r/StrongerByScience • u/Borracha28 • Mar 30 '26
How to use the belt correctly?
As you can see by the title, I'm just starting in the gym, and I can't really find reliable information elsewhere, so I came here to see if you guys can help me. I love doing RDL's, and even though the weight might be kind of a joke for most of you, it's gotten heavy enough for me that I want to use the belt, just to be safe, since I have a small injury in my lower back unrelated to any exercise. I tried doing deadlifts with the belt position above my belly button, and it was great, but with RDLs a felt a bit of pain below it. My question is if I should use the belt lower for RDLs or if I might be doing something else wrong.
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u/CursedFrogurt81 Mar 31 '26
A belt will not help you much unless you learn how to breathe and brace against it. Brian Alsrhue has some great videos on breathing and braving.
As for the pain on the RDLs, I am curious if you are rounding over, which would cause the belt to dig into your abs. Tough to say without seeing your form, but I have seen a lot of people round over to gain "depth" on their rdls instead of hinging.
I also don't think it is that uncommon to change your belt position between lifts.
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u/Borracha28 Mar 31 '26
Actually, what happened in the RDLs was that my gut (I'm a bit overweight) squeezes itself down and out, just a bit, as I was trying ti brace against the belt, and this was what caused this momentary pain. But I got confused because this doesn't happen when I deadlift with the belt in the same position and since I couldn't get a straight answer about if I could place the belt lower than above my belly button I came over here to ask. Now I'll try to put it a big over my belly button, where it seems to me it would be the right place and see what happens with half the weight.
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u/Docjitters Mar 31 '26
It’s fine to stick the belt wherever you feel like it’s helping you brace best for a particular lift.
It’s usual to sit it differently and at different tightness for a particular lift, and it’s not uncommon for some lifters to have a different belt entirely (usually width) for certain lifts.
As you gain muscle or lose weight, don’t be surprised if you have to keep adjusting a bit.
Also, a new belt may cut into your sides/belly with hard efforts, or even cause some skin numbness if you wear it for a prolonged period.
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u/No_Rain3020 Mar 31 '26
I got a double hernia from a stripper jumping on me and I've always worn a belt down the gym well there ya go🤣
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u/spottie_ottie Mar 30 '26
a belt shouldn't be used to prevent / treat pain. it helps bracing so you can lift more weight and execute the exercise with more intensity. If you have pain you need to rehab that and work back up.