How
To Choose The Right Weight Lifting Belt
By Vin Alex
When it comes to choosing the correct weight lifting belt, there
are a number of factors to consider. The most important thing to
first determine is what reasons you have for using a weight lifting
belt. There are three main reasons you would wear a weight lifting
belt; you either have injured your lower back; you are engaging
in heavy weight training and want to lift heavier whilst protecting
your back; or you want to show your involvement in bodybuilding
to all the other less serious, non-weightlifting belt wearing trainers
in the gym.
If you have already injured
your lower back and received advise from a professional to support
your back whilst lifting, they may have suggested a product for
you. Otherwise a light and relatively flexible weight lifting belt
will most likely be suitable, and considering it’s not something
you will be investing in long-term once you recover, a Nike weightlifting
belt that retails for around $30 might be what you’re after.
Http://www.nike.com
If you are looking for
a weightlifting belt for very heavy weight training, or for competitive
power lifting, there are a few things to consider. What level of
support do you need? Most power belts are 4”-6” wide
in the back, and which size you choose should relate to how tall
you are (a 6” back can be very restrictive for a shorter person)
and what your power lifting organization allows in its rules. It
should fit around your waist, sitting on top of your hips, and only
cause discomfort when it puts pressure on your hips and only during
a heavy lift. What kind of locking mechanism do you require? If
you are just a heavy gym lifter, a one or two-pronged buckle will
be fine, giving you the peace of mind that it’s secure and
generally looks a lot nicer than a quick release lever belt, like
those a power lifter will probably prefer to use. A power lifter
will usually prefer a lever belt because of the discomfort involved
in a heavily supported one rep attempt, as well as it being easy
for a training partner to tighten for them, and being able to get
it much tighter than a buckle. Again, you should consult your organization’s
rule book before deciding. Inzer makes the most reputable power
belts and they are usually under $100. http://www.inzernet.com
If wearing a
weightlifting belt is part of your gym attire and needs to look
good whilst standing up to daily moderate to heavy workouts, almost
any belt that has a secure buckle and a good level of support (approx.
4”) will be suitable for you, as all are developed with this
function in mind.
Choose something that
is comfortable and looks good, because that’s what you are
in the gym for after all. Some companies offer basic black, tan,
and red leather weight lifting belts from about $30, or you can
get mid ranged priced belts from $110.
The most fashion-focused
weightlifting belt company is Katana weight lifting belts, with
every fashion from pink croc-print to yellow and black snake print,
their luxury weight lifting belts start at around $175. http://www.katanaweightliftingbelts.com
With all of these considerations
in mind, have fun choosing a new weightlifting belt from the many
out there, for continued safe and strong lifting. -END-
Vin Alex http://www.katanaweightliftingbelts.com
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