# Wearing a belt for heavy bench **URL:** \ **Category:** Training Discussion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2018, 11:30am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681 "2018-04-20T11:30:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Geezer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/the_geezer/32/1170_2.png) [@The\_Geezer](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/The_Geezer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 11:30am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/1 "2018-04-20T11:30:07Z")
Just curious…how many of you wear your belt for heavy bench press? If you do wear your belt, in what way do you think it helps you? ---
**Author:** ![J.T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@J.T](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/J.T)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 12:39pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/2 "2018-04-20T12:39:26Z")
I honestly do not use a belt when I bench. I think part of the problem is that I use a lever belt currently and although it fits snug during squats and deads, when I’m lying down, the belt is too loose for me to really use it effectively. I have in the past used a belt (prong) that was tightened enough to be useful and I still didn’t seem to notice much difference but it may also have been that I did not use it often enough to give it fair judgment. ---
**Author:** ![GoWolfpack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58f4c7/32.png) [@GoWolfpack](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/GoWolfpack)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 12:50pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/3 "2018-04-20T12:50:18Z")
I do it. I think it’s mostly a confidence booster. It’s a real struggle to get the belt tight enough while standing up to really compress all my bulk when I’m lying down. If I had a good workout partner they could help me tighten up after I lay on the bench I guess. I like a little ritual and tension to get hyped up for a big lift. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hahn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/dave_hahn/32/4981_2.png) [@Dave\_Hahn](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Dave_Hahn)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/4 "2018-04-20T13:24:07Z")
I use a belt when benching. Like the other lifts, I think it helps to just get as tight as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Eric\_Mark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/eric_mark/32/617_2.png) [@Eric\_Mark](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Eric_Mark)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/5 "2018-04-20T15:19:44Z")
I don’t use one. I suspect someday I will, but it will probably have to be thinner than my DL/Squat/Press belt. ---
**Author:** ![Euby](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/euby/32/1206_2.png) [@Euby](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Euby)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/6 "2018-04-20T20:26:09Z")
I definitely use one. It helps to get tight and hold the arch better, which stablizes the upper back on the bench. I can tell a big difference with and without it now, but it took time to get there. ---
**Author:** ![briangoldstein](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/briangoldstein/32/516_2.png) [@briangoldstein](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/briangoldstein)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/7 "2018-04-20T20:47:44Z")
What Euby said. ---
**Author:** ![Jon\_La](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jon\_La](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jon_La)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 12:34am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/8 "2018-04-22T00:34:55Z")
What Euby and Brian said. Except, I felt a difference the first time I used it on the bench. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Geezer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/the_geezer/32/1170_2.png) [@The\_Geezer](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/The_Geezer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/9 "2018-04-22T15:29:02Z")
Thanks for the comments. ---
**Author:** ![JurisSquatter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jurissquatter/32/1191_2.png) [@JurisSquatter](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/JurisSquatter)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/10 "2018-04-23T02:43:39Z")
Nah, and honestly, I felt sort of douchey when I tried it. It’s not like I’m benching 400+ lbs and I’ve benched 320 lbs. without a belt so why use one? I’m doing fine without it. That’s not to say it’s useless or that people shouldn’t use a belt during bench presses but IMO it’s not needed at all and I think people should get to a decent max without it first. Then again, I’m going through a beltless training phase right now. I feel like people can use belts as a crutch . . . because I started to do that. The difference between my squatting strength with a belt and without a belt was large and that made me feel uncomfortable so I’m ditching the belt for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Dave\_E](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Dave_E)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/11 "2018-04-23T03:21:25Z")
Incline, sometimes. If I think of it. Elbow sleeves are a far better placebo. ---
**Author:** ![Euby](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/euby/32/1206_2.png) [@Euby](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Euby)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/wearing-a-belt-for-heavy-bench/1681/12 "2018-04-23T13:16:33Z")
It’s not necessarily that I think I can bench more weight with the belt, at least not much more. I do feel more tight and secure in the lift, and when pushing a 1@8 or a 1RM it makes a difference to me.