Pushing Abs against the belt

[JB1981]

Was reading in another thread that you don't recommend doing this. Can you elaborate on this? Are you saying that we are NOT supposed to actively contract our abs against the belt when the belt is tight? How could one NOT do this? It seems a very natural thing to do when squeezing abs and trying to get tight under the bar.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I am saying that you don't push OUT against the belt, because that will produce spinal flexion. You put in on tight, take a big breath, squeeze your abs in a circle around your spine, and squat. You ignore the belt, and this is easy to do if you have it adjusted correctly.