The Ultimate Weightlifting Belt for Powerlifting

The IronBull Strength Lever Belt

Weightlifting belts can be a crucial piece of equipment to add to your gym bag. Alongside a solid pair of knee sleeves and wrist straps, and maybe some elbow sleeves, a weightlifting belt provides quality support on your heaviest lifts. Now, there are plenty of different weightlifting belts to choose from, but one that stands out and does the job like no other, is the IronBull Strength  Unleash 10MM 4” Lever Belt.

Let’s break down what a weightlifting belt is, what it does, and why IronBull Strength Unleash 10MM 4” Lever Belt stands out.

What is a Weightlifting Belt

Now, weightlifting belts are not the types of belts to go around your waist and hold your pants up. A weightlifting belt goes around the core, snug enough to provide support during heavy lifts, typically compound lifts such as the squat and deadlift. The body’s midsection naturally braces during these heavy lifts, but a weightlifting belt is used to help with the bracing and prevent injury or form compromising. Weightlifting belts reduce stress on the lower back while the person is lifting in an upright position, such as a squat or deadlift. A weightlifting belt also prevents back hyperextension during overhead lifts or other pressing movements.

During the use of a belt, it reduces low back stress by compressing the contents of the abdominal cavity. Wearing a belt during exercise also causes the lifter to be more aware of the position of their back, making sure that proper form is maintained which can help prevent injury or recruiting unwanted muscle groups. 

The physical feeling of a belt against the midsection will prompt the lifter to consider their back position, as well as what muscles must be activated to maintain good posture. However, you do not want the belt to be too tight, as this can cause a lot of discomfort and have a counter effect. On the other hand, if your belt is too loose, then you risk not being well supported during heavy lifts and this can leave some room for injury.

Different Types of Belts

There are several different types of weightlifting belts to choose from, material wise as well as design. Let’s take a look.

Different Weightlifting Belt Materials

• Nylon
• Leather

Different Styles of Weightlifting Belts

• Single Prong
• Double Prong
• Lever
• Velcro

Each material and design serves a different purpose, for example, nylon is better for sports like CrossFit while leather may be more geared towards powerlifting.

What To Look For in a Weightlifting Belt

Finding the right belt for you is really all a choice of personal preference and comfort, but there are some things to consider to find exactly what you are looking for to get out of the belt. For serious weightlifters, you may want to look into a leather lifting belt. These tend to be durable and last quite a long time. 

When looking for a belt, you also want to consider if you want a prong buckle or a lever. A lever buckle allows for greater convenience and a snug fit but again, this just comes down to your personal preference on the matter.

What is Our Top Choice?

Now, there are plenty of options for weightlifting belts to choose from and that is a blessing and a curse, as it gives you variety, but can make the choice difficult. However, we definitely have one belt in mind that our team at Generation Iron loves, so let’s take a look.

IronBull Strength Unleash 10MM 4” Lever Belt

IronBull Strength stands out with their 10MM 4” Unleash Lever Belt. The IronBull Weightlifting Belt provides not only amazing support, but feels like it almost isn’t there, so you can throw it on and feel comfortable as well as not worry about if your belt is on tight enough or not. 

The Unleash Lever Belt is constructed with uncompromising quality, making it stand out above the competition. Too many times have we found ourselves rebuying belts because they fall apart after repeated use and abuse in the gym, get stained with sweat, and unfortunately just stop doing the job at some point. However, the Unleash Lever Belt boasts premium, durable leather that contours to your body over time, so rather than wearing down and falling apart, it is ensuring a personalized fit while maintaining its shape and form under heavy stress, so you will not find yourself shopping for a new belt anytime soon.

The Unleash Lever Belt also comes in featuring premium A-Grade 10mm single cut leather and a 10MM thickness, this belt is perfect for serious lifters that want to compete and break new PRs.

All of that is topped off by the oversized, heavy-duty steel lever buckle, to secure your Unleash Lever Belt, making sure it is not too tight nor too loose for you to feel comfortable. This innovative mechanism allows quick, smooth, and secure fastening, with the flexibility to adjust tension within seconds, you will not have to be adjusting your belt after every set.

Last but not least, the 10mm Unleash Lever Belt is certified for IPF, USPA, USAPL, and IPL powerlifting competitions, so you do not have to worry about if you are able to compete in it or not.

Pros

• Quality Material
• Secure fit
• Comfortable to wear
• Easily adjustable

Cons

• Stiff at first
• Has a strong leather smell at first

Every product has its pros and cons, and the pros definitely outweigh the cons here. The only downside that we personally noticed was that the Unleash 10mm Lever Belt was a bit stiff at first, so we had to break it in a little bit before it became contoured, but that goes for any product of this nature. The belt also has a strong leathery smell at first, which some people like, but upon opening the package at first it is a bit much (that is a personal con).

IronBull Lever Belt Highlights

• Made out of quality materials that do not wear down easily, so you are not left buying another belt after just a few months of use
• Secure fit but easily adjustable

Iron Bull Lever Belt vs. Other Brands

	Iron Bull	Gym Reapers	SBD
Price	$130.00	$120.00	$280.00
Sizes	S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL	XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL	XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL
Material	Grade A premium leather	Premium grade materials and leather	Black leather and suede interior
Warranty	None	Lifetime	None

Why Iron Bull?

IronBull Strength is a brand that has built a community of individuals passionate for fitness, and the IronBull Weightlifting Belt is a great choice. They have had plenty of experience in the industry, and have crafted quality and durable pieces of lifting equipment to take your workouts to the next level. Their slogan, “Unleash the Beast,” encapsulates the belief in unleashing the untapped potential within each and every one of us. 

Iron Bull Takeaways

• Quality materials
• Reputable brand
• Comfortable and effective equipment

Overall, we highly recommend the Iron Bull Unleash 10mm Lever Belt for anyone who is looking to seriously take their training to the next level.

FAQs

Are IronBull Belts good for competition?

Yes! IronBull Belts are competition approved, and work to keep your midsection tight when you are up on the platform.

Where can you buy IronBull equipment?

You can find IronBull Strength products right on their site, on Amazon, but better yet, just go right through the links on our site!

Wrap Up

Overall, weightlifting belts are certainly widely available and with the fitness industry growing, everyone seems to be releasing a line of belts. However, when it comes to choosing a belt for you, there are a few factors to consider, and our top choice is the IronBull Strength Unleash 10MM Lever Belt.

Will you be giving it a try?

Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.