Weightlifting belt – is it necessary? Injury prevention - weightlifting belt Bodybuilding belt prevents the spine from flooding

In this article we will once again dwell in detail on the aspects of safety and prevention of sports injuries, and also study in detail such an important accessory in the arsenal of every self-respecting bodybuilder and lifter as a weightlifting belt. Why is it needed? What are its advantages? Does it have any disadvantages? How to use it correctly? And many other interesting aspects of its operation...

Strength sports (in particular, powerlifting and bodybuilding) have gained worldwide popularity in just a few decades. Today, a generally accepted and irreplaceable aspect of human beauty is a slim, fit and muscular figure. And if it is enough for a girl to simply have a slim waist and toned muscles, then for men everything is much more serious. Physical strength and large muscle mass - this is one of the main criteria by which, from time immemorial, our ancestors identified the most revered and respected representatives of their communities. Today, little has changed in this regard - if your weight exceeds one hundred kilograms, and these are clean and defined muscles, then you are probably not deprived of attention.

However, in order to achieve such a result, you should work regularly and purposefully for more than one year. Only constant training can create the desired body, and millions of men on the planet willingly sacrifice their own time and effort for this.

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Genus. 1984 Trained since 1999 Trained since 2007. Candidate of Masters in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South Russia according to AWPC. Champion of the Krasnodar region according to IPF. 1st category weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory championship in t/a. Author of more than 700 articles on fitness and amateur athletics. Author and co-author of 5 books.

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Date of: 2012-04-12 Views: 51 994 Do you know this saying: the strong don’t need a belt, but it won’t help the weak? So, there is more truth here than jokes. I'll try to explain why. First you need to figure out what function it performs. weightlifting belt. It prevents your lumbar vertebrae from moving to the side under load. How does this happen? The fact is that spinal column Surrounded muscular frame, which includes the spinal extensor muscles and smaller internal muscles, adjacent directly to the vertebrae. So, when performing an exercise with a load on your back, these muscles naturally tense and compress your vertebrae from all sides, preventing them from moving both to the sides and around their axis. The better developed these muscles are, the stronger they hold your vertebrae. The belt creates additional pressure both in the muscles (pressing them more tightly to the spine) and intra-abdominal pressure, which holds your vertebrae from the abdominal side. And the tighter the belt is tightened, the more it presses the muscles to the spine, thus strengthening muscle corset. It turns out that a weightlifting belt is a very necessary thing? Not certainly in that way. The belt, like any artificial device, cannot 100% take over the work of the muscles. By constantly wearing a belt and not properly training your lower back muscles, you are only delaying the moment of injury. That’s why I said at the beginning that it won’t help the weak. In addition, constant use of a weightlifting belt can even cause psychological dependence on it. Even when you lift warm-up weights with a belt. If you have a good muscle corset, then a belt can add little to it. So it turns out that the strong do not need him. But in everything it is necessary to adhere to the golden mean. It seems to me that it is better to wear a belt only for maximum weights. Approximately starting from 85% - 90% of the maximum. In all other cases, try to do without it. But this is only true if you have already strengthened your back well. Otherwise you’ll say later that I’m hurting people here with my advice)). If your back is not yet ready enough for heavy weights, then there is no point in climbing them. It turns out that it is better for beginners to do without it altogether. If only because there is no need for them to lift maximum weights at first. I hope that now you understand why and when you need a weightlifting belt. Good luck!

By the way, you can order yourself from Timko Ilya - the author of this article and this site.

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Should I use an athletic belt? You can get completely different answers to this question. The security forces will say a categorical “yes!”, CrossFit fans will be proud that they never wear it, and bodybuilders will simply be divided into those who use it and those who do not believe in it. Does a weightlifting belt keep you safe and improve your performance, or can wearing it cause injury in the long run? More on this below.

About using an athletic belt

Should I wear a weightlifting belt?

The main idea in wearing a belt is to increase intra-abdominal pressure. Research conducted by Miyamoto has shown that using a lifting belt under tension with maximum isometric force during a heavy lift greatly increases the stability of the spinal extensor muscles by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

The more pressure in the abdomen, the more stability there is in this area in terms of safety for the spine. Your ability to lift more weight will increase. Another reason to wear a belt is the conclusion of Kingma's experiment. It says that while lifting weights while inhaling, a moment is created by the belt, which reduces the negative load on the spine. Those. the positive effect is created not by intra-abdominal pressure, but by the moment that arises.

Wearing a weightlifting belt adds stability by increasing internal pressure

Thus additional stabilization lumbar region spine will help prevent injuries while lifting significant weights and burdens. In addition, a more rigid frame in the lower back will provide some increase in your strength.

Types of belts

There are several types of athletic belts. They all have their purpose, their advantages and disadvantages.

Weightlifting belt for powerlifting

Belt Inzer Forever Belt

Security forces wear belts that are wide along the entire length, similar to the Inzer Forever Belt. It gives them the ability to squat and lift heavy weights. And this is the primary reason for wearing it. The expected benefit in reducing the load on the lower back fades into the background. Competition belts are tough and wear-resistant. Due to the larger contact surface of the belt with the body and the ability to tighten the buckle as tightly as you want, significant intra-abdominal pressure is created. The logic is simple: more internal pressure, more stability, more weight.

The question is revealed - how to properly use an athletic belt in the gym, when to wear it and when not to. The consequences of its use, how to buy it correctly and other important tips and recommendations.

When to use an athletic belt

Remember, you should always wear a weightlifting belt when you use it in or, with the exception of warm-up approaches, with a load of approximately 20% of the one-repetition maximum, then a belt is necessary - this is not a whim, but concern for your health.

You should not wear a belt in the following cases:

1) If you have heart disease or other pathology , which is aggravated by increased intra-abdominal pressure (this happens when the belt is firmly fixed at the waist).

2) If it restricts your movements - for example, when deep squat, the belt cuts heavily into the ribs, which causes unpleasant painful sensations. In this case, try doing a half squat, replacing it with a leg press or another type of squats.

3) If you have hernias - this is a big problem in sports, using a belt will not save you, it will help with a gentle load, but not with the load that occurs during training. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor and replace the exercise with similar ones, where there is no direct load on the spinal axis.

The benefits of an athletic belt

When putting on a weightlifting belt, you inhale to tighten the belt around your waist, as a result of which the expansion of the anterior abdominal wall is limited, which increases intra-abdominal pressure and improves the fixation of the intervertebral discs.

The benefit of the belt is that it helps the core muscles contract more strongly. , for example, in squats, the body feels that
The spine is protected from injury and gives all its strength to the muscles of the legs and pelvis. Agree, without a belt you will not lift serious weights, any discomfort in the lower back and our body is immediately distracted by more serious problem than legs.

In addition, using a belt, you better pass the dead center in squats, lift heavy weights faster, and as you get tired, you use your hamstrings more effectively in squats.

Also you should know that with serious weights, the belt fixes the spine and reduces the risk of injury in the form of pinched nerves in the lower back , it seems to temporarily cement the lumbar region, minimizing subsequent lower back pain.

The effect of the belt on muscle weakening

The use of an athletic belt does not reduce muscle strength . I’ll tell you in a simple way: if you take off the belt after an exercise, it will not reduce muscle strength, but it is not advisable to walk around the gym with it for 1.5 hours, with it tightly fastened on the lower back. There is an opinion that this slightly weakens the abdominal muscles.

Buying an athletic belt

Here are the main aspects that you should pay attention to when purchasing:

1) Pay attention to the purchase of real leather, it will cost about $40 at least, especially if you use it to lift record weights in powerlifting.

2) Don’t be alarmed if the belt initially puts pressure and leaves bruises, it needs time to get used to you and for you to get used to it, over time it will develop and will be a direct assistant in increasing muscle mass and muscle strength.

3) A good belt is about 10 cm wide and at least 10-12 mm deep, make sure it is well stitched, especially at the edges.

4) When choosing with one prong for fixation or with two, it is better to choose one; in terms of safety, it is in no way inferior to two prongs, but it is more convenient to take it off and put it on.

5) Also, for fixation, instead of teeth, a carbine buckle is used, the plus is that you can take off and put on such a belt faster, but in order to adjust it to each exercise, you will need to spend time. So here the choice is not for everyone, but based on the majority opinion, a belt with a prong for fixation is very popular.

How to use an athletic belt correctly

The first step is proper setup. Some wear it above the waist, that is, above the navel, others wear it much lower, almost enveloping the hip bones. It would be correct to fix it in the center of the navel, and then adjust it a little for convenience.

The second step is the tightening force. The military type of fixation, so that there is at least 1 finger between the stomach and the belt, will not work; it is necessary to secure it as tightly as possible at the waist, but so that you can inhale and exhale completely. If you cannot inhale completely, reduce the compression force, otherwise during the exercise your breathing will be interrupted and you will not be able to perform the exercise correctly.

Usually when performing, the belt sits a little looser than in, due to different equipment execution.

I hope I shed a little light on how to use a weightlifting belt correctly and don’t be lazy in using it, don’t be a hero, remember, first of all, your health!

There is an athletic belt for the back in every gym, where there are sure to be both opponents and fans of this attribute.

Why do you need a belt?

Most often it is worn while performing strength exercises with heavy weights. As a rule, it is used by professional bodybuilders and powerlifters. Squats with a barbell, bent-over barbell rows, deadlift, lifting the barbell overhead - these exercises are quite traumatic and place a strong load on the spine, especially the lower back.

When putting on a belt, the athlete tightens it, thereby increasing intra-abdominal pressure ( pressure inside the abdomen), which fixes the spine and intervertebral discs of the lumbar region. That is, the belt helps stabilize the lower back muscles, which prevents possible injuries.

Each athlete decides for himself whether he needs a belt. But it should be noted that our body has its own natural “belt”, the role of which is played to a greater extent by the abdominal muscles and to a lesser extent by the lower back muscles. The transverse abdominis muscle is responsible for regulating intra-abdominal pressure, and therefore for protecting the lumbar vertebrae from stress. A strong, pumped-up abs can replace an athletic belt if you lift weights within reasonable limits and don’t want to jump “over your head.”

Features of training with a belt

When you constantly wear an athletic belt, your own muscles stop working fully, lose tone, and then it is possible that without the belt you will no longer be able to fully train. Once you get used to the belt, in the future there is a danger of overstraining even with light loads. Therefore, it is better to use it moderately, only for working with heavy weights. It is more advisable to train the abdominal and back muscles, which will allow you to lift the required weight without the risk of injury.
For those who are still afraid of injuring their back, a training scheme with gradual weaning from the belt is possible. The purpose of this scheme is to strengthen your body, reduce the time you wear the belt with each workout, reduce it to a minimum, leave the belt only for the most heavy exercise where it will really be needed.

Some athletes note another nuance: when working without a belt, the abdominal muscles tense and retract, and when using a belt, these same muscles “stick out” the stomach. Thus, constant training with a belt not only weakens your “native” muscles, but also teaches them to work in a different way. When giving up a belt, athletes have to retrain and return to conventional technology.

Types of belts

There are two types of athletic belts:
#1. Weightlifting belt
The belt has different widths, the wider part is adjacent to the lower back, the narrower part is adjacent to the stomach. These belts are flexible enough and comfortable for exercises that require bending over. Often used in bodybuilding.

#2. Powerlifting belt
The belt, equally wide along its entire length, is designed for powerlifting. It should be worn as low as possible, close to the pelvic bones, the belt should fit tightly. Its width is usually 10 cm, such restrictions are set by the competition rules. This belt is thicker, stronger and more massive. Ideal for exercises where you need to keep your back straight.

How to choose

To choose the right athletic belt, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:
#1. material
The belt can be made of genuine leather, various leather substitutes or synthetic materials. An important factor when choosing a material is tensile strength. The most durable and reliable in this regard is a leather belt. Synthetic belts with Velcro are also suitable for working with light weights.
#2. size
It’s very good to try on a belt when purchasing, or at least remove the marks using measuring tape. If, when fastened, the belt buckle falls on the middle fastening holes, this size will be ideal. Over time, your body weight and size may change and you may need to tighten or loosen the belt a few notches. Typically, for a waist of 62-80 cm, you need to choose a belt size S, for a waist of 72-90 cm, size M is suitable, L is suitable for a waist of 82-100 cm, XL - for 92-110 cm, XXL - for 102-120 cm But there are manufacturers who have their own size chart, so before purchasing, carefully read the packaging or consult the seller.
#3. clasp
This can be a traditional buckle, a snap buckle or a Velcro buckle. As noted above, Velcro belts are suitable for moderate weights. In other cases, it is better to choose a regular buckle or carabiner. Some athletes consider the latter more convenient and reliable, others do not trust automatic fasteners.

In addition, the athletic belt can be additionally equipped with a chain for weights.

Cost of belts

Belts can be found at many sporting goods manufacturers: Mad Max, Ironman, Jet Sport, Grizzly and many others. A good belt is not a cheap pleasure. But if you are a beginner or work with light weights, you can find belts at an affordable price.
So, a synthetic belt with Velcro from Torneo can be bought for 600-700 rubles.