Weight Belts … Friend or Foe ?
I was given Stuart McGill’s Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance by a client , great book. After reading the chapter discussing this I bring it to you . Personally , Iam not a fan of the weight belt . To me it’s a “wait” and see belt , wait to see how deconditioned your back is after using it. When I see gym goers weraing them I shutter.
Here are some of the key points of Stuart McGill’s research :
If you never injured your back, wearing a belt adds no safety.
If you injure yourself while wearing a belt, the injury is more severe.
To get the most out of weight belts, you must lift with bad technique.
If you want to lift a few more pounds, wear a weight belt.
What do you think ? Friend or Foe ?
Ah, the weight belt debate. I believe a weight belt (like a bench jacket) is a piece of equipment that has a purpose. I hardly ever see it used properly but the purpose is still there.
1) If you’ve never injured your back, and you don’t wish to, then a weight belt is the right tool for lifting a maximum amount of weight for a record or competition.
2) If you get an injury while properly using a weight belt, YES, the injury is typically more severe because you would be lifting more weight than your body can naturally handle.
3) If you want to get the most out of a weight belt you DO NOT need to use bad technique. You need to use a modified technique to adapt to the belt.
4) If you are at your absolute 1-2 rep maximum and you still want to lift a few more pounds, a weight belt can help that to happen. If you just want to move more weight without becoming as strong as your physique can ultimately become, you would be better served by improving your technique.
I have a buddy that moves furniture for a living and for him the belt is a friend. For most I see with them in a gym setting, its a foe because it hiders them from developing without it first.