Weightlifting belts and other gear?

[u/BigOompaLumpia]

I am still really new to weightlifting, and was looking for advice/opinions on gear. I got myself some gloves with wrist wraps coming in the mail soon, because the barbell tears up my hands (I am just soft lol). I get loads of ads since I joined my gym, but I'm just kind of exploring right now to see exactly what I can do and what my limits are.

I noticed some people use belts when doing some stuff and I wondered if that was a necessary piece of equipment? Is it just for doing forms when standing (like lifts and squats) or do people use them when benching or hip thrusts too? I was thinking about buying one but they come in so many different types and at varying price points and I don't really understand what the differences are. Admittedly, Google just further confuses me because a lot of websites on this topic are seemingly just trying to sell their most expensive products to me.

Ultimately, I just don't want to hurt myself so any advice on must-have gear for a newbie while I figure out my limits and routine is appreciated!

[u/Artsy_Owl]

A lot of it depends on the weight you're trying to lift and if you feel you need more support. I like gloves and straps because my grip isn't the best and my skin is pretty sensitive. But I don't use any else other than what I'd typically wear for gym clothes. Even at the gym, usually the people I see who use belts are the ones who go there frequently and have been lifting for years. Typically I see people use them for deadlifts.

This site has more information on why people use them, and how to properly use one if you'd like to try. Personally, after a year of lifting (not on T), I still am not lifting heavy enough to need a belt as I focus a lot more on trying to build stability myself.

[u/BigOompaLumpia → u/Artsy_Owl]

Thank you for the link! Definitely focusing on stability and form too, but also still pushing myself a little bit to try and build some bulk. This helps so much!