Lifting belts are very common in gyms today. Many people wear them in hopes that it will keep their back safe, but this mindset can often lead people to do the exact opposite if they don’t know how to properly use the belt.
A belt does nothing for your spine if you don’t already know how to properly brace your core. It’s basically just a corset at that point.
Another common mistake that people make is that they will wear the belt at all times during certain exercises.
The muscles that surround your spine are the ones that are supposed to be keeping you safe and doing the work. When you wear a belt all the time, you aren’t going to train your “core” as much as you could be doing.
Save the belt only for lifts that are approaching max effort. If you only feel confident enough to lift with your belt on, you have a problem.
Practice your form, train your core, learn how to move correctly and then you can use the belt, but only at really high levels.
The key to the belt is using your breath and your core muscles. The belt is just there provide a little something to push against. Don’t suck in your belly. Take a deep breath in & push out against the belt!
This will allow you to create a lot of pressure in your abdomen & this creates stiffness for your spine.
Moral of the story, use your belt correctly, but don’t rely on it! Train your body & focus on good form!