# Bench with belt, or no belt



## widehips71 (Mar 4, 2014)

Alright PL guys, the question is pretty straight forward.  To bench with a belt, or not.  Is this purely a matter of preference, or a must?  I've tried it with a full size comp style belt (4" all the way around) and felt a lil restricted on my arch.  And I've tried it with a cheaper, smaller regular weightlifting belt, 4" in the back and tapers down in the front, and felt like I was able to arch a lil better with it.  If benching with the bigger belt is better then I will keep using it and adjust.  Wanna hear from guys with more experience than I.


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## Joliver (Mar 4, 2014)

You need a belt if you are benching equipped.  But raw wouldnt require a belt.  I dont wear one when I bench raw.


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## Big Worm (Mar 4, 2014)

Ive worn one to bench raw but not enough to say it does or doesnt help.


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## ECKSRATED (Mar 4, 2014)

I used to use a belt but don't anymore. Don't see the need and I've lifted some heavy Weights before. I don't arch my back though. 

I guess if u use alot of leg drive while benching then ican see a belt keeping u tighter .


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## Trauma RN (Mar 4, 2014)

what does RAW mean? :32 (6): Im sorry I don't know.....


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## SFGiants (Mar 4, 2014)

For me wearing a belt raw on my last 2 or 3 working sets is a good thing I use it like I would to pull or squat and doing so it helps my stability, ability to stay tight and leg drive.

While I am pushing my abs against the belt it helps me drive my legs harder into the ground but I wear it tight.


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## Tren4Life (Mar 4, 2014)

I use a narrow belt just for benching its a 2 inch wide belt. The wide one takes away from my arch. 
Does it help? I'd say yes, it helps me remember to push my stomach up against the belt. 
Just my .02


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## Tren4Life (Mar 4, 2014)

Trauma RN said:


> what does RAW mean? :32 (6): Im sorry I don't know.....



Raw means no lifting gear. No squat briefs or bench shirt.


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## heavydeads83 (Mar 4, 2014)

I bench raw and wear the same belt I squat with and DL with.  And I wear that bitch tight as hell.   obviously not on the lighter sets but when I get heavy I want to be able to swallow a big breath of air and push out on my belt with my abs like SFG said.  keeps me good and tight feeling.


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## stonetag (Mar 4, 2014)

Trauma RN said:


> what does RAW mean? :32 (6): Im sorry I don't know.....



Just you and weight baby!


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## #TheMatrix (Mar 5, 2014)

With my own gym I work out shirtless.....no w.o gear exept for drol and dbol pre w.o


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## scott_vass (Mar 27, 2014)

Mate, I used to wear my belt all of the time, every session. It made me feel somehow bigger and stronger and gave me enthusiasm. Now that I have grown, the muscles I now have make me feel enthusiastic enough because of the squeezes I can now get a hold of. My "sensible" brain tells me I should still wear my belt on back day for bent-over work, but I'm hurting my back with dead lifts while wearing the belt anyways so I think the "it's for support so you don't hurt yourself" reasoning is a bit of a myth. 

If you wanna bench with a belt, go for it! But remember to WORK YOUR CHEST, don't rely on being able to push out your guts on a sooper tight belt to deliver your power. Bring the bar all the way down to stretch the muscle then push the bar up as high as you can and squeeze at the top. Kai Greene teaches the stretch and squeeze philosophy and I reckon it works. When I begin each rep (contraction) I'm thinking of how can I go from the stretch position to call on the muscle bulk to deliver me a bigger and bigger squeeze.

For benching, elbows in.


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## ProteinFarts (Mar 27, 2014)

If your using a belt on bench then your prob one of the guys doing incline bench with his ass 15 inches raised off the seat. I see no need for a belt on bench. The idea has never even crossed my mind until now.


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## Tren4Life (Mar 27, 2014)

scott_vass said:


> Mate, I used to wear my belt all of the time, every session. It made me feel somehow bigger and stronger and gave me enthusiasm. Now that I have grown, the muscles I now have make me feel enthusiastic enough because of the squeezes I can now get a hold of. My "sensible" brain tells me I should still wear my belt on back day for bent-over work, but I'm hurting my back with dead lifts while wearing the belt anyways so I think the "it's for support so you don't hurt yourself" reasoning is a bit of a myth.
> 
> If you wanna bench with a belt, go for it! But remember to WORK YOUR CHEST, don't rely on being able to push out your guts on a sooper tight belt to deliver your power. Bring the bar all the way down to stretch the muscle then push the bar up as high as you can and squeeze at the top. Kai Greene teaches the stretch and squeeze philosophy and I reckon it works. When I begin each rep (contraction) I'm thinking of how can I go from the stretch position to call on the muscle bulk to deliver me a bigger and bigger squeeze.
> 
> For benching, elbows in.




Did you read the first 3 words of the mans thread?


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## Tren4Life (Mar 27, 2014)

ProteinFarts said:


> If your using a belt on bench then your prob one of the guys doing incline bench with his ass 15 inches raised off the seat. I see no need for a belt on bench. The idea has never even crossed my mind until now.



That's kind of rude if you ask me. Your a pretty new guy around here and I was starting to like you until you went and opened your mouth on this one. 
The first  words of Wides thread are asking the PLer for advise. If your not a PLer then why answer?
It appears like you are trying to look down at the man for asking a question that you clearly have no fukking business answering


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## PillarofBalance (Mar 27, 2014)

I will sorta give PF a bit of benefit of the doubt. 99% of guys in the gym don't need a belt to do their bench routine of 185 x 10 for a set. Or when they do their tri push downs and curls. Belts are abused.


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## ProteinFarts (Mar 27, 2014)

Steelers4Life said:


> That's kind of rude if you ask me. Your a pretty new guy around here and I was starting to like you until you went and opened your mouth on this one.
> The first  words of Wides thread are asking the PLer for advise. If your not a PLer then why answer?
> It appears like you are trying to look down at the man for asking a question that you clearly have no fukking business answering



I meant no disrespect. Wife had me in a bad mood I guess it shown through. So no OP unless your lower back is involved in the lift (which it should not be on bench) then a belt is not going to be nessesasy. Of course I'm sure some like it because it probably just makes you feel more solid and in turn may help your lift. But def not nessesary.


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## goodfella (Mar 27, 2014)

If you have a belt, USE IT! If you dont, owell.


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## ProteinFarts (Mar 27, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> I will sorta give PF a bit of benefit of the doubt. 99% of guys in the gym don't need a belt to do their bench routine of 185 x 10 for a set. Or when they do their tri push downs and curls. Belts are abused.



I appriciate the vote of confidence  I will make a conservative effort to only be positive. However when I work out hard, as I am now, I get a 100% rise in libido and aggression. Natural GH! lol


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## ken Sass (Mar 27, 2014)

i wear 1 when i go heavy, but i am old.


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## Tren4Life (Mar 27, 2014)

ProteinFarts said:


> I meant no disrespect. Wife had me in a bad mood I guess it shown through. So no OP unless your lower back is involved in the lift (which it should not be on bench) then a belt is not going to be nessesasy. Of course I'm sure some like it because it probably just makes you feel more solid and in turn may help your lift. But def not nessesary.



I probably flew off the handle some too. I have issues.


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## DieYoungStrong (Mar 27, 2014)

Steelers4Life said:


> I probably flew off the handle some too. I have issues.



You are Mike Barnes. It's not really your fault.


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## ProteinFarts (Mar 27, 2014)

Steelers4Life said:


> I probably flew off the handle some too. I have issues.



No worries  We all have tons of testosterone flowing through our veins. It's not our fault it's the test.


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## Dtownry (Mar 28, 2014)

Steelers4Life said:


> That's kind of rude if you ask me. Your a pretty new guy around here and I was starting to like you until you went and opened your mouth on this one.
> The first  words of Wides thread are asking the PLer for advise. If your not a PLer then why answer?
> It appears like you are trying to look down at the man for asking a question that you clearly have no fukking business answering



Second this all the way.  Start putting your 375 bench press videos up then you can talk.  Til then just listen.


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## ECKSRATED (Mar 28, 2014)

Dtownry said:


> Second this all the way.  Start putting your 375 bench press videos up then you can talk.  Til then just listen.


I think that's a little extreme. Protein gave his opinion and that's all it was. Yea he could have maybe worded it a little better but it's still his opinion. 

I can bench alot more than 375 so does that mean what I say is more valid than anyone weaker than me? Absolutely not.


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## widehips71 (Mar 28, 2014)

Damn... Did it get warm in here?  *looks around nervously*

Oh and Kai Greene ****s grapefruit. Just sayin


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