Lifting Belt - Wear to protect weak back or don't to strengthen?

[silver_shadow]

the belt helps you to maintain pressure inside the stomach while you lift.

 

[harbinator]

I may need to start wearing them if they help prevent hernia's. I'm pretty sure I've got my 2nd hernia in less than a year now and not real excited about paying for the surgery again.

 

[Johnny_Whoops]

No belt unless you are going real heavy. I think you rely on it too much and wind up going too heavy. I used to use a big boy all the time, and I got hurt with it on. Now I dead and squat with decent weight without and I feel much better about it overall. Also, my strength has gone up much faster without because I'm recuiting secondary muscles and am forced to use my abs and core.

 

[Sub-Zero]

i wear a belt for stuff like overhead press where there is alot of awkward tension on my lowback, and sometimes on bent over BB rows if iv done squats or deads before...

 

[H_T_]

transverse abdominus. learn how to train it...

 

[kish]

What about one of those elastic and velcro belts? They add pretty good support but they still have some give so you won't be totally dependant on it, thereby allowing you to condition your core with that added safety.

I had a wicked bike accident last fall. I got whiplash and hurt my lower back pretty good also. Without the belt I was'nt making any progress when I finally got back into training. Some days my back felt so twisted after even lighter workouts. Now I feel I'm almost at the point where I won't be needing it anymore. I'll probably wear it into total recovery tho, just to be safe.

 

[BiggT]

dont to strengthen gets my vote. dr. michael colgan says so.

ha...for once I agree with you and Dr. Michael Colgan