belt
- Thread starter dfresh88
- Start date
diggydev
New member
I'm no doctor but have been dealing with back pain since I was 16 (highschool football injury)
I would no way recommend a belt...not for any lift.
a few words of advice...and i've been dealing with it for 20 years:
1. Strengthen your abs and core...planks, swiss ball planks, ab wheel roll outs, hanging knee raises, back extensions. This is KEY! keep the abs and core strong...no flab..diet comes into play here as well.
2. Listen to your body....don't rush it. you'll hurt your back again and be to square one.
3. perfect form for squat and deads, no exceptions....if you have to do 3x10 of 135lbs, then so be it.
4. stretching back post workout/ anti inflammatory if necessary
good luck bro
I would no way recommend a belt...not for any lift.
a few words of advice...and i've been dealing with it for 20 years:
1. Strengthen your abs and core...planks, swiss ball planks, ab wheel roll outs, hanging knee raises, back extensions. This is KEY! keep the abs and core strong...no flab..diet comes into play here as well.
2. Listen to your body....don't rush it. you'll hurt your back again and be to square one.
3. perfect form for squat and deads, no exceptions....if you have to do 3x10 of 135lbs, then so be it.
4. stretching back post workout/ anti inflammatory if necessary
good luck bro
I disagree and always belt up when going heavy on squats or deads, but only for heavy sets. It enables you to lift more weight and is an added safety measure. You want a stronger core train it seperately.
Here's a good write up on this:
If I had to guess, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people that strength train in the past few years. The majority of these people have limited experience with getting stronger. Compound this with all of the new experts in the ***8220;functional fitness***8221; community, and you have a lot of misconception on what methods, exercises, and equipment would best be used to get stronger. One of the more irritating topics is whether or not to wear a belt.
It is basic knowledge among strong people that a belt makes you stronger, but the exact mechanism that accomplishes this is not well known. However, the ***8220;functional fitness***8221; community likes to make outrageous claims and fairy tails to not wear a belt. We won***8217;t be addressing any of them here; it isn***8217;t worth acknowledging illogical rubbish.
To understand why a belt works, we must understand what is occurring physiologically during a heavy lift. If you have been taught correctly, then you already take a big, deep breath and hold it throughout the lift. This big breath of air increases the intra-thoracic pressure and subsequently the intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure acts like a pneumatic brace against the anterior portion of the spine while the erectors of the back brace it from the posterior. This increases the support of the spine, and more support means more strength.
The belt***8217;s purpose is to constrict the abdominals to give them something to contract against. This contraction of the abdominals with an appropriately tightened belt is like trying to increase the volume in a non-expansible container ***8212; it increases the pressure even more. Not only is it helping to increase the intra-abdominal and thoracic pressure more than without the belt, but the abdominals also contract harder into the belt to do so. More pressure is more support which means more strength to do the task at hand.
The belt will allow heavier weights to be handled, and then heavier weights can be handled un-belted too ***8212; more than if you had not worn the belt to begin with. In other words, it makes you stronger whether you want to believe it or not. If a lifter chooses not to wear a belt while knowing this, then they are choosing to not allow their trunk to become as strong as it could. In other words, anybody who is serious about getting stronger will wear one.
I was having this conversation with two lifters at the gym yesterday, and after explaining the belt***8217;s purpose, I said, ***8220;So, just wear the fucking belt, ok? Please?***8221; It would be silly not to (especially because our gym has lots of them hanging on the wall).
Tomorrow we will talk about where to buy belts, what to look for, and how to learn how to start wearing one on your own.
Source: 70sbig.com/blog/2009/12/belt-me-up-scotty/
Here's a good write up on this:
If I had to guess, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people that strength train in the past few years. The majority of these people have limited experience with getting stronger. Compound this with all of the new experts in the ***8220;functional fitness***8221; community, and you have a lot of misconception on what methods, exercises, and equipment would best be used to get stronger. One of the more irritating topics is whether or not to wear a belt.
It is basic knowledge among strong people that a belt makes you stronger, but the exact mechanism that accomplishes this is not well known. However, the ***8220;functional fitness***8221; community likes to make outrageous claims and fairy tails to not wear a belt. We won***8217;t be addressing any of them here; it isn***8217;t worth acknowledging illogical rubbish.
To understand why a belt works, we must understand what is occurring physiologically during a heavy lift. If you have been taught correctly, then you already take a big, deep breath and hold it throughout the lift. This big breath of air increases the intra-thoracic pressure and subsequently the intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure acts like a pneumatic brace against the anterior portion of the spine while the erectors of the back brace it from the posterior. This increases the support of the spine, and more support means more strength.
The belt***8217;s purpose is to constrict the abdominals to give them something to contract against. This contraction of the abdominals with an appropriately tightened belt is like trying to increase the volume in a non-expansible container ***8212; it increases the pressure even more. Not only is it helping to increase the intra-abdominal and thoracic pressure more than without the belt, but the abdominals also contract harder into the belt to do so. More pressure is more support which means more strength to do the task at hand.
The belt will allow heavier weights to be handled, and then heavier weights can be handled un-belted too ***8212; more than if you had not worn the belt to begin with. In other words, it makes you stronger whether you want to believe it or not. If a lifter chooses not to wear a belt while knowing this, then they are choosing to not allow their trunk to become as strong as it could. In other words, anybody who is serious about getting stronger will wear one.
I was having this conversation with two lifters at the gym yesterday, and after explaining the belt***8217;s purpose, I said, ***8220;So, just wear the fucking belt, ok? Please?***8221; It would be silly not to (especially because our gym has lots of them hanging on the wall).
Tomorrow we will talk about where to buy belts, what to look for, and how to learn how to start wearing one on your own.
Source: 70sbig.com/blog/2009/12/belt-me-up-scotty/
diggydev
New member
i get what this is saying BUT he is coming off a back injury...masking it with a belt is not going to make his back any better. you need to get to the root of the back problem...strong core, strong abs and a well stretched out back. when all normal...sure grab the belt when goin heavy...til then, i would stay away.
DADAWG
Community Veteran
i dont agree with you either . most people dont know how to use a belt for starters , they just crank it down as tight as possible and think thats all they need .
i use a lever belt and start off with it on but the lever not latched down , that means it loose but it keeps the whole area warm . when i get heavy enough to need the belt i latch the lever over but its not supertight . before i start down with a squat rep i take my last breath and push out against the belt HARD with my abs , this creates that inner pressure you need for heavy lifts but doesnt take the abs out because your still using them .
Animalized
New member
I suffered a broken back a few years ago and I can tell you for me personally, that if I don't use a belt doing heavy squats, etc. that I pay for it the next morning. Now that may just be because of the extent of my injury, don't know. But if it was me, I'd try it with the belt and see how it feels. Using it for only these exercises isn't going to mask it or prevent his back and core from getting strengthening. It'll get all that from many other exercises and even the lighter sets of squats, etc. It's only going to take ONCE where you don't where a belt and your back decides it can't take the pressure. Then you're screwed and won't be lifting anything for quite a while!
diggydev
New member
I see what you guys are saying. I guess its just more of an indidual thing. Personally i dont use belts, wraps, gloves etc. So i guess im a little bias. Back pain sucks....if something works for you go with it. All i know....is that all the doctors...the pt...the acupuncture was bullshit. I figured out what worked for me and im feeling great. Good luck brothas!!
DADAWG
Community Veteran
the belt is a tool not a crutch . if you crank the belt down and let it do all the work then your better off not using it but if you use it properly a belt is great.
also dont scrimp on a belt , you get what you pay for.
That's just it, belts, wraps, and straps are tools, and when used properly will help you progress, and are added measures of safety. To each their own, I've got nothing against guys that lift raw, but me personally I like to use these training aids when necessary.
DADAWG
Community Veteran
after i got a certain age i used that stuff more and more for safety . i always wore squat briefs loose crappy ones on light days and good ones on heavy days .
diggydev
New member
I think you're absolutely right...never really thought about using one ever again but you have me thinking I can gain by using one correctly and only as a tool as you say.
What's the levered belt that you use? Brand name etc?
DADAWG
Community Veteran
heres a thread wil several links to sites that carry good stuff
http://www.steroidology.com/forum/training-forum/41919-powerlifting-links.html
heres my particular brand
Inzer Advance Designs: Powerlifting Belts
most of these better ones have a lifetime warranty.
DADAWG
Community Veteran
i love my lever belt 2 seconds and its ready bam.
diggydev
New member
ordered it! hopefully i can make some extra gains here!
also, i think we kind of got away from the original question here. just wanted to mention if it wasn't clear...my point was for someone with back issues, you need to get to the root of the problem.
usually it comes down to weak abs, core and lower back. and i don't mean that if you have a six pack that you have a strong base. one of my friends who is ripped to shreads, strong as hell...he DREADS doing abs and core with me...he can't hold a friggin standard plank for 20 seconds without shaking!!
so get your core strengthened and start using the tools to help support your back...if you use it before you strengthen and heal...i think you're asking for major trouble.
also, i think we kind of got away from the original question here. just wanted to mention if it wasn't clear...my point was for someone with back issues, you need to get to the root of the problem.
usually it comes down to weak abs, core and lower back. and i don't mean that if you have a six pack that you have a strong base. one of my friends who is ripped to shreads, strong as hell...he DREADS doing abs and core with me...he can't hold a friggin standard plank for 20 seconds without shaking!!
so get your core strengthened and start using the tools to help support your back...if you use it before you strengthen and heal...i think you're asking for major trouble.
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