The Effect Of Weight Belts And Lifting Straps On Neuromuscular Activation During The Conventional Deadlift

Wearing weight belts and lifting straps during the deadlift is a common practice, yet there is limited scientific data supporting their ergogenic benefit. PURPOSE: This pilot study aimed to investigate the effect of weight belts and lifting straps on neuromuscular activation of prime mover muscles during a conventional deadlift. METHODS: Four male participants (Age: 24 ± 2.9 years, Weight: 78.1 ± 3.6 kg, Height: 171.8 ± 5.5 cm) attended four separate sessions to perform conventional deadlifts (CDL) under different equipment conditions. On the first day, participants performed the CDL without weight belts or lifting straps (RAW). The equipment conditions on the subsequent days were randomized and included deadlifts with a weight belt only (BO), lifting straps only (SO), and both weight belt and lifting straps (BaS). In each session, participants performed deadlifts to determine their one-repetition maximum (1-RM). Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to assess muscle activation during each lift, with electrodes placed on the gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, mid trapezius, and forearm muscles. EMG data were analyzed based on the percent difference from the raw condition (%Raw). RESULTS: Preliminary findings indicated that, compared to the RAW condition, the BO, SO, and BaS conditions resulted in increased muscle activation of the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris. In contrast, activation of the mid trapezius appeared to decrease in the equipment conditions compared to RAW. Statistical analysis was not conducted, and these observations are based on averages. The gluteus maximus and forearm muscles showed relatively consistent activation across conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that while weight belts and lifting straps may increase muscle activation in certain prime mover muscles like the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris, they may concurrently decrease activation in stabilizing muscles such as the mid trapezius. Further research with a larger sample size is necessary to validate these results.