Terms of UseHow to Use a Weight Belt Co-authored by Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPT
Last Updated: June 16, 2025
Choosing the Right Weight Belt
|
Lifting With a Weight Belt
|
Warnings
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPT. Melody Sayers is a Registered Dietitian and NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) Certified Personal Trainer. She is the owner of Elevate Your Plate®, a private nutrition counseling and personal training practice, focused on an evidence-based, individualized, realistic, and results-driven approach to improving one's health. With over 8 years of experience, Melody has worked in both the private and public health sectors, helping both individuals and communities achieve milestones in managing their weight and preventing disease. She currently holds a Certificate in Adult Weight Management and a Master of Science in Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science from the California State University - Northridge. This article has been viewed 28,340 times.
You may have seen people in the gym wearing weight belts and putting up huge amounts of weight during their squats or deadlifts, and you wonder if you could do the same with the help of a belt. With the right kind of weight belt and the proper technique, anyone can increase their performance while doing power lifts. Just like anything in the gym, there is a right way and a wrong way to use a weight belt, so it’s important to understand when and how to use them to achieve results!
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 2:
Choosing the Right Weight Belt
1 Use a weight belt only if you do heavy powerlifting exercises. Wearing a weight belt can help you lift heavier and improve your performance in powerlifting exercises such as deadlifts, squats, cleans, and snatches. If you are not doing these types of heavy lifting exercises, a weight belt is not necessary.
You can also use a weight belt for heavy standing overhead press lifts to stabilize and reduce stress on your spine.
2 Get a weight belt that is the same width all the way around. When you are shopping for a weight belt you may see some that have a large pad at the back and a skinny strap in the front. These do not provide even support while you lift. Look for a weight belt that has a standard width of 3-4 inches all the way around.[1]XResearch source
If you aren’t sure which size of weight belt to purchase, a 3-inch weight belt is a safe bet that will be more comfortable to wear for a variety of lifts.
Look at the thickness of the belt too. The thicker it is, the more comfortable it will be, because there is more padding for your core to push against.
Leather belts are the most durable, and they will last you much longer than a nylon belt.
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3 Choose a weight belt that has a prong buckle closure. Don’t buy a weight belt that has a hook-and-loop fastener strap. Hook-and-loop fastener can easily come unstrapped when you are tensing your core during a heavy lift, and you really don’t want your weight belt to come off in the middle of a lift.[2]XResearch source
Single-prong buckle weight belts are the easiest to put on and adjust the tightness.
4 Don’t use a weight belt if you have high blood pressure. Wearing a tight weight belt can raise blood pressure over time. Lifters with any kind of heart or blood pressure problem should avoid using a belt or exercise extreme caution.[3]XResearch source Advertisement
Part 2 Part 2 of 2:
Lifting With a Weight Belt
1 Wear your weight belt only for lifts where you attempt close to your max weight. Definitely use a belt for lifts where you are attempting 1-3 repetitions. Remember that you only need a belt for heavy lifts that put pressure on your spinal column.
Don’t wear a belt for weights that you can easily lift that are below 90% of your one rep max.
Before you start using a weight belt, it is important that you know how to properly perform exercises and stabilize your body without the belt, then you can move on to using a belt to increase performance.[4]XResearch source
A weight belt is only effective if you use it during those heavy compound power lifts where you can really use the support. It will not give you any extra results if you wear a weight belt while you do an isolation exercise like bicep curls.
2 Put on your weight belt around your waist right over your belly button. It is important that the belt sits right on top of your abdominal wall muscles. Do not position the belt below your stomach, even if it might seem more comfortable. This will not benefit you during your lifts.
Depending on the lift you are doing, you may need to slightly adjust the position of the belt due to movement.
3 Tighten the weight belt as much as you can without affecting your breathing. Take a breath and flex your abs while you put on the belt. Tighten it so that you can feel your abs pushing against the belt. This will give you maximum performance benefits during lifting.
Make sure the belt is not so tight that it is hard to breath or properly flex your abs. It should not be extremely uncomfortable. With practice you will learn the ideal tightness for the belt.
Adjust the belt if it seems to be too tight after you start exercising. You want it to be just tight enough to give you extra support, but not so tight that it is uncomfortable or painful during your workout.
4 Take a deep breath and hold it while you start a repetition, then exhale as you push. Proper breathing during lifting is the most important part of achieving results with a weight belt. Hold your breath during the first part of a repetition, then exhale forcefully to brace your abs against the belt as you push to finish the repetition.
For example if you are doing a squat, inhale just before you begin to squat down and hold your breath until you reach the bottom of the squat. As you lift up out of the squat position, forcefully exhale your breath.
This technique is called the Valsalva maneuver and is important to achieve maximum results with a weight belt.
5 Remove the weight belt when you are finished with your heavy lifting. Once you’re done with your powerlifting exercises, remove the weight belt before doing other exercises. It is not necessary to use the belt for things like curls or bench presses that do not put pressure on your spine.[5]XResearch source
Wearing a weight belt frequently over time can lead to decreased abdominal development. Make sure to mix in lifts where you stabilize your body on your own without the help of a belt.[6]XResearch source
There are no specific guidelines regarding the frequency of taking measurements, such as the waist-to-hip ratio.[7]X Expert Source Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPTRegistered Dietician & Personal TrainerExpert Interview
It is always best to conduct assessments before starting an exercise program to obtain baseline data. When you see changes as a consequence of your exercise efforts or your clothes fit differently, you can repeat the measurement.[8]X Expert Source Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPTRegistered Dietician & Personal TrainerExpert Interview
It is necessary to use the same measuring tools to get accurate results. Taking measurements is a great way to monitor your progress.[9]X Expert Source Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPTRegistered Dietician & Personal TrainerExpert Interview
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Warnings
Always make sure to train with proper form and lift weights that are within your abilities to avoid injury. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
You should not use a weight belt if you have any heart or blood pressure issues as it can lead to increased blood pressure. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Co-authored by: Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPT Registered Dietician & Personal Trainer This article was co-authored by Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPT. Melody Sayers is a Registered Dietitian and NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) Certified Personal Trainer. She is the owner of Elevate Your Plate®, a private nutrition counseling and personal training practice, focused on an evidence-based, individualized, realistic, and results-driven approach to improving one's health. With over 8 years of experience, Melody has worked in both the private and public health sectors, helping both individuals and communities achieve milestones in managing their weight and preventing disease. She currently holds a Certificate in Adult Weight Management and a Master of Science in Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science from the California State University - Northridge. This article has been viewed 28,340 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 3Updated: June 16, 2025 Views: 28,340
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Co-authored by: Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPT Registered Dietician & Personal Trainer This article was co-authored by Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPT. Melody Sayers is a Registered Dietitian and NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) Certified Personal Trainer. She is the owner of Elevate Your Plate®, a private nutrition counseling and personal training practice, focused on an evidence-based, individualized, realistic, and results-driven approach to improving one's health. With over 8 years of experience, Melody has worked in both the private and public health sectors, helping both individuals and communities achieve milestones in managing their weight and preventing disease. She currently holds a Certificate in Adult Weight Management and a Master of Science in Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science from the California State University - Northridge. This article has been viewed 28,340 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 3 Updated: June 16, 2025 Views: 28,340 
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621 
1 Use a weight belt only if you do heavy powerlifting exercises. Wearing a weight belt can help you lift heavier and improve your performance in powerlifting exercises such as deadlifts, squats, cleans, and snatches. If you are not doing these types of heavy lifting exercises, a weight belt is not necessary. 
2 Get a weight belt that is the same width all the way around. When you are shopping for a weight belt you may see some that have a large pad at the back and a skinny strap in the front. These do not provide even support while you lift. Look for a weight belt that has a standard width of 3-4 inches all the way around.[1] 
3 Choose a weight belt that has a prong buckle closure. Don’t buy a weight belt that has a hook-and-loop fastener strap. Hook-and-loop fastener can easily come unstrapped when you are tensing your core during a heavy lift, and you really don’t want your weight belt to come off in the middle of a lift.[2] 
4 Don’t use a weight belt if you have high blood pressure. Wearing a tight weight belt can raise blood pressure over time. Lifters with any kind of heart or blood pressure problem should avoid using a belt or exercise extreme caution.[3] Advertisement 
1 Wear your weight belt only for lifts where you attempt close to your max weight. Definitely use a belt for lifts where you are attempting 1-3 repetitions. Remember that you only need a belt for heavy lifts that put pressure on your spinal column. 
2 Put on your weight belt around your waist right over your belly button. It is important that the belt sits right on top of your abdominal wall muscles. Do not position the belt below your stomach, even if it might seem more comfortable. This will not benefit you during your lifts. 
3 Tighten the weight belt as much as you can without affecting your breathing. Take a breath and flex your abs while you put on the belt. Tighten it so that you can feel your abs pushing against the belt. This will give you maximum performance benefits during lifting. 
4 Take a deep breath and hold it while you start a repetition, then exhale as you push. Proper breathing during lifting is the most important part of achieving results with a weight belt. Hold your breath during the first part of a repetition, then exhale forcefully to brace your abs against the belt as you push to finish the repetition. 
5 Remove the weight belt when you are finished with your heavy lifting. Once you’re done with your powerlifting exercises, remove the weight belt before doing other exercises. It is not necessary to use the belt for things like curls or bench presses that do not put pressure on your spine.[5]