Hi gang,

I've been doing dead lifts in my workouts and am wondering how many of you use a weight belt. My back is sore today, but some of it is just muscle soreness. Dead lifts are great for my hamstrings, but I am worried about hurting my spine (at present I don't have "back issues"). I am using proper form (not bending the back, keeping it straight, focusing on my hams during the lift) but I wanted to know if anyone else is doing dead lifts, with or without a belt, etc.

Thanks,
badgoat

When I was performing deadlifts, I always used a belt, and I peformed in front a mirror at the gym so I could see I had the proper exercise form.

Dead lifts? Good Morning Lifts? Are they the same? They look so similar.

I buggered up my back doing the Good Morning Lifts. I just posted a ??? today and no I wasn't using a weight belt.

Hopefully someone out there has an answer for us.

Cheers, AJ

p.s. this is the website I have been using for info. http://www.exrx.net. Let me know what you think.

Hi AJ,

I just looked on the site and it looks like the difference is that with Good Mornings the barbell is on your shoulders behind your neck. I was doing dead lifts where you have the barbell in front of you.

I'm not sure I'll keep doing them b/c my back is still sore today. I wish my gym had more hamstring working machines, but I can make do with the leg extension machines (we don't have cables) and doing lunges.

Let me know if you find anything else out, or have other exercises you like for the hams.

badgoat

Hi Badgoat,

I'm doing deads too and have also been thinking about forking out the money for a good belt. I think it makes sense.

Here is a quote from Rickey Dale Crain's newsletter. Rickey is something like a five or seven time world champion power lifter.
"i want to touch on a point for all the ones that keep asking, "when should I put on the gear". First let me say, I always wear a belt from the bar on up, for a few reasons. I want to keep the feel of something around my waist, even a different feeling can mess up your form. You do not have to cinch it up tight until you put on some bigger weight but keep it on. It also helps to keep your lower back warm. Your lower back has very little blood running through it and can cool off very easy, and the lower back is the easiest area to injure and most frequently is..... so even a loose belt can keep it warm and loose. That is one of the best reasons of all to help keep injuries at bay. You can cinch it up tight at 50-60% or better. "

Arnie

Hi there Badgoat. I messed up my back doing the ones with the weights not on my shoulders. The ones where the weight is in front. Perhaps I wasn't concentrating properly. Focus, focus, on the muscles I am trying to develop.

I don't have access to machines. I just use free weights at home. If I come across anthing that might be useful I will let you know.

There seem to be very few excercises that really target the hams. Frustrating to say the least because that is an area that women are particulary fussed about.

Cheers, AJ

Thanks for your response

p.s. Bad Goat.

I love your cartoons!!!!!

Cheers, AJ

Hi there Arnie! Yup I am seriously considering a belt to protect my back. Thanks for your advice. If I get one I will let you know how it is going.

Cheers, AJ

When my friends and I went to the gym, we had a saying about good morning exercises...

Do a couple sets of Good Morning exercises and say Good Night to your back!!!

Ok.. bad joke..



you could do some dumbell squats to work your hams...

hth,
korry

Wow!!! Bad Goat!!! I just checked out you goats. You really do have goats. I just thought you were kidding. (No pun intended).

Great fun!!!!!

Cheers, AJ

Thanks for reminding me that I should resurrect my old weight belt. Now to locate it....

I'm really thrilled with the results I'm getting from the deadlifts. I had a lower back injury 1 1/2 years ago and it seems to be doing just fine. But like you badgoat, I really focus on technique.

.... ok, knock on wood...

Wanda

Thanks for all the great info!

My back was still bothering me yesterday, so I'm thinking of laying off the deadlifts next LBWO. There's a weight belt at the Y where I work out so I may try that after I'm sure my back is ok. I am seeing great results from BFL, so I'm sure I can rearrange some exercises.

badgoat

My opinion is leave the belt off until somewhere around 2x bodyweight. I deadlifted and stiff-legged deadlifted 345 and 260 this week no belt. Concentrate on perfect form and maintaining internal ab pressure during the lift. That's key to a solid core and preventing injuries. Wearing a belt will help you to do that if you press your abdominals out against the belt; but it's not magic. If you wear a belt, but don't maintain your pressure by pushing out against it with your abs, it ain't going to prevent injuries.

And to the guy who said watch yourself in the mirror - that's the biggest mistake you can make. Perfect your form by feeling the movement and coordinating your body - not by staring at yourself in the mirror. Check out OL training areas, or even PL gyms - no mirrors at all, and they're doing more complex lifts and moving a hell of a lot more weight.

Since the poster is a woman, does that mean women shouldn't use belts for deadlifts? Or is the 2X bodyweight rule just for men?

That's good to know and makes a lot of sense from an anatomical point of view. I always focus on my hamstrings, but I'll have to try this.

Wanda

It's usually a good idea to wear a belt while squatting and deadlifting. Most lifters I have seen and trained with, use a belt. Even with warmups at extremely light weights. They cinch it tighter as the weights increase. Whatever your goals may be, even if you never intend on lifting heavy weights, you still need a belt. YMMV, of course. What is heavy for one person, (145 lbs.) may be a warm up for another who will max out at much more.

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