Weight Lifting Belts

Wearing weight lifting belts during the weight lifting has always been advisable. The weight lifting belt serves two most significant purposes. As it reduces stress on the lower back at the time of lifting in a vertical position, also prevents back hyperextension at some stage in overhead lifts. The weightlifting belt cuts down ‘back stress by compressing the contents of the abdominal cavity’. This resulted into growth of the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) by giving more backing in front of the bones of the lower back. This helps the spinal erector muscles to provide the backup of the lower back in a normal condition. And it also helps to produce less force during the lift.

A decrease in the amount of spinal lessening (lower back compression) is the result of increased IAP. This kind of compression can be felt by a lifter during circuit weight training. Sometimes weight lifting belt possesses a wide back and a narrow front. For whom the increased IAP is sought, it will be advisable for them to wear the belt backwards. The belt also possesses another quality of preventing back hyperextension. It resulted into the formation of a ‘rigid wall around the lower torso, connecting the rib cage to the hip’. It back hyperextension happens it ‘limits back movement’ as well as restraints ‘sideward bending and twisting’. In order to get rid of this problem one needs to wear powerlifting-style belt. Or one can wear a conventional belt that is in an usual manner worn with the wide part of the belt in the back.

The lifters gets more aware about their back after wearing a belt. The main reason behind this is ‘the physical sensation of a belt against the skin provides additional information prompting the lifter to consider his or her back position and what muscles must be activated to maintain good posture’. In such cases it is advisable not to wear the belt so tightly. According to the lifters, they felt more security and confidence when they wear the belt. Finally it has been said that to extract the optimum use of a belt, it should be worn tightly. Researchers have also proved that, ‘wearing a tight belt during exercise can elevate blood pressure’. On two primary occasions belts are preferred to use.

1. During the performance of maximal or sub maximal lifts like the squat or deadlift, in which by the lifter's back the weight is backed up.
2. During the performance like military press, that may cause the back to hyperextend.

In this context one should remember to loosen the belt in order to allow blood pressure to come back to the normal levels in between sets. But Weight lifting belts are not needed for those types of weight training exercises in which ‘the spinal erectors do not work against heavy resistance’. But wearing a belt in a constant manner can also cause reduced strength development in the abdominal muscles. It has been proved by the researchers. Finally it has been proved that Weightlifting belts helps to back up the back by altering intra-abdominal pressure and precluding back hyperextension.