I'd be lying if I said that seeing big ol Eddie Hall, or Thor locking some giant ass strap down didn't have something to do with it
So there are a few types of belt to consider. Velcro ones like “deadlift belts” often have a lock ring you lace the strap through a couple rings to cinch it, then Velcro it down. The Velcro wears out fast.
There’s a power belt, which has standard dimensions and that’s really what you want for a lot of heavy lifting or strength training. You can get a prong (like a traditional pant belt) to go through the holes, or a lever like I was advocating to save a lot of energy/time.
Lastly, there are some belts of various/non-standard dimensions that use a ratchet strap mechanism (just like a towstrap). These were invented before levers really, and already provided the solution for constantly variable tightness without having to mess with the effort of a prong every set. But they are not legal in powerlifting or standard in dimension the way powerbelts are, so more of a gym or strongman thing. Definitely not a bad option.
There’s also bodybuilding style and weightlifting style belts, but these really don’t give a lot of support at all because they are tapered down in the front - the entire point of a belt is to allow you to brace your abs harder. If there’s almost no material to push off of in the front, the erectors are the only thing that gets a boost. You also want to be engaging the abs & obliques maximally.
And soft/neoprene belts, but these are more like low back/ab warmers. Sometimes guys will wear these under their powerbelts or ratcheting belts in strongman if they want the extra support & heat.
