OcUK Powerlifting Totals
- Thread starter Fusion
- Start date
Man of Honour
I go bare foot for squats and deads. I'd ditch the belt as soon as you can. You shouldn't need one for regular lifting.
Ok cheers, will stick to my socks then.
I tend to use the belt as I go up in weight for the last few reps, then it comes off again. I didn't know they were frowned upon for heavy lifting really? See people using all sorts of aids in competitions and stuff.
I tend to use the belt as I go up in weight for the last few reps, then it comes off again. I didn't know they were frowned upon for heavy lifting really? See people using all sorts of aids in competitions and stuff.
Belts remove workload from your core and place it onto your back. As your hams, quads, glutes and back get stronger your core doesn't. Meaning you can't lift without the aid. It can also weaken your core meaning a higher risk of injury.
For things like 1RM or really heavy sets they're okay but generally try not to use them. I have a belt that I've used once. Found it wierd, uncomfortable and akward. Furthermore it didn't affect my lifting ability at all.
a lot of people think they're a safety aid which they are and put them on straight away. Ideally you should just stick at the same weights until your core strengthens and then progress. I've had people tell me 'you should wear a belt to deadlift, you'll screw you back up' - face/palm.
Ditch the belt and lift what your core allows.
For things like 1RM or really heavy sets they're okay but generally try not to use them. I have a belt that I've used once. Found it wierd, uncomfortable and akward. Furthermore it didn't affect my lifting ability at all.
a lot of people think they're a safety aid which they are and put them on straight away. Ideally you should just stick at the same weights until your core strengthens and then progress. I've had people tell me 'you should wear a belt to deadlift, you'll screw you back up' - face/palm.
Ditch the belt and lift what your core allows.
Man of Honour
I've used them for exercises I'm unfamiliar with, or when I'm pushing myself and my form starts to falter - i.e. strongman event, but for regular gym work, no.
Just found this thread
I've been weight training for just over 2 years now (i'm 23). Have gone from 95kg of podge to just below 80kg and now i'm back up to around 87kg. I just train in my lunch break at the work gym, almost always without a spot. My current best lifts are:
130kg bench press
150kg squat with a belt
190kg dead lift with a belt
Can anyone recommend me any good shoes to use for squats and dead lifts? I have always just worn socks or done them with bare feet.
Bench is massive compared to other lifts!
IMO at that weight you ought to have some spotters, you never know when something might give way and you dont want to be stuck under that weight, unless your using a power rack ofc, good lifting though!
cheers ben90 
I've only recently got a lot stronger at bench pressing. Struggled for quite a while with a dodgy shoulder. Started trying to focus on my squatting now as I know thats lagging!
I will be doing deadlifts or squats tonight so I will see how far I can go without a belt. I think I just get a bit addicted to doing max lifts and the belt always gives me that extra confidence.
I've only recently got a lot stronger at bench pressing. Struggled for quite a while with a dodgy shoulder. Started trying to focus on my squatting now as I know thats lagging!I will be doing deadlifts or squats tonight so I will see how far I can go without a belt. I think I just get a bit addicted to doing max lifts and the belt always gives me that extra confidence.
Man of Honour
Therein lies the problem. You've become dependent psychologically (and undoubtedly physiologically to a certain extent) on the belt. If I can lift 230kg without a belt, then you cal lift 190kg without one too. My core strength is one thing I'm proud of, whilst you can't prove it with rippling muscle etc... it shows purely on your ability to shift big weight un-aided. Strong core = strong body. You can have the biggest muscles and have a weak core, which serves no purpose whatsoever.
Strong core = strong body. You can have the biggest muscles and have a weak core, which serves no purpose whatsoever.Yeah i totally agree with you freefaller. I always said i didn't want to be someone who spouts about how much they can bench press and then have no core strength to perform other strong compound lifts.
How often do you try and max out on your big 3?
How often do you try and max out on your big 3?
Man of Honour
Every now and then. I hadn't tried for abotu 4-5 months. I'm starting to go for it again now though.
Associate
Set a new deadlift PB today, 165kg (I had never really pushed myself on a max DL, my maxes were always very comfortable so today i really decided to push myself )
Really pleased with that, so i may aswell be added in now:
Deadlift: 165kg
Squat: 135kg x 4
Bench: 102.5kg
Bodyweight: 80kg (6 foot)
(I had never really pushed myself on a max DL, my maxes were always very comfortable so today i really decided to push myself )Really pleased with that, so i may aswell be added in now:
Deadlift: 165kg
Squat: 135kg x 4
Bench: 102.5kg
Bodyweight: 80kg (6 foot)
I know what you're saying but I never seem to get round to doing any 1 rep max's.
I just kind of up the weight when it feels comfortable.
I benched today. Started at 60x8, 70x8, 75x8, felt strong so went for 80kg (first time ever). Repped out 7 pretty easily. 8th went up slowly but un-assisted.
This'll probably sound daft, bu if I went all the way to the gym and only done 1 warm-up set + 2/3/4 sets of 1 or 2 reps i'm not sure i'd feel like i'd done a full work out.
I just kind of up the weight when it feels comfortable.
I benched today. Started at 60x8, 70x8, 75x8, felt strong so went for 80kg (first time ever). Repped out 7 pretty easily. 8th went up slowly but un-assisted.
This'll probably sound daft, bu if I went all the way to the gym and only done 1 warm-up set + 2/3/4 sets of 1 or 2 reps i'm not sure i'd feel like i'd done a full work out.
How many of you guys on the leaderboard consider yourself powerlifters? i.e. train specifically for strength and do little or no work on bodybuilding per se?
Some of the lifts on here are massive, I'm not even close, but then again i'm not interested in strength at the minute, need to get my size up first!
Some of the lifts on here are massive, I'm not even close, but then again i'm not interested in strength at the minute, need to get my size up first!
Man of Honour
I don't train for powerlifting at all. I use those movements as part of my weight training regime, and I get stronger, so I try to push myself. I'm after strength and size rather than aesthetically pleasing physique, so strength is improving which is exactly one of my aims. Clearly I want to keep as lean as I can, and be fit as well as strong. Lifting heavy weights makes you stronger and bigger. It's win win really! 
I don't train for powerlifting at all. I use those movements as part of my weight training regime, and I get stronger, so I try to push myself. I'm after strength and size rather than aesthetically pleasing physique, so strength is improving which is exactly one of my aims. Clearly I want to keep as lean as I can, and be fit as well as strong. Lifting heavy weights makes you stronger and bigger. It's win win really!
Thats pretty much my stance on things, just a shame I struggle with the diet side of things.
In the grand scheme of things strength = size, get stronger and you will get bigger.
Associate
I like to go for a lower rep count (around 5) on the big 3 lifts, but keep the other lifts in the workout around the 8-10 mark. That's just how I do it
Upped it to a 60kg* for bench. Dumbells as usual though, did 5 reps.
Also squatted 130kg* for 3, so if you could add both that'd be good
Second squatting session after the months away and I've beaten my PB pretty nicely by 10kg, so I'm pretty happy. Felt hard, but good.
Tried 150kg(don't ask me why I didn't do 140kg.. I thought I'd just whack a load on
)but I just went straight down 
After than I couldn't be arsed to put all the plates back on when I got it back off the bars, so just did a warm down set of 100x6.
Also squatted 130kg* for 3, so if you could add both that'd be good
Second squatting session after the months away and I've beaten my PB pretty nicely by 10kg, so I'm pretty happy. Felt hard, but good.
Tried 150kg(don't ask me why I didn't do 140kg.. I thought I'd just whack a load on
)but I just went straight down After than I couldn't be arsed to put all the plates back on when I got it back off the bars, so just did a warm down set of 100x6.