How to wear a weightlifting belt. Weightlifting belt – who needs it and why?

Many girls are afraid to widen their waist as a result of training, so they wear an athletic belt. Here the question arises: is it necessary? Is a belt even necessary? Here we will not touch upon the issue of special belts, bandages and corsets prescribed for medical reasons. Let's only touch on the issue of athletic belts.

Reasons for the general fascination with belts and corsets

There are several reasons why girls are interested in athletic belts. We have already indicated the first - this is the fear of swaying your waist. The second is common love the fair sex to a variety of accessories. However, this also applies to men, only their choice of accessories is slightly different. And the third is the belief that some tightening and fixing parts of the suit can influence the volume and distribution of subcutaneous fat. The third reason is actively supported by various advertising materials promising miraculous effects from all kinds of magic belts. Let’s say right away that all these miraculous effects are greatly exaggerated - and they themselves will not be able to influence the shape of the body, and at best they can only make a small contribution to losing weight and improving your figure.

So, there is only one question left that can be seriously considered - will an athletic belt help a girl keep her waist narrow?

Does your waist expand from training?

First, let's address the question of whether the waist can expand from training? Maybe. Firstly, a subjective and relative expansion of the waist may occur as a result of weight loss. Excess fat prefers to be deposited in women in the chest and buttocks. Curvier shapes often visually highlight a narrower waist, and when losing weight, volumes disappear primarily from these parts of the body. As a result, thinner hips and breasts with the same waist volume create the impression that the waist has become wider.

However, the waist may expand somewhat and quite objectively - as a result of strengthening and development of the oblique abdominal muscles. But here it should be noted that it is still necessary to develop these muscles - without them it is impossible to achieve a good muscle corset in the waist area that supports the spine. Unfortunately, problems with the spine are not only the lot of men, so neglecting the development of abdominal muscles for fear of expanding the waist means causing irreparable damage to your health. And, in fairness, it should be noted that the increase in waist due to the development of the oblique abdominal muscles is very insignificant. You just don’t need to do special exercises (for example, bending to the sides with dumbbells) that will specifically pump up these particular muscles - and your waist will hardly increase.

Does an athletic belt help?

What about the belt? Can he help? In certain cases it can. It must be said that there are different belts - regular and weightlifting. Ordinary ones, as a rule, are made of fabric - they are most often soft and most suitable for fitness. Athletic belts are often made of leather and are usually very rigid: powerlifting (uniform across the entire width) and weightlifting (with expansion in the lumbar region). An athletic belt is needed for additional support of the spine during heavy exercises. It helps weightlifters and powerlifters lift more weight with slightly less effort and with additional protection from injury. Due to general anatomy and the principles of using a belt, women and men can use the same belts - only by selecting them to suit their waist size.

From this it is clear that it is necessary only for professional weightlifters and powerlifters during competitions and during particularly difficult training. And also for those who are recovering from an injury and are afraid of overloading the spine. Beginners are strongly discouraged from using athletic belts, since their core muscles are already quite weak (hence frequent back problems). They need to be strengthened, and the belt will reduce the load on them, and thus an imbalance will arise - the muscles of the arms, legs, upper back will develop, and the abdominal and lower back muscles are the main ones in exercises such as deadlifts, squats, etc. P. - will lag behind, which will later lead to injury when the athlete thinks that he is ready to take on more weight, but the core muscles are not ready for this.

Conclusion. Do girls need a weightlifting belt?

Therefore, the conclusion can be drawn as follows: a weightlifting belt for girls is needed only for an advanced level and only in those exercises where the load on the spine is very high (lifting and squats with a barbell with large weights, when you cannot do more than 5-6 repetitions - i.e. i.e. the weight is approaching the maximum for you). For beginners, it’s better to do without any belts - believe me, with a properly designed training program and a proper diet, your waist will not suffer at all.

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 are 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.

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 squatting deeply, the belt cuts heavily into the ribs, which causes unpleasant pain. 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 a more serious problem than the 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 cement for a while 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 execution techniques.

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!

Lord of the entire site and fitness trainer | more details >>

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 in 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: 2013-06-06 Views: 18 874 Grade: 5.0 Hello. A weightlifting belt is usually needed by those who lift heavy weights, and who has back problems. You can read more in the article. In this article we will talk about what types of belts there are, and which one is better for you to buy.

A classic - it is a classic. Suitable for everyone. At least for girls, at least for huge powerlifters. You only need to take a leather belt. Since leatherette belts break quickly. And leather is almost eternal. The main country supplying such belts is Pakistan. It will cost approximately 800 rubles. At first, this leather belt is quite stiff. But over time, it becomes softer and fits better to the lower back. The same cannot be said about synthetics. Which is tough at the beginning, and then just breaks across. These are belts that are wider in their working (lumbar) part than regular ones. Their width reaches 15 cm. I do not recommend taking such belts. The fact is that the human lower back has a slightly arched shape. Due to its large width, such a belt fits tightly to the lower back at the edges, and in the center the density is much less. This only creates the illusion that your lower back is better protected. It differs from others in that it has the same width along its entire length. Its use is justified only in powerlifting. The same width is needed so that the athlete can “rest” his stomach against it if his back hunches during a squat or deadlift. If you are not going to engage in this sport, then you do not need it. Firstly, it is 2-3 times more expensive than regular belts. Secondly, it is much more rigid. As for me, I consider it useless in powerlifting. This is a belt that is not made of leather or leatherette, but of thick fabric. Such a belt does not protect your lower back as reliably, since the fabric is always less rigid than leather. It is more suitable for girls, since they lift less weight than men. Plus he's prettier)

I believe that the classic weightlifting belt is the most versatile. I've been using this myself for 14 years. Although I tried all other types too. My belt is already 11 years old. There’s a powerlifting one too, gathering dust in the closet. In general, it’s better to train your back. After all, a strong person does not need a belt, and it will not help a weak person. Good luck!

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There are exercises with an increased risk of injury to the back. These include the snatch and clean and jerk, barbell squats, bent-over barbell rows, deadlifts and its variations, and standing barbell presses. All of them create a compression load on the lumbar vertebrae, that is, they squeeze them, and this is bad.

Those more or less familiar with the simulator understand that the exercises listed above are among the basic ones, that is, practically mandatory and do not have full-fledged analogues. What to do? Yes, actually, nothing. At least on initial stages training. The body is able to protect itself, and specifically for the spine there is the whole system, in which even the intestines and lungs participate.

Belt from nature

A person has so-called stabilizer muscles. Their role is not only to hold the body in a certain position. In addition to the pelvic floor muscles, multifidus muscles and diaphragm, there are transverse and oblique abdominal muscles, which can create increased pressure in the abdominal cavity. Try to tense your abdominal muscles as hard as you can. Do you feel like everything inside is being squeezed, and the upper part of your torso is slightly raised?

Now do the same, but before doing this, inhale as much as possible. The pressure inside became even stronger, and the upper torso rose even higher. If you could look at your insides at this moment, you would see how the contraction of the muscles squeezed your internal organs, pushing some of them down into the pelvic floor, and some up towards the diaphragm. On top are lungs filled with air, like an elastic ball, and they are also pushed up internal organs. Your entire body from the inside turns into a kind of vertical strut, reducing the load on the spine.

This is how our body resists compression loads, and the torso muscles involved in protecting the vertebrae form the so-called natural belt.

The natural belt can cope with very significant loads if developed. With enough diligence and no haste, you will get not only a healthy and developed body, but also a sexy, sculpted torso as a bonus. Don't rush to increase weights, follow correct technique, and everything will be fine.

The athletic belt helps the natural belt do its job better. It allows you to create additional intra-abdominal pressure and add stability to the body, which makes it possible to negative consequences take a greater compression load on the spine and take on more weight.

Varieties

Wider in the lower back, narrower in the stomach. A universal choice not only for weightlifters, but also for bodybuilders. There is a type of especially wide belts that seem more substantial, but in practice they do not fit evenly enough. Please pay attention to this when trying on.

Equally wide along the entire length, very dense, massive, heavy and expensive. The width is approximately 10 centimeters, which is determined by the rules of powerlifting competitions. Provides additional support for the abdomen, worn as close to the pelvic bones as possible, suitable only for competitive lifters.

Material

The main materials for making belts are this moment are leather, leather substitute and fabric. Genuine leather is always more expensive and tougher, but it lasts a very long time. Leatherettes differ from each other, including in price. A bonus of choosing a leatherette belt is the variety of fastenings and rigidity. Fabric belts are most often made with Velcro. This a good option at light loads.

How to choose a belt

Only independently and only with fitting. Pull the belt tight and fasten it. Ideally, the belt should fasten on the middle row of holes. A belt that is too long or short can interfere with exercise.

For a beginner, the optimal material may be a leather substitute. Spending a ton of money at once for genuine leather is not always wise, and a fabric belt does not guarantee the proper level of fixation.

When it comes to thickness and seams, athletes often prefer multi-layer belts with zigzag seams. Statistically, such options fit better, hold their shape well and last a long time.

Rules for training with a belt

Just two simple conditions, but it is extremely important to comply with them.

• The belt must be removed between approaches.
• It is necessary to alternate training with and without a belt.

Facts about the belt

• The athletic belt allows you to additionally increase intra-abdominal pressure by almost one and a half times.
• When using a belt, the technique of performing the exercise does not change.
• The belt squat slightly increases quadriceps and hamstring activity during the exercise.
• A one-day study showed no decrease in oblique and transverse muscle activity during belt squats. In the long term, it is difficult to assess the effect, not least because of the problems of taking readings from internal muscles, as well as the virtual lack of serious research. For these reasons, the question of the effectiveness of using the belt still remains open.

Please note, the athletic belt itself doesn't protect your back, but creates Better conditions for the body's natural defenses to work. That is, this is not additional protection, but an amplifier of existing protection. For this reason, it is contraindicated for beginners to use the belt. As mentioned above, your natural belt can handle quite a lot of loads, so the first step is to get into shape what you already have. Slowly, without haste, your body adapts to the stress. Along the way, you will study your body in detail, learn to listen to it, understand it and more accurately control it. This is a kind of foundation, without which going anywhere further is not only pointless, but also extremely dangerous to health.

Although there are no detailed large-scale studies regarding the effect of the athletic belt on the torso muscles, it is logical to assume that the constant presence of an “assistant” who takes on part of the work reduces the tone of the natural belt. The body gets used to the fact that it is constantly supported from the outside, and does not fully use its own stabilizers.

Psychological aspect

Sometimes in the gym you can see a picture that seems strange at first glance: a person puts on an athletic belt, but does a strength exercise that does not create a compressive load on the spine. For example, bench press from the chest. Why does he need a belt?

If a person is a lifter, that is, he does a bench press with a deflection of the body, then in this case the belt really helps to protect the lower back.

With horizontal exercises without lifting tricks, the belt works on a psychological level. It's all about sensations and associative memory. As mentioned above, an athletic belt helps stabilize the body. At the level of sensations, this primarily manifests itself as strong compression in the abdominal area. It’s as if something is tightly grasping, squeezing, shackling and protecting the body, like armor. In the brain, this state begins to be directly associated with reliability, safety and additional strength. On a psychological level, the belt turns into the shoulder of a faithful friend, with whom you feel more confident, and this feeling begins to be included in any exercise.

Athletic gloves work similarly if you use them for a long time. Even if you are training your legs and you don’t do anything with your hands at all, but without equipment you will feel uncomfortable and unprepared.

Does this mean that you need to do your entire workout wearing a belt? No. Even those who use the belt for other purposes do so only on approaches with submaximal weights and “one at a time”. Is it worth checking the psychological effect of using a belt in non-core exercises if you have never done it before? Probably not either. Having gotten used to the feeling of additional confidence with a belt, you risk acquiring constant uncertainty when performing exercises without it. It is much more promising to develop and strengthen your own mind, draw emotional strength from within and rely only on yourself.