Using a Weight Lifting Belt Correctly

Posted on July 14, 2010 | Category: Featured, Fitness Trivia

Whether you’re using them in the gym, to move furniture, or for something else, wearing a weight lifting belt can help you to keep your back straight and prevent injuries or help to stop existing injuries from getting worse.  But, this only happens if you know how to use them right.  Here are some tips on how to use your lifting belt correctly.

First, whether you have a weight lifting belt on or not, always use correct form when you are lifting.  Belts are a crutch to help you keep proper form when you’re lifting heavy objects, but they’re no substitute for proper form.  In fact, since you will be lifting more weight with a belt than you most likely would have otherwise, you might even end up injuring yourself even worse if you don’t keep your technique correct with a belt on.

Next, always, always, always make sure that you only lift as much as you can handle.  With a belt on sometimes it can become easy to lift a lot more than you normally would.  While maxing out in the weight room is something that you should be doing from time to time make sure that you do it correctly and with a spotter watching you.  Attempting to do a lot more than you otherwise would runs the risk of having your form break down and once again, causing a major injury to your back.

Finally, make sure that you find a belt that fits and is comfortable on you.  The belt should be able to be tightened so that it keeps pressure on your back and abs and the back of the belt should be big enough to give your back support, but not too big so that it covers your entire back and then really offers no support.

Following these three steps should keep you injury free and help you use your lifting belt correctly.

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