Weight lifting belts can be fantastic performance boosters, but very often they are misunderstood – and often misused. So let’s break down what slings actually do and when you can really benefit from wearing one.
You’ve probably seen someone in the gym wearing a heavy weight lifting belt and wondering if it would make them lift better or more safely. The latter is actually the common perception; after a Study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning the majority of the surveyed belt wearers wear a belt because they believe that it helps prevent injuries. It is unclear whether this theory will hold up in practice as we could not find peer-reviewed studies specifically looking at the relationship between weightlifting belt use and the incidence of injury events in the gym.
However, we can take the notice from studies in manual work environments, such as: this one in JAMA, which shows that wearing a back support belt when lifting heavy objects at work did not appear to reduce the incidence of back injuries or lower back pain. In short, don’t put a belt on because you think it will protect you from bad ideas in the gym. A sling isn’t there for that anyway.
How do weight lifting belts work?
In reality, a weight lifting belt primarily supports your abs and is not intended to directly support your back. It sounds backwards, but here’s why: the belt acts like a second set of abs to prepare your entire body to lift heavy loads, which we discussed earlier We’ve talked here about strengthening your core. The short version is that as you prepare for these super-heavy exercises, you should breathe deeply through your stomach and hold it, a method of “breathing” known as the. referred to as Valsalva maneuver.
The Valsalva maneuver helps create intra-abdominal pressure that cushions and supports your spine. And this is exactly where a weight lifting belt unfolds its strength. When you wear one, you breathe deeply into your stomach, which is pressed against your abs. This amplifies the effects of this intra-abdominal pressure, which in turn protects your back and helps it cope with the stress of heavier loads. These Studied medicine and science in sports and exercise confirms that the resulting pressure is greater and builds up faster than without a belt.
The sling increases your lifting efficiency and may allow you to put out a little more weight than without. Of course, that assumes that you know how to lift properly and use the right technique. You may end up lifting a little more weight and getting more stability where you need it (your torso and torso).
But – and here’s a big but – just wearing a belt won’t automatically improve your strength and lifting ability. There is a learning curve to wearing it and lifting it with one on (just like there is a learning curve to properly applying and lifting intra-abdominal pressure). Sure, some can reap the benefits right away, but it will take a bit of work for most to click.
When you really benefit from a weight lifting belt
It just depends on your performance goals. If you’re serious about lifting heavier and getting stronger, wear a plain belt. If you regularly do squats and deadlifts very close to your maximum weight or want to break a plateau, try a belt.
If you put a belt on and use it properly, the sky will part, birds will sing, and your deadlift or squat (or both) will get a noticeable boost. In this excellent weightlifting belt analysisGreg Nuckols, writes that well-trained belt users can typically move 5-15% more weight for the same sets and reps, and are able to push or lift the same weight for the same weight in an extra couple of reps same number of repetitions with less effort. That’s pretty significant!
We can take this as an indication that belted training is likely to help you get stronger over time than belted training. This is useful to get more “work” (i.e. Lift more weight and do more repetitions) and continuously push your body to improve, a process called progressive overload. In the long run, you can gain more muscle mass and strength.
When do you not need a weight lifting belt?
When it comes to building strength and performance in the gym, it’s hard to argue against wearing a belt, but there are some big red flags here. You probably want to avoid using a belt if:
- You have high blood pressure or certain medical conditions: If you have health problems like uncontrolled high blood pressure or conditions that can be made worse by intra-abdominal pressure (like an inguinal hernia), you shouldn’t wear a belt (or even use Valsalva). We discussed that also in our breath article, but this warning doubles in this case as a belt further increases both intra-abdominal pressure and blood pressure. Pregnancy is another time to avoid intra-abdominal pressure, even if you can still fit your belt.
- You can’t lift heavy weights with good technique or don’t know how to stabilize your body without a belt: Belts don’t magically undo bad shape. Without Tension Your core, there is a good chance that you are not properly stabilizing your body for heavy loads. The belt doesn’t support you, it just helps you get more pressure. That said, feeling like your core muscles are pressing into your belt can give you feedback that will help you learn how to better contract yourself.
- You’re not doing squats, deadlifts, or doing a lot of overhead presses: No, you don’t need a belt for bicep curls.
If you’re doing heavy squats, deadlifts, and presses and intend to keep doing them, it’s never too early to get yourself a belt as long as you learn how to use it first rather than expecting it to solve problems for you. We have Here is a guide on how to choose your first weightlifting or powerlifting belt.
Weight lifting belts are a “sometimes” accessory
A weight lifting belt is not a fashion statement; It is a training device. You don’t have to rely on the belt for everyone. Single. Exercise.
Most strength athletes prefer to use a belt for Squats and Deadliftwhere a little extra support can keep the spine from buckling during these strength exercises. Many experienced strength athletes put the belt on for almost maximum exertion and take it off for regular exercise and warm-up. Just so we can make it clear, “almost max” is a weight that is 80% or more of your maximum stroke. The exact percentage is often arbitrary, so wear it if you think you really need the extra support on large lifts. Some lifters only bring it out for their top sets; others belt all of their working sets for a consistent feel from set to set. Knowing when to wear it and when you are inexperienced and may also depend on your training style (high volume versus low volume, for example).
For all other times when you’re not lifting cosmic weight in a squat or deadlift, you don’t have to carry it. In fact, if you can and do wear it all the time, you are probably not wearing it properly. The belts should feel tight enough that they sit in the same place, but not so tight that you cut off blood flow. With it buckled up you should still be able to take deep breaths, but you won’t be wearing it comfortably between sets.
Not every fitness visitor needs (or wants) a weight lifting belt. It’s useful, but not a requirement. Just think about when they will and will not help you and use them accordingly. They are tools – not championship belts to show off in the gym.
This article was originally published in March 2016 and updated on June 3, 2021 to include updated links and to bring the content in line with the current Lifehacker style.
