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What is a Weight Lifting Belt?
A weight lifting belt is a special contraption, usually made of leather, which is worn by weight lifters around the midriff area in lifting extremely heavy weights. Such a belt is shaped in such a way so as not to be obstructive to competitive weight lifters performing exercises like the clean and jerk and the snatch. The section of the weight lifting belt intended to cover the back is usually six inches wide with the section across the abdomen a bit narrower. A variety of the weight lifting belt is the power lifting belt, which are stiffer and of a fixed width.
Benefits
Wearing a weight lifting belt during workouts has two core benefits. First, it helps reduce the stress the lower back receives when a person is lifting weight in an upright position. Secondly, the belt limits back movement in relation to the rib cage, protecting the back, sides, and upper chest from undue strain resulting from wrong degrees of movement while weight training.
A weight lifting belt compresses the abdominal cavity, allowing it to release more pressure in order to support the lower back. It also prevents the spinal erector muscles from being overworked during a lift. By limiting back movement, hyperextension of the back is also prevented. The lower torso cannot bend or twist sideward at unsafe angles. Also, a weight lifter wearing a belt is more conscious about the position of his back and aware of his posture.
Proper Use
As with several other equipment and weight lifting accessories, the need for weight lifting belts is doubted by some members of fitness circles. For instance, it is not necessary to wear the belt in all kinds of weight lifting and weight training exercises. It can be useful for exercises wherein the back is expected to receive a huge amount of pressure such as with squats, dead lifts, and the military press. Also, proper usage is important for anyone who uses a belt for these exercises.
Some experienced trainers do not recommend the use of weight lifting belts because according to them, it provides a false sense of security. In the event that you get injured while using a weight lifting belt, they point out that you are likely to suffer a more severe injury. It has also been observed that the use of weight lifting belts weakens the abdominal muscles. There is also the need to wear the belt tightly to maximize its benefits. This is likely to cause problems for people with heart disease and blood pressure problems.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to the preference of a lifter. Weight lifting belts are not necessarily useless. They just need to be used properly and only when necessary, in occasions such as lifting maximal or sub-maximal lifts in squats or dead lifts. Another instance is with exercises wherein the back will be likely to hyperextend, such as with the military press. Experts recommend loosening the belt in between sets to restore normal blood pressure.