Lifting belts? If you have ever been to a gym, you have undoubtedly seen someone wrapping a colossal sized belt around their stomach before they get ready to squat a bar (or in some gyms do a bicep curl…).
But what is the actual function of a Lifting belt??
They are often believed to be a physical barrier to stop you blowing your back out, and in a sense they do, but not as a physical reinforcement. They actually perform this by aiding the lifter to engage their core properly to protect their back. Our bones and joints are incredibly strong, and can resist a lot of punishment, but only if the supporting musculature is there to help. Without the aid of muscles around our joints, the bone and connective tissue takes too much load and will eventually wear away.
To prevent this when doing major compound lifts (Squat and Deadlift mostly) We need to make sure we have a strong rigid torso when lifting, Abs, obliques, diaphragm and pelvic floor all need to contract to do this. Which can be an uncomfortable thing to do and learn voluntarily.
The solution? Get a goliath sized belt and wrap it around your stomach nice and tight (Tight, but not like a corset unless you want to pass out from lack of breath). This gives us a nice solid barrier to breath into, and contract hard against. Making it easy to engage your ‘core’ during your lifts.
If you you have any other questions come see me – Coach Leon in the gym!
