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Ask the strongman

Men's Fitness, April, 2005

A friend told me it's bad for my back to wear a lifting belt. True?

Like the fat guys working at Home Depot, weightlifters tend to overuse belts. (Research has shown that belt usage by employees who do heavy lifting has done nothing to decrease workman's-comp claims for back injuries.)

A belt allows you to lift more weight, but using it too much can actually weaken your core. You need to be able to use your own muscles to brace your spine, the same way a boxer learns to tighten his midsection so he can take a punch.

Most of the time, you should lift without a belt. Put it on only when you're using more than 85% of your one-rep maximum on exercises like squats, deadlifts, and shoulder presses. You can also wear a belt when you get fatigued and your technique begins to break down.

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Finally, nothing looks worse than a guy doing curls with a belt on--unless he's wearing gloves, too.

Most of the Strongman contests on TV are reruns. When and where can I see new contests?

If you'll pardon the blatant plug, you can see me and other competitors in the MHP All-Strength Series on Wednesdays on the Fox Sports Network. It's not as good as being there in person, but you won't find anything manlier on TV. Let's face it, you'll never see an American Idol pick up a car.

Ask the strongman

Men's Fitness, April, 2005

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