Weight Belts?

[Steinkalt]

I was at the Gym this morning and this peen was doing 20lb DB curls wearing a weight belt. After I luaghed my ass off I began to wonder if I need to wear one while I squat and DL. I have never wore one before and don't experience any discomfort. What the opinion on weight belts in this forum?

[LIL-ONE]

it depends on what you as a person are comfotable with...maybe that person you saw had a previous injury and was playing it safe...for some people its easier to practice better form with the weight belt... however its really a personal decision... you have nothing to lose by wearing it... however some people also feel uncomfortable with it on..its all about what you feel right doing!

[MDC]

This has been discussed at length in the exercise forum in recent weeks. Many say that it's best to not wear a belt except for the heaviest sets of deadlifts and squats. Reasoning is that the belt prevents your trunk from developing strength that it otherwise would.

[ctgblue]

Here's some of the posts I've made about it.


Anyway
1. Why do people feel the need to wear them at the water fountain?
2. Who needs a belt to do flat bench for reps?
3. Lat pulldowns & a belt???

The problem is that most people think the belt is a magic device that will save them from harm, this lets them think they can cheat on form and get away with it. NOT TRUE.
As you found out, a belt is simply a crutch in most situations.
I only use a belt near the top 20-25% of my weight limit in big exercises.
Most people neglect the basic necessity, GOOD MIDSECTION WORK.
The abs and lower back must both be equally strong to avoid an imbalance. How many people do you see doing crunches? A lot, right? How many of them do hyperextensions or good mornings? What are those, right? Imbalance.
Those people that wear a belt 24/7 in the gym, a lot of them are the guys swinging the weights every which way, aren't they? Yep. No concept of form.
How come big Paul Anderson could squat 900lbs with no belt or knee wraps? Because he never used one and learned how to strengthen his own NATURAL belt, his midsection.
A belt should only be used on the really heavy sets and is designed to ASSIST in stabilizing the midsection, it does not DO the work for you.
I will post some links to articles, that I can't access from work, later.

If I see you with your belt on tight at the water fountain in front of me, you better damn well be trying to deadlift the fountain out of the wall!! Or I'll smack ya :p

Here are those article links:
http://www.testosterone.net/html/121back.html
http://www.testosterone.net/html/122back.html
http://www.testosterone.net/html/123back.html

And a good one that discusses how to use the belt when squatting big: http://www.testosterone.net/html/body_149squat.html
I only wear mine on my heavier sets of squats and deads or when I am doing higher reps with moderate-heavy weight where I may lose form in the last few. And, just like when I dropped my straps from my deadlifts, I have gotten stronger by NOT using a belt all the time.

[LittleSwole]

I always where one when I train back,shoulder,legs