Are you considering purchasing your first lifting belt? 

Perhaps you have seen other people in your box using one, and you want to know more about why they are so popular and what benefits they can bring you.

Or maybe you have recently hit a bit of a plateau with your lifting, and you want to see what you can do to change that.

Whatever the case, this article will show when you should and shouldn’t use a weightlifting belt.

When You Shouldn’t Use a Lifting Belt

Firstly, let’s look at when you shouldn’t use a lifting belt. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing that one person in the gym doing bicep curls or sit-ups with a lifting belt on!

Aside from the obvious, here are some of the other instances where a belt won’t help:

1. When using gym machines: Machine weights do not require the additional stability of the belt, as you get that from the machine.
2. To improve form: A belt does not make a substitute for poor form. Nail down your lifting form before adding accessories into the mix.
3. For stabilization. One big issue people suffer from when using a lifting belt is core stabilization. You will need a strong core before gaining the benefits of a lifting belt.

When You Should Use a Lifting Belt

Now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s focus on when using a lifting belt would add many benefits to your lifts.

When used correctly, a weightlifting belt can help take your training to the next level. Heavy lifters swear by them, and some won’t even go close to the heavyweights if they aren’t strapped in.

Here are some of the reasons why you should use a lifting belt:

1. For injury prevention: When you are lifting heavy weights, the can of serious injury inevitably increases. A belt helps reduce the chance of those major injuries occurring.
2. To lift more weight: A lifting belt also helps you lift more weight by offering additional support and confidence. Even the mental benefits of knowing you are supported by a lifting belt will help push you to lift more weight.
3. To break plateaus: We’ve all had a moment where we get stuck on a particular weight from time to time. A lifting belt is a great way to break that plateau and take your lifts to the next level.
4. To reduce stress: Finally, wearing a lifting belt increases the intra-abdonimal pressure applied to your core, which compresses the discs in your lower back and greatly reduces stress.

Final Thoughts on Using a Lifting Belt

As you can see, there are several reasons you should opt to use a lifting belt. If you do decide to go for it and purchase a lifting belt, you want to pick one that offers high performance and quality without breaking the bank.

LYFT-RX offers a range of lifting belts for you to choose from. You can check them out here.