Why the E26 Lifting Belt Beats the Competition...

Here's what the HYPE is all about.

The Element 26 Self-Locking Weight Lifting Belt has been ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING it for functional fitness and training, and it’s not just a coincidence. 


Every detail from the stitching all the way to the buckle placement and design has been optimized to improve your performance in functional training. 

 

When developing a weight belt, there is one huge thing it needs to do for the athlete… increase intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). Aka pressure in your belly.


That’s because IAP is what generates the stability you feel in a big lift or fatiguing workout. 


So we made sure the belt does exactly that!


Now generating that IAP does not require a specific material. For example, you don’t necessarily need a leather belt. You just need something for your abdominals to “feel” and push into as you’re lifting. 


And you know the belts that have the thick contoured part in the back that promise to help your back pain… 


Well that’s more marketing hype than anything. 


A belt may reduce back pain, but that’s secondary to you increasing your IAP. The thickened back part doesn’t really do much other than provide some sense of “touch feedback.” Which could be valuable, but misses the big picture for where the stability really comes from....IAP, which is circumferential in the abdomen, not localized to the low back. 


Additionally, if you have back pain, you shouldn’t be masking it with a belt anyways. Fix your form, build your foundation, reduce your pain, and then come back to the belted lifts. 


So with that said, we use 100% premium nylon and a uniform 4-inch wide design because this belt is meant for functional training and moving in multiple planes. We want to optimize performance, not negate it.


Leather belts are simply unnecessary and restricting for functional training. You can’t do burpees and then move quickly into heavy squats with a leather belt, you’ll be jabbing yourself in the gut with every burpee. 


And those belts that have that foam core… well those break down over time, lose their stiffness, and are much harder to clean. Don’t need that negativity in your life or lifts!


The Element 26 Belt allows you the flexibility and mobility to perform multiple body weight movements with the belt on, while quickly transitioning to heavy squats, overhead lunges, cleans, etc. 


And the buckle system we use on the belt allows the belt to stay locked in place without even using the velcro! (Pictured below).


So if you’re worried about the velcro popping open on heavy lifts, don’t be. The buckle system is what truly holds all the pressure, the velcro just holds the strap out of the way. 


Therefore you can generate all that IAP you want and not have to worry about hurting yourself because the belt popped open. 


How about this. Are you worried about the buckle jabbing you on burpees or getting in the way of your bar path on snatches? 


Well you don’t need to be worried about that either, you can easily slide the buckle/belt around your torso wherever you need it in order to get the buckle out of the way and off to the side.


The Element 26 Self-Locking Weight Lifting Belt has been optimized in EVERY DETAIL so that you can get the most out of your lifts, WODs, and every day training!


If you have the belt and are about to start breaking it in, check out this video if you haven’t already. That goes into detail about how to properly use the self-locking buckle and how to optimally tighten/loosen the belt.


If you don’t have the belt and would like to check it out, simply click below to grab one yourself!

 

E26 Self-Locking Weight Lifting Belt

 

#TeamE26

 

Written By: 

Phil Gauthier
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Strength Coach
Element 26 Co-Founder


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