What Weightlifting Belt to buy?

Go1982 · Jul 1, 2007

Hey

I was wondering what recommendation people can give as to which weightlifing belt is the best out there. I need a belts to help support my lower back to avoid a furture injury!

I've seen a few but i wasn't sure which one is the best. Is there a gel type of support for the back? I know that there are 4 to 6 inch wide belts.

Thanks for the help!
P.S
Happy :canadaf: DAY!!!

NBS 4life · Jul 1, 2007

Just buy a good leather belt of medium width. You dont need gel support or any of that crap. Outback is a good brand.

Wrangell · Jul 1, 2007

Go1982 said:
Hey

I was wondering what recommendation people can give as to which weightlifing belt is the best out there. I need a belts to help support my lower back to avoid a furture injury!

I've seen a few but i wasn't sure which one is the best. Is there a gel type of support for the back? I know that there are 4 to 6 inch wide belts.

Thanks for the help!
P.S
Happy :canadaf: DAY!!!

Some food for thought............

" Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and the author of Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance (Wabuno Publishers, 2004; backfitpro.com), says that, based on his research, the answer ( to ' whether or not you should wear a weight belt when you lift ' ) depends on the type of training and the individual exercise you're performing. In general, though, McGill warns weight trainers away from belts: "I don't recommend weight belts for healthy individuals either in routine work or exercise. An exception is for extreme athletic lifting, where belts help increase torso stability and may assist with the lift."

If you're an extreme powerlifter, using a weight belt may prove advantageous. Otherwise, McGill suggests forgoing the belt. He concedes that belts can offer some advantages during exercise, but he also notes that these benefits are outweighed by the liabilities of using this training aid."

........are you a regular gym rat or an ' extreme powerlifter ' ?

theGOOCH · Jul 1, 2007

I never really understood what it is a back belt is supposed to do. It doesn't hold your back rigid. How is it supposed to help you avoid injury?

I stopped using one years ago with no ill effects

Tanizaki · Jul 1, 2007

I don't use a belt because I am so hardcore.

NBS 4life · Jul 2, 2007

Its not being weak to use a belt. People are just jumping on the band wagon. If people want to do a real heavy session once in a couple of weeks and use a belt then go for it. Just dont use it too much.

goergen1 · Jul 2, 2007

I never really understood what it is a back belt is supposed to do. It doesn't hold your back rigid. How is it supposed to help you avoid injury?

When properly using a belt you push your abs out into it. The goal is to increase the inter-abdominal pressure.

Higher IA pressure decreases the compression force on the spine and allows the lifter to stabilize larger weights.

Its not being weak to use a belt. People are just jumping on the band wagon.

I agree. In my experience, weak people do not use a belt, strong people do use a belt. Everyone thinks it is hardcore to not use a belt. The true hardcore use whatever they need to use in order to get better.

Go1982 · Jul 3, 2007

Wrangell said:
Some food for thought............

[/INDENT]

........are you a regular gym rat or an ' extreme powerlifter ' ?

Well, i just got back into weightlifting; i used to workout with my friend hardcore but we both quit for a few years. Now i'm working out by myself. I am not an extreme power lifter,

On a heavy set, i do approximately 100lbs on the ez curl bar for biceps for 6-8 reps (a 45lbs and a 5lbs on each side). I use the belt for this exercise to help avoid lower back injury if swing a little to push out those last crucial reps. I will only wear the belt when it is needed not for the whole workout. I just find that with a spotter, you are less likely to cheat or swing during a heavy exercise as a good spotter can help you with the lift when help is needed.

Thanks people for all the valuable inpit, this site is great!

Merciless · Jul 3, 2007

I use a belt, 4 inches with nothing but leather....no padded crap.

I'm a powerlifter so...yeah

I would say if you aren't a PL and aren't going heavy and doing medium-high reps, then don't use one.

goergen1 · Jul 3, 2007

I would say if you aren't a PL and aren't going heavy and doing medium-high reps, then don't use one.

I agree. You definitely do not need it for curls. Really only heavy squatting or deadlifting.

And since you just got back into lifting you do not need a belt because you will not be training at heavy enough weight to consider using one.