Create More Advanced Workouts Using A Weight Belt

By: Gen Wright Click author's name for more of his/her articles

There are many reasons to use compound free weight exercises rather than those that only target a single muscle group. They allow us to use to use a broader range of the muscles in our body, use more weight, and generally leverage the body's overall muscle building response more efficiently. These exercises that draw on the movement of several joints help stimulate the body's production of testosterone and growth hormone which support muscle growth and muscle recovery.

Many compound exercises draw lots of attention like the shoulder press, bench press, squats, rows, deadlifts, and lunges. To take advantage of the opportunity to use heavier weights, however, there are a few compound exercises that require augmentation with a weight belt. The main ones that come quickly to mind are chin-ups, pull-ups, and dips.

These exercises form an interesting little trio of weight-bearing exercises that are typically performed with one's body weight alone. Because of this apparent limitation, these wonderful exercises never seem to get they're full due. Beginners can't do enough of them because they require too much upper body strength and more advanced weightlifters don't often do them because they don't offer enough resistance. Both beginning and advanced weightlifters need to be able to target sets in the range of a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 repetitions in each set.

In popular gyms, novices can usually find pull-up/chin-up stations with platforms you can kneel on to support your weight. You can adjust a stack of weights to vary how much the machine uses to counterbalance your own weight. You can add or remove weight until you can just reach 8 reps with the assistance of the offsetting weight supplied by the knee platform. Many neophytes begin with cable pull-downs until their back and lat strength progresses to the point where they can do a full set of bodyweight pull-ups on their own.

Those already capable of 12 to 25 pull-ups or chin-ups on their own can turn to the weight belt to go further. They may also simply leave these exercises behind and use other exercises to work their backs, chest and arms with more weight. The weight belt is a tool that can help keep these wonderful compound exercises alive even for the very advanced weight lifter. You can use a weight belt to add plenty of extra weight by hanging a barbell plate from the belt or you can hang a dumbbell as well. I've seen some big guys suspend several plates on a belt to give them the extra resistance they're looking for.

A weight belt is a strong leather belt usually held together with a metal chain. You can cradle a dumbbell over the chain, or slip the chain through a metal plate which then dangles between your legs from the belt at your waist. As I mentioned, I don't often see anyone using the weight belt at the gyms I go to. Have you seen some weight belts hanging on a wall at the gym without knowing what they were for? As with trying any new device, how much you like it is preference. Try a weight belt on for size, or rather weight, and see how many dips you can do.

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