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Dear John:
I have a special place in my heart for those of you with back pain. Several years ago I was a competitive power lifter. I lifted in many competitions including the 1992 IPF Junior World Championships in Sydney, Australia. At the time I weighted 245lbs. and could squat 750lbs. I felt that my back had to be strong to support that kind of weight. That was my first mistake.  In 1993 I ruptured three disks in my lower back while competing in a power lifting competition. Although my injury didn’t require surgery it was going to take a lot of rehabilitation to get my body back to normal.

After the injury I returned to the gym. The first thing I did was buy the thickest weightlifting belt I could find. I wore the belt during every work out. The way I figured it wearing a weightlifting belt would give me more support and protect my back from further injury .I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I continued to use the belt for several years until one day I read a study that said people that rely on weight lifting belts to do their work out are more likely to be injured. The study explained that in order to prevent back injuries you need to build up the strength of your abdominal muscles and erector muscles –the muscles that run vertically up your back on both sides of your spine. If you constantly wear you weightlifting belt during your work out’s you will never give these muscles a chance to strengthen. Over time your body begins to depend on your belt for support. The end result is that as the rest of your body gets stronger your lower back remains weak therefore making your chances of getting hurt much greater.

I figured I had nothing to loose and I began to slowly work out without the belt. I also made a program that targeted my abs and my lower back. In time I began to get stronger in my mid section. I also noticed the pain started to go away. I became more mobile and was now able to do exercises that I had not done since I hurt my back. I had never felt better. It seamed so ironic, that what I was doing to protect my back was actually causing it to become weak. I still have the big belt. I never use it. It sits in my office on a shelf as a reminder of what I went through to get my body back to normal.

Please understand that I’m not trying to discourage you from ever using a belt. There is a time and place for its use. Most power lifters use it for their heaviest sets.

Everyone’s situation is different.  It’s always important to check with your doctor or physical therapist before making any decisions. I’m just cautioning you from getting in situation where your body becomes dependant on a weightlifting belt.