Well If The Belt Fits
What do they do?
Weight lifting belts should be a staple for every weight-lifting athlete that want to maximize their results. . Great gains require an intense set of workout routines, and for that you’ll need a solid belt to ‘have your back’.
Every serious athlete knows that a good belt will not only aid the workout but will also make sure that the body is not taking the unnecassary strain, which can lead to injury. The common perception is that a weightlifting belt supports your back when it does a lot more than that.
It strengthens the spine when lifting from the control and pressure generated by your abdominal muscles.. You can work out with greater intensity without worrying about injury.
Another misconception is that belts make your abs weaker, but that idea is wrong because they instead make your muscles strong by generating pressure.
How do they work?
You must have noticed that your trainers ask you to use certain breathing mechanisms in a variety of durations while training. The purpose of breath control is to have maximum oxygen intake in a routine and to stabilize your core and lumbar spine for a safe and efficient lifting by sending oxygen as much as you can to your muscles. When you lift, your belt becomes the second set of abs that braces you for heavy lifting. Breathing deeply aligns with the belt, pushing against your abs while pressuring the spine. This helps avoid injury. Serious lifters, require seriously durable belts. RDX Sports has a wide collection that adhere to all sorts of lifting and exercises. You can go through them here
It is a proven study that belt users can lift 5-15% more weight than non-belt users. And when you see it from a trainer’s perspective, it is a huge achievement.
Types of Belts
The two main types of belts are:
- Powerlifting belts
- Weightlifting Belts
Powerlifting belts are for people who exercise heavy lifting, do squats and deadlifts etc. While the latter is for people who are into Olympic lifting, Cross fit and bodybuilding.
Weight lifting belts work in a way that allows the breath control mechanism mentioned above work efficiently. They constrain the abdomen and give you a rigid and strong support. It also increases the intra-abdominal pressure to push forward. That itself is excellent for your abs. It is the best kind of belt since it increases your ability to lift.
The best option: RDX Leather 4” Padded Exercise Lifting Belt. It is made from excellent quality oil tanned Nubuck leather and while cushioning you, it will also support your lower back. Its shock absorbent leather will make sure you don’t strain yourself while lifting.
These belts are wider than the powerlifting belts because their intent is to provide a study support.
Power belts, on the other hand, keep your back warm while you do workouts that are otherwise hard to do while you are wearing a weight lifting belt. The first difference a powerlifting belt and a weight lifting belt is that the former has the same width all the way around. Minimum 10mm thick and made from the best leather there is. Secondly, when you lift, when you lift your abdominals are pressed against the front of the belt and since powerlifting belt has a larger and thicker area at the front, it is able to generate better strength to lift such as the key lifts of squat and deadlift. And if in exercise, your main focus is squats or deadlifts, then your best bet would be RDX 10mm Power Lever Belt that has some amazing powerlifting strength with shock absorption. It also retains its shape so no matter how big your muscles are, this belt will save you from getting too much strain, and very easy to apply thanks to the Leclo lock.
Material Variation
Frequently, belts are made with high-quality leather since it’s durable. Weight lifting belts are made of Neoprene foam or high-quality leather or Nylon. Curved belt designs are very comfortable as well as strong. They reduce stress on your body and add strength while eliminating swinging loads for a safe workout every time.
They all add to the efficiency of the belt. Make sure that the belt you choose is:
- Of the right width
- Comfortably thick
- Single prong or lever to secure the belt
- Good quality material
How to wear a belt
If you don’t know how to wear a belt properly, whatever the type is, it won’t help your exercise routine. Learning how to use it requires time and practice, but don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it. The best way is to wear the belt tightly but not too tight and squat down. It will settle in a place most effective for you. But you have to figure out how tight you can wear the belt. Just put it on, practice some breathing exercises mentioned at the beginning of this article and you’ll be able to know if it is too tight or too loose or perfect.
When do you use it?
Now that you have decided what material to pick and how to wear the belt, you need to know when you can wear it. Squatting with a weight lifting belt makes you stronger in a sense that you can lift more or move a weight faster. It ultimately means more muscle activity in hamstrings and quadriceps, it also reduces the pressure on your lower back and increases pressure on your abdomen helping your abs.
So use the weightlifting belt when you are using heavier sets and intense workouts. Weightlifting belts are 70%-80% more effective than power belts.
If your focus is power movements like squat, deadlift etc. then you have to choose powerlifting belt. But if your key goal is to lift more then you have to choose from a nice range of belts.
RDX Sports makes products that are built to enhance and protect our athletes. So lift high, lift hard, and lift heavy knowing we’ve ‘got your back’.