Deadlift belt option

[tomskarda]

Rip,

I recently came across a fabric dead lifting belt, link below, and am interested in your experience with these kinds of things.

I've read about how Velcro belts have a tendency to fail at in opportune times and many people here have had good experience with 3" belts.

Does this look like a workable alternative to a 3" belt or is the more flexible cloth material defeating the purpose of having a rigid leather belt?

Thank you,

Tom

http://www.roguefitness.com/2-ply-deadlift-belt

[Mark Rippetoe]

Buy a real belt. Velcro is fine for laying flat on your belly for a snatch or C&J, but it fails at deadlift weights.

[tomskarda]

Rip,

Thanks and beware the soju.

Cheers,

Tom

[Roman B.]

I have this one. It's not too bad, sort of does its job. But it's both not comfortable enough due to its seams and not sturdy enough to help me stay tight. I'm going to buy the 3" bestbelt as soon as I can afford it.

[kins]

So which Best Belt is a better investment for the deadlift?. The 2.5 inch or the 3 inch?. From the T-nation article it's not inherently clear.

Granted, a wider belt provides better abdominal containment and more uniform hoop tension than a narrower belt. But if it keeps you from getting into the correct position to pull effectively, it hardly matters that it works better for part of the job. If you can't get set correctly, you can't pull correctly.

A belt for the deadlift works better if it fits better, and this may mean that a 3-inch, 2.5-inch, or even a 2-inch belt at a 10 to 13mm thickness works much better for you as a support that does not interfere with the set-up. And even though it's narrow, it still reinforces the pull quite well.

My guess would a 2.5 inch since it lies in-between having "better abdominal containment" and being narrow enough not to cause to "Incorrect proprioceptive information about the degree to which you have extended your back."

[Adam Skillin]

For a couple more ten dolla billz you can get a 3" or 2.5" best belt, made special for you, in your exact size and color preference, with a lifetime guarantee, by Dean & Judy Best. Why is this even a question?

[Mark Rippetoe]

So which Best Belt is a better investment for the deadlift?. The 2.5 inch or the 3 inch?. From the T-nation article it's not inherently clear.

The one that fits you best. This was not clear?

[Lamneth]

The one that fits you best. This was not clear?

Maybe the part that wasn't clear is that Rip can't see you from where he is, and therefore has no idea which belt will fit you best.

[Fecktoe]

Are there any hard and fast rules for the deadlift belt or reasonable assumptions we can make based on height i.e. if 6' or over 3 inch or 6' and under 2.5 inch? I understand it will not always be the same due to natural variations in anthropometry but given that height follows a normal distribution and within this we can say one standard deviation comprises 70% of a given population, it would be reasonable, if one has had experience with this, to say that for most people under a given height the 2.5" for work and for others over a given height a 3" should suffice. Just wondering as I'm currently in the market and would like to buy a best belt as well. Danke

[Mark Rippetoe]

How about this: try a 4-inch belt -- like the one you're going to use for the squats, when you deadlift -- and see if the situation described in the belt article applies to you.