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How Tight Should a Weightlifting Belt Be: A Detailed Guide

One of the most easily misused lifting gear is the weightlifting belt. It serves as a wall you flex your abs against to generate truncal tension and to support your torso, however, getting the right fit can be tricky. Knowing how tight should a weightlifting belt be is vital to maximizing your training.

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How Tight Should a Weightlifting Belt Be: A Detailed Guide

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  1. How Tight Should a Weightlifting Belt Be: A Detailed Guide

  2. One of the most easily misused lifting gear is the weightlifting belt. It serves as a wall you flex your abs against to generate truncal tension and to support your torso, however, getting the right fit can be tricky. Knowing how tight should a weightlifting belt be is vital to maximizing your training.

  3. What factors affect belt tightness • Material While there are far more lifting belt material variations, the majority boils down to either leather or nylon. Leather belts are typically on the thicker side and they provide more rigidity and tightness to the torso, given their stiffer build. On the other hand, nylon belts are thinner and are more flexible which allows a greater range of motion.

  4. Closure type The buckle type is an important consideration that affects the tightness of the belt. Generally, there are two types of buckles for lifting belts: prong and lever. Prong buckles are the more classic variant while the lever buckle is the newer type of closure. While both closure types provide excellent support, lever belts offer a tighter fit compared to belts with prong buckles. Lever belts are also easier to don and doff which makes your belt the least of your worries when prepping for that big lift.

  5. Thickness Belts vary in thickness and whether a belt is thick or not, each type serves a purpose. Ultimately, a thicker belt offers greater rigidity and tightness to the spine. This is especially great for heavier and more static lifts such as deadlifts and squats. On the other end of the spectrum, a thinner belt works best for more dynamic movements such as snatches and clean & jerks due to its less restrictive nature.

  6. How tight should a lifting belt be? The pre-requisite to identifying the ideal belt tightness is to first learn how to properly put a belt on and try bracing with it. Simply wrap the belt around your waist, ensuring that it’s midway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hip bone. Then, take a deep diaphragmatic breath and fasten the belt in place. There should be a small leeway between the belt and your torso, just enough to squeeze one finger in for most people.

  7. Now that the belt is on, you should be able to exhale properly and completely without the belt resisting your breathing. Brace your core about 5 times and check if you’re getting adequate support and resistance. You may also try to tighten or loosen up the belt and check which fit works best for you. The general rule is the tighter the belt, the harder it is to brace, and the looser the fit, the less support you feel.

  8. However, belt tightness isn’t as simple as that. The type of exercise you do may also affect the way your belt fits. So the question now is: how should a lifting belt fit in different exercises?

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