So you want to be a powerlifter or better yet you want to lift heavier weight. while one important thing that I encourage you to look into and invest in as a weightlifting belt. That’s something that I totally didn’t think that I would need but in one of the videos that I have linked below, you can see I’m lifting over 700 lb on my back with three spotters and no belt. Crazy right, I know I’m that girl and I’m still that girl but now with a belt.
Being someone who enjoys and gets a thrill out of lifting heavy weight it is imperative to ensure that I don’t do any damage to my body.
There are tons of belts out there they can meet your need an assist with the demand you will be putting on your body. I strongly encourage research and a true understanding of what your goals are
STORYTIME
Using myself as an example, I knew I wanted to live heavy I wanted to be powerful and I wanted to be strong mainly in my legs. With that being said I did my research and I decided to choose a leather belt with one prong. I had seen many guys in my college gym with cloth belts and Velcro, but my issue with that was one experience that I had with a used one at the gym.
I believe this day I was doing squats maybe with three 45 plates on each side I can’t remember but I knew it was a reasonable weight for myself. I had grabbed a velcro cloth belt from the front desk and prepared myself mentally to reach my back squat Max. I had loaded 6×45 plates total on both ends of the bar, I situated myself under the bar and tap into my mental focus and with the belt tightly wrapped around my ways I was ready.
As I took the first breath loaded the metal bar upon my back took two steps back looked myself in the mirror and begin to lower myself in a squatting position it happened. I was now in a squat position and the belt was loose around my waist. At this moment the total weight of the bar had increased a pressure pain on my back and I had a decision to make it that point. To either stand up or to lower myself until the bar hit the safety rack that I had adjusted just in case something like this happen. This experience shocked me and from that point on I never used a velcro belt.
My experience may not be your experience but it’s something that I believe should be on the minds individuals who are lifting heavy weight. A belt is more then an accessory to have, it’s your best friend when lifting get stuff and it will support you if you know how to use it right. with the help of my weight lifting belt, I have been able to hate goes I never thought I would be able to do with very minimum back/spine pain.
Fitness Belts
A few tips that I would suggest when purchasing a lifting belt is to know your true size. An easy way to figure out what size would fit you best is to try on a belt at your local gym or a different department stores that carry them.
However, if you don’t have any stores around you that carry weight lifting belts if you’re brave enough ask someone at your gym if you can try on their belt to see if it fits you right.
I would suggest going with a belt where you can at least put your prong in the first hole if you decide to get a leather belt so that way if you lose weight as you go you can have more hose to use to hold you in. Mine is a Rouge and her name is Destiny(college friend named her).
If you’re going to go with a Velcro then I would go with a belt that was a little smaller then the boat I would wear on my hips and that allows for the boat to be more adjustable than a leather belt with prongs.
Also if you don’t plan on making us a part of your lifestyle or lifting super heavy I definitely would go the more affordable route and just get a velcro belt but on the other hand if you plan on lifting heavy and making us a part of your lifestyle I would go and splurge on a leather belts.
Belts range in price I think for a leather belt the most it would potentially go for is no more than $200 and probably no less than $50 the prices for the velcro belt will probably go as high as a hundred and as low as $25 brand new.