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You see powerlifting and weightlifting belts all over Instagram and Facebook. Your favorite trainers and celebrities like Henry Cavill and Jack Hughman wear these at the gym. But do you know what factors differentiate them from each other? Letu2019s find out!<br><br>
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You see powerlifting and weightlifting belts all over Instagram and Facebook. Your favorite trainers and celebrities like Henry Cavill and Jack Hughman wear these at the gym. But do you know what factors differentiate them from each other? Let’s find out!
How can you differentiate between weightlifting belts & powerlifting belts? Both look the same for a non-user or a beginner lifter and both are considered super important in all the training hubs and gyms. Most of the centers provide the equipment on their own to all the trainers and trainees. However, some gyms do not, so you have to buy a belt yourself.
Powerlifting and weightlifting belts have gained popularity over time due to their benefits and usefulness. Today a major chunk of the athletes and weightlifters use these belts. From gyms to major sports competitions like the Olympics, they’re virtually everywhere. But before you go and buy yourself one, it is worth knowing how they differ from one another.
Significant Differences Between Powerlifting vs Weightlifting Belts Both the belts may look quite similar at the first look, however, there are a few differences depending on the use. Powerlifting belts are used to mainly lift the heaviest of the weights by squatting, deadlifting, or benching, whereas in weightlifting, the process is much faster as you snatch the weight from the ground to overhead and back.
As many people cannot differentiate between powerlifting and weightlifting, these two forms create significant differences in the training process and the exercises performed. So, the belts differ from each other as well. Your choice is going to depend on your requirements, so let’s uncover that mystery and get started:
Material: Let’s get the basic difference out of the way first: a powerlifting belt is usually rigid and a weightlifting belt is flexible. On one hand, you have powerlifting bells that are mostly made of leather and are non-stretchable. You will also find a few made of vinyl but it's better to stick to the leather because it is easier to wrap around the body owing to its stiffness.
Since powerlifters lift heavier weights than weightlifters, a rigid belt is better suited to them. On the other hand, you have weightlifting bells that are mostly made of vinyl. However, there are a few versions that are made of leather as well. Weightlifting belts are thinner than powerlifting bells which is why they are more flexible and you don't need a lot of active effort to wrap them around your body.
Buckle Design: Coming to the buckle design, weightlifting bills normally have Velcro straps while powerlifting bells use a buckle that is similar to what you find on your normal belts. Buckles on powerlifting belts vary from a lever mechanism to a prong mechanism. Now, if you look at powerlifting belts, their buckles are easier to fasten because they are constructed with a prong or lever (as mentioned above). The former is similar to your regular belt buckles.
All you have to do is pull the strap and loop it around and voila! However, a lever buckle works like a clamp system making it more secure than the prong mechanism. Plus, it makes it easier to loosen or tighten the belt. On the other hand, weightlifting belts have Velcro closures which help the designer of belts keep as little material in front of the body as possible.
The reason why weightlifting belts do not have buckles is that weightlifters need to keep the barbell close to their body when throwing the bar overhead which is not possible if the belt has a big buckle. While velcro is not as strong or secure as a prong or lever, it ensures that you do not hit your belt with a barbell while lifting.
