7 Best Lever Belts in 2025

Are you lacking good posture, form, and technique while dealing with heavy loads? Want to feel a secure fit around your waist to push the limits and improve your personal bests? Select the best lever belt that will support your core muscles, enabling you to lift heavier weights with better stability and safety.

By wearing a properly chosen lever belt, you’ll boost your overall performance in lifts. With the safe lifting of more weights, stabilizing your body, and controlling each movement, you’ll succeed in following your personal bests and sculpting your physique to perfection.

Our team of professional athletes and certified trainers, including myself, selected and tested 15 products, assessing them based on their 7 main parameters, namely construction quality, closure mechanism, adjustability, durability, comfort, design, and price-value ratio, as well as taking into consideration available users’ feedback. Having spent 30 hours testing and analyzing the products, we selected 7 best ones for our top list. We update the list regularly, so if you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Why Should You Wear a Lifting Belt?

A weightlifting belt is a trendy accessory for every powerlifter, bodybuilder, and occasional gym-goer. It's an important lifting gear that will protect your body when dealing with extreme weights. These belts are designed to stabilize the spine by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

Lifting belts provide better support and stability to the lower back and abdominal muscles during tough training with heavy weights. They are typically worn around the waist and tightened with a lever located on the front or side of the belt. Let's outline the key point on how it works.

When performing compound movements, such as deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses, your core muscles experience great tension as they keep you from bending or flexing under extreme weights.

By the way, core muscles include the diaphragm on the front, obliques on your sides, and the spinal erectors on your back, as well as your transverse abdominis, which are deep core muscles believed to be the body’s internal weight-lifting belt. The additional core-bracing support not only mitigates stress on the vertebrae and intervertebral discs but also keeps the optimal posture during heavy lifts.

Maintaining a neutral spine is integral in lifting techniques, which is exactly what a lifting belt helps you achieve. It serves a purpose in a particular occasion: working with heavy weight and lifting even heavier weights while protecting your spine. The research indicates that the belt reduces the forward bending of the spine during the symmetric loads.

Additionally, it reduces the forward flexion moment acting on the spine and restricted lateral bending as well. Another key point is the breathing technique: when powerlifters lift heavy loads, they take a breath into their abdomen by engaging core muscles. They hold the breath throughout the rep, exhaling at the top of the movement.

It causes intra-abdominal pressure, so their trunk stays stiff when working with heavy weights. The lever weightlifting belt will support your abdomen and back to mitigate occasional strains and trauma.

Benefits of a Lever Belt vs Prong

Lever belts for powerlifting will transform your workout and make your lifts more efficient and technically correct. This type of lifting belt is crafted specifically for drills with heavy weights, providing ultimate support to your core and lower back. Thus, you'll be able to lift heavier weights by maintaining proper form and technique and maximizing your physical potential.

Weightlifting lever belts have the following benefits compared to other belts: ease of use, quick adjustment, and more consistent and secure fit. The most essential point is that these belts can be easily tightened and loosened between sets.

5 Benefits of Lever Belts

1. Better Support and Stability

Lever belts provide good support and stability for the lower back and core when lifting weights. It enables a lifter to cope with greater loads more easily by eliminating injury occurrence while improving overall performance.

Pro Tip:

"When choosing a lever belt, opt for those made of leather, with a 4" width that is perfect for powerlifting thanks to their durability and solid support. If you plan to do heavy squats, then you should wear the belt a bit higher not to limit your squat depth. For deadlifts, try to put the belt lower to get sufficient back support."

2. Easy Setup

The lever belt can be adjusted with the help of a lever mechanism. This way, the lifter can customize the belt to their individual needs so that it can be locked in place with the lever in a moment. This feature is useful for athletes who need to adjust the belt between sets or during competitions, as they avoid constant readjustment of the belt tightness to pull it tight.

3. Durability

Both lever and prong belts can be durable, depending on the materials and construction quality. Although lever belts are often considered more convenient due to their ease of use. While prong belts as usual require less maintenance because of a lack of mechanical components.

4. Functionality

Prong belts, both single- and double-prong ones, are manually adjusted through buckle holes and have a more traditional fit. Conversely, you can adjust a lever belt quickly to get a more consistent fit. Double-prong belts can provide additional security but can sometimes be quite difficult to adjust quickly.

5. Precautions

However, keep in mind that lever belts are more expensive than traditional prong belts, as they are made of high-quality leather. Another point is that a lever belt is personalized, meaning it won't fit multiple people because of the tightness setting and difference in waist size. To ensure a proper fit and maximum benefit during training, each lifter needs to buy their own belt.

The last precaution is that some lifters become too reliant on the lever belt, which may lead to reducing the strength and stability of the core over time. Therefore, it's better to wear this accessory to aid yourself when dealing with heavy weights.

3 Benefits of Prong Belts

With prong weightlifting belts, a lifter can adjust the tightness easily, as there are more options with single or double straps. All you need to do is to pull the strap to tighten or loosen the belt. Some can keep the belt looser to engage the core better during the lifts. Unlike with a lever belt, once you set its tightness, in order to reset it you need to unscrew the lever with a screwdriver and adjust it to the right fit.

Prong belts come with a more traditional buckle system and have a single or double-prong design. The key advantages of prong belts are the following:

1. Adjustability

Prong belts are easy to tighten or loosen for a perfect fit, accommodating changes in waist size or clothing without a screwdriver. This feature makes prong belts more versatile; however, fastening and unfastening can be more time-consuming.

2. Affordability

Prong belts are generally less expensive than lever belts, making them a cost-effective option for beginners in lifting and those looking for a simple belt.

3. Numerous Sizing Options for Optimal Fit

Prong belts offer a wide range of sizing options, enabling you to find the perfect fit. This variety of sizes ensures optimal comfort and support during workouts, as lifters can select a belt that securely fits their waist without being too tight or loose.

Lever vs Prong Belt Comparison

Lever Belt

• Easy to secure: Much easier to secure: you just need to hook the teeth of the belt onto the hole you want and close the buckle, which takes just one second.
• Fit tightness: If you prefer to wear the belt as tight as possible, the lever system allows you to close tighter settings on the belt compared with the prong-style buckle. It makes you feel more secure under the heavier weight.
• Size adjustability: The lever belt is more difficult to adjust, as it takes a bit more time to do it compared with the prong belt. If you want to adjust a lever belt tightness after setting it up, you need a screwdriver. You’ll unscrew the lever from the back of the belt and then move it up or down the belt accordingly. The entire process takes about 5 minutes.
• Price: Lever belts are usually expensive.

Prong Belt

• Easy to secure: Need to pull the strap of the belt through the loop and get into the hole that fits your torso. Using a rack as an anchor point to pull the strap more securely depends on how tight you prefer to wear the belt.
• Fit tightness: While the lever belt can give you the feel of better tightness, a prong belt will provide you with a tight fit, although not as tight as a lever belt would. The thing is that the lever system allows you to close tighter on the belt.
• Size adjustability: With a prong belt, wearing a belt tighter or looser is as easy as pulling the strap of the belt depending on the hole size. You can get it tighter or looser in seconds.
• Price: Prong belts are more affordable options.

How to Choose the Best Lever Belt for You?

A lever belt is an essential tool for lifters of all levels, which can facilitate lifting performance, mitigate the risk of injury occurrence, and improve lifting technique. However, considering the diversity of lever belts on the market, it can be quite challenging to pick up the proper lifting garment.

However, there’s a list of specific characteristics you should consider before choosing a lever gym belt for your lifting workouts: material quality, fit and comfort, as well as design and construction.

1. Material Quality

Look for a belt of high-quality leather to ensure that it's strong enough and long-lasting and will provide the necessary support and stability during heavy lifts. The most durable weightlifting lever belts are made from materials like genuine leather with suede or finished exterior.

2. Fit & Comfort

Choose a belt that fits well and is comfortable to wear. Look for one that is wide enough to provide sufficient support during heavy loads. The research indicates that the belt reduces the forward bending of the spine during the symmetric loads. Additionally, it reduces the forward flexion moment acting on the spine and restricted lateral bending as well.

Belt thickness and width also play a crucial role: additional thickness provides more stiffness, which keeps your spine straight. The thicker the belt, the more durable and reliable it is.

Based on the powerlifting belt reviews, beginners shouldn’t opt for a thicker belt as it may seem uncomfortable and might hinder them from advancing in weightlifting. It’s important to define your needs and lifting activity to select a fitting thickness and width, thus finding a balance between utility, usefulness, and comfort.

3. Design & Construction

Assess the overall convenience and effectiveness: take into account how all the elements are arranged and whether it is easy to use. Pay attention to the stitching, edging, internal material, and lever mechanism itself.

What Makes a Powerlifting Belt Approved for Competition?

If you’re going to participate in any competitions, it's important to adhere to particular requirements concerning wearing the lifting belt.

The first point refers to the brand approval. The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) has a list of the approved brands that can be used at the competitions. Those apparel and lifting accessories registered by the IPF technical committee can be used at the official powerlifting events.

The second point is about the belt specifications. For instance, there's a technical rule book of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) that includes the list of key features your powerlifting belt should follow:

• It's allowed to use leather, vinyl, or other similar non-stretch materials.
• Gluing and stitching the materials together are allowed as well.
• You can wear single, double, and lever buckle belts.
• You can wear the belt with a thickness of 13 mm and a width of 10 cm maximum.

Speaking about the USPA certification, it regulates which gear and equipment is permitted for use in the USPA competition. These items include wrist wraps, knee wraps, knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, squat suits, bench shirts, deadlift suits, and briefs.

While belts, singlets, socks, shoes, headbands, underwear, and t-shirts don't follow the typical USPA Equipment Approval guidelines and must meet the specifications outlined in the USPA Rulebook. It means that a specific weightlifting brand has defined criteria that should be met.

The same refers to the IPF certificate: only costumes, support shirts, wraps, and singlets from commercial manufacturers officially registered and approved by the International Powerlifting Federation Technical Committee are permitted for usage in all powerlifting competitions in America.

How to Wear a Lever Belt Properly?

If you're a newbie in weightlifting, wearing a lever belt can be quite confusing. First, it's important to choose the right size and thickness: it's recommended to start with 10 mm belts, but when you're progressing in weightlifting, you can opt for 13 mm.

The second point is that it's not recommended to wear the lever belt every day, as it may hinder your progress and will fail to maximize the belt's efficiency while working with weights. The best option is to test it earlier to assess its mechanical effectiveness. Subsequently, try to change the tightness level for better support during the warm-up session.

The right size of the weightlifting lever belt is the first step to promote its efficiency.

The belt’s positioning on your torso will depend on personal preferences. However, it should fit around the small of your back, with the front buckle covering your lower abs. You should avoid jamming the belt in the crease of your hip when squatting or deadlifting. Compared with the prong belt, the lever one allows you to get a tighter fit.

It’s preferable to choose a mid-way spot on your torso based on your size and the exercise you perform, then breathe in, lock it into a comfortable but snug spot, and then breathe out.

The perfect position of the belt is around your waist, above your hip bone, but it can vary based on your belly size, where your hip bones lie, and personal preference.

Pro Tip:

"As you will change the belt positioning depending on the type of lifts, mark the key belt settings you prefer for squats and deadlifts considering their intention, e.g. for intensive work and volume. The same is for adjusting the belt tightness for different exercises. For instance, if you're a lightweight athlete, you'd better choose a thinner belt as you don't need much material to cover your trunk. Conversely, if you have a big belly, then a thicker belt would be a better option."

Although wearing the lifting belt may seem easy, there are specifics you’d better follow to be sure that you’ll get the most out of it:

1. To identify the position of your hip bone, you should place the belt closer to your mid and upper abdominal muscles and not hit any bone at the top or bottom.
2. Deep breathing. Before locking the belt in place, it’s important to take in a deep breath to accommodate the belt in a way where it gives you resistance and compression.
3. Latch the belt. Before exhaling, fasten your belt depending on where it feels comfortable and whether there should be some space between your belly and your belt at this point.
4. Breathe out and brace into the belt. Once you breathe out, you will want to breathe and brace into the belt using the Valsalva maneuver to check for tightness. When you do the breath out you should no longer have a gap between you and the belt.
5. Make adjustments if needed. If the belt feels too tight that you are getting acid reflux or restricts your breathing, you need to loosen it.

Some lever belts are crafted for particular lifting disciplines, e.g. powerlifting, strongman competitions, or weightlifting. Overall, they come with discipline-specific designs. Hence, the best lever powerlifting belt is typically made of high-quality leather or synthetic materials and features a lever mechanism. They also come thicker (13mm), to guarantee ultimate support and rigidity.

By the way, stiff lifting belts reduce compression forces by 10% when inhaling before lifting and enhance intraabdominal pressure reducing back muscle electromyography and spinal compression forces.

10 mm belts can be used by gym goers who don’t need extreme stiffness while working out with moderate weights. These belts bring enough support and stability and fit most body types.

A weightlifting belt can help you squat and deadlift with more weight. Additionally, it helps to reduce tension on the spine, decreasing injury occurrence. A properly selected belt can also increase the activation of your core and leg muscles by boosting overall training effectiveness.

Some bodybuilders wear weightlifting belts while training to support the core and lower back to lift heavier weights, brace the abdominals to hold the core tight and engaged during heavy lifts, improve performance, and perform compound movements to drive more muscle growth.

However, it's not recommended to wear lifting belts for all bodybuilding training. Many pros prefer to train without belts and use them only for the heaviest lifts to support their core. Otherwise, it will limit core development over time.

FAQ

What Size Lever Belt Should I Get?

To select the proper size of the belt, you need to know your waist size, and trunk dimensions, and match them to the size chart of the belt manufacturer. Keep in mind that all belt companies have different sizing charts, so stick to the one you selected for the belt.

Is a Lever Belt Better?

The lever belt is easier to use than a prong one and tightens well to meet your lifting needs. It requires just one motion to get the belt off, which can be useful after intensive lifts, when you need to get the belt off quickly.

Is a 10mm Lever Belt Good?

If you want to get more comfort, versatility, and a quicker break-in period, the 10mm belt is a perfect option. A 13mm belt, on the other hand, is better to use at the competitions, and in case you need more stability and support during the lifts.

How Tight Should a Lever Belt Be?

If you're able to fit two fingers (widthwise) between the belt and your body, it means that the belt accommodates properly. Nevertheless, it should fit snugly around your core.

What Is the Best Overall Lever Belt?

Rogue 4” Lever Belt became our best lever weightlifting belt due to its high-quality construction and hardware, solid back, and core support, enabling a lifter to improve their technique and lift more weights without injury.

Conclusion

Lever belts are irreplaceable lifting accessories that can improve your training performance by keeping your body in a proper shape without sacrificing your technique progression and strength boost. You’ll benefit from wearing the belt since you'll be able to open up your lifting potential to the maximum.

Having done a consistent analysis of the most popular weightlifting lever belts, we can confirm that the Rogue Lever Belt became the best lever belt thanks to its exceptional characteristics and top quality.

Being made of 100% genuine sole leather, nickel-plated steel lever, and a black suede liner, this lifting lever belt delivers strong and consistent back support and stability through heavy lifts. It won't be an issue to accommodate your sizes as it's available in a wide range of sizes for a maximum custom fit.

Have you used lifting belts before? Do you prefer lever belts or any other kind of lifting belts? Feel free to share your thoughts and experience below!

Also read:

• Weight Lifting Belt vs Back Brace for Back Pain
• Barbell or Dumbbell Shoulder Press
• Gifts for Personal Trainers
• Key Benefits Of Wearing A Weightlifting Belt
• How to Wear a Lifting Belt
• Do Lifting Belts Help With Back Pain
• Types of Weightlifting Belts

References:

1. J. E. Lander, R. L. Simonton, J. K. Giacobbe, “The Effectiveness of Weight Belts during the Squat Exercise,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 22, no. 1 (1990): 117-126.
2. Idsart Kingma, Gert S. Faber, Edin K. Suwarganda, Tom B. M. Bruijnen, Rob J. A. Peters, Jaap H. van Dieën, “Effect of a Stiff Lifting Belt on Spine Compression during Lifting,” Spine 31, no. 22 (2006): E833-E839.
3. Margaret J. Rys, Stephan A. Konz, “Lifting Belts: A Review,” International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 1, no. 3 (1995): 294-303.
4. S. A. Lavender, K. Shakeel, G. B. Andersson, J. S. Thomas, “Effects of a Lifting Belt on Spine Moments and Muscle Recruitments after Unexpected Sudden Loading,” Spine 25, no. 12 (2000): 1569-1578.
5. Trevor W. Blanchard, Camille Smith, Sylvain G. Grenier, “In a Dynamic Lifting Task, the Relationship between Cross-Sectional Abdominal Muscle Thickness and the Corresponding Muscle Activity Is Affected by the Combined Use of a Weightlifting Belt and the Valsalva Maneuver,” Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology 28 (2016): 99-103.
6. “Technical Rules Book,” International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), https://www.powerlifting.sport/fileadmin/ipf/data/rules/technical-rules/english/IPF_Technical_Rules_Book_2023__1_.pdf (accessed January 4, 2024).
7. Photos are made by WBCM Media Team.