When should you wear a weight belt?

[Ehiems]

Weight training is supposed to strenghten tissues of the body (bones, muscles and connective tissues).
Should you only wear supportive back devices when the weight is heavy and reps low? Or does one base wearing one on the type of excercise they're doing...or both? Heres what I do - what do guys think.
Barbell Squats = Only if I do 2-3 reps.
Bench press = Never!
Barbel curls = Always
Militay presses = Always
Lat Exercises = Always
Dumbell Excercises = ?

 

[gymtime]

Weight belts should be worn on heavy compound movements only. For example, a 4-6 rep set of squats or deads. They are useless on any other excercise, unless you have a pre-existing back problem.

 

[coolcolj]

I never wear them, they're a crutch

 

[Thaibox]

...when you have two crushed discs like my sorry ass sucks

 

[danielson]

i originally was under the impression that yopu dont wear a weight belt during squats as you wanted your lower back muscles to develop with your squat....but presumably a level of weight comes along where u need a belt

so what weight would you class as heavy enough for a belt during squats

people at my gym always freak out when i squat without a belt, saying i shouldnt even look at that weight unless i have one. ive never had a priblem with the weight i use, and no-one at my gym squats very much anyways.......but should i be wearing one just 'in case'?



i dont for BB curls as a try my hardest to to have any movement in my lower back from swining, should i be wearing one then as well?

should i be wearing one for any compund movement that mght involve my back?

 

[Ehiems]

Thaibox - were the crushed discs a result of not wearing a belt during weightlifting?

 

[bignate73]

when your transverse abdominis, multifidus, obliques, spinal erectors, lats, glutes and rectus abdominis all fall off...

thats when.

training au natural has worked for quite a few successful athletes, powerlifters and otherwise.

 

[HighIntensity]

i dont care what you fellas say I wear a belt whenever training and love it, and by the way my lower back is well defined.

 

[the People's Champ]

how are those tree trunks HI?

 

[Hannibal]

I only use my belt for Fridays Dynamic (speed) Squats. And I wear it a notch or so loose...so that I can practice pushing my ab out against it to support my lower back.

Use the belt as a teaching aid...not a crutch.