Weight belts

My husband and I have debated this one. I don't use a weight belt. For years I used one for squats, lunges and deadlifts only. I always felt like using it all the time made you back more dependent on it. Then I was training for my first competition, and my trainer told me to get rid of the belt. Now I feel like I'm better off with out it.

However, my husband has two degenerated disc in his lower back. Since I'm no doctor or expert, I wouldn't argue with him over using a weight belt.

Here is an article from ACE (American Council on Exercise) on their opinion of weight belts.

Support Wanes for Weightlifting Belts

Weightlifting belts do little to improve performance, concluded researchers at the Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y., after comparing the progress of 50 weightlifters, half of whom wore weightlifting belts.

All the men followed the same program, and their results were essentially the same. But there was an important difference: The men who did not use the weightlifting belt had better abdominal and back strength.

These results echo a previous study that found little to support the use of these belts.

While an individual may be able to lift about 20 percent more weight when they wear a back belt, this does not translate to 20 percent more protection for the spine.

Furthermore, other studies have found that the constant use of back belts leads to reliance as torso and back muscles begin to atrophy over time.
Only power lifters or those who lift extremely heavy weights appear to benefit from the use of weightlifting belts. But even these individuals would be better off doing their daily training without the aid of a belt.

Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Annual Meeting, New Orleans, La.

Does anyone else have some research reports that support or that doesn't support it? Just curious

Like I mentioned on another post... I've weaned myself off my belt... it took a long time but now I can safely squat, deadlift, etc... without a belt.

IG

For years I have been telling all my training clients to avoid using belts. Look at olympic lifters. About 20 years ago all olympic lifters wore belts...now they are virtually non existent. If a belt helps to lift more, then why dont they wear them?

this will sound dumb but I swear from my own personal experience it's worked for me...I only have used one on totally heavy lifts...never have I used them like some people I see who strap it on even for a warmup set...but when I stopped using a belt one summer I noticed my waist changing...I started using the best again and the trend stopped...I definitely was getting blockier without it...now granted it was probably something only I could see since I see myself in the mirror everyday but as a competitor who has to rely on asthetics I wasn't too happy about it...but I certainly don't rely on a belt...either I can lift it or I can't!