Wondering if the Element 26 Belt is any good!? Read this review before you buy the belt! I have used this belt for past few weeks for squats, deadlifts and more.
To sum up this entire review in one sentence: I think the belt is great because it can get very tight, stays tight, and is not as hard to fasten as a leather belt yet still offers amazing support for when you're squatting, deadlifting, and more.
Read on to read my full review or click one of the buttons below:
You now have two options for purchasing the belt!
If you click on my link below you can buy it direct through the manufacturer and get a coupon code to get 10% off!
Or you can buy it through Amazon!
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So, lately I've been looking for the perfect weight lifting belt.
I had been using a fabric based weight lifting belt that you was fastened with velcro. I was happy enough with it but I figured there might be something out there that could get tighter and provide more support.
Why Not a Leather Belt?
I tried out quite a few leather weight lifting belts and I just didn't like that I couldn't seem to get the belts as tight as I wanted. It's like there were just not enough holes to reach the perfect fit.
I also don't like how stiff the leather belts are when you first buy them. I don’t have time to wait 3 months to break-in a tough leather belt!
First Impressions
So, my first impressions were positive and I thought that the belt was nicely packed and packaged. There were basically two informational pieces that explained the functioning of the belt.
I tried the belt on a few times and eventually learned the basics of how to tighten it. I felt like its slightly annoying how hard you have to pull to get it really tight.
The instructions say to use a scissor method to tighten the belt.
I'm still not sure what they mean by a scissor method. You basically tighten the belt by pulling the Left Strap and the Right End closer to each other. I think it takes a bit of practice but you do eventually get to the point where you can make the belt quite tight.
Performance While Lifting
I must say I was pleasantly surprised with how the belt performed under heavy load. Even when lifting my max while squatting the belt stayed in place and felt tight.
I did notice the belt loosening a tiny bit when I did the Valsalva breathing method before dropping into the first rep of my squats. This did not seem to be a problem though and the belt stayed tight despite slight loosening.
If you are not familiar with Valsava the basic idea is that you take in the largest breath you can, squat, and then come back up and breathe at the top. A proper weight-lifting belt adds to the effectiveness of this technique:
When pressure in the thoracic cavity increases with a big held breath, and this pressure is increased by the tightening of the abs and obliques, support develops for the spine as if a rigid cylinder were surrounding the spinal column. A weightlifting belt adds to this effect, its main function being to add support to the cylinder from the front and sides, rather than to apply pressure from the back.
Rippetoe, Mark. Starting Strength. The Aasgaard Company.
I thought the Element 26 Self-locking Weight Lifting Belt did a great job of helping me to keep my core tight while squatting. It is now the primary belt I am using for all of my workouts.
My Experience Dealing with the Company
So over the past week or I have been corresponding with Jason over at Element 26 and I must say I am really impressed with what they are doing.
For one thing they seem to be using what I would call an “iterative development process” in that they are making improvements already to the belt based on customer feedback. So that is a great sign!
They said if you have any questions or feedback for them at all then feel free to contact them in the following ways:
I definitely recommend following and supporting the company as they seem like great people to deal with!
Results
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Recommendation: Buy
Pros: Affordable, can get tight and will stay tight throughout the workout.
Cons: Can be a bit hard to tighten at first. Cinching it tighter is not as easy as I had hoped.
Summary: My new go-to weightlifting belt after trying out many different belts!
If you click on my link below you can buy it direct through the manufacturer and get a coupon code to get 10% off!
Or you can buy it through Amazon!
