3 inch belts

[Mmll]

hi Rip

i read this The Belt and the Deadlift | Mark Rippetoe

and i agree...the 4 inch belt is a problem with deadlifts. i used a 4 inch belt the other day and it feels great doing presses but shit with deadlifts. its too wide, and depending on where i put it, it either digs into my lower rib or hip area. I have bad red/purple bruising along the hip area now. it also makes it hard to set my back properly.

So im looking at getting one of the SS 3 inch belts. but if i do, will the edge of the belt still dig into the skin and cause this bruising? i realise it will be narrower and therefore probably not dig into the hip area as much, but will it just cause the same kind of brusing an inch higher up on the stomach?

id only deadlifted with a 4 inch velcro belt before (which i actually thought worked pretty well, and no digging in/bruising, but its shit with pressing and squats). is digging in/bruising just an unavoidable thing that is part of deadlifting with leather lifting belts? is it something that always happens initially until belts are worn in over time? or will a 3 inch likely get rid of the problem altogether?

fyi im 33, 6'3, 225 lbs.
most recent sets:
squat 3 sets of 5 at 137.5 kg
press 3 set of 5 at 65 kg
bench 3 sets of 5 at 106 kg
deadlift 1 set of 5 at 167.5 kg

thanks a lot.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The bruising comes as a result of the position of the belt relative to your hip flexors. The narrower belt fixes this, if you wear it corrected.