Should You Be Wearing a Weight Lifting Belt?
A weight lifting belt should be on your list of workout gear if you have back problems. If you fit the belt tightly around your waist, it offers good support for your back and abdominal muscles. Wearing a belt also serves as a reminder to maintain erect posture during your workout. It’s best not to get dependent on wearing a weight lifting belt, though; the support a belt gives may also inhibit your ability to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles.
So, what if you don’t have back pain? Is a weight lifting belt needed? That depends. Some exercises are more stressful on the vertebrae than others, and that’s when a weight lifting belt comes in handy. Performing sets of squats, dead lifts, and standing shoulder presses are among the top culprits when it comes to putting pressure on your spine and its muscles.
A weight lifting belt is particularly useful when going heavy on the poundage with free weights. As mentioned, exercises like squats and dead lifts, are already putting pressure on your back. Combine that with a heavy increase in poundage, and you could be playing with fire. If staying injury-free is on the top your list of things to do, then wearing a weight lifting belt isn’t a shabby idea.
Note that if you’re using machines for your training you can probably get away with not wearing a belt. The reason for this is that many of these exercise machines have been designed to support your vertebrae and help you maintain good posture. Of course, there are always exceptions, and you shouldn’t automatically discount the need for a weight lifting belt just because you’re using a machine.
Overall, don’t expect a weight lifting belt to be some sort of cure-all for back pressure. The belt is good for dispersing pressure, but it won’t eliminate it.
Tags: Weight Lifting, weight lifting belt, Weight Lifting Exercise, Weight Training
