To Belt of Not to Belt?
- By Sil Bona
- •
- 14 Jan, 2018
When should you use a belt?
To belt or not to belt, that is the question. Whey do we use a belt? Most believe it's to protect our backs and to a point this is true. However, when using a belt, we utilize the Valsalva Effect, which is well known for increasing intra-abdominal pressure. We all do it subconsciously, at least most os us do, when we hold our breath during the duration of a lift. But how does a belt help? Simple, as we create intra-abdominal pressure, we apply that pressure against the belt and we in turn have added stability throughout the trunk. So what are the benefits of using a belt vs. not using a belt?
I used to only "belt up" when I was approaching ignore percentage lifts and this took place for years. There's nothing wrong with that approach as my goal was to allow my abdominal muscles to do most of the stabilizing work without assistance. This is believed to increase core strength and I'm a firm believer that beginners need to do just that. If you do have back issues, it would however be a good idea to focus on accessory abdominal and core work and use a belt for assistance when lifting.
One of the main reason you see bodybuilders, or physique athletes belt up is to keep their stomach small. Creating constant intra-abdominal pressure and using your abs to stabilize during heavy lifts will make your abs grow. After all, your abs are muscles and respond to stimuli the same way any other muscle would. So constantly using a belt does two things. First, it creates a weaker core, and secondly it allows you to have a smaller waist. Some of us do want smaller waists but still want a strong core, so how do we accomplish this?
I suggest you focus on core work 3 days a week as part of your training program. Consider using a belt for high volume, and heavy lifting workouts but try unbelting for light weight use, warmups, and workouts that are conditioning based. We still need to work those stabilizers and if we consistently rely on the belt, we will create a weaker core and will actually be more prone to back injury in the longterm. In one of my interviews with celebrity trainer Chris Powel, who focused on lifting, and CrossFit training, ended up trying out Physique. This meant less lifting, and more body sculpting. He used a belt for EVERYTHING in order to shrink his waist. This may sound good but it's not. He used a belt to cause his abdominal muscles that were strong from years of training to atrophy and it worked. When he did start lifting again, he hurt his back badly due to the lack of core strength generated by constant belt use.
The take-home here is that the best is simply a tool, and like all tools they should be used when necessary.
I used to only "belt up" when I was approaching ignore percentage lifts and this took place for years. There's nothing wrong with that approach as my goal was to allow my abdominal muscles to do most of the stabilizing work without assistance. This is believed to increase core strength and I'm a firm believer that beginners need to do just that. If you do have back issues, it would however be a good idea to focus on accessory abdominal and core work and use a belt for assistance when lifting.
One of the main reason you see bodybuilders, or physique athletes belt up is to keep their stomach small. Creating constant intra-abdominal pressure and using your abs to stabilize during heavy lifts will make your abs grow. After all, your abs are muscles and respond to stimuli the same way any other muscle would. So constantly using a belt does two things. First, it creates a weaker core, and secondly it allows you to have a smaller waist. Some of us do want smaller waists but still want a strong core, so how do we accomplish this?
I suggest you focus on core work 3 days a week as part of your training program. Consider using a belt for high volume, and heavy lifting workouts but try unbelting for light weight use, warmups, and workouts that are conditioning based. We still need to work those stabilizers and if we consistently rely on the belt, we will create a weaker core and will actually be more prone to back injury in the longterm. In one of my interviews with celebrity trainer Chris Powel, who focused on lifting, and CrossFit training, ended up trying out Physique. This meant less lifting, and more body sculpting. He used a belt for EVERYTHING in order to shrink his waist. This may sound good but it's not. He used a belt to cause his abdominal muscles that were strong from years of training to atrophy and it worked. When he did start lifting again, he hurt his back badly due to the lack of core strength generated by constant belt use.
The take-home here is that the best is simply a tool, and like all tools they should be used when necessary.
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