Why a Good Lifting belt is so Important

A good Lifting Belt is vital for weightlifting and strength training. A belt helps you lift more weight, prevents injuries, and helps you develop your body faster. How does a belt work? What should you look for in a good quality gym belt?

A reliable lifting belt can make all the difference for your workout; it keeps the spine stable, protects the back muscles, and enables you to lift heavier weights for better gains. It is not a secret; progression is critical for adding lean muscle mass. But if not properly equipped, it can be the quickest way to set you off track.

A Lifting Belt will help your back and prevent injury. The elasticity of a good belt allows you to use more weight without damaging your joints.

The weight on the bar is simply the force pushing down, multiplied by the distance from the ground to where the bar is in contact with your body. If you push down harder, but keep your body exactly where it was, you are working on both factors at once.

If you are using a good lifting belt, you can push down harder without moving the whole body up. The increased distance from your feet to the bar is still little, so that factor will stay about the same. An increase in force will make the weight go up by a larger percentage than if you were wearing a belt that didn’t stretch as much. A 50% increase in force might only be 30% more weight if you had no belt on.

Advantages & Disadvantages of a Weight Lifting Belt?

As per National Strength and Conditioning Association, the main reason to use a weightlifting belt is to increase abdominal pressure during heavy weight lifting. This abdominal pressure creates a rigid core to stabilize your spine and increases your maximum power. It keeps your spine from collapsing under heavyweight. You can create your abdominal pressure by breathing in, holding your breath, and pushing out with your stomach muscles called the Valsalva maneuver. The weightlifting belt gives your stomach to push against, increasing pressure.

If you have a previous injury or feel you need spinal support, talk to your doctor about an appropriate back brace for training. Improper use of weightlifting belts, discourage the use of your core and abdominal muscles; muscles are necessary to build and help to protect your spine.

How to properly use Weight lifting belts?

Utilize a weightlifting belt during heavy powerlifting at or above 80 percent of your one-repetition maximum. You can also use it for back support during heavy weightlifting and deadlifts. Powerlifting that usually requires heavy lifting, and therefore a weight belt, includes cleans, snatches, and jerks

Wearing a weightlifting belt for exercises such as planks, and crunches can cause damage. Avoid using a weightlifting belt during any exercise where you are lying on your back, sitting vertically.