Belt Squat: Complete Buying Guide for Australia (2026)

Prices update automatically from the live VERVE store. Specifications are from VERVE product listings.

What a belt squat actually does

A belt squat hangs the load from a belt around your hips instead of a bar across your back. Your legs still move the weight, but your spine and shoulders no longer hold it up. Three peer-reviewed studies show what that changes.

• Less load on the lower back. In Layer and colleagues (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2018), 26 adults held isometric back squats and belt squats at four depths. The belt squat produced higher peak force and higher knee and ankle moments, lower low-back moments, and no significant change at the hip.
• Similar quad, hamstring and calf work. In Joseph and colleagues (Journal of Human Kinetics, 2020), 10 trained lifters did 3 sets of 5 at their bodyweight on both lifts. The belt squat cut lumbar erector activity by 45% to 52%, with similar quadriceps, hamstring and calf activation.
• Less glute and trunk work. The same study measured glute max activity about a third lower, glute medius about half, and lower abdominal and oblique activity. Evans and colleagues (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2019) tested 31 men and women at a 5-rep max on each lift, and the significant difference they found was lower glute max activation on the belt squat.

All three are small studies that measured muscle activity and joint loading, not long-term growth. Read together, they say a belt squat loads the quads hard with much less demand on the lower back, and gives the glutes and trunk less work. It complements barbell squats rather than replacing them.

Who benefits most

• Lifters whose back or shoulders limit barbell squatting. Layer and colleagues suggest belt squats for people with upper-body or spinal injuries.
• Anyone who wants more leg volume without more lower-back fatigue
• PT studios and gyms that want a heavy leg station members can use without a spotter

The three belt squat formats

1. Rack attachment

The VERVE Belt Squat Attachment ($309) bolts onto VERVE Power Arms V2 ($929) mounted on your rack. The arms fit the Zen, Satori, Commercial Power Rack, Commercial Half Rack and rig uprights, or other racks with 75mm to 76mm uprights and 5/8 inch to 16mm holes. A Tori Functional Trainer or Ozeki Rack needs the Extension Kit first. Send VERVE your rack model and the team will confirm the fit before you pay.

Do the maths first. If you already own Power Arms V2, the attachment costs $309 and takes no extra floor space. If you do not, the arms and attachment come to about $1,238, within $61 of a dedicated machine. That is only worth it if you want the arms for their other jobs: they swing through 180 degrees, lock with magnetic pins and handle presses, rows, shrugs and calf raises (some with an extra attachment). The trade-off is that your rack is busy while you belt squat.

2. Freestanding machine

The VERVE Hip Belt Squat Machine V3 ($1,299) is a dedicated station, designed for home and commercial use. The V3 has a lengthened arm, so you can set a comfortable foot position without stepping forward, and it pivots on a high-strength bearing. You can set the depth, and a handrail helps you get into position and self-spot.

• Footprint: 2100 x 1330 x 1000mm, 120kg
• Footplate: 1250 x 610mm, cross-hatched, with room for narrow to wide sumo stances
• Capacity: 450kg, with a starting resistance of 10.35kg and 450mm of loadable plate width
• Included: waist belt, 4mm chain and clips, safety stopper, and 4 x 250mm Olympic weight storage pins

3. Commercial machine

The VERVE Belt Squat Kabuto Series ($2,999) is built for commercial gyms and strength facilities, with integrated support handles, PVC and PU upholstery, a 700 x 380mm pedal area, 17kg initial resistance and 200kg of plate-loading capacity. It measures 1620 x 1140 x 1550mm and weighs 126kg.

It is on pre-order with no ETA, so do not plan a fit-out around it. The V3 lists the higher capacity (450kg against 200kg) and the larger footplate anyway.

VERVE belt squat options compared

Prices update from the live store. The combined arms and attachment figure is the two prices added together at the time of writing.

What to look for before you buy

• Load capacity: buy for the load you will use in two years. The V3 is rated to 450kg, the Kabuto to 200kg of plates.
• Footplate: a bigger platform suits taller lifters and wide stances. V3 1250 x 610mm, Kabuto 700 x 380mm.
• Footprint: the V3 takes 2100 x 1330 x 1000mm, plus room to load plates from the side. An attachment uses the rack you already have.
• Starting resistance: the unloaded arm is your lightest set. The V3 starts at 10.35kg and the Kabuto at 17kg, which matters for beginners and anyone returning from injury.
• Belt included: the V3 includes a waist belt, chain and clips. The Kabuto and attachment listings do not mention a belt, so ask VERVE what comes in the box.

The low-cost option: a dip belt and two boxes

A common way to try belt squats without a machine is to stand on two sturdy boxes or benches with plates hanging from a dip belt between them. The VERVE Dip Belt ($95) is sold for weighted dips and pull-ups, with a heavy-duty chain and quick-release carabiners, and its listing rates it to 100kg to 150kg.

It is not a substitute for a machine. Box height limits your depth, heavy plates are awkward to load between your feet, and there is no handrail or safety stopper. Use it to find out whether you like the movement.

Belt squat versus barbell squat: do you need both?

Ideally, yes. The research above shows the barbell squat gives your glutes and trunk more work, and holding a heavy bar on your back is a skill of its own. If your back is healthy and you can only afford one, start with a solid squat rack and barbell, then add a belt squat for extra leg volume.

If your back or shoulders limit barbell squatting, the belt squat can be your main leg builder. Add direct glute work to cover what it gives up. The VERVE Rack Attachment Trio, $850 (was $999), adds a hip thruster and preacher curl combo, a leg curl and leg extension, and a squat peg for split squats and Nordic curls to VERVE racks and Tori functional trainers.

A middle path is the VERVE Elite Safety Squat Bar ($519). It has fixed shoulder and arm pads, a 38mm chrome shaft, a 127mm camber drop and a 680kg rating, and it fits VERVE racks with 108cm between the uprights when used with VERVE J-hooks. See the full safety squat bar range.

Other leg machines worth comparing

If your goal is heavy quad work with your back supported, these plate-loaded machines are the next step up in price and floor space.

Our recommendation

• Most home gyms and commercial fit-outs: the Hip Belt Squat Machine V3 at $1,299. Highest capacity, largest footplate and a belt in the box.
• You already own Power Arms V2: the Belt Squat Attachment at $309, the cheapest proper belt squat you can add.
• You want Power Arms anyway: arms plus attachment, about $1,238, if you will also use the arms for pressing and rowing.
• Testing the movement on a small budget: a dip belt and two boxes.

Frequently asked questions