I know you generally don’t use a belt, but I VERY much recommend trying one out. I don’t think that belts protect your back, a strong brace protects your back…. But a belt makes it a lot easier to hold a strong brace…. So really a belt does protect your back…
That’s my early 2010s gym bro logic, but I swear it’s worked well for me
feeling any better?
What’s the reassessment?
Have you tried stopping being in pain and being awesome instead?
@creative_name, @simo74 - Thanks for checking in, guys. No doubt: I’ll be back at it just as soon as I can!
It was a good set, but today 400 for reps feels farther away than ever.
Funny you should mention that—my wife and I were just talking about that last evening.
Or, really, maybe not funny—I’m probably overdue for using a belt, if not for squats then at least for deadlifts.
So I’ll go ahead and ask you, but I’d like to hear others’ opinions as well:
What belt do you recommend for a first-time user?
In some ways, yes, so thanks for asking!
TLDR: I don’t think I’m ready to put 115 over my head for 50 reps, so I’m not doing today’s press workout.
The real pain is now isolated to the left side, mostly just over the SI joint but a little above and a little below that as well, but I’d still say there’s significant discomfort all around, left and right. Positions changes hurt, but if I brace myself for the shock, I’m mobile enough for daily activities.
I slept pretty solidly, which means the pain isn’t bad enough to impact me while I’m unconscious. I’ve been waking up a few minutes before my alarm since Tuesday morning, and today was no exception. I realized I had been sleeping solidly, so I shut off the alarm, rolled over, and slept for another hour. Sleep is good.
Current plan is to continue moving, stretching a bit, and trying to stay loose throughout the day. If this drags on too much longer, I’ll have to figure out what moves I CAN do, because I’ll go crazy if I don’t do anything for more than a day or two—I’m guessing mostly upper body stuff, maybe some bodybuilding isolation moves.
But for now, no training is the answer.
I’m awesome.
Turns out, I can be awesome and in pain at the same time.
True story and good decision
I have had an Inzer 13mm forever lever belt since 2011. I love it so much I bought a second one, so I could have one I wear with a soft belt underneathe and one I could wear without it.
I’ve used other belts since, and always go back to this one.
I had a cheap single prong belt from Amazon for a while. I made a switch to an elite fts lever belt a year or two ago. I would definitely suggest just buying a good one. It took a long time to break in, but now it fits like a glove and is easy to adjust to my bloated or unbloated gut.
My two cents, get a good leather powerlifting belt. Some argue over 10 or 13mm, I say go with 13, because I’ve never been lifting and thought to myself “man I wish I had less support”.
As far as brands, I am pretty much sold on Pioneer these days. I have two of their belts (got too skinny for my old one), and they are both awesome. My second belt is a lever belt with their pioneer lever system, and I freaking love it. That being said, idk how many thousands of dudes have gotten stupid jacked with a regular prong belt, honestly it’s really more of a preference thing, either one does the job.
Inzer was my first belt, got stolen a few years back. Great belts as well.
I’m using one right now. It’s holding up good after 5 years. The bag is on its last legs though 
I’m using a $20 Gold’s Gym belt from Walmart, the thing is about to fall apart.
I have a 10mm Steel Sweat from Amazon that has held up well. It was $50 when I bought it, replacing will cost $70
And since my gym shirts have no printing on them, something I wear has to have a lame platitude emblazoned on it…
Thanks, all, for the recommendations—seems like there are a lot of decent options, so I’ll try to do some reading and pull the trigger on one over the weekend.
When measuring for it, make sure you go by ACTUAL waist size and not pants size. Seen too many dudes make that mistake.
Now, funny story: I just finished up some required training for my new job. Today’s topic was preventing musculoskeletal injuries. Bottom line: “To avoid injury, don’t lift heavy stuff.”
Hah! No s*%t, Sherlock!
Guess I took the training a day too late…
Better yet, guess it’s a good thing I’m not in charge of these sessions, 'cause it would’ve been: “To avoid injury, go lift heavy stuff over and over and over…”
Rogue’s Ohio belt is a pretty good off the shelf belt. It’s usually in stock, fairly priced and doesn’t take to long to break in. I would still have my original one if someone didn’t steal it.
Sorry to hear you are hurt. Heal up!
There is only one.
Guaranteed FOREVER, Made in USA
something, something… buy once, cry once.