I just started using a lifting belt today due to some lower back pain I was having. I just noticed I have what looks like a burn or rash on my lower stomach from where the belt was. Is this normal or did I just have the belt too tight?
Sorry if this has already been answered, I looked around and couldn’t find anything on it.
I know some of the regulars will chime in but it’s probably from just having the belt on too tight. From what I’ve read and from what I know, I would stay away from belts and possibly try to strengthen my lower back instead.
I had the same thing the first few times I used a belt on squats / deadlifts. It went away after about two weeks, or four squat / dl sessions.
As far as i Know belts should be very tight so to increase the intra-abdominal pressure,although I am not sure of how tight you might have put it.
Edit:Yeah ,it may cause a little irritation of the skin.
Alright thanks a lot. Just wanted to make sure this wasn’t something serious.
OP, if your lower back is hurting (in a bad way) during/after lifting, a belt will only fix the problem temporarily, until you don’t wear it again. Fix the problem, get a stronger posterior chain, and THEN, you can consider using one, when appropriate. But personally, I didn’t start using a belt at all until I was squatting in the 400’s and DLing in the high 500’s without using one…aka my lower back wasn’t “weak” by any standards.
[quote]hungry4more wrote:
OP, if your lower back is hurting (in a bad way) during/after lifting, a belt will only fix the problem temporarily, until you don’t wear it again. Fix the problem, get a stronger posterior chain, and THEN, you can consider using one, when appropriate. But personally, I didn’t start using a belt at all until I was squatting in the 400’s and DLing in the high 500’s without using one…aka my lower back wasn’t “weak” by any standards. [/quote]
I was rushing to do a workout right before bedtime because I had a long day with work and missed it in the morning and didn’t want to skip a day. So I guess being tired plus the rushing aspect caused me to neglect my form and my back must have bent during squats. It hurt like hell for the next week so I saw a doctor to make sure I didn’t slip a disc, got X-rays and he said I just strained some muscles. It’s still a bit sore but the belt really seems to help.
Do you think doing this is just gonna cause further injury?
The belt supports your lower back meaning it doesn’t have to work as hard there fore will be weaker. Hence the great risk of injury over time when using a belt.
Use the belt while your back is healing but you need to get away from it once it’s healed because long term use is going to increase your chance of injury.
That unless you are way up in the weights like hungry4more.
like Hungry4Moore said, strengthen YOURSELF dont try and use a belt to get around that…your obviously week in some areas, like your core, lowerback, and posterior chain, so strengthen those areas first, than get back to your belt…
how old are you and how many years have you been training? alot of beginners make the mistake of getting a belt right away cuz a lot of the biggers/stronger guys wear one…they wear one cuz they may be squatting or deadlifting 500+…
from what im reading, your trying to rush yourself and by using a belt you think its gonna be a quick fix for added strength, but in the long run your only hurting yourself…
IronWarrior
yeah only use a belt for days where you go 400+. I try and do all my light days without the belt. If its under 85% then i typically go belt free.
also, be sure to get yourself a shit ton of back extensions, GHR’s and solid ab work [standing pull downs etc] to make sure you got tough guts. Your legs can squat a shit ton but it’s the back and abs that are the constant weak link.
-chris
I’m 22 and I only started training in the past year, and just got serious about 2 months ago so I’m no where near 400 + squats. My core could use some serious work because I haven’t focused on abs at all really. My lower back seems to be much better now anyways, so I’ll ditch the belt and do some core strengthening.
Thanks for the advice.