Using A Weight Lifting Belt - Part 1

Using a weight belt in the gym has some controversy. But before going down that road, let’s spend a few minutes talking about what they are and why you might want to consider one.

Most people think that the weight belt is there to support your back and prevent injury. On a general basis, that premise is true. But how the belt is supposed to support your back might be different than you first imagine.

When you are picking up something heavy our instinct is to take a deep breath and hold it while lifting. This will increase the pressure in your abdomen and chest which in turn helps to stabilize your spine so you can lift more weight without losing stability in your back.

The weight belt should be wide enough in the front to give your abdominal muscles something to push against and create more pressure, and thus improve the stabilization of the spine.

One common mistake people may make is wearing the belt all the time or in exercises that don’t require a belt. For instance, during sit ups your back requires flexibility while a weight belt is designed to keep your back rigid. But, without proper instruction, people consistently make these mistakes.

The controversy about using weight belts surrounds the necessity of using something to stabilize your spine when the act of lifting and strength work is to improve the muscles that stabilize the spine. Advocates of not using the belt believe that we should be improving our own muscle strength to stabilize the back and not rely on the belt. Research has also shown that people who use the belt incorrectly can change the lifting style to either decrease or increase the load on the spine. (1)

Those who advocate using a belt believe that it reduces the odds of getting an orthopedic injury to the back and will increase the amount of weight that can be lifted. The belts will also increase the intra-abdominal pressure and blood pressure. (1)

In both cases, advocates voice their strong opinions and point to case studies that support their beliefs. However, while the controversy is interesting, the focus of this article to help you understand how belts should be used, if you use them, to reduce any negative effects.

References:

(1) Backfitpro: On The Use Weight Belts

http://www.backfitpro.com/pdf/weight_belts.pdf

(2) MayoClinic: If I Lift Free Weights, Do I Need to Wear a Weightlifting belt

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/expert-answers/weightlifting-belt/faq-20058221

Resources:

University of New Mexico: The Weight Belt Controversy

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/weightbelt.html

BuiltLean: Weight Lifting Belt: Should You Wear One

http://www.builtlean.com/2012/10/01/weight-lifting-belt/

Breaking Muscle: Weight Lifting Belts: Should You Use one

http://breakingmuscle.com/olympic-weightlifting/weightlifting-belts-should-you-use-one-pro-and-con