Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 382, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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How impotant is a BodyBuilding Belt?

Octw1
Octw1
Posts: 12
Joined: 2003/06/12
United States
2003/09/24, 10:02 PM
I am asking because my back hurts whenever I do back exercise, is it really important? and what are the benefits?

Thank you
Philia2
Philia2
Posts: 4,078
Joined: 2001/10/19
France
2003/09/25, 02:01 AM
I use a belt when I lift heavy or do long sets with many reps.
For me it really helps my back but I'll always still be very strict about training my lower back muscles so they will never weaken.

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- Nina :o) Les Victoires éternelles sont celles du coeur.
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2003/09/25, 08:33 AM
I think you need to have a trainer check your form and figure out why your back is getting sore. You probably either have a postural cause or low back weakness, which means you need to focus on strengthening your back and your abdominals.
Don't try and go heavier than you can handle, and don't jerk the weights around.
Weight belts have their place in certain events and lifts, but they have really fallen out of use because they don't lend that much support and they do let the back and girdle muscles get lazy, causing a higher liklihood of injury. They also lend the wearer a false sense of stregth, causing them to believe they can move heavier weights than they should, leading to injury.
The guys (at the gym I worked at) who wore belts were the ones who had really bad form and were missing for weeks at a time because they had pulled something or injured their low backs.
You are better off building a strong core and adding weight on big lifts gradually and with good form, so that you don't need the support.
Good luck!

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Challenge + Consistency = Results
drio
drio
Posts: 288
Joined: 2003/04/22
United States
2003/09/25, 10:56 AM
I agree with the ladies. Unless you're lifting BIG I would try to stregthen your back muscles. (they're often overlooked) I had cronic back pain which is actually what motivated me to hit the gym in the first place.

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Dont wait! Procrastinate NOW! =)