Prioritising safety and support doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice quality and comfort. At Supplement Needs, our gym belts are expertly designed to help you reach the pinnacles of your potential.

What does a weightlifting belt do?

First and foremost, a weightlifting belt is designed to support your core during heavy lifts.

Whether you’re squatting, deadlifting, or pressing weights overhead, a gym belt provides something for your muscles to brace against during heavy lifts, increasing the stability and security of your core and back muscles. 

A weightlifting belt will also help you to sustain a more neutral spine position and avoid hyperextending, especially during overhead lifts where poor form can have serious consequences.

Why is using a weightlifting belt important?

In simple terms, gym belts are vital to prevent injuries during weightlifting sets. 

When you’re pushing yourself to the extremes of your weight threshold with a one-rep max, you need this additional support around your trunk to reduce the risk of strains and sprains during training, or even more serious spinal injuries.

Outside of hitting maximums and PBs, using a gym belt regularly helps to lower the risks of painful lifting-related injuries and poor posture that could affect your training capabilities in the long-term.

How to wear a weightlifting belt

As a general rule, weightlifting belts should be worn around the waist, just above your hips, with your belly button roughly in the centre of the belt.

But, this may change depending on the type of lift you’re performing, the weight you’re lifting, and even personal preference. Tightness will also largely be dictated by preference, and how supportive you find your gym belt for each exercise.

In order to familiarise yourself with your gym belt, try wearing it during your warm-up, or when working with lighter weights. This will help you understand how to move with your weightlifting belt to get the right support for each movement.

Choosing a weightlifting belt

Choosing the best weightlifting belt requires you to think about what style is going to be the most comfortable for your training style. Gym belts tend to come in two distinct styles, which are:

  • Pronged gym belt: the conventional pronged gym belt has a one or two-pronged buckle, which can be readily adjusted for a more intuitive fit. Whilst this buckle is better for consistent changes, you will need two hands to undo your gym belt, and it will take longer to remove than a lever lifting belt.

  • Lever lifting belt: unlike a regular buckle, a lever lifting belt uses a flat lever to fasten your gym belt to your waist. Lever belts are typically tighter, and can be removed with one hand for ease of use. However, to achieve this you tend to sacrifice their ‘in-the-moment’ adjustability, so if you’re looking for a belt you can change easily between lifts, you may want a more traditional pronged buckle.

Find weightlifting belts at Supplement Needs

Never compromise on quality when you choose to buy a gym belt from Supplement Needs. 

Our gym belts are made from premium, high-grade leather for enhanced durability and support during your training, and steel prongs to provide you with a strong fasten.

With double-stitched edges for maximum longevity, and simple but functional fastenings, your new weightlifting belt is built to last for several years.

Order before 3pm from Monday to Friday for same day dispatch, ensuring you won’t miss a vital training day and you can even benefit from free delivery on all orders over £20.