belt and back extension

[quad]

Hello coaches, I'd like your opinion on these videos. I have a short torso and I can't tell if the belt interferes with back extension.

squat (belt vs no belt)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3RlIpI2kKI

deadlift (no belt vs belt in new position vs random belt I've found)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qs6-smsl_0

sumo deadlift (belt vs no belt)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGivFbRKpnU

[Tom Campitelli]

The belt doesn't seem to get in your way at all. In fact, most of your belted sets look better than your unbelted sets. You tend to lift your chest in the squat and you push the bar forward with your shins in the deadlift setup. I'd fix that. I suspect your weights are not really heavy enough to warrant a belt anyway, so you may want to do without one for a while longer. The much bigger problem is that you are seriously underweight. I would suggest not worrying about a belt, training hard, and eating more.

[quad]

Thanks : D
In the squat you mean I tend to lift my chest as opposed to driving the hips up? All I think when bouncing out of the hole is keeping the bar path straight, maybe I should think about driving the hips.

[Steve Hill]

Since the entire concept of the squat is built around hip drive, that might be a very good idea.

[quad]

I see.
Can someone explain how do I tell if I am raising the chest instead of the hips?
For example in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEAqN2yy3nA
It looks to me that my back angle stays the same, maybe it gets a tiny bit more horizontal (because I push my hips back?). Shouldn't it?

[Tom Campitelli]

The video you linked actually looks okay. At least I think it does because we can only see half of you. Now would be a good time to review our recommendations on how to film your sets:

http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=16744

As I remember, in your unbelted squat video, you would stop pushing up with the hips about mid way up and then lift the chest. I didn't see that in the one above.

[CFPeterson]

I suspect your weights are not really heavy enough to warrant a belt anyway, so you may want to do without one for a while longer.

A question I had after reading the book is, when in the program do I start wearing the belt? I know it says your last warmup set and then work sets, but at what point in programming? After a failure or near failure? When you move off novice?

[quad]

Yeah sorry for the videos and thanks again. : )

[Tom Campitelli]

A question I had after reading the book is, when in the program do I start wearing the belt? I know it says your last warmup set and then work sets, but at what point in programming? After a failure or near failure? When you move off novice?

There isn't a hard and fast number for this. It varies by gender, bodyweight, age, injury history, and general preference. It is wise to solidify your squatting technique and to make some gains in strength without the belt so that you can properly utilize the belt once it is introduced. Rip has mentioned 300 lbs as a ballpark figure for men to consider the use of a belt. Some might need it sooner, especially if they have a back injury, while others could hold off for a while. The primary goal is to learn to squat first, worry about the belt later. Since the belt is an additional piece of equipment, it can be more of a distraction than an aid early on.

[Steve Hill]

My recommendation on when to wear a belt is this: Since the abdominal muscles are used primarily to perform valsalva, and since the valsalva helps to stabilize the low back, when you get to the point where you feel like you can't squeeze down any harder on it, and you're starting to lose a bit of stability, it's time to get a belt.