well the articles on the website really have nothing to do with the forums, to be fair. I haven’t read an article from T Nation in literally years. And I’m a nearly every-day poster on here, and have been for a decade. That’s why I’m trying to help you understand the general feel of these forums, since I haven’t seen you here before.
Also, you had to pull up an 8 year old article to find that opinion. So there is that. Hardly qualifies as ‘general consensus’, just because you found one person who DOESN’T post in the forums who said that. Lol.
I appreciate you making my point for me better than I could, though.
That’s actually not an uncommon opinion in general. When I say in general I mean across fitness writers and articles like the one I posted. There are actually several authors in that link and others say to only wear a belt at 65-70%+ too. With the recurring theme that using belts will somehow ‘weaken the core’. There are also many other articles online saying similar. That’s the general consensus more or less, outside this forum and with some exceptions like mr. Eddie Hall apparently. Which is why I ask the question here on the forum. If I thought the opinion here would be the same as the general consensus you can find by searching the internet, I wouldn’t have posted the question.
Most of those articles are based around anecdotes and poor science.
If an untrained individual never having lifted in their life put a belt on for the bar and only ever trained with the belt on, then sure maybe they could under develop their core, but even then if they are taught to brace properly I bet the core gets stronger. To say that a belt will weaken the core is just wrong. Science be damned.
Ask anyone who squats heavy if they ever don’t feel their abs after squatting or yoking. I guarantee that if you brace properly the abdominals will be sore after any loaded movement.
Then don’t forget you still have 80% of your training volume that’s not a belted movement where you can strengthen your abs.
that’s fine. Also doesn’t contradict what I said. My very first sentence in this thread said ‘IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS FORUM’. Everything that followed was based on that assumption.
you asked a question that assumed a particular point of view to begin with. You asked ‘why doesn’t that logic apply to belts…etc’ That is a loaded question that assumes there are people here who are going to disagree with you, and present a counter argument to the other 4 preceding paragraphs. And that didn’t happen.
You weren’t asking a question in earnest, all you did was write a few paragraphs about a thing we all already assumed to be true and agreed on, lol.
So - I was thinking about this.
I used to train 100% with out a belt. I was a rugby player and was in the camp of “I do not play with a belt. So why train with one”. Let me set out right now - crap logic. Using this logic - I did not lift weights in the rugby game so why was I lifting weights in the gym.
My current training is strong man. And I use a belt for my last warm up set and my work sets. Depending. But I’m starting to use it more. There are a few guys in the gym that a lot stronger than me. They are in full kit from the moment they pick up the weights. I saw a guy in sleeves and wrist straps for a 25kg log. And they can’t be doing too much wrong.
I also don’t subscribe to the “belts lead to a weak core” idea. A belt is a tool that helps you get the most out of your core strength. To say it weakens it is wrong. It maximises it. Sure. But if I can squat 180kg no belt, and 220kg with a belt my core has not gotten weaker.
Seems pretty simple to me. Can you lift more with a belt on? Then it’s helping you do something your body can’t. Since we can utilize them on the platform, we need to train with them to get the most weight on the bar. Not too complicated.
Makes sense. Now don’t get me wrong, I myself wouldn’t wear a belt with 135lb no matter what. Imo if that amount of weight is giving me some kind of trouble, I probably shouldn’t be squatting that day anyway. I think though, getting closer to bodyweight and above, it just makes more sense. Why not squat 225/315/405+ with more power and confidence in training?