*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[SMed]

Yeah, I don't think there's ever really a 'have to'.

Though there is some evidence to suggest that belts may beneficial (at preventing injuries) in people who have already had a back injury, ie secondary prevention, but not necessarily primary prevention.

 

[SMed]

knee *wraps

 

[Deception]

I'm the same with certain supplements, I would rather get to the size I can be without taking too many supplements, otherwise if I was to stop taking them, I'd just turn to pulp so to speak.

What supplements make you go to pulp when you stop taking them...

 

[SMed]

Even with vitamin S you'd keep a lot of gains, but certainly not all and possibly not even most.

 

[Freefaller]

Yeah, I don't think there's ever really a 'have to'.

Though there is some evidence to suggest that belts may beneficial (at preventing injuries) in people who have already had a back injury, ie secondary prevention, but not necessarily primary prevention.

Oh that I agree with, for helping to prevent an injury which already exists - can't agree more.

These are the key pointers I've read, spoken to people more knowledgeable than me, and general consensus that I've picked up:

• If you never injured your back, wearing a belt adds no safety.
• If you injure yourself while wearing a belt, the injury is more severe.
• To get the most out of weight belts, you must lift with bad technique.
• If you want to lift a few more pounds, wear a weight belt.

 

[Delvis]

What supplements make you go to pulp when you stop taking them...

I'm just talking about things like creatine and others like it really.

 

[Disco Boy]

I'm just talking about things like creatine and others like it really.

How would stopping creatine mean that you turn to pulp? You realise that all creatine does is give your muscles more energy so that you can perform more reps, and so you can work out harder, triggering more hypertrophy. How will stopping that supplement waste those gains?

 

[Morba]

I use a belt with heavier pulls but not squats (find it uncomfortable), mainly as a safety thing. I don't think "I can add x kg because I've got a belt on", I just lift what I would lift but with the belt.

Last night for example, no belt until pulling over 200

 

[Syla5]

I don't think the belt enables me to lift a lot more weight, I lift raw for 99% of my lifting, I just think that the belt enables me to lift x weight for more reps and only 1 or 2 more reps. And only heavy weights belt didn't go on until 107.5 to get comfortable and then for my +set

 

[SMed]

I only belt up for the workset, and occasionally the last warmup rep(s). If used properly, the belt should be giving you some extra kgs. But to get the most out of a belt, you have to really push your abs into the belt, and this makes keeping a nice natural lumbar arch very difficult.

The tighter the belt, the less you have to push into it to get an effect. So for going heavy I put the belt on as tight as I can get it if I want to get the most out of the belt. I will push my abs in if I'm going for a 1RM, but not at the expensive of losing my arch.

 

[MoNkeE]

You said belt 8 times there, that's quite impressive=)

 

[LiE]

In my gym, it's common for guys to wearing a belt when doing bench press or seated db press..

 

[SMed]

You said belt 8 times there, that's quite impressive=)

I try.

In my gym, it's common for guys to wearing a belt when doing bench press or seated db press..

I see this on opposite ends of the spectrum. You get the typical gym bro that wears a belt from the moment he walks into the gym until he's back in the locker room, with no idea what he's doing. Then you get some really strong beasts that belt up for pressing and know how to use it. I have used a belt for benching and pressing before, but only because I know the big guys get something out of it, but I never really got anything out of it, so I stopped.

 

[Skull]

I'm just talking about things like creatine and others like it really.

Oh Delvis, just go to the gym!

 

[icecold]

But to get the most out of a belt, you have to really push your abs into the belt, and this makes keeping a nice natural lumbar arch very difficult.

This is the way I do it.

 

[SMed]

This is the way I do it.

Cool vid, that could be useful. I've always heard the 'breath into your belly' cue for tightening into the belt, which I've always taken as taking a big breath and then pushing the diaphragm down. I have no idea whether I'm just pushing forward into the belt or all the way around. I'll definitely try to be more aware after this, thanks.

 

[Delvis]

How would stopping creatine mean that you turn to pulp? You realise that all creatine does is give your muscles more energy so that you can perform more reps, and so you can work out harder, triggering more hypertrophy. How will stopping that supplement waste those gains?

Figure of speech mate

Either way, I'm not taking it. As it does puff you up somewhat

Oh Delvis, just go to the gym!

I do thanks

 

['Wes]

I gave up on bodybuilding, weighing food, training avidly etc. Now i just eat healthy three times per day and train 3 days per week and basically guestimate now and i feel loads better and happier this way.

 

[MoNkeE]

Horses for courses=) I personally enjoy the daily routine it gives me, I think I'd seriously struggle with bulking or cutting if I didn't miticulously measure out food every day.

Weighed in at 77.3kg this morning - wanted to be at 77kg really, but loss has slown down a bit. 20 minutes cardio a day should see me back on track according to Mr Steeds, so let's see how this week pans out=)

 

[Delvis]

I gave up on bodybuilding, weighing food, training avidly etc. Now i just eat healthy three times per day and train 3 days per week and basically guestimate now and i feel loads better and happier this way.

Fair game

You can still be a body builder as such, just not overly anal about it.

That or you can just go for strength, and you'll get some gains that way naturally really.