belts?

[Welsh power house]

I have always used a lifting belt for squats, deadlits, barbell rows and curls, do you think they do more bad than good.....i have read that they take the lower back and abs out of these movements and can do damage.
any veiws?

 

[Imnotdutch]

I dont use a belt at all. I think that if you have a strong core I dont think you need one unless you are maxing out. Too many people overuse things like gloves/belts/straps.

I have always used a lifting belt for squats, deadlits, barbell rows and curls, do you think they do more bad than good.....i have read that they take the lower back and abs out of these movements and can do damage.
any veiws?

 

[spkzx9r]

I agree w/ Imnotdutch, I only use a belt when going really really heavy. You do need a strong core as mentioned above.

 

[b fold the truth]

I"ve been wearing my Inzer belt of late a notch or two loose so I can focus on taking in big air and pressing against it.

B True

 

[MuSuLPhReAk]

I rarely use belts for any exercise buuuut sometimes I do not feel 100%. My muscles are stiffer than usual or I feel injury prone, then I usually use my belt on very heavy lifts. Deadlifts, squats, and sometimes dumbell shoulder presses. Again this is rare. Develop your trunk and you shouldn't need belts. The funniest is seeing guys wearing a belt to do tricep pushdowns and stuff like that....damn funny!!!!

 

[MonStar1023]

Nope I never use belts at all.. I never thought they had any use in my opinion. Or gloves, or wraps, or anything else.

 

[Freak Show]

I only use them for big lifts like tricep kickbacks and concentration curls!
Anyway, I only recommend them for people who are squatting or deadlifting using a weight that allows 3 reps or less.
I actually tried using my belt for the first time in a year yesterday during squats. It felt so damn awkward. For some reason it changed the feeling of the whole set. Can't explain it fully, but I know I don't like it any more. I don't think abdominal and low back strength can be emphasized enough. Without em you're screwed.

 

[GenetiKing]

I wouldn't even consider stepping in the squat rack without my belt on. Of course I'm prone to a recurring lower back injury. I also always use it for DL's, SLDL's, heavy shrugs, and T-Bars. I agree that they are overused by some people but I wouldn't be able to train heavy half the time without mine.

 

[Tuna Guy]

im prone to lower back problems but never wear a belt,
deadlifts are not a problem, i did 440 a couple of weeks ago without a belt, but as soon as i hit 300 in the squat there is to much pressure on my lower back.

b fold the truth, how do you rate the abs out on the squat, was thinking of giving it a try seeing as regular squats seem to hurt my back.

 

[bignate73]

got rid of my belt 2 years ago. brand new inzer too. it just sits in my closet.

the principle of the belt is to create abdominal pressure which in turn presses against the spine and stabilizes it. a belt forces you to press OUT against it, when in actuality you should be pulling IN and creating your own internal pressure. you can do this by drawing in your navel, ie activation of the core musculature. also you can do the vasalva technique which is basically where you close your glottis and create more internal pressure, but that technique should be avoided unless you are familiar with your body enough to tell the signs of oxygen deprivation. it can creep up on you fast.

so, no, i dont use one. probably never will. i do alot of core stability exercise and never feel my lower back buckle. its my strongest point in the kinetic chain....as it should be.