Let me ask you this…Have you ever taken a look around the gym and seen that fat guy with that belly buster small ass GNC Tank top rocking his patent rawhide leather weight belt? (Well you jaborandi, if you haven't you're that jabroni!) If you haven't heard the news weight belts are in as well as that guy answering his phone broadcasting to his boys how he is at the gym probably talking about his damn weight belt! So listen up you need to relax and WAIT on the BELT! The belt as corrective device for pumping metal, they do more harm than good.
First, weight belts weaken your abdominal muscles. The abdominal as well as back muscles stabilize the spine and reduce the pressure on the disks by compressing gases and fluids in the abdominal cavity. Posture expert Paul Chek says there is only so much of this intra-abdominal pressure that your body allows- if it gets too high the blood flow to your heart stops! To prevent this excessive intra- abdominal pressure your abdominal and back muscles may need to relax when you wear a weight belt. Chek believes with long term use, this can weaken the muscles of the trunk and actually make you more susceptible to back problems.
Just wait there's another problem; the weight belts accelerate degenerative disk disease. Weight belts restrict the natural motion of the lumbar spine. When you bend forward during exercises like the Squat, 80% of the movement of the back occurs in the first 2 disk to absorb even more stress, a scenario that can accelerate the degenerative process in these disks!
Rather than preventing injury, weight belts can actually increase your risk of developing back pain. In certain individuals cases there may be some justification for using a weight belt when squatting or doing other heavy lifts. If in doubt, consult with the appropriate medical professional about it. If you are presently using a belt, you will probably have to gradually wean yourself from wearing it by using it for weights in excess of 80% of your 1 rep max at first, then 2 percent more per month. You would also do well to perform additional work for your abdominal muscles so they will be able to provide the necessary support that the weight belt has been compensating for.
So jabroni what have we learned today? Well what I learned today is I spent on exactly $19.03(mind you I got overnight delivery like a dickhead I am for an extra $3.99) at a grand total of $23.02! So that's 1 for Valeo VRL 6" Padded Leather Belt (Medium) and 0 for the dickhead that I am (hahaha)
Like porky pig says ttttttttHatts all folks!
