Tips on Buying a Belt.

I am wondering if I should start wearing a belt now since my lifts are becoming quite heavy. I was deciding to get a EFS Powerbelt. I do not know what size I should get and to either get single or double prong. I have a 35" waist.

My current best at 5’7" 176lbs are platform deadlift 405lbs, box squat 370lbs, push press 225lbs and bench 245lbs.

Thanks.

If you want to get a belt, get one. EFS is having a sale on belts, and free shipping with a free shirt before 11am tomorrow.

I like single prong myself. I have the super cheater 13mm belt, but the retro belt would be fine.

I have a double prong retro belt. Love it, but should have gotten the single prong. Double can be a bit of a pain to get on and off.

I have a single prong retro and its great. The best way to figure out your size is to just measure where you are going to be wearing the belt.

I have a double prong, replaced it with a lever belt. I can get it tighter when lifting alone…and I can’t get out of the double prong when lifting alone…

[quote]acncampo wrote:
I am wondering if I should start wearing a belt now since my lifts are becoming quite heavy. I was deciding to get a EFS Powerbelt. I do not know what size I should get and to either get single or double prong. I have a 35" waist.

My current best at 5’7" 176lbs are platform deadlift 405lbs, box squat 370lbs, push press 225lbs and bench 245lbs.

Thanks.[/quote]

That is a good lift but a 100 lbs from 3xBW so I don’t think you need a belt. But if it floats your boat get one.

[quote]mmllcc wrote:

That is a good lift but a 100 lbs from 3xBW so I don’t think you need a belt. But if it floats your boat get one.[/quote]

That is highly debatable.

However the secret is not to use the belt too much.

[quote]mmllcc wrote:
That is a good lift but a 100 lbs from 3xBW so I don’t think you need a belt. But if it floats your boat get one.[/quote]

I didn’t realize there is a magical number that you have to hit before you can start using a belt…

[quote]buckeye girl wrote:
mmllcc wrote:
That is a good lift but a 100 lbs from 3xBW so I don’t think you need a belt. But if it floats your boat get one.

I didn’t realize there is a magical number that you have to hit before you can start using a belt…[/quote]

Me neither…

I have a double prong retro belt from Elite, the Double prong feels secure but is a pain in the ass to get on and off.

Double prongs require someone to help you in and out. I got an Inzer lever and its much easier to get into and out of especially

What I’ve found works for double pronged is sucking in my gut as far as I can then tightening the belt as much as possible. I can get the belt to be really tight and seure like that.

I like the little wrap the end of the belt around a rack trick. I can get it a lot tighter that way.

[quote]buckeye girl wrote:
I like the little wrap the end of the belt around a rack trick. I can get it a lot tighter that way.[/quote]

I’ll have to try this.

Am I the only one who thiks a really tight belt makes you crumple in the middle and get all out of position on squats?

[quote]buckeye girl wrote:
mmllcc wrote:
That is a good lift but a 100 lbs from 3xBW so I don’t think you need a belt. But if it floats your boat get one.

I didn’t realize there is a magical number that you have to hit before you can start using a belt…[/quote]

I’ve found 2.94578 to be optimal. Anything less and your core will become so weak you cannot walk on 2 legs anymore.

[quote] Matt wrote:
buckeye girl wrote:
mmllcc wrote:
That is a good lift but a 100 lbs from 3xBW so I don’t think you need a belt. But if it floats your boat get one.

I didn’t realize there is a magical number that you have to hit before you can start using a belt…

I’ve found 2.94578 to be optimal. Anything less and your core will become so weak you cannot walk on 2 legs anymore.[/quote]

Excellent point, Matt. I just wish I would have posted this before you as I have literally ground myself into dust with the exhaustive research I conducted to come to this number and was seeking credit. Damnit.

I will go against the crowd and state we use nothing but double prong. If you are having that much trouble getting it off your belt is still pretty stiff. You can always use the rack to loosen and tighten it which alleviates this most of the time.

Lever belts are great if your weight is consistent and you don’t like a different tightness for squats and pulls. We have a couple but they haven’t been used in a while. In fact, I watched a guy throw one down in frustration once at a meet and break the lever assembly.

Josh, who recently bought Safe USA from Scott makes a lot of the belts that are sold. (I am not sure about Elitefts.).

http://www.safe-usa.com/Powerlifting/Belts.htm

[quote] Matt wrote:
I’ve found 2.94578 to be optimal. Anything less and your core will become so weak you cannot walk on 2 legs anymore.[/quote]

This is exactly why single leg movements are so important…

Anyways, I have a 13mm single prong from Elitefts and a 10mm lever from Inzer. There is a huge difference in stiffness between the two, they aren’t even comparable. I use the 13mm at meets, and for PR or near max attempts when I really want the support.

I like the lever because it’s easy to snug up, and then after a set you can flip the lever and be comfortable again. So I use it if I’m doing a lot of sets where I’m going to belt up.

There really is such a difference between the 10mm Inzer and the 13mm Elite that I wonder if it’s just the difference in thickness or if I had gotten a 13mm Lever, if it would have still been a lot softer than the Elite belt. I’ve had the Elite belt for over a year and it’s still stiff as hell.

[quote]Hanley wrote:
Am I the only one who thiks a really tight belt makes you crumple in the middle and get all out of position on squats?[/quote]

I whole heartedly concur.

I’ve a 10mm Inzer double prong and a 13mm Inzer lever. Without a double I prefer the 10mm buckle.

The 13mm belt is just TOO much of a belt. It’s too heavy, and it’s too stiff. I train with guys who’ve pulled and squatted over 700 in single ply gear wearing 10mm belts. There’s just no need for anything more at that weight.

Now if you were squatting a grand out of a mono in the APF the advice would be different, but if oyu were doing that you probably wouldn’t be asking the question anyway!!