EMG activity was greater in the rectus abdominals and erector spinae, while slightly less when the belt was used. (1)
In my own personal experience, it doesn't weaken my core when I use one either. I personally only use a belt for the squat and deadlift.  

 
When Should you Start Using a Belt?
Some people believe you shouldn't use a belt until you've been training for one or two years, or until you can lift a certain amount of weight on some exercises.
I can't see any good reason why you have to wait to use a belt. A belt isn't ever essential. Some of my clients will never use a belt. In general, I get my clients to learn the exercises for a couple of months to get comfortable lifting and bracing without a belt. Then we'll consider using a belt.


How to Use a Belt
Setting the belt: Some people like it higher, lower, straight or angled. To start with the belt wherever it is comfortable. As you go you can experiment with different heights and angles to see what works best for you.
How tight to have the belt: Have the belt as tight as you can while allowing you to take a deep breath. If it's so tight that you can't take a full breath, loosen the belt it a notch. Some people find that they like it a little looser when doing deadlifts as having it tight can make it harder to get in position for the setup.


What Type of Belt Should You Buy?
Thickness: I normally recommend 13mm belt, but some people prefer a 10mm as they find it a little more comfortable and break in a bit quicker.
Width: I recommend a belt that's  4 inches wide all the way around. Some people prefer a belt that's tapered so it's not as wide at the front for deadlifts as it doesn't interfere with their setups as much. 
Pronged or lever belts: Lever belts are faster to put on and remove, but you're locked into one size. You'll need a screwdriver and it will take a few minutes to readjust your belt. This is inconvenient if your weight isn't consistent, or you prefer different tightness for the squat and deadlift. Pronged belts can be adjusted in seconds.
Single or double-pronged belts: Buy a single pronged belt. The idea is that double-pronged belts are more secure, but  I haven't ever seen a single pronged belt ever break and there isn't much difference in how secure they are, if there is any at all. Trying to get one prong through one eyehole is a lot more convenient than getting two prongs through two. 

Strength Shop Belts
I recommend belts from Strength Shop. They are very good quality, good price and are IPF approved.
A good belt will last you years. I'm still on the first belt that I brought from Strength Shop. 

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Copyright © 2015
  • Home
  • Articles
    • Exercise Guide
      • Lower Body Exercises 1
        • Stiff Legged Deadlift
        • Hip Thrust
        • Back Squat
        • Glute Ham Raise
        • Trap Bar Deadlift
        • Deadlift
        • Leg Press
        • Romanian Deadlift
        • Safety Bar Squats
        • Bulgarian Split Squat
        • Good Morning
        • Front Squat
        • Paused Squats
        • Calf Raises
      • Upper Body Push Exercises
        • Bench Press
        • Overhead Press
        • Incline Bench Press
        • Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
        • Close Grip Bench Press
        • Dumbbell Bench Press
        • Low to High Cable Crossover
        • Standing Cable Fly
        • Dips
        • Pin Overhead Press
        • Floor Press
        • Lateral Raise
        • Arnold Press
      • Upper Body Pull
        • Pull ups and chin ups
        • Shrug
        • Seal Rows
          • Face Pulls
        • Band Pull Apart
        • Dumbbell Row
        • Rear Delt Rows
        • Prone rows
        • T-Bar Machine Row
      • Arm Exercises
        • Dumbbell Curls
        • Hammer Curls
        • Cross Body Hammer Curls
        • Tricep Push Down
        • Barbell Curl
      • Farmers Walk
      • Core Exercises
        • Grip Exercises
        • Reverse Hyper
        • Cable Side Bends
        • Wheel Roll Outs
    • Strength and Gaining Muscle
      • 330 Method
      • Dead Stop vs Touch and Go Deadlifts
      • Macro loading-Dan John-Big Plates
      • Linear, Wave and Step Loading
      • 6 Mistakes When Trying to Gain Muscle
      • Push-Pull-Legs Training Split
      • Record Your Lifts to Improve Your Form
      • Rest-Pause Sets
      • Not Everyone Can Deadlift
      • Breaking Through Plateaus
      • Myo-Reps Sets
      • Drop Set
      • Strength Training for Old Age
      • Cluster Sets
      • Five Ways to Progress Without Increasing the Weight
      • 50% Sets
      • 350 Method
      • Super Sets
      • Gallon of Milk a Day (GOMAD)
      • Two Days a Week Strength Training Program
      • Density Training for Strength
      • Double Progression
      • How to do Warm Up Sets (Ramping Up)
    • General Training and Health
      • General Training 1
        • The Importance of Consistency
        • Starting Personal Training When You're Older
        • The Importance of Mobility Work
        • Can You Target Certain Areas of the body to Reduce Fat From?
        • Women and Strength Training
        • MyFitnessPal
        • Training in Your Late Thirties
        • How to Survive the Weekend Without Ruining Your Diet
        • Common Questions From Clients
        • Do You Need to Push Yourself to The Limit?
        • Dangers Of Health Risks Associated with Obesity
        • Rehab After Injury (Tearing Rotator Cuff)
        • Six Pack Abs
        • Training with Lupus
        • Boxing Pad Work
        • Hill Sprints
      • General Training 2
        • Mainstream Media on Nutrition
        • Sleep
        • Cardio and Conditioning Exercises
        • Healthy Shoulders (Face Pulls and Band Pull Aparts)
        • SETTING GOALS - S.M.A.R.T
        • Body Transformation
        • Tips on Losing Weight
        • How to Deal With Bad Workouts
        • Focus on What You Can Do
        • Keys to Success : Intensity, Consistency and Time
        • Walking
      • General Training 3
        • My Gym is Too Busy
        • The biggest mistake beginners make is listening to other beginners
        • When it comes to weight loss, your nutritional habits have a much bigger impact than your training.
        • Strength Training and Osteoporosis
        • The Scales Don't Always Tell The Truth
        • More Exercise is Not Always Better
        • How to Make Cardio Less Boring
        • The Problem with Before and After Pictures
        • Returning to Training After a Break
        • Blood Pressure
        • How to Survive the Weekend Without Ruining your diet
    • Nutrition
      • Multivitamins
      • Fish Oil (Omega 3)
      • Vitamin D
      • Tracking What You Eat (MyFitnessPal)
      • Caffeine
      • Magnesium
      • Gift Vouchers
      • Are Your Friends and Family Sabotaging Your Diet?
      • Healthy Eating on a Budget
      • Supplements
      • Alcohol and Training
      • Creatine
      • 10 Foods That Are Great For Bulking
    • Real World Fitness
      • 8 Reasons You Should Look For a New Personal Trainer
      • Why Choose Real World Fitness?
      • Client Results: Only Training Two Days a Week
      • Personal Trainer in Nottingham
      • Gym in Nottingham
      • Outdoor Group Fitness Training in Nottingham
      • Most Personal Trainers Are Useless.
      • PAR-Q
    • Equipment and Books
      • Weightlifting Belt
  • Prices
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Booking