WL Belts and Cramps

[Str8shutr]

Hey SSS coaches,

Seeing as how it has been a pretty slow day for y'all, I thought I would try and liven it up with a stupid question.

Yesterday was the first day that I wore a WL belt for my WO. On my third set of squats at 320, 1st rep, I got to the bottom and got a cramp in my left calf. I racked the bar and rested about three minutes. I did three more reps and on the 3rd rep, got a cramp in my right calf. I racked the bar and called it a day for squats.

I moved to bench, and on my 2nd set, 5th and last rep of 215, I got a cramp down the left side of my stomach. Finished set 3 with no problems.

I was able to complete 340x5 DL with no issue.

The belt definitely made me squeeze tighter. The 320 squats felt like 260. The 215 bench was EZ as well. I read somewhere on here that the belt should be pretty tight. My stomach measures 47" with a tight tape, and I had the belt on the 46" notch.

TL,DR;
In your experience, do trainees wearing a weightlifting belt for the first time experience any unusual cramping? Does the extra squozeness cause the cramps? Should I be wearing the belt looser at first and then tighten it up as I get used to it?

I am pretty sure that my hydration and nutrition were on point.

[Mac Ward]

In your experience, do trainees wearing a weightlifting belt for the first time experience any unusual cramping? Does the extra squozeness cause the cramps? Should I be wearing the belt looser at first and then tighten it up as I get used to it?

That has not been my experience, in fact I had two folks put on a belt for the first time ever this morning. No cramping here.

I fail to see the correlation between the belt and your calves, except when we consider the shin bone is connected to the knee bone. The knee bone is connected the hip bone...etc.

I think I would look at your hydration and diet, or let's see if it happens again.

I suppose an argument could be made that you were tighter over all and cramped, but again, not my experience.

[Str8shutr]

Thanks for the repsonse, Mac.

I have never cramped up during a WO before.

I do my WOs outside, in the Lowcountry in SC. I also work outside. I know how to stay hydrated, and I use a utility fan to keep the air moving. I was draining the main vein throughout the WO, three times I think, and drank about 50 fl oz of water during the WO.

Anyways, my next heavy day is Friday (doing adv. novice) so I guess we'll see then.

[stef]

In your experience, do trainees wearing a weightlifting belt for the first time experience any unusual cramping? Does the extra squozeness cause the cramps? Should I be wearing the belt looser at first and then tighten it up as I get used to it?

Use of a belt = harder contraction. Soreness later is common, cramping is possible during the workout if the harder contractions go along with conditions predisposing to that (low sleep/high stress).