Hip belt squats emphasize the legs with much less load at the backbone, load the decrease frame regardless of any torso or higher limb barriers, and shine of their doable for decrease limb hypertrophy. Their contemporary resurgence has been driven by means of energy recreation athletes in search of progressed leg construction, energy coaches who need to load athletes in novel techniques, and kit producers that proceed to innovate and summary with new designs.

Hip belt squats surfaced within the Nineteen Seventies and feature fallen out and in of fashion since then, regardless that they’ve at all times been within the background. In line with the tale, Louie Simmons invented the software within the mid-70s after injuring his again and was once not able to squat. The use of some ingenuity, he introduced us the belt squat device that Westside Barbell is understood for.
The Soul of Belt Squatting
Through taking away the burden from an athlete’s shoulders and higher trapezius, the hip belt squat puts emphasis at the legs with much less load at the backbone. The removing of axial loading and therefore decrease trunk extension moments allow us to load the decrease frame regardless of any torso or higher limb barriers—therefore its authentic utility for powerlifters with blown backs. I’ve used variants with warring parties who’ve injured higher our bodies, in particular the shoulders, when even a hands-free protection bar squat led to ache or discomfort.
The hip belt squat additionally shines in its doable for decrease limb hypertrophy. We will teach the legs in a high-volume type with upper so much with out excessive ranges of lumbar fatigue. Any person who has achieved high-rep again squats can attest to this. A few of my favourite tales from old-timers are about the use of belt squats with an exaggerated heel raise to in reality goal deep knee flexion and torch what they describe as decrease quads.
Belt squats are available in more than a few styles and sizes, starting from easy lever hands to weight stack pulley techniques. At its maximum rudimentary, it suspends so much, corresponding to dumbbells or plates, whilst status on packing containers to supply clearance. this squats incessantly are accent actions used as a plan B possibility for explicit leg construction when higher frame barriers preclude extra standard squat choices; the belt squat represents a vertically orientated process quite than what we often see with many leg press choices and is so much much less compressive.
The belt squat does include a couple of downsides, in particular over the top lumbar extension in some athletes—incessantly those that showcase over the top extension normally—particularly if the belt is positioned too excessive. We will every so often mitigate this by means of striking the belt simply over the hips or by means of the use of a harness over the hip belt.
When executing the belt squat, look forward to the hips emerging quicker than the shoulders. An upright object, like a hand give a boost to, can assist mitigate this, which is why many belt squatters virtually instinctively position their arms on their thighs. The belt squat design additionally influences this. Squatmax-MD, as an example, suggests their design—which isn’t mounted like a lever arm—ends up in low sheer tension and no more gravitation towards lumbar extension.
I like to recommend averting belt squats with newbies or purchasers who haven’t taken the time to determine forged squat patterns. A precondition for purchasing probably the most out of belt squats is to ensure the customer’s squat development is excellent. This will likely appear trite, regardless that I’ve issued the similar caution in regards to the hand-supported squat. Novel squat variants might be offering a again door to a loaded squat development, however the coordination of higher limbs, torso, and decrease frame is a very powerful for long run construction.
As I mentioned in my publish about incomes the again squat, “movement quality drives loading strategy and not the other way around,” and we will have to pay the similar appreciate right here. Just like the leg press, belt squats don’t give you the similar holistic coordinative problem standard squats do, so rotate belt squats or use them in a manner that guarantees excellent competency.
Little or no actual analysis has been achieved except for a notable 2015 learn about by means of Gulick et al. that discovered similar muscle activation in back squats and belt squats (the use of a squatmax-MD device). The learn about additionally confirmed better activation of quadriceps and no more for hip extensors, so belt squats might be very helpful for bodybuilders and athletes who already center of attention on deadlifts, RDLs, and hip thrusts.
Video 1. The pin-style belt squat is fashionable partly as it’s affordable, but it surely is probably not the precise are compatible for all athletes. If an athlete does’t have the leg duration or prefers to not move broad, then pin-style choices won’t paintings.
Any other learn about on belt squats by means of Evans et al. (the use of a Pit Shark) discovered {that a} lever arm belt squat machine failed to activate the glutes similarly to the barbell back squat. This runs opposite to what well known coaches have mentioned, together with Travis Mash: “The largest get advantages that I’ve spotted is that it in reality emphasizes hip extension.” “The way in which the belt sits, in case you don’t turn on your glutes you gained’t succeed in extension, so it just about turns each and every unmarried workout into one thing that emphasizes the glutes.”
This can be a subject of technical execution referring to training, set-up, or the collection of belt squat software. The hip extension contribution, on the other hand, isn’t dissimilar to different squat permutations, regardless that the belt squat does have differing knee extension second hands, therefore the greater quad activation. It’s additionally imaginable that mileage might range amongst belt squat software machines.
Belt Squat Choices
Freestanding Belt Squats
Freestanding belt squats are probably the most rudimentary option to make use of the motion. An athlete makes use of a traditional dip-belt and squats with the burden slung between the legs. The problem is in most cases clearance, so that you’ll see folks do those status on two packing containers or benches so the load can dip underneath their toes.
The key limitation to freestanding this squats is the volume of load that’s sensible or comfy because of set-up and execution problems. It was once this limitation that it appears spurred Louie Simmons to construct his device. Dismounting packing containers with a heavy weight between the legs isn’t for the faint-hearted. The development is to make use of belt squat lever hands or machines.
Belt squat marches and unilateral paintings, which I’ll speak about later on this publish, can’t be carried out with this kind of set-up since the lateral swing of the burden makes its very risky.
A variant is landmine this squats which use the landmine’s advert hoc lever attachment. Whilst those could be a ache to set-up, they do be offering another. We will get some steadiness by means of turning it right into a long-levered motion. The landmine permits us to load the motion extra substantively than a traditional belt squat.
Another choice is to make use of a single-ended loading pin for belt squats. Once more this permits for better loading, however the width of an Olympic-sized plate dictates stance width, which could be a downside for smaller athletes or when you wish to have to do slim stance squats.
Video 2. The use of a landmine attachment, we will be able to load the belt squat extra substantively than we will be able to a freestanding belt squat.
Lever-Primarily based Belt Squats
Lever-based belt squats have transform extra fashionable just lately because of modular set-ups, letting them be connected and unattached from fashionable rig or rack techniques that save area, not like a belt squat device. Those in most cases have a fall away catcher that permits the consumer to set-up, then rise up and carry out the motion because the catcher swings away. The catcher then can also be changed and the load returned to the set-up place.
Video 3. Lever-based belt squats are extra fashionable now because of space-saving set-ups.
Belt Squat Machines
Belt squat machines with under-loaded pulley techniques, corresponding to the only popularized by means of Louie Simmons, were round for some time. Pit Sharks and in a similar way designed machines normally take in a an identical quantity of ground area however are very efficient powerful lever-based machines.
Design concerns come with the connection between the lever arm, the burden, and the athlete’s place. More moderen designs position the burden a lot nearer to the middle of gravity, which correlates a lot better with directly bar actions. We additionally more and more see the addition of handles to make the motion hand-supported. This permits for greater loading and resists the ahead pull the belt every so often puts at the athlete beneath very excessive so much.
Greater than Simply Squats
Belt Squat Marches
Belt squat marches are any other motion popping out of the powerlifting neighborhood. The speculation is to face tall within the belt squat whilst both marching at the spot or with other IR/ER at the unloaded leg. Loading the status leg in an advantaged place indisputably supplies really feel to the running muscle tissues. Those are used most commonly as a warm-up or as activation for reps or GPP paintings for time. After air shuttle, I’ve used a band variation to stimulate hip flexors and glutes and get my hips feeling customary.
Video 4. The belt squat march, incessantly used as a heat up workout.
Break up Squats and Staggered Belt Squats
It’s additionally value making an allowance for cut up squats and staggered belt squats for a unique stimulus; I’m in particular serious about a staggered hand-supported belt squat. The principle problems are set-up and luxury, as the variety in set-ups signifies that a cut up squat is incessantly now not viable however a staggered squat is.
Creativity is going far in environment this up. You’ll be able to in finding a very good instance the use of a double harness with a double lever device in Chris Korfist’s post about the Bulgarian split squat.
Video 5. I particularly just like the staggered hand-supported belt squat for a unique stimulus.
Belt Squat Romanian Deadlift
The belt squat RDL is any other novel variant for the belt squat on my own, the addition of dumbbells and kettlebells, or even band-anchored permutations. A shift in belt place will create some sheer tension and doable traction within the decrease again. It will get advantages athletes who revel in a large number of compression from standard heavy barbell paintings. The RDL is a superbly viable possibility as a distinct workout or when the traditional RDL isn’t an possibility.
Video 6. The RDL with dumbbells and hip belt is an inventive option to get a brand new stimulus with athletes. Experiment and notice what works to your setting.
Ranged Trimetric Belt Squats
Even though those are thought to be out in left box now, ranged trimetric this squats are excellent for speedy contract-relax contexts. I’ve been the use of them with a few of my grappling and MMA athletes to advertise speedy contract-relax qualities with out the limitation of ankle-based floor drive traits we want for plyometrics. As a result of battle athletes spend a large number of time unshod on cushy surfaces, their SSC isn’t in particular neatly advanced as a result of their spring ankle complicated isn’t as much as snuff.
Ranged trimetric squats in most cases are carried out for contextual timed units anyplace from 3-10s. I recommend the use of an underhand grip to permit for higher frame contribution and stabilization whilst the athlete pulls and pushes unexpectedly in each and every route. I document this beneath seems to be foolish, does excellent within the class of actions. I’ve the good thing about proudly owning my very own gymnasium, so the athletes aren’t too stricken about taking a look foolish.
Video 7. Ranged trimetric belt squats advertise speedy contract-relax qualities with out the limitation of ankle-based floor drive traits.
Integrating Belt Squats into Your Program
We will take a look at integrating belt squats in 3 ways: as a number one force-producing possibility, as an adjunct, or as a substitutive possibility. Underneath are some programming ideas on methods to enforce belt squatting throughout a coaching week.
The principle force-producing workouts benefit from the belt squat’s inherent steadiness and de-loading of the trunk. They center of attention very in particular on generating excessive ranges of drive beneath strong positions; permutations like hand-supported positions permit for extra loading.