Warming up by hitting the heavy bag is pretty fun. Kicking the bag repeatedly seems to get rid of any hip tightness.
Just have to try not to over do it.
Also working on no-belt high bar squats and no-belt deadlifts.
Heavy Bag
- Punches: 3 minutes
- Punches: 3 minutes
- Punches: 3 minutes
- Kicks: 3 minutes
- Kicks: 3 minutes
Breathing Paused High Bar Squat
- 45 lb: 10
- 140 lb: 10
- 230 lb: 5
- 320 lb: 3
Paused High Bar Squat
No belt.
- 410 lb: 1
- 460 lb: MISSED
- Easy to pause in the hole (feels like I’m comfortably sitting there), but couldn’t keep my chest up when coming up. Got pinned.
High Bar Squat
No belt.
- 460 lb: 1 * PR!
- No belt 1RM. Harder than I anticipated.
- 410 lb: 3
- TOUGH.
Deadlift
Hook grip.
No belt.
Felt a blister forming on my left thumb before deadlifting. It’s gotten bigger after deadlifting.
- 140 lb: 5
- 230 lb: 5
- 320 lb: 3
- 410 lb: 1
- 460 lb: 1
- 500 lb: 3 * PR!
- 3 rep max with no belt and hook grip
- Got 1 rep last week, which was a 1RM.
- 410 lb: 5
Hey John I recently started trying out a weightlifting belt for squatting and somehow I am weaker when wearing the belt, do you have any idea what I’m doing wrong? How much would you say a belt actually helps you?
When I first started wearing a belt, I’m pretty sure I was weaker as well. But this was due to not being able to tolerate the pain of a stiff, thick belt digging into my ribs. Also might have had it on too tight.
You probably just need to get used to it. What belt do you have and what are your numbers like?
If you look at my PR table, you can compare my belted maxes with non-belted max. Belt helps quite a bit.
I’m not sure what kind of belt (I’ve been trying out the ones they have at the gym I work out at before I decide if I want to buy one or not). My squat is a measly 385 pounds at a body weight of 175. I tried doing the Valsalva technique where you push against the belt but I think that kind of distracted me from squatting. You’re right I probably just need more practice actually wearing it but any tips would be appreciated.