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This is a common question I find from people who have a “body builder’ physique as their goal.  They see monstrous men, or juveniles using a weight belt whilst lifting.?

The idea that weight belts are good for increasing stability is both right and wrong. Short term, sure, a weight belt will provide stability when doing extremely heavy Squats or Dead lifts for example.   However, very few people, with the exception of power lifters will in fact use this tool correctly, and then they only use the belt for maximal lifts! Long term usage of a weight belt actually tends to weaken your extensor chain and eventually causes reliance on the belt.?

A common argument is that peoples backs get sore if they don’t wear the belt…Of course it does, the muscle has not been trained to support your body weight, never mind external forces applied to it through strength training. A private joke between properly educated personal trainers is those gym goers who use their belts for every exercise?  This is obviously ridiculous, and totally laughable. If you need a belt to support you whilst doing barbell curls or bench press you are obviously completely oblivious to the proper usage!?

How this affects you??
Make sure that you focus on you spinal erectors as a muscle group and not as an afterthought. ?
Warming up properly (that is to the point of perspiration) and stimulating the extensor- and flexor chains prior to heavy lifting is essential.   Use your belt as little as possible. You might need someone qualified to help you to educate your muscles so that they can perform their proper function.  ?
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Kind regards

Jason Hough

Personal Trainer

Renaissance Body Science Institute

Mobile ( 27 ) 763 970 284

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