The first time I saw a photo of Steve Reeves doing hack squats with the bar held in place behind him with a belt/hook setup, I tried it with a powerlifting belt. Of course it never duh-dawned on me to try any stuff with the bar in front on a belt. I didn't make a belt-with-hook setup and didn't think it necessary . . . the bar stays on the belt real nicely once you get some weight happening on it.
I got one of those IronMind belt-squat deals quite a ways back. This belt-squat in front feels different and it's a good variation when you want it.
Okay, okay . . . the article already:
Would you like to do belt squats because of a bad back, or just to put the effort on the legs without bringing other muscle groups into it? Maybe you can't afford to get a setup or can't make one owing to the expense and making one takes a lot of testing to get it to work right.
This is still a belt squat, it just uses the belt a little differently. It puts all the effort on your legs and keeps it completely off your back.
Here's what you do:
1) Take a thick powerlifting belt you don't care about much. Pull the bar up and set the bar on the belt behind the buckle like this. You can also take it out this way straight from the hangers in a power rack.
2) The bar will divot the belt on either side, which keeps it secure yet isn't really kind to the belt. This is why you want to use one you don't care about. You've tried to break it off and break up, had the locks changed, but that bloody belt just won't go away.
3) Do B-Squats. All kinds of 'em!
4) It takes very little arm effort to hold the bar in place, as you can see.
This technique can also be used for lunges if you like, or split squats just as well. Be sure your belt is on tight and doesn't shift around much as you do the movement.
You can take the bar right out of the rack or do a quick high pull to set it up there like the continental style.
Take it light at first, since your back and hamstrings are not involved much here you will wind up using a lot less weight than you think at first consideration.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
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