If you need a weight lifting belt to protect your back during long lifting sessions, you may be wondering what type of belt you should get. If you’re recovering from an injury, especially a spinal injury or serious muscle strains or teacher, you should always ask a doctor before you start on any other weight lifting program.
A belt supports the back differently than a back brace, so you shouldn’t confuse the two. When you are doing a normal weight lifting exercise, such as the squat, wearing a belt not only reduces the pressure on the lower back, but it also helps to reduce compression on the spinal discs by as much as 50%.
He will be able to tell you what you should get and what type of exercises you are doing. However, if you just need one to protect your back, read on to find out what type of one you need.
You will have to do is find a belt that actually fits. There are two parts to this:
First, you will need to make sure that the belt fits your waist. For belts with a quick-release system, this is not too much of a problem because you can adjust the belt as you need to for a custom fit every time.
However, if you’re using a belt with a hook and pin system you need to make sure that the belt will fit snugly around you.
Sizes are not always the best guide either, because sometimes the pinholes will be a little too close or too far to give you the fit that you need making the belt nearly useless.
The only way that you will know for sure what belt fits you is to try it on, so make sure that you buy one from an online retailer with a good return policy or you try it on in the store before you buy it.
The next thing you need to look for in size is the actual height of the back of the belt. This ranges from four to six inches and the taller you are, generally the bigger belt you will want. However, personal preference also plays a role here.
Some taller people may feel more comfortable with a smaller belt, so once again, try on any belt that you’re thinking about buying in the store or as soon as it comes in the mail before you make a final decision on it.
The belt should fit snugly and give you support.
The second thing that you will need to decide is whether you want a nylon belt or a leather belt. Leather belts are preferred by some weightlifters because they offer more support, especially for deadlifts and squats.
However, they also can be rougher on your skin and constricting when you try to do compound movements like clean jerks. Nylon belts, on the other hand, have a slight amount of more give to them so they work better for powerlifters.
They are also gentler on the skin, which is great for people with more sensitive skin. Which type of belt you choose will depend on the type of lifting that you are doing and your personal preferences.
There are different types of belts and all are not suited for the same purpose. A 4-inch belt is one that most people use. It is good for lifting up to 500 pounds. A belt that is a full 6 inches in the back, tapers to 3 inches on the sides and then widens to 4 inches in front is best for taller individuals.
It provides excellent abdominal coverage. A powerlifting belt is built with reinforced neoprene. This makes it more durable and stronger. This belt has a stainless steel buckle so that it is an exact fit. You can also have a leather powerlifting belt.
When you decide that you need a belt to give you support when lifting weights, you need to check the belt to make sure you have the right support.
