Weight Lifting Belts

[Black Casper]

Who uses one and do you feel that it really gives you the support you need for your back?Also, what type of belt do you think is best to use as there the nylon type of belts or the extra padded leather ones (like below)? Im currently using this one:Im pissed as I left mine in the gym earlier...hope a member of staff recovered it

[Realz.]

i do not use a weight lifting belt because;"Weight lifting belts give a false sense of security. Bad technique will injure your back even if you wear a belt."Source

[Black Casper]

yea thats whats was read through alsoIve been getting into the 5x5 rountine at the gym for a while now and Ive been using the belt alot less as it tends to get in the way (if thats the right way of putting it it) of my routines. Plus it gets a bit irritating wearing it after a while also

[carpedeum]

i use belts. i disagree with that site saying they give a false sense of security.maybe its bcos its advice for beginners, but to say they give a false sense of security is plain stupid imo.the belt protects your back in the sense that it makes you use the muscles that should be used, and reduces the strain on the base of your backbone, which when dong squats and DLs your posture tends to use. if you're lifting light weights (and by light i mean under 100kg squat or DL) then you may not need a belt. when you start going really heavy, then the belt is better used than not to. ive sprained my back without a belt going very heavy and i began using a belt, now im doing much heavier. and yes, it does give you a mental boost of security, but not a false one.another reason to use the belt is bcos constant squats and DL's at such heavy weights can make your stomach muscles adapt to the huge amts of breathing needed to carry out the excersizes and over time your stomach will expand. if you notice pro bodybuilders can have big stomachs that look bloated, but at the same time they can constrict them to look normal, bcos of the excersizes they do. its not just the juice that makes your stomach bloated, you can get it from regular squats and deadlifts, so the belt is needed to hold the stomach in place and not expand. as a beginner, or for someone who does squats/DL once a month and never really gets to very heavy weights a belt is not required.

[Black Casper]

i use belts. i disagree with that site saying they give a false sense of security.maybe its bcos its advice for beginners, but to say they give a false sense of security is plain stupid imo.the belt protects your back in the sense that it makes you use the muscles that should be used, and reduces the strain on the base of your backbone, which when dong squats and DLs your posture tends to use. if you're lifting light weights (and by light i mean under 100kg squat or DL) then you may not need a belt. when you start going really heavy, then the belt is better used than not to. ive sprained my back without a belt going very heavy and i began using a belt, now im doing much heavier. and yes, it does give you a mental boost of security, but not a false one.another reason to use the belt is bcos constant squats and DL's at such heavy weights can make your stomach muscles adapt to the huge amts of breathing needed to carry out the excersizes and over time your stomach will expand. if you notice pro bodybuilders can have big stomachs that look bloated, but at the same time they can constrict them to look normal, bcos of the excersizes they do. its not just the juice that makes your stomach bloated, you can get it from regular squats and deadlifts, so the belt is needed to hold the stomach in place and not expand. as a beginner, or for someone who does squats/DL once a month and never really gets to very heavy weights a belt is not required.

I noticed this also when I do deadlifts. Stomach looks like i just finished a big dinner or somethingIm guessing to hold the stomach in place the belt has to be worn quite tight then?

[Realz.]

another reason to use the belt is bcos constant squats and DL's at such heavy weights can make your stomach muscles adapt to the huge amts of breathing needed to carry out the excersizes and over time your stomach will expand. if you notice pro bodybuilders can have big stomachs that look bloated, but at the same time they can constrict them to look normal, bcos of the excersizes they do. its not just the juice that makes your stomach bloated, you can get it from regular squats and deadlifts, so the belt is needed to hold the stomach in place and not expand.

interesting.

[djbmc]

i must be doing squats wrong, coz i'm on about 70k including the bar and i've only been doing them about a month.