Do You Need a Belt to Deadlift?

The benefits of using a weightlifting belt are clear – by increasing your intra-abdominal pressure, they help to increase lifting performance by 5-15% depending on your ability level and technique. So, do you need a belt to deadlift?

Weightlifting belts work by increasing Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and reducing the pressure on your lumbar spine by helping to keep your body in the correct position when lifting.

By wearing a weightlifting belt during a deadlift, you’re able to create much more intra-abdominal pressure compared to naturally bracing your core, but in order for the belt to work, you have to be able to brace your core correctly first.

With this, do you need a belt to deadlift? What situations should you be using a belt? Let’s look at the answers to these questions in more detail.

Do You Need a Belt to Deadlift?

Lifting belts are designed to keep your core and back stabilised throughout the lift. By pushing your abdomen against a belt when naturally bracing your core, you’re able to create more intra-abdominal pressure which translates to increased deadlifting performance.

So surely that means you should wear a lifting belt every time you lift right? The answer isn’t that simple. A lifting belt should be used as an aid to lifting once you’ve learnt to naturally brace your core musculature and perform a deadlift using the correct technique.

For these reasons, there are different situations where you should use a lifting belt in order to get the best performance out of it. I’ll discuss these in more detail down below.

The Benefits of Using a Lifting Belt While Deadlifting

The use of a lifting belt has many different benefits that extend beyond just physical:

✅ Injury Prevention 

A lifting belt works by providing support to your lumbar spine area, which comes under huge amounts of pressure during a deadlift movement. Common injuries when deadlifting include herniated discs, which is where a disc in your lumbar spine region comes out of place under pressure from a load.

By pressing against your back when lifting off the floor, a belt helps you to focus more on the correct form and reduce the risk of back injuries from not keeping a neutral spine position when lifting.

In order for a belt to work properly however, you need to be aware of and be able to execute the correct form throughout the deadlift, even when using one.

✅ Increased Performance 

Whatever your ability level is, your main goal is likely to increase the amount of weight you can lift off the floor. By pushing your core against the weightlifting belt, you’re able to increase your intra-abdominal pressure to much higher levels than just naturally bracing your core.

This extra intra-abdominal pressure created by the lifting belt can increase deadlifting performance by 5-15% depending on your current lifting level. For elite lifters, even a 5% increase is a huge amount and often the difference between placings on an Olympic stage.

✅ Improved Confidence 

Alongside physical benefits, wearing a lifting belt helps to increase your confidence when lifting. Whilst deadlifting requires incredible strength, it’s also a big mental battle to find the confidence needed to break past lifting plateaus, especially if you’ve been stuck on one for a while.

By wearing a belt during a deadlift, you’re able to feel the increased support provided which leads to increased confidence and helps you to focus solely on lifting the weight off the floor rather than wondering if you’ll be able to lift it successfully.

Deadlifting With and Without a Belt: A Detailed Comparison

With the benefits of wearing a weightlifting belt discussed above, these are the differences between deadlifting with and deadlifting without a belt and the situations in which a belt should be used.

Think about these differences when considering the question: Should you deadlift with a belt?

1. Movement Restriction

One of the biggest differences felt when using a belt is the amount of movement you’re able to perform. By wrapping around the torso tightly to provide support, wearing a belt to deadlift can also restrict movement, especially in the bottom portion of the deadlift.

When lifting beltless, you should feel much more comfortable and less restricted whilst still being able to generate intra-abdominal pressure through naturally bracing your core.

Lifting beltless for your warm-up sets up to around 80% of your 1RM allows you to focus on the correct form at the bottom portion of the lift before using a belt. This also applies to technique and hypertrophy work, where you’ll be working below your 1RM.

Deadlifters will often try out different belt thicknesses and torso positions so they can use a belt without too much movement restriction.

2. Lifting Volume 

An increase in deadlifting performance also means an increase in the amount of volume lifted. When using a belt, you’re able to perform more reps and sets compared to lifting beltless.

Performing more volume at a higher intensity recruits more muscle fibres, helps to develop confidence and allows you to practice technique under heavier loads.

This is why it’s important to include both belted and beltless deadlifts as part of a periodized training program, with the use depending on the intensity of the lifting.

Deadlifting without a belt should be done at submaximal loads when there is less risk of you not being able maintain a neutral spine position throughout the full deadlift movement.

By deadlifting beltless, you’re able to focus on maintaining the correct technique, strengthen your core and lower back muscles and develop the ability to naturally brace your core under heavier loads.

3. Intra-Abdominal Pressure 

As I’ve discussed above, wearing a belt increases your ability to recruit your core musculature, creating much more intra-abdominal pressure vs just naturally bracing your core when not using a belt.

When deadlifting, you want to transfer as much force as possible from the ground up to your upper body whilst maintaining a neutral spine.

By not using a belt for sub-maximal lifts, you learn how to naturally brace properly which then helps to get the most out of the belt when you wear it for maximal lifts. 

4. Technique 

A belt should be used as an external cue, helping to maintain the correct technique whilst providing added stability.

When deadlifting with a belt, technique can often be forgotten with some people thinking the belt will provide protection for bad habits.

This is why it’s important to deadlift beltless during the warm up process to focus on the correct technique cues to use during the heavier loads.

Brief Review of This Product We Recommend

The Warm Body Cold Mind (WBCM) 4″ Leather Weightlifting Belt

The Warm Body Cold Mind (WBCM) 4″ Leather Weightlifting Belt offers a premium leather weightlifting belt option at a reasonable price.

Constructed from high-quality leather, the 6 mm thick belt is 4″ wide at the back to give strong, comfortable back support. The double-pronged stainless steel buckle keeps the belt securely fastened around your torso so it doesn’t loosen during repeated, heavy use.

The durable belt has been nicely designed using laser-printing, with the big WBCM logo stretching around the back. It is approved for IWF competitions and ranges from S-XXXL.

FAQ

How Much Should You Deadlift With a Belt?

The general rule is that compound lifting up to around 80% of your 1RM should be done beltless. When warming up, focus on the correct bracing and breathing techniques in order to improve your intra-abdominal bracing for when a belt is being used. 

How Much Does a Belt Increase Your Deadlift?

For deadlifts, wearing a belt increases your intra-abdominal pressure by about 15%. In terms of performance, this translates into around a 5-15% improvement in weight lifted off the floor.

This is as long as you still perform the correct bracing and breathing techniques whilst using a lifting belt.

Conclusion

A weightlifting belt should be used when deadlifting at maximal and supra-maximal loads to provide the extra support needed when your lumbar spine comes under added pressure. The benefits of a lifting belt include increased intra-abdominal pressure, injury prevention and increased confidence when lifting.

A weightlifting belt should be used as an aid for lifting and not as a replacement for correct bracing and technique. When warming up, performing hypertrophy work and working at a submaximal load, lift beltless.

What belt strategy do you use when lifting? Do you use a belt to deadlift? Let’s discuss in the comments section below.

Also Read:

• Deadlift Belt Position
• How Tight Should A Lifting Belt Be
• How To Wear Weight Lifting Belt
• Best Belt for Deadlift 
• Harbinger Lifting Belt Review
• Schiek Lifting Belt Review
• Best Weight Lifting Belt For Women
• Clusters Functional Fitness
• Best Weight Training Belt

References:

1. The Ultimate Weightlifting Belt Guide //  Bodybuilding: https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/the-ultimate-weightlifting-belt-guide.html
2. Abdominal Bracing Exercises to Take the Strain Off Your Back // Healthline:           https://www.healthline.com/health/abdominal-bracing