In our last post we review the Reebok crossfit Lifter Plus 2.0 lifting shoes. In this article, we discuss lifting belts and assess when you should use them or not.
Lifting belts are something that have been around for decades, and some athletes won’t leave home without theirs tucked aside in their gym bag. Then again, there are also plenty of athletes out there who lift serious weight, but swear against the use of powerlifting belts.
How is this possible? After all, it has to be obvious – either a belt helps you, or it doesn’t.
The truth is that the benefits of a belt may not be so black and white. In fact, there has been a lot of research and study into the impact of powerlifting belts, and the results may surprise you.
In order to determine whether or not a belt is best for you, here are some benefits and cons of a lifting belt. This insight will provide both sides of evidence into whether or not you should invest for lifting and exercising.
Pros Of A Lifting Belt
Reduced Stress On Spine
Your spine is one of the most important parts of your body. Sustain an injury and you are looking at a lifetime of complications that will make it difficult to enjoy your life. That is why it’s vital that you do all you can to keep your back in the best shape that you can.
Many athletes have a tendency of overusing their backs, no matter what the exercise might be. For deadlifts, they may be bending their back to lift instead of their legs. Or they may raise their back off the bench when doing benchpress, which can also lead to injury.
With a lifting belt, athletes can avoid the concerns that come from over-stressing their backs. That is because a belt will help to add pressure to your abdominals and lower posterior back, which will cause more support.
The stabilization that a lifting belt provides is very integral when you began lifting a lot of weight. In fact, it is mandatory at many levels, which just goes to show why so many athletes rely on them.
Lifting More Weight
Speaking of more weight, you may also notice that you can lift more with a powerlifting belt as well. A lot of this has to do with stability, which is going to make for more power on your end. However, keep in mind that this added strength may not be something you want to try without a belt. In fact, using a belt frequently may cause weaker muscles (which will be discussed later), which may be a problem when looking to increase more weight.
It’s recommended that you do not use a lifting belt every time you go into the gym, as this will result in you building your muscles improperly. Instead, consider using it on days that you plan to max out, as this will add additional support. Finally, adding a belt while training for competitions will help you feel as comfortable as possible. This is because you’ll have to wear a belt during those competitions, and you’ll be more adjusted to how you feel.
Now that you know the good, here’s a look at the bad for using a lifting belt.
Cons Of A Lifting Belt
Less Focus On Proper Development
While a lifting belt adds support while training, it doesn’t do so by helping your supplementary muscles in the process. That means that while you are lifting a lot of heavy weight with a belt on, you won’t be able to lift nearly as much without the belt. Some will argue that this is a sign of improper muscle development, which is one of the biggest cons for a weightlifting belt.
With a belt, all of your energy and focus is concentrated with that one belt. But the moment you release the belt, everything is again loose and on it’s own for support. Then as you try and begin lifting weight, your body won’t be nearly able to do as much. Because of this, many athletes think that a weightlifting belt is not ideal for proper development throughout the body.
Weaker Back Progression
In addition to improper muscle development, there is also concerns that a weightlifting belt will result in weaker back progression as well. In other words, you may think that you are lifting more weight, but that won’t translate to size or overall progression. Then as you try and do other exercises, you’ll realize that your body cannot accommodate for the increased weight. Your back is such an important part of your body, that it can control a variety of different things. One of which is overall strength, which you won’t have much of if you don’t train properly with a belt.
Then as you try and do other exercises, you’ll realize that your body cannot accommodate for the increased weight. Your back is such an important part of your body, that it can control a variety of different things. One of which is overall strength, which you won’t have much of if you don’t train properly with a belt.
Then as you try and do other exercises, you’ll realize that your body cannot accommodate for the increased weight. Your back is such an important part of your body, that it can control a variety of different things. One of which is overall strength, which you won’t have much of if you don’t train properly with a belt.
Then as you try and do other exercises, you’ll realize that your body cannot accommodate for the increased weight. Your back is such an important part of your body, that it can control a variety of different things. One of which is overall strength, which you won’t have much of if you don’t train properly with a belt.
Using A Powerlifting Belt
So now that you know the pros and cons, it’s time to consider whether or not you should use a powerlifting belt. Even though there are some pretty influential cons – no one wants to injure their back while training – the truth is that a powerlifting belt is still probably going to have more positives in favor of using.
The truth is that monster athletes are going to want to lift as much weight as they can. Sooner or later, you’ll get to a point where it simply isn’t safe to not use a belt. Therefore, a belt is going to be your only option.
However, what’s important is that you don’t end up relying on your belt every second you are at the gym. Do your best to continue building that core and developing your abdominals, and you won’t see the negative impact that a belt may have on your body. Or if you find yourself using the belt more than you should, just be weary of the issues that might occur when the time comes for you to lift without it.
The good news is that powerlifters must adhere to the regulations and rules of standard organizations, most of which require athletes to use powerlifting belts. And now that you know why, you can consider whether you want to use one as well or not.
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