Belts are invaluable in powerlifting, strongman events, and weightlifting contests. Yet, numerous athletes overlook their body's innate capacity to do squats without a weightlifting belt.
This article delves into the advantages and disadvantages of squatting without a belt. We’ll review the pros and cons and go over who needs to squat beltless and who doesn’t. Let’s get started!
Why Train Beltless?
Squat belts provide lumbar and back support for heavy lifts, but there are reasons to train beltless. Here are the essential reasons why every athlete should incorporate more beltless squats into their routine, whether it's during warm-up sets, high-volume training days, moderate to heavy load sessions, or entire squat cycles:
Pros of Beltless Squats
1. Improved Concentration While Lifting
Wearing a weightlifting belt often triggers heightened focus and aggression, especially when attempting near-maximal lifts. This intensity tends to prioritize the overall movement pattern, potentially neglecting the finer aspects of bracing and stabilization. Training without a belt, however, compels lifters to pay closer attention to their pelvic alignment, core tightness, and the positioning of their ankles, knees, and hips during a squat. This reduced reliance on the belt for support necessitates a more deliberate approach to setup and execution. When lifters master these elements without a belt, these skills can become second nature, allowing them to apply this refined technique to heavily loaded lifts with a belt, enhancing both performance and safety.
2. Put More Pressure on Pelvic Stability
Weightlifting belts increase intra-abdominal pressure and spine stability during heavy lifts. However, overusing a belt may cause lifters to disregard their natural ability to generate intra-abdominal pressure through strong muscle contractions and correct bracing. This dependence can limit their potential. Belts can compensate for poor core bracing and tension, which can lower performance and increase injury risk. Instead of wearing a belt, lifters should focus on hard bracing and pressure during moderate to heavy workouts. This method will teach them how to naturally build tension and pressure, which they may use when they return to belt lifts.
3. Less Intense Workouts Lead to More Training
Relying on a weightlifting belt for all loads, regardless of their weight, can significantly hinder your progress as an athlete. Many lifters, from beginners to advanced, need to focus on building a strong foundation in squat technique, bracing, and pelvic stability without the aid of a belt. This approach helps to develop the intra-abdominal muscles, hip flexors, and other pelvic stabilizers, which are crucial for preventing injuries and improving overall squat performance. Prioritizing these fundamentals will not only enhance your lifting capabilities but also ensure a safer, more effective training regimen.
4. Maximum Breathing and Bracing
Similar to when you deadlift without a belt, lifters are compelled to maintain heightened awareness and concentration on their breathing and bracing techniques from the start of the lift through its completion. While weightlifting belts can enhance performance, training without one enhances a lifter’s innate capacity to generate and control intra-abdominal pressure. This improved ability translates into more effective belted training sessions, ultimately optimizing performance and safety.
5. Reduced Reliance on External Effects
Overreliance on external equipment like weightlifting belts, knee sleeves, or even music can alter an athlete's mental approach and confidence, especially when those conditions aren't present. This dependency on external factors can lower personal performance levels. The key is to cultivate focus, confidence, and internal control without relying heavily on external tools or specific environments. This way, when faced with intense situations like competitions or maxing out, athletes can fully leverage the benefits of supplementary training tools without being overly dependent on them.
Cons of Beltless Squats
1. Reduced Intra-Abdominal Pressure
Squatting without a weightlifting belt can lower intra-abdominal pressure for various reasons. Firstly, lifters become more mindful of their breathing and bracing techniques without the support of the belt. Secondly, the absence of external support from the belt shifts the workload to core muscles, potentially reducing intra-abdominal pressure initially. Thirdly, focusing on refining the squat technique during beltless training can temporarily affect pressure levels. However, this presents an opportunity to enhance core strength and bracing techniques, which can have long-term benefits for lifting performance and injury prevention.
2. Higher Chance of Lower Back Injury
Squatting without using a weightlifting belt raises the risk of lower back injury due to the support the belt offers in stabilizing the spine during heavy lifts. Without this external support, the lower back muscles and structures bear more stress, potentially leading to inadequate bracing and improper spinal alignment, especially for lifters who are accustomed to relying on the belt. This increased stress and potential for technical errors in form can further amplify the chances of lower back problems. To mitigate this risk, lifters need to prioritize developing core strength, maintaining proper form, and gradually adapting to squatting without a belt to ensure safer training practices.
3. Reduced Lifting Capacity
Squatting without a weightlifting belt can reduce lifting capacity because the belt provides support that stabilizes the spine, making it easier to lift heavy weights safely. Without this support, maintaining proper form becomes more challenging, leading to potential limitations in lifting heavier loads. Additionally, the absence of the belt may increase fatigue in the core muscles, which are essential for stability and power generation during squats. As a result, lifters may find it harder to handle heavy weights effectively when squatting without a belt.
4. Form Deterioration is More Likely to Happen
Squats without a weightlifting belt can cause form degradation for numerous reasons. The belt helps align the spine, reducing technique errors. Lifters may lean forward or misalign their hips without this support. Trying to compensate for the absence of support might strain other muscles and alter the form. This strain, along with core muscle exhaustion from the belt's absence, can drastically degrade form, especially with larger weights or longer training sessions.
5. Increased Exhaustion
Squatting without a weightlifting belt can increase exhaustion because the belt's support is absent, requiring the core muscles to work harder for stability. This extra effort, along with potential compensatory muscle use and the challenge of maintaining form, contributes to quicker fatigue during squats without a belt. P.S., we have an in-depth TuffWraps guide on lifting belt pros and cons. Check it out.
Who Needs to Wear a Squat Belt?
Wearing a weightlifting belt can significantly benefit those aiming to improve their squat strength and safety, particularly for powerlifters, bodybuilders, and Olympic lifters. Even if you're not competing, using a belt can enhance your squat performance and reduce the risk of injury, especially when lifting heavier weights. Properly bracing your torso is a skill that requires practice and repetition over time. Using a belt provides external feedback, making it easier to assess if you're bracing correctly. You can feel the pressure against the belt, which helps you understand the sensation of proper stability and reinforces good lifting technique. This experience translates to more confidence in your bracing, whether you're using a belt or not.
When Should One Begin Wearing a Belt During Squats?
Putting on a Belt for the Very First Time
There's often talk about hitting certain weight targets, like squatting a specific multiple of your body weight, before considering using a weightlifting belt. There's no physiological or psychological reason to delay using a belt if it can enhance your lifting experience. Belts aren't a crutch but a tool to improve comfort and teach proper core bracing, which is beneficial for all athletes, regardless of experience level. Learning to utilize a belt effectively is a skill that should be developed early on, rather than postponing its benefits to a later stage.
Related: Do Lifting Belts Make You Stronger
Wearing a Belt During Warmups
It is generally recommended to reserve using a weightlifting belt for heavier loads, especially once you are comfortable with its use and have broken it in. Typically, incorporating the belt when the weight reaches around two-thirds to three-quarters of your maximum squat is advisable during ramp-up sets for heavier lifts. However, there are exceptions, such as using the belt earlier for a demanding set with a relatively lighter weight, like max-rep sets at half of your max. This approach has several benefits: it helps break in the belt faster, reduces reliance on the belt while allowing practice with it, and can enhance injury prevention by providing support when the weight becomes challenging. It is not recommended to use the belt only for the heaviest set, as this sudden change in mechanics can affect squat performance and potentially lead to injury.
How Should You Wear Your Belt When You Do Squats?
Wearing your belt for squats depends on your technique, leverage, and sport, but a general guideline is to position the belt near the bottom of your ribcage or over your belly button. This placement works well for many lifters, but you can adjust the belt a few inches up or down to find the most comfortable and supportive fit. Once you have the belt in a comfortable position, perform a few bodyweight squats using the same technique you plan to use for your weighted squats to ensure everything feels right.
How to Use a Lifting Belt to Perform Squats
Hold on as You Unrack
Ensure you properly set your brace and tighten up before unracking the bar. Put on your wrist wraps, secure my belt, set my grip on the bar, and then firmly position myself under the bar. Once my back is tight and my feet are positioned correctly, I take a deep breath and brace myself as if I'm about to perform a squat.
Take a Deep Breath and Rest Your Body Before Each Repetition
Once your brace is set and you’ve stood up with the bar, take a few steps backward, position your feet, and prepare to brace again. Be sure to take another breath before starting the squat to avoid dizziness. Tighten up and brace into your belt at the top of each rep, hold your breath on the way down, and begin exhaling once you’re more than halfway back up. From there, take a couple of short breaths as a brief rest before repeating the process.
Characteristics of a Squat Belt
Leather belts are ideal for powerlifters or those aiming to squat heavier weights due to their stiffness, durability, and the secure support they provide. Typically, leather belts are 7mm or 10mm thick. Thinner belts offer more comfort and break in faster, while thicker belts are more durable and secure. For most lifters, a 10mm leather belt is recommended, as thicker options are generally unnecessary unless you are an elite-level powerlifter or have a larger physique. For more information, read our guide on 10mm vs. 13mm lifting belts.
Leather belts come with either prongs or levers for fastening. Lever belts are quicker to put on and take off but lock you into one size and require tools for adjustments, which can be inconvenient if you share the belt or need to adjust tightness between different lifts. Prong-latching belts, similar to a regular belt, offer greater adjustability and are just as secure, though not as quick to remove.
While nylon belts are an alternative, they do not offer the same level of support and pressure as leather belts, making them less suitable for those focused on improving their squat.
Related: What Size Lifting Belt Should I Get?
The Ultimate Squat Belt
Here are some high-quality lifting belts perfect for your squat:
If you’re looking for thebest weight belts for weightlifting and powerlifting, Tuffwraps belts are excellent for meeting your squatting needs. They are designed with a focus on performance, durability, and longevity, using premium-grade materials to provide the support and stability athletes need to elevate their performance.
