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PaperclipPerfector  5mo ago (text post)   1963 thread views

Wellness Wednesday for November 29, 2023

The Wednesday Wellness threads are meant to encourage users to ask for and provide advice and motivation to improve their lives. It isn't intended as a 'containment thread' and any content which could go here could instead be posted in its own thread. You could post:

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My flight to New Zealand is tomorrow. It's a monster, two 12 hour flights with a 7hour layover in China between. Any advice for getting through it?

Also, have a video of me deadlifting somewhat poorly. https://youtube.com/watch?v=e1sHeKR8KjU?si=vsioEZDvf4OLvR2V

I don't know if it's a deficiency with my form or what, but several times this year I've thrown my back out from deadlifting. It's annoying because I usually only notice the day afterwards. Do you find that wearing the belt reduces the likelihood of that happening? If so, can you recommend a belt for a relative novice? (The first time I ever deadlifted was January.)

Almost certainly a form issue. It's possible your anthropometry isn't great for deadlifits, but the vast majority of people should be able to perform the lift safely. Wearing a belt can help, but I don't recommend relying on it to save you if you are pulling from a less-safe position.

For a novice I would recommend only owning one belt for everything. If you are not planing on competing any time soon, I would prioritize adjustability and comfort. A uniform width is generally considered better for the type of bracing you should be using for deadlifts. That is, I would personally avoid the bodybuilding style belts that have the wide part "for you back". A good intra-abdominal pressure based brace is far superior to the proprioceptive benefit of a tapered style belt.

IMO the best overall pick for a training belt is a single or double ply, 3" or 4", leather single prong belt. Something like this can be nice because of the extra adjustment. Go for the 3" if you have a short torso, or if you have a hard time getting into deadlifit position with a belt on. Single ply can be more comfy but is less supportive if you get really strong. For sure single prong for ease of use. Lever belts can be nice, but entry level models are usually too annoying to adjust to be nice training belts. Having the extra holes can be nice, as most people can get a slightly better position deadlifting with a belt ~1" larger setting than their squat setup.

For general training, or if you plan on doing Olympic style lifts, a nylon velcro belt (never tried that brand, just an illustrative link) can be good. Cheaper and easier to deal with than a leather belt, but not quite a stiff or durable as a leather belt.

Thanks for the detailed response. By any chance would you have any resources for proper deadlifting form? I really have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

For general introduction maybe "set your back stiff like a board, not flat like a board."

If you're experiencing frequent back tweaks maybe this series. Much more advanced. For an intermidate level reference, I guess maybe this video.

Thanks a million, I just watched that first video and there's a lot of good advice in there.

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