If you’re a powerlifter and you plan on lifting any serious weight (75 -85 percent of your max), it’s suggested that you make sure to get a belt - especially if you want to stay safe.
*Check out this article for other preventative measures you can take to avoid powerlifting injuries.
I’m going to be completely honest with you guys, when I bought my first powerlifting belt I had no idea what I was going for. I knew that I wasn’t willing to spend an insane amount of money on it and that I needed something sturdy enough for competition. Of course, before I bought the belt I did a ton of research and I found that it’s a lot more involved than I thought.
So, what do you want to watch for when you buy your first ever powerlifting belt?
- Know the kinds of belts that are out there
- Know how you plan on wearing it
- Know what the belt is supposed to do
- Make sure the belt is a solid width
Why do you need the powerlifting belt?
First things first, the powerlifting belt you get will be a huge help for you if you plan on lifting heavy-weights. How do they do this? The best way to answer this is to demonstrate or explain the feeling you get when you perform any of the Big 3 lift (yes, even the squat).
Take the squat:
When you squat, what’s the first thing you see many lifters do. They take a huge breath and push their ribs toward their belly button in a way. *I personally fill my belly up with air before I lift the bar but that’s me.
I do this before I start the downward motion into the hole. Why? So I can stay tight and have control over the weight. The purpose of the powerlifting belt is to help us further improve the stability of our core under heavy loads. It helps our body stop the shaking that we go through when we under max loads. It’s meant to provide added support to our spine by through the pressure generated when our core muscles press against the belt (aka when we breathe in with the belt secured).
*Speaking of squats, check out this article if you're interested in seeing improvement with your squats.
What to watch for with your powerlifting belt:
One thing lifters want to make sure they watch for with their belts is that it provides just as much support to the front of the lifters body as it provides to the back. Meaning that a belt that’s wider in the back than it is in the front is a no go. A general rule of thumb when it comes to your powerlifting belt of choice is that it’s as thick as possible. The thicker/sturdier the material the belt is made of the more likely it is that the belt will be able to provide you with the support you need.
The best belt width you can get (and I’m sure others would agree with me on this) is about 10 cm which is just shy of the 13 cm limit that powerlifting federations put on their belts.
*On a side note, if you're interested in finding out more about federations, check out this article.
The reason 10 cm is considered the best width is that it tends to be the width that most people are able to get feel the most supported by without being restricted.
For those individuals who sit on the lighter side, it can be a bit of a pain to have a thicker belt. In which case it’s advised to get a belt that’s a bit on the thinner side 7 or 8 cm.
While 13 cm is the thickest width one can get in a powerlifting belt (and thickness helps most) there are other variables that come into play when it comes to powerlifting belts. We also have to consider the material the belt is made of, as that plays a very large role in whether the belt is truly supportive or not.
What are powerlifting belts made of?
Most belts that we see nowadays will be made of some leather material. Why? Because that's what the majority of clothing items are made of and because leather is a very firm material. However, there are about 3 different types of leather that you’ll see a lifter’s belt is made out of.
*hint: Top grain leather is the better of the 3
- Suede (split leather): My belt is made of suede (because I was being fairly frugal) and I have to say that I’ve noticed a few things about it that I will look to correct when I purchase my next belt. Suede is a softer material and thus is a bit easier to flex than other materials. The reason it’s advised to look for other materials is because of the flexion you get with suede - if you bought the belt to help you stay tight you may as well spend a bit more and get a denser material.
- Top grain leather/Full grain leather: Top grain leather and it’s
full-grain counterpart come from the top of the animal’s hide which makes it much tougher than suede. While top grain leather is just a bit less durable than full-grain leather, it does get the job done (belts made of top grain leather will keep you tight, last, and won’t empty your pocketbook).
Types of powerlifting belts
- Single Prong/Lever belt: You’ll generally find that the majority of the powerlifting belts lifter’s use are made with either a lever or single prong closure method. Why is this? Because powerlifters are lazy and believe the less steps involved in the placement of the belt, the better. I have to agree.
- Double Prong: This is the belt I purchased for myself and I have to say that it does get the job done. The extra prong doesn’t affect my ability to stay tight nor is it really that annoying. What I can say actually is that it probably helps me stay tight more than it hurts me. But, it is an extra step to have 1 extra prong on the belt and if you have to constantly adjust it so that you are able to get it in the right position it can get annoying.
On one hand, lever belts can be expensive and can take just as much time to adjust. On the other hand, double prong belts are incredibly affordable and get the job done (especially if you aren’t ready to invest insane amounts of money into powerlifting yet). If you want to meet in the middle you could probably just settle for a single prong belt and keep it moving.
How exactly do you wear a powerlifting belt
The purpose of wearing a powerlifting belt is to keep your core abdominal muscles tight so that you have a better chance of being in control during max weight (or submaximal weight for reps) lifts. I personally like to switch between an angled midsection way of wearing my belt (for deadlifts) and the standard, around the core method of wearing a weightlifting belt.
Pictures on both are shown below.
I would honestly disregard the angled way of wearing the belt (for most) and would stick with a standard, around the lower back and core way of wearing the belt. The standard way requires the lifter to, and Mark Bell said it best,
“If you’ve never used a lifting belt, start by placing it where you splitting your belly button horizontally. From there, everyone is going to have to learn where they get more benefit from the belt. Don’t be afraid to try it in different places. Start there, and then you’re going to have to learn where you want to place it, whether that’s higher or lower or angled higher in the back and lower in the front, or lower in the front and higher in the back. To find out how to use the belt effectively, do not be afraid to try it in different positions. "
How would you wear it?
So how would you wear it? That’s completely up to you. As I said, I like to sometimes angle it because it helps keep my powerful in certain movements. On the other hand, I like to keep it just above my abdominals and resting against my lower back in other movements. It’s completely up to you how you wear the belt as long as you understand how to brace against the belt correctly.
You want a powerlifting belt, not a weightlifting belt
If you’re reading this article, I’m assuming that you’re a powerlifter. Which means that you want to purchase a powerlifting belt not a weightlifting belt. What’s the difference between a powerlifting belt and a weightlifting belt is that one is the same width the entire length of the belt while the other is thicker in the back of the belt and thinner in the front.
*hint: weightlifting belts are the last type of belt I’m talking about.
Make sure you test it
If you’re willing to go into a store and purchase your belt I seriously suggest that. Unless you know exactly what you want out of your belt. Why do I say this? Because there are so many different types of belts on the market and there are a bunch of different body types. You never know which belt will work best for you until you try it on. Now does that mean that there aren’t just products out there that work well for just about any lifter? No. Because many of the lever belts that you find on the market work surprisingly well for a lot of people.
But they’re expensive too, so keep that in mind.
Recap
When you buy your first powerlifting belt you want to be extra careful that you’re meeting a few base requirements.
These things are:
- Single Prong usually (for affordability and ease of use)
- Made of top grain leather (durable)
- Is a solid width (10 cm +)
- Is an actual powerlifting belt
Now that you know what to look for in a powerlifting belt you're ready to begin your quest for the perfect one for you. Just remember that the belt you get will be one of your greatest tools. There’s a reason why it’s one of the only things you don’t see lifters going to the gym without.
*There are also other things that you should think about when powerlifting. Check out this checklist on what to bring to powerlifting meets for more information.