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Regardless if you train for muscle mass, strength, or both, the overhead press is a great movement that should be included in your training routine if you want to maximize your results. It mainly targets the shoulders, upper chest, and triceps, but the whole body is involved in the movement, therefore you should be as tight as possible to get the most out of this exercise.
To achieve the best tightness possible in your midsection, a lifting belt can be really helpful for various reasons, therefore in order to help you choose a good one for this type of movement, we present you 5 best lifting belts for the overhead press.
- Best under $50 - Steel Sweat 10mm Powerlifting Belt
- Best under $100 - Inzer Forever Belt
How can a lifting belt be helpful for the overhead press?
First of all, regardless of the movement, a lifting belt will always do the same thing, which is to provide a hard surface around your body, prevent hyperextension of the lower back and allow you to create more intra-abdominal pressure.
This obviously applies to the overhead press as well, therefore if you know how to take advantage of a belt for exercises like the deadlift, you don’t need to learn anything new for this exercise.
One important thing to mention is that, even if a belt can limit your ability to use extreme layback, you should not count on it to completely stop you from doing that.
If you use extreme layback during the overhead press, it means your technique is not on point and a lifting belt will not help you to correct that, so you might consider lowering the weight and building from there with a proper form.
If you are a beginner and don’t know much about this exercise, or you just want to refresh your knowledge, you can watch Jeff Nipard’s guide.
Overhead Press - Tips
Although this article is not focusing on the form of the exercise, these tips might help you to improve your form, which will lead to lifting a bigger amount of weight in the future. Throw a lifting belt on top of that and you have a nice combo.
Foot placement
You may think that, because it’s an upper-body exercise, the legs have nothing to do with it. Wrong! The feet placement is important for overall stability. Place your feet as you would do for squats.
Squeeze The Glutes
Doing this will increase your stability as well. Try it and you will notice a significant difference.
Narrow Grip - Best For Lifting The Most Amount Of Weight
With a narrow grip, you will start with the bar higher, which means a reduced range of motion. A wide grip will engage the upper back more and it’s more helpful for shoulder mobility. In general, you want to go with a narrow grip. (shoulder-width apart)
Breathing
Controlling your breathing it’s an important step that will have a positive impact on your performance. Take a deep breath and unrack the bar. Press, then lower the bar to your chest while you still hold the breath. When the bar is at the bottom, reset your breathing.
What kind of belt is the best for the overhead press?
Because this exercise does not imply actual core movement, pinching or bruising will not occur. Those are most of the time caused by thick leather belts, especially if they are not broken-in.
Keeping that in mind, the first possible choice would be a leather belt with a decent thickness. If you are willing to sacrifice the best support for extra comfort, then a good-quality Velcro belt works fine too. When it comes to the width, it doesn’t have such a big impact, therefore it’s a personal preference.
Iron Bull Strength 6-inch Auto-Locking Lifting Belt - Best Velcro
For those of you who prefer a Velcro belt, this 6-inch wide one by Iron Bull Strength is something to keep in mind. It has a 4-inch wide strap with decent quality and an auto-locking fastening system that makes it pretty easy to put on and take off. Even though it is comfortable and lightweight, it’s really good for pressing movement like the overhead press, but works just fine for any type of exercises. Its contoured design allows more freedom and flexibility but reduces the support, which is not top-level but still decent. Main Characteristics
- 6-inch wide back
- 4-inch wide strap
- contoured design
- double stitching construction
- lightweight & comfortable
- auto-locking fastening system
- made of nylon
- 8 colors available
Pros
- well-priced
- although it’s good for pressing movements, it can be easily used for cross-training as well
- easy to put on and take off due to the auto-locking fastening system
- easy to carry in the gym back
- tapered lumbar support
Cons
does not provide the same support as a leather belt
Fitplicity 6-inch Nylon Belt - Most Interesting Design
In case the way a belt looks matters to you or you are just bored of simplistic designs, then the Fitplicity 6-inch belt will take care of that while still being a good choice in terms of support and comfort.
The biggest advantage is its versatility because it’s suitable for all kinds of exercises and can be really useful in Cross and Olympic Training. The contoured design prevents the belt from feeling annoying on the hips and allows better mobility, while still providing decent support for moderate training. With 11 models available that look very nice and creative, you will probably be able to find one that will stand out from all the simplistic designs and will add a little bit of color to your gym gear. Main Characteristics
- 6-inch wide
- contoured design
- unisex design available in 11 colors
- heavy-duty velcro strap
- metal buckle
- neoprene fabric
Pros
- good looking & creative design
- strong Velcro strap
- smooth roller buckle
- decent price
- really versatile
- easy to fit in the gym bag
- great for pressing exercises and functional training
Cons
- if you are a fan of simplistic designs, chances are you will not be a fan of this belt
- not the best pick for heavy lifts
ProFitness 7mm Thick Leather Belt - The Best Balance Between Support And Comfort
If you can not decide between a Velcro or a thick leather belt, because you are not sure if you are looking for the maximum support or comfort, then this belt can save you from a future headache. It manages to combine really well the comfort and support by having an average thickness of 7mm, which is more than a usual Velcro belt and less than the most leather belts which are 10mm thick.
By going with the ProFitness 7mm belt you can be certain that you won’t receive an item that needs time to break-in until it becomes decent to wear due to the materials and the average thickness.
Another good aspect of this product is its durability, which is really good. It comes with a double-prong metal buckle that ensures good safety but makes the belt pretty annoying to put on and take off. The overall construction seems premium, a noticeable fact for a mid-range priced belt. Main Characteristics
- 7mm thick
- 4-inch wide
- made of genuine leather
- perfect for pressing movements and any other type of exercises
- double cap rivets
- douple-prong metal buckle
- double reinforced stitching
Pros
- it comes pre-broken-in, therefore it can be used at its full potential straight out of the pack
- great balance between support and comfort
- premium construction
- well-priced
- easy to fit in the gym bag due to the average thickness
- good durability
Cons
- it doesn’t have the same width everywhere, which can be an inconvenience for heavy lifters
- the double-prong buckle makes it more annoying to put on and take off
Jayefo Sports 10mm Belt - Best Lever Competition Approved On A Budget
Nobody buys a lifting belt just for one particular exercise, and even though some are better for certain movements than others, there is a big chance that you will be using the belt for a lot of other exercises as well.
Although the overhead press is not an official lift in competitive powerlifting, some of you may want to use the belt in competitions. On top of that, a good-quality competition approved belt can be pricey, therefore the Jayefo 10mm Lever Belt is a great choice for a small budget.
The first aspect to mention for this item is the thickness, which is considerably bigger than the previous ones. For this reason, the belt is a little more rigid, but the support is increased, which makes it perfect for other types of heavy exercises as well.
Because it is hand-stitched, the durability is increased considerably, but if you have any concerns, the brand also offers a lifetime warranty for this item. Overall, the belt looks very solid, with smooth and soft leather which makes it long-lasting and trustworthy. Main Characteristics
- 10mm thick
- 4-inch wide
- competition approved
- lifetime warranty
- lever fastening system
- made of genuine leather
- hand-stitched
- suede leather on the inside
- 6 available colors
Pros
- one of the best belts that can be used in powerlifting competitions for this price
- great for pressing movements and heavy training in general
- easy to put on and take off due to the lever fastening system
- great support due to the thickness and quality of the materials
- solid construction
- has the same width everywhere, which allows a better intra-abdominal pressure
Cons
- some colors might leave spots on clothes, especially in the first days
- this belt is not made for comfort
Rogue Echo 10mm Single-Prong - Top-Level Support
If your budget is a little bit bigger, then you can already start to look at the top brands in the industry. The Rogue Fitness brand provides top-notch products, especially the Ohio 10mm Belt of which review you can read here if you are willing to spend more than $100.
For half of that price, the 10mm Echo is also a top-pick when it comes to support due to the premium materials used, especially the leather. Because of its thick leather, the belt is going to feel stiff in the first days, but after a while, it’s going to be decent when it comes to comfort.
The single-prong buckle allows easy usage, and the 10 precision-spaced holes ensure a precise tightening for optimal training.
All of the qualities of the Rogue Echo Belt produce a perfect belt for pressing movements like the overhead press, but it can also handle successfully any type of heavy training in the gym. The price is noticeable bigger than the average, but if you are willing to invest some money in a premium product you won’t have to worry about another one for a long period of time. Main Characteristics
- 10mm thick (might have slight variations due to the leather)
- 4-inch wide
- single-prong buckle
- 10 precision-spaced holes
- sturdy construction
- 5 available sizes (S,M,L,XL,2XL)
Pros
- best-buy for this price
- solid stitching
- premium materials
- long lifespan
- uniform width for better intra-abdominal pressure
- top-level support
Cons
- It takes a while to break-in
5 Best Lifting Belts For The Overhead Press - Final Thoughts
With such a big range of motion involved, the overhead press is a great general strength-building exercise that should be part of your training. In order to have the best results possible, it’s important to have a proper form in order to prevent an injury and build a good mind-muscle connection.
After that, tools such as lifting belts can be implemented while performing this exercise to maximize the results by increasing your stability. A belt can also be used as an external reminder to get tight when performing an exercise. It’s important to keep in mind not to rely 100% on the belt, because wearing it will not magically make you invincible, but it will have a positive impact on your performance and reduce the risk of getting injured.
