Importance of Wearing Weightlifting Belts

Professional weightlifters tend to wear weightlifting belts to help them lift heavier loads. However, there is still an on-going debate as to wearing one is necessary or not. There are those who are leaning towards wearing weightlifting belts because it allows them to ease up on the pressure on their backs when lifting while others believe that the belt can hamper their core training. The bottom line is, it’s up to you whether you will be wearing a weightlifting belt based on the current weight training that you are following.

It wouldn’t hurt to get an idea on the benefits of wearing a weightlifting belt so here are some of its advantages that you should know about.

It stabilizes your midsection. The problem with lifting too much weight is that we are putting a lot of pressure on our back particularly the lower portion which can cause injury when you lift. Even if you are following proper breathing technique where you take a deep breath to stabilize your core, building higher intra-abdominal pressure is considerably better to ensure that your midsection becomes stable so that your spine wouldn’t be too stressed.

It can improve your performance. Weightlifters know that in order to build more strength they will need to increase the amount of weight that they are lifting. But even adding a fraction of the weight can be difficult to lift without enough pressure in the midsection hence the use of weightlifting belts. Those who have worn weightlifting belts during weight training have found that they could do more reps with heavier loads as opposed to not wearing one. This is worth taking note of if you want to become a professional weightlifter or if you want to build more strength through lifting more weights.

It prevents injury. Weightlifters are often at risk of experiencing back problems or injuries particularly when it comes to lifting heavy barbells. Upon lifting the heavy weight, you are loading your spine with too much pressure which can cause injury if you do not practice proper breathing or when you don’t have enough support on your spine. Wearing a weightlifting belt, on the other hand, secures your spine by boosting intra-abdominal pressure for a more solid lift.

There are different types of weightlifting belts being sold today for men and women. The usual measurement of the belt is at 4 inches which is the recommended measurement for Olympic weightlifters. When choosing a belt, make sure that the belt is wide especially when doing squats or deadlifts to minimize putting pressure on your spine. Don’t forget to include comfort in your list of factors to consider when shopping for a belt because you need one that can be worn and removed easily. Another factor to consider is the quality of the material used. Leather is typically used in belts as they are durable but don’t exclude Velcro as they are also sturdy albeit has a limit to the pressure put on them before popping off.

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