The Top 3 Benefits of Pit Shark Squats (AKA Belt Squats) for Powerlifting

Have you ever wondered how much leg gains you could achieve if you squatted in a pit full of sharks?

The answer is: all the gains. But seriously, pit shark squats (also known as belt squats) are an awesome size and strength developer for your legs that people of any fitness level can benefit from. 

Louie Simmons created this training device back in the mid-1970s after he injured his back to train around his injury. This allowed him to train his legs with heavy weight without compressing his spine or straining his back muscles, which brings us to the first and number one benefit of the pit shark squat.

Benefit #1: better for Training Around Back, Shoulder, and Elbow Injuries

Belt squats allow you to train around back, shoulder, and elbow injuries. Barbell squats, hack squat machines, and some variations of dumbbell squats may aggravate back, shoulder, and elbow injuries due to the positioning and/or compressive forces of the weights.

The belt is positioned around your hips, so that you’re only loading the lower half of your body. This is great variation to give your upper body relief, whether it’s for taking pressure off an injured area or when programming for better upper body recovery. This allows you to continue squatting heavy and while adding mass and strength to your legs without compromising your upper body. 

Benefit #2: better Stability

The stationary nature of the pit shark squat creates better stability in comparison to a barbell squat, as you’re able to hold yourself steady on the machine for control throughout the movement.

Also, the fact that the weight is closer to the ground makes it easier to balance due to the lower center of gravity. This benefit makes it a beginner-friendly squat variation with very little learning curve. 

This makes this a great movement for those who are elderly and/or those who have a disability that cause instability.

Benefit #3: better Glute gains

Belt squats emphasize hip extension, therefore it’s great for firing up your glutes to help grow a bigger peach. 🍑

The nature of the belt wrapping and pulling down on your hips forces you to sit your hips back more on the eccentric phase and really firing those glutes to stand back up on the concentric phase.

Since the belt pulls down on your hips, it may also assist in better hip positioning for those who struggle with arching their lower back when they squat. This may relieve lower back pain when squatting for some people. 

What if You Don’t Have a Pit Shark Squat Machine? Alternative Movements for the Belt Squat

If your gym doesn’t have a pit shark squat machine, you can use a dip belt as an alternative method.

You can utilize two benches, plyometric boxes, or aerobic steppers as a platform. Make sure the platform you use is high enough to perform the squat without the weight hitting the ground.

You will set the platform up close to a bar if you want to have your hands help you with assisting the weight up and for better stability.

If you’re struggling to gain more depth without the weight hitting the ground, you can try using kettlebells on your dip belt instead of plates since they’re generally not as long as plates. You can also utilize a low cable set-up as weight instead of plates or kettlebells. 

Try out the belt squats in your routine to crush you your next leg day! 👊