Here’s a short video of a “Belt Squat Machine”
The problem with the “Belt Squat” machine is that it’s SUPER expensive and as you can see takes up a great deal of space. Things most NYC trainers and coaches do not have the luxury of having.
The other option is to use the Ironmind pin with a belt that can handle a good amount of weight. This is a great alternative because it’s cheap, easy to set up, and doesn’t take up much space.
There’s also the Ironmind “Super Belt” that pretty much does the same thing. While this is a great alternative, the problem I’ve found with the “Super Belt” is that it causes you to sit back. While completely fine to do, that’s not what I’m looking to do. For most of our squats, we are focusing the load on the legs not primarily on the posterior chain.
So, if you’re looking to load the legs, unload the back, and not spend much money then we have a great alternative for you.
“Beltless Belt Squat”
Simply stand on sturdy boxes, hold the dumbbell between your legs, and then squat!
Why Do The “Beltless Belt Squat”:
- Easy set up.
- Cheap and effective.
- Helps load the legs and unloads the back.
Teaching Tool
As of now, we use this as an auxiliary lift and as a teaching tool. One of the biggest issues we see in the squat is instability in the bottom position- Posterior tilt aka “butt wink” or overloading the erectors. The “Beltless Belt Squat” allows you to place the dumbbell directly underneath your center of mass, allowing you to fully load the legs, and focus on a tight torso. Give it a shot and you should really feel your quads blow up!
Stay strong,
Team Fusion Trained