About 10 years ago I herniated a lower back disc doing squats with wrong form. With 135. Yes. Heck, you may laugh, but everyone has been a newbie.
The doc said if I lifted again I would end up in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, the situation was so bad. I didn't listen to him.
4 years later, I was deadlifting 405 for 4 and squatting 225 *ALL* the way down for 12. I know, those aren't huge numbers, but they are what I did. Still for a guy scheduled for a wheelchair, that's pretty good. Those lifts were done with a belt.
Now I am much stronger overall, but can only deadlift 335. BECAUSE I DON'T WEAR THE BELT. Maybe I should, or maybe I would go too heavy. Right now, without the belt, the weights simply don't increase.
I'm OK with that, I'm not aiming for any specific goals, just keeping in good shape. But I have a question : if I take up the belt, will I REALLY get stronger? I know I will lift much more. 405 easy, maybe 495 in a couple months.
So in essence I'm wondering if, FOR SAFETY PURPOSES, a dl of 335 without belt is any less risky than a dl of 405 with a belt, and so on........?
Any insight would be very welcome.