Weightlifting and derived modalities are activities that require the use of tools or equipment, as is the case in all sports. On this occasion, we are going to focus on one of the fundamental elements for the practice of this discipline, bodybuilding or lumbar belt. Without it, the most demanding exercises could not be done.
It is true that weightlifters have great strength in the abdominal and lumbar areas, but the overload of work to which the lower back is subjected forces them to seek protection through the aforementioned weight belts. Otherwise, it will be easier to get seriously injured.
The Most Important
- Weight belts are necessary to strengthen the lower back and abdominal area.
- The use of the weight lifting belt prevents us from suffering a serious injury in the lower back area.
- In the purchase criteria, we will see the main characteristics that weight belts meet, the materials of their manufacture, the types of closure, or the importance of a perfect fit.
The Best Weight Belts on the Market: Our Recommendations
The market offers us a wide variety of weight belts. Next, we will see some of the best-selling models, those that have the best reviews from users and those that offer higher quality. Our health is at stake, so we must be careful when choosing a reliable product.
Preferred by Online Shoppers
This belt is the best-selling on the market, in addition to having rave reviews. It is not a high-end product, but it does offer all the guarantees and high performance, as well as a very low price compared to other models.
It has a contoured design (wide at the back and narrower at the sides) to optimize support and comfort, and it also features double lumbar support.
The Best Weight Belt for Professionals
The Ader brand belt is 3/8-inch thick and 4 ” wide, and is one of the best on the market. The black weightlifting belt is made of high-quality leather. use the belt to lift weights say it is solidly built, great as back support, and easy to adjust.
The Best Belt for Women
This belt is made from ultra-light and flexible nylon and features a 5 ” support panel designed for a woman’s body. It is available in three sizes: X-small (fits waist sizes 24-28 inches), small (28-32 inches), and medium (32-36 inches).
It also comes in three colors: red, pink, or purple.
The Most Durable Weight Belt
The Dark Iron Fitness Belt is made of the finest quality reinforced leather and promises not to break, tear or wear out. But tough as it is, the belt is comfortable and relatively lightweight.
Measuring 4 ” wide and 5mm thick, the belt also features a metal buckle as well as additional adjustment holes, allowing for a perfect fit. Best of all, the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty.
Self-Locking Weight Lifting Belt
Unlike other lifting belts that only rely on cheap straps to support your lifts, this weight lifting belt uses Self-Locking technology that will never wear down and risk injury during your olympic lifts. The self-locking buckle is extremely simple and easy to use, it releases immediately upon pulling the release roller, yet, will never open or slip no matter how big your lift!
ProFitness Genuine Leather Workout Belt
This belt made from premium-grade leather, our workout belt won’t stretch, tear or slip while you’re working out; no matter how much weight you throw up. In fact, this heavy duty fitness belt features an adjustable, double prong roller buckle to stay in place while you’re bending, lifting, squatting and straining. Better yet, it helps you maintain proper form and balance so you never lose sight of your goals due to injury.
Shopping Guide: Everything You Should Know About Weight Belts
The knowledge of any product that we are going to acquire is essential to make a successful purchase. Next, we are going to discover the most important aspects and characteristics of weight belts. With this, we will obtain the necessary information to choose the article that best suits our needs.
What are weight belts?
When we are faced with an overload of work on the lower back, whether due to work or sports, we need the help of the strength belts. They are in charge of protecting our lumbar and abdominal areas when they are subjected to great effort, avoiding the appearance of injuries, which can sometimes have very negative consequences.
How to choose weight belts?
The choice of belts for weights depends solely and exclusively on each person. The first thing is to know your needs. If you are starting in the world of weights, what is your level of load, the economic possibilities? In short, it requires an analysis that we can only help you by providing as much information as possible about the product.
An important aspect is that you feel comfortable, always guaranteeing the main thing, which is the safety that the belt should provide. For this reason, in the beginning, good products are usually recommended, but made of less expensive materials. Enough, taking into account that it is normal for the work required to be lower than at higher sporting levels.
What weight belt is required for each training style?
It is recommended that the chosen weight belt meets the characteristics demanded by each training style. Powerlifting (powerlifting) is a discipline of force that we must lift the greatest weight in three movements. Weightlifting (Olympic lifting) also runs in three steps. We see it in the following table:
| Powerlifting | Weightlifting |
|---|---|
| Power lift | Olympic Uprising |
| Squat, bench press and deadweight | Outburr, clean and shaken |
| Maximum force is used | More technique and force-speed are used more |
| Width and consistent in shape | Width at the back, some with extra padding, and narrow to the front |
| Abdominal growth is limited to protect the spine | Greater freedom to execute the movement |
In what exercises is it recommended to use the weight belts?
There are many exercises in which we must use the weight belt. However, as we have commented previously, it is only necessary if the weight to be lifted or the effort is great. One must calculate this circumstance, although it is always better to buckle up when in doubt. These are some of the exercises that require protection:
- Squats
- Deadweight
- Hip extensions
- Curl Biceps
- Trapezius (with barbell around the neck)
- Press Military (strengthens shoulders, triceps, and abdominal area)
- Bent over row with barbells or dumbbells
- Horizontal row
- Good morning (exercise to develop lumbar muscles)
When should we use weight belts?
It has become clear that weight belts are essential when training or competing, but we also point out that they should not be used constantly. As long as the exercises do not involve a great effort or work with very high loads, you can exclude it from your training. It is crucial that you develop your lumbar muscles.
As you do with the rest of your muscles, you have to work the lower back and abdominal area, since they are the ones that give you stability and balance in all movements. If you limit the work of these muscles, you will reduce their development. In addition, when you do not use the weight belt, the risk of injury will be very high.
Did you know that weightlifting originates from China in 3600 BC? However, the current modalities began to be practiced in the 19th century.
Do weight belts increase the athlete’s performance?
It is the eternal discussion that takes place between the practitioners of these sports modalities who use the weight belt. Some are betting on the advantage of reducing the risk of injury. Others consider that its use delays the development of the abdominal, lumbar, pelvic, buttock, and deep spinal muscles.
That is, it prevents strengthening the main areas to give stability and facilitate movements. In the end, as in almost all aspects of life, balance is the best option. Therefore, we have to work all those muscles without excess so that they acquire the necessary strength. And then wear the belt when we go to great lengths.
What are the most recognized brands of weight belts?
As in almost all sports products that are used for high competition, in addition to their amateur or training uses, manufacturers of weightlifting belts carry out very serious studies to offer high-quality items. They also offer cheaper products, trying to maintain the good performance of the high ranges as much as possible.
- RDX: It is a manufacturer of products for contact sports, martial arts, and sportswear, highly specialized in boxing, Muay Thai, and MMA (mixed martial arts). Among his items are weightlifting belts. By creating and manufacturing its own products, which undergo strict quality control, it achieves very competitive prices.
- Dark Iron Fitness: This firm manufactures creative and innovative accessories for exercises and gyms, such as weight lifting belts. It has a team of professionals selected for their exceptional physical condition, knowledge of health, and passion for sports.
- Adidas: There is little to say that is not known about one of the top firms in the world in the manufacture of sports equipment. Innovation and quality are hallmarks that always accompany the powerful German company.
- CP Sports: It is the largest German manufacturer and supplier for the world market of bodybuilding and fitness. It has been offering quality products for decades and has a wide range of items, including weightlifting belts.
Purchase criteria
The thickness, width, or fit are some of the criteria that we must assess before deciding on a weight belt. We must feel comfortable and protected, so the manufacturing materials and the closure system are aspects to take into account when we are going to acquire this product.
Thickness
Weightlifting belts have different thicknesses, although the main ones are 10 and 13 millimeters. The thickest ones support the abs better and are used by professional and elite competitors, as well as by athletes who practice CrossFit (training technique with movements of various disciplines). Fans wear the thinnest.
Materials
The materials with which the weightlifting belts are made are another aspect to consider. Depending on your level, you can choose a higher or lower quality model. Beginners do not need such a demanding product and will benefit in the economic chapter. These are the main materials and their characteristics:
- Leather: Those chosen by professional athletes. They are thicker and have better support. They can be made of suede or higher quality leather.
- Nylon: They are lighter than leather, but it is not recommended to use them to lift heavyweights. They do have more rigidity and are more resistant than foam belts.
- Foam: They are usually used by people who lift little weight or beginners. They are comfortable, have good breathability and their price is the most economical.
Adjustment
Find the model that best fits the area between the ribs and the waist. It is important that it is done correctly to avoid discomfort or injury while lifting. Comfort is also a positive factor in achieving better performance, so a width of 10 centimeters is sufficient unless very heavyweights are lifted.
Type of lift
Depending on the type of lift we are going to perform, we need a belt with different characteristics. On this occasion, we will distinguish two equally important cases, the use for competition and the use for training or other modalities of this sport. They are the following types:
- Weights: This type of lifting includes the Olympic, bodybuilding, Crossfit, and training. They wear 10 cm wide belts in the lower part of the back.
- Competition: Used by those who lift very high weights in squats or deadlifts. To give the torso more rigidity and keep the spine straight, they are between 10 and 15 millimeters thick, although for training purposes, since in official competition they cannot exceed 13 millimeters.
Closing
Among the closure systems, we find three types. The lever is the most reliable, but adjusting it has its difficulty. A good option is a buckle, common in higher quality belts. The least recommended is the velcro, not very resistant. We see the characteristics of all of them below:
- Velcro: Quick and easy to put on and take off. These are usually the closures of nylon belts. Over time and use they wear out, ceasing to fit perfectly.
- Buckle: Common in leather belts. Some have double closures, which is highly recommended for an ideal fit.
- Lever: The strongest and safest lock. The only downside is that you need a screwdriver to tighten it.
Summary
We have seen the great importance of weight lifting belts for the proper development of various sports modalities, or physical exercises, which have to do with the overload to which we submit the abdominal and lumbar area. With the help of this tool, we avoid injuries that can be of great importance.
But we also verify that the use of weight belts should not be abused. They must be used with caution, but the lumbar and abdominal muscles need to be worked like the rest of the others. Not surprisingly, they are essential to provide stability and balance in movements.
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(Featured image source: by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash)