Another mistake the weightlifters make is by tightening the belt to the point where you probably are strangling your core. You need to understand that tighter is not better, over or under-tightening the belt can have adverse effects on your body while lifting.
3. Belt-Tightness Mistakes
Another mistake the weightlifters make is by
tightening the belt to the point where you
probably are strangling your core. You need to
understand that tighter is not better, over or
under tightening the belt can have adverse
effects on your body while lifting.
4. Over-tightening the Belt
If you are wearing your belt like the ones you
use to hold your pants up, stop! you are doing it
all wrong! It usually happens when you tighten
the belt on your waist circumference at rest and
you are not breathing properly.
5. No Room to Breathe
If you are holding your breath while putting on
your belt you are likely to leave no room for
yourself to breathe out. If you are not leaving
enough room for your stomach to expand when
you breathe out, you will not be able to brace
and create tension in your core muscles.
6. Ignoring Bloating
Bloating is normal and natural. If you do not
accept the simple fact that your waist size can
fluctuate in a day, you will be prone to make the
mistake of wearing the belt on your usual, fixed
spot. There is no constant spot!
7. What is the ideal belt tightness?
Make sure you are wearing the belt in the right
position and place it above your hip bone and
around your waist. Take a deep breath and clasp
the belt while your stomach is relaxed so that
you have enough room to breathe properly. The
belt should be tight but not too tight! A general
rule of thumb is that you should be able to slide
in your fingers with little effort. Make sure that
your abs have enough belt space to push against
during heavy lifts.
8. Ideal Belt Tightness for Squats
When doing weighted squats, usually people
prefer to wear the belt tighter. One of the
reasons is whilst doing squats most people wear
the belt lower on the torso towards the hip
bone. If the belt is too tight at the bottom of the
squat, you may lose tension and will
automatically feel a lack of power.
9. Ideal Belt Tightness for Deadlifts
When it comes to deadlifts, lifters usually prefer
a looser fit in comparison to when performing
squats. It is preferable to wear the belt a little
higher, and closer to your waistline to avoid any
unease the belt may cause.
10. Ideal Belt Tightness for Bench Press
The upper body muscles are involved in bench
presses like pectorals, arms, and shoulders.
Usually, powerlifters do not wear a belt when
bench pressing. However, you can still wear the
belt and you can wear it pretty tight because the
bench press does not involve any folding or
bending of the torso.
11. Are you activating your abs?
Let’s clear a misconception! Weightlifting
belts are not only designed to support your
lower back, they are also designed to help your
abdominal wall, and help create intra-abdominal
pressure. A lifting belt is used to increase the
internal pressure in the abs. As a result, it allows
you to lift heavier and for longer periods.
12. Are you using the right belt?
There are different types of belts, designed for
specific purposes like powerlifting belts, velcro
belts & bodybuilding training belts. The type of
material used in belts also varies according to
the type of lifting they are used for. The most
popular types of weightlifting belts are leather,
neoprene and nylon belts.
13. Make sure that the belt you choose aligns with
your fitness goals. If you will be powerlifting, the
belt you select should be suitable for power
lifting like sturdy belts. Similarly, for an Olympic
weightlifter, bodybuilder, or CrossFit the
weightlifting belt must serve the purpose it has
been designed for.
