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Podcast listeners, thank you so much for checking out today's show.

This is episode 65 of the Squat University podcast.

The goal with each and every one of these shows is to bring you as much value-packed content to help you move better in the gym and in life, decrease your bodies aches and pains and help you reach your true athletic potential. Today's show is all on the topic of whether or not you should be using a weightlifting belt, especially in the context of back pain, returning from back pain, or if you're having a flare up of back pain, having a sore back one day, should you use a weightlifting belt? Now, the reason I wanted to do a podcast solely dedicated to this specific topic is because I think there's a lot of misinformation out there as to the use of belts and whether or not they're good to use, especially for weightlifters, powerlifters, crossfitters,

and especially when we're talking about back pain.

Now, recently I was working with a powerlifter in physical therapy.

He was trying to recover from back pain.

And during one of our sessions where we were lightly reintroducing the back squat back into his training program,

he asked me if he could use his weightlifting belt.

Now, it's because in his mind a weight belt was to be used anytime you touch the barbell

to keep your back safe, basically.

It was his reassurance, especially with heavy weight, that his back wouldn't go out.

Now, what I told him may surprise you. What I've come to find

is that a large majority of athletes and coaches are actually using weightlifting belts incorrectly

and many times for the wrong purposes. So let me explain. The first thing I want to talk about is

why use a weightlifting belt. Before we jump into the use of a belt in context of back injury, we need to

first understand why someone should wear a weightlifting belt in the first place. Now, research

shows that a weightlifting belt provides additional stability for your lower back, and it does

so by aiding your core muscles. When we get under a heavy barbell, for example, like a back squat, we need

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