|
 |
|
 |
Free
Training
Newsletter!
Have
a look at some of the articles published in previous issues
of BetterU News...
• Strong
To The Core of Your Being - Dramatically improve sports
and weightlifting performance and say goodbye to lower back
pain!
•
Secret
Training Tip #345 - I Can't Believe You Just Did That
Exercise On That Machine!
•
RANT
- Move over Dennis Miller--I've Got Some Things To Say
About Health, Fitness and Nutrition.
Sign
up now!
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Weight belts are the most abused pieces of personal equipment
in the gym and can actually cause more problems than they
prevent. There are a number of types of belts ranging
from Velcro-attached nylon belts to heavy-duty leather
belts to air bladder, pump-up belts.
 |
- They
are simply not necessary for most of the exercises
people use them on.
- Repeated
overuse of belts will weaken your back if you
continually rely on them unnecessarily.
- The
reason for this is that you are no longer relying
on your own natural weight belt: your abdominals.
|
Here is a technique you can use instead of a weight belt:
- Just
before each set you do of an exercise that could compromise
your back, breathe in and suck in your gut.
- Hold
it in and keep your chest and ribcage high. Don't
hold your breath through the entire exercise, though.
This is just a technique to help stabilize your core!
As you perform the exercise, you DO want to breathe
- I like to tell people to breathe through pursed
lips like you're blowing up a balloon
- This
technique will activate the Transverse
Abdominus muscle which acts as a natural
weight belt inside you.
- As
you keep using this technique you will find that your
back and abdominals will be much stronger. You may
even find that your back pain goes away.
When
to use them and when not to use them:
- They
are only possibly needed for exercises such as squats,
deadlifts, power cleans, overhead pressing, bent-over
rows, etc. that use a lot of weight and put your back
in a vulnerable position.
- Even
then, they should not be used for anything less than
maximum lifting attempts.
- Do
not use a belt for bench press, pushdowns, laterals,
etc. If you need a belt for those, you're doing them
wrong.
-
If you do use a weight belt for heavy work, be sure
to remove it immediately after your set.
- Do
not wear belts too tight as they can reduce blood
flow in your abdomen and lower back if they are excessively
constricting.
|
