JFord

I’m probably overthinking this but here goes.

I bought a 4” belt from “Best Belts” that I love the workmanship of. I’m 5’6”, 185 lbs. I love the belt for squats but I can definitely feel it “cutting into” my hips during deadlift set-up and to a lesser extent at the bottom of a squat. I want to buy a thinner belt from the same company. They come in a 2.5” and 3” size. I’d rather buy just one.

Which would be a better call? 2.5” or 3”? Would there be a downside to just getting the 2.5” size and be certain it won’t cut into my waist/hips for either type of lift? I’m guessing that I’d use the belt for both squats and deadlifts.

Mark Rippetoe

I don't know how much luck you're going to have getting a belt from Best right now. They seem to be barely functioning. Why don't you try a single-ply 3" belt from Dominion? If you like it, fine. If you don't I'll buy it from you. If you decide you'd rather have a two-ply instead, I'll still buy it from you. You will have no problem with the quality.

M750

Hello everyone, long time reader, first time poster.

51, 5'10", 225
SQ 230x5x3
DL 305x5x1
Press 172x5x3
Bench 300x5x3

First off, I want to say thank you for your great material and clear instructions and put another testimonial in the pile. Getting a little bit older, I had fallen into the trap of thinking heavier weights were something I should start backing off of. The outcome of that was less strong, more back pain. Reading your material and thinking about the body's ability to adapt set me right.

I had one hip replaced in the fall of 2020. I let it go way too far before getting surgery, but I am fine now. Between never learning to deadlift or squat properly prior to Starting Strength, and a really painful hip, my lower body stuff was weak and imbalanced and I was always tweaking my lower back from squats or day to day life.

Up to now I have been purposefully slow to increase the weight on the sq/dl to prevent doing something stupid to myself or my new hip. But now I can feel that things are falling into place with learning the form and getting the imbalance ironed out. Strength wise, I feel capable of keeping those weights moving on up now.

Does anyone have any experience or specific recommendations for what kind of weights move you from 'no worries' to 'excessive wear' on an artificial hip?

Mark Rippetoe

I've never heard of anybody having problems with a hip prosthesis. Knees, yes.

Thip

I had a hip replacement 18 years ago, now I'm almost 69. That is tough to answer. However, I went from a few years off squatting and deadlifting up to a 400# squat and a 430 deadlift within a couple of years time. However I did not go back until I felt that my surgically corrected hip was stronger overall to take on the stress. I had limped for approx 5-6 years. There is no blue print other than I would say start slow and keep building your strength. The wear and tear depends upon the materials in your hip, size of ball and socket replacement and the skill of your surgeon. I too had that question, but I believe that you will know it when you start to feel it. I was my own experiment and had always deadlifted and squatted before hip issues. I also ended up power cleaning 185 at age 58 after an 18 year lay off. I have since given them up because they are not going to help other than cause an injury. If you listen to the Doctors they will say "Don't Lift" although there are no studies to the contrary. Keep up proper nutrition and I feel that age, genetics, will play a part into how high you wish to go.

Mark Rippetoe

Sounds like you may have a local-doctor problem.