Looking for any one who has experience in this topic. Off the gear we all have an idea of what our maximum lifting capability is. But on the gear we get stronger and our maximum weight we can push goes through the roof. Now the question is where is that balance of what I am pushing vs what my ligaments and joints can handle. I've seen allot of guys out there who have back belts and bilateral knee braces and taking pain medication from damage caused in their young lifting days. So my question is does any one have a rule of thumb for knowing your limits for what you should be pushing vs what you can push ?