T Nation

Bulging Belly

Beginners
#1

I am not fat by any means but when i am in the gym and brace my mid-section for lifts by belly really sticks out and makes me look like i have gut/beer belly. What gives? Is this a TVA weakness causing my stomach to bulge out when i increase the pressure in my abdominal cavity?

I am familiar with the buddha belly and deep breathe for abdominal support of the spine but i think i may not be doing it right. One thing i have noticed is that if i REALLY concentrate on sticking my chest up and brace from that position it feels “better”, like i actually have some support. is that the key to correct bracing, keeping the chest high?

For what is is worth it is the most apparent (the belly thing) when i am doing standing barbell curls. I think that if i am using too heavy a weight it pulls my chest/torso down and as i still try to “brace” the belly pops out. This is what made me think the high chest would help.
Any thoughts about what might be going on?
Thanks

#2

Umm, i take Huge breaths when i squat. So what if my belly goes out like the fat guy’s on the tread mill. Its for performance, and its helping me. so i dont really care.

The gym is where you train, and you shouldn’t be conscious of how you look. =/

#3

[quote]tayjeremy wrote:
Umm, i take Huge breaths when i squat. So what if my belly goes out like the fat guy’s on the tread mill. Its for performance, and its helping me. so i dont really care.

The gym is where you train, and you shouldn’t be conscious of how you look. =/ [/quote]

Amen.

#4

haha i have a rag like t-shirt when i gym! and its got a hole in the back (the size of half a fist). i think, thats more concerning than how big my belly looks. + when i wipe my face with my shirt, people see how mistaken they were for judging. ;).

Just lift, you won’t be losing out aye.

#5

Frank Zane said squats make our guts bigger.

" The gut is forced outward as you descend into the squat. Just look at pictures of any heavyweight power lifter or squat style Olympic lifter and you�??ll see what squatting does to the waist."

from
http://www.watch-movies.net/movies/the_pursuit_of_happyness/#

and though he is promoting his Leg Buster I truly believe that its a true fact.

#6

[quote]dogPruf wrote:
Frank Zane said squats make our guts bigger.

" The gut is forced outward as you descend into the squat. Just look at pictures of any heavyweight power lifter or squat style Olympic lifter and you�??ll see what squatting does to the waist."

from
http://www.watch-movies.net/movies/the_pursuit_of_happyness/#

and though he is promoting his Leg Buster I truly believe that its a true fact. [/quote]

When I started reading your post I thought it was gonna be another reference to menshealth.com

#7

Yay for resurrecting old threads.

Idiot.

#8

you obviously didn’t get the link idiot

are you a nationalist ?