Weight Belts

[Guest guest]

Craig Burris wrote:

Regarding the use of weightbelts, I think that there has been a lot

of misinterpitation of what people have said and what the facts are.

First, Comments made by Chek were misunderstood in a post I

read: " Tue Oct 29, 2002 8:47 pm Subject: Re: Chek's squatting advice

Having taken the full breath, have him draw his belly button toward his

spine, keeping it pulled in tightly through the entire lift. This

ensures activation of the transverse abdominus and deactivation of the

rectus abdominus. - If wearing a weight belt, tell him not to allow his

stomach to press on the belt at all! Wearing the belt only encourages

rectus abdominus activation and faulty recruitment patterns. This is a

major source of potential back pain in all who wear weight belts! "

Casler writes:

Hi Craig,

I see that you are the " Director of trainer education " for your

organization. I assume you are interested in accurate knowledge and not

doctrine or dogma, so I will make the following comments, not as

derisions, but to offer greater awareness.

's instruction to activate the TvA and deactivate the RA displays a

" complete " lack of understanding of the Torso Stabilization Mechanism.

I don't know how to make this more clear, than to say the TvA " is not "

the PRIMARY stabilizer of the torso, it is just the initial stabilizer.

The term " drawing in " is incorrect, or at least cause one to interpret

the action incorrectly. Even though the initial movement of the TvA is

inward, that travel is rather small. The movement inward is brought

about by the tensioning, action of the muscle, which compresses the

abdominal contents.

Also, to many, this has been perceived as " sucking in " or " hollowing "

the lower abs. This can only be done by producing a " negative

intra-abdominal pressure " (vacuum) which is exactly the opposite of what

one wants during torso stabilization.

So once the TvA has been tensioned to slightly compress the abdominal

contents, it is in position to act " in concert with the other Abs and

Torso Stabilizers to create the degree of needed stabilization.

As Gray mentioned in a previous post, the combined tensioning of

the TvA, the RA, and the IO, as well as other abdominal muscles in

concert with several trunk extenders " balance each other " so that little

flexion or extension results.

More importantly, the resulting " rigidity " is one of the primary factors

in stabilization.

Wearing a weight belt does " not " encourage RA activation. As far as

" faulty recruitment patterns " , I would say that " faulty " is a term that

can only be assessed if the wearing causes less than maximum result, or

leads to a weakness or injury.

Also it is my belief that the CNS processes feedback from each body

system, and as a system becomes more stable, the surrounding systems can

also be activated to a higher degree of activation.

So, the increased activity of the RA and IO cause the TvA to offer an

even greater assisting role. 's focus seems to be just the

opposite. Reduce their (RA & IO) role and put more strain on a

" relatively weak " assistant muscle.

Craig Burris wrote:

When he says deactivation of the rectus he does not mean complete

deactivation. The activation of the transverse abdominus helps

stabilize the spine. As Chek says, " your god given weight belt. "

In " Scientific Core Conditioning " he also states that the rectus

should not activate until the weight is heavy enough to cause you to

stop breathing, involuntarily (valsalva). At this point the rectus

can activate to provide a greater degree of stability. If the rectus

is overactive the force created will be great enough to flex the

spine.

Casler writes:

Again, it is not the " overactive " RA, that will flex the spine it is the

" under " antagonists. It is also relevant that seems to miss the

point that there are antagonist muscles that are involved in

stabilization. In a stabilization scenario, the antagonist is activated

to keep " trunk flexion " from occurring.

While there may be some who have trouble with this, they are rare (Mark

Reifkind comes to mind), and should be able to eventually overcome the

problem.

Craig Burris wrote:

We all agree that is not good while squatting. The use of

weight belts for max lifts as a " backup " is different than their use

as a bracing mechanism. If you learn to push your stomach out when

lifting, it will destabilize the spine if not wearing a weight belt.

Casler writes:

While I do not use a weight belt when I lift, and I agree that it is

best used only for " max " lifts (actually I don't do that either), the

actual " bulging " of the lower abs is a function too of the Torso

Stabilization Mechanism.

It would seem that what doesn't realize is that the TvA by itself

is a rather weak muscle and stabilizer. In the stabilization process,

its primary functions are

1) assisting in compressing the abdominal contents to help create IAP

(intra-abdominal pressure) and

2) tensioning the " thoracolumbar fascia " to add direct stability to the

spine.

I think the primary point to remember here is that the TvA is very weak.

So in the compression of the abdominal contents, it needs the

" reinforcement " and greater rigidity of the RA to help it do its job.

If you know anything about " muscle action " then you know that a muscle

can " resist " eccentrically a greater force than it can concentrically

create. The TvA is no different. As a stabilizer it is initially

recruited, to compress the ab contents. The rest of the abs, and the

diaphragm them further compress the contents.

As the IAP pressure increases the TvA is forced outward. THIS, is the

eccentric tensioning. Because it is an eccentric action a greater IAP

is experienced than could be created via concentric contraction.

There are two other significant things that happen at with this action.

1) the compressed crossectional area of the torso is " increased "

reducing the amount of " psi " (pounds per square inch) loading to the

torso and

2) the greater eccentric tensioning creates an even greater tension on

the " thoracolumbar fascia " .

The tensioning on the TCF causes it to apply lateral pressure evenly to

many of the lumbar vertebrae. This is an extremely stabilizing action

and many times totally ignored. If the hands are the closing portion of

the " kinetic chain " as in the deadlift or a clean, the force load on

them will also cause the lattisimuss to activate, which creates a

similar lateral pressure via their attachments to the vertebrae and the

resulting stability of the TCF and their activation is both great, and

instantaneously adjustable.

It is also confusing to think that one " pushes out " with the TvA. After

reading what I wrote above, it should be evident that the TvA is well

tensioned. " It " is being forced out eccentrically, but the force of the

load and the compression of the abdominal contents by the diaphragm and

the other " compressors " .

This outward movement " does not " necessarily weaken the TSM or lessen

the pressure, and as I said it distributes it over a greater area. And

if you really wish to get even more analytical it makes the overall

structure more stable.

Look at a pyramid. It is wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. The

triangular shape has been used for centuries to create strength and

stability. As the girth of the low abs increases, the triangular base

formed by the uppermost external force (in this case the bar for squats)

increases. This too offers a small increase in stability. Just picture

a 400 lb squat. One we make our midsection larger so the base of the

triangle is large, the other we pull our abs in, so the base of the

triangle is smaller.

I don't think I need to draw a picture.

I think needs to re-write his course and reshoot his video.

Conscious activation of the TvA, and attempting to " deactivate " the RA

will lead to " reduced " stability and not greater stability.

While conscious activation of the TvA will slightly compress the

abdominal contents, it does not add much stability until the

Diaphragm/RA and the other torso muscles activate.

Craig Burris wrote:

So when Joe Blow off the street who deadlifts in the gym with a

weightbelt goes to lift a log in the yard without a weight belt, he

is at serious risk of injury. I know the argument is going to be made

that there is no such thing as a perfect recruitment pattern for any

given person because there are to many variables. But there are

general recruitment patters that must be adhered to in order for

joints to be stabilized properly.

Casler writes:

While you won't get any argument from me that " training " beltless has

Torso Conditioning advantages. I would not suggest that " limit

attempts " and " competition " be attempted beltless unless one so desires.

Craig Burris wrote:

This is the case with the

transverse abdominus. If it does not activate before a movement it

can destabilizes the spine. Simple activation however is not enough.

There has to be a proportional amount of strength relative to the

other muscles; i.e., if I can lift 300lbs with proper stabilization I

might be able to lift 350 with improper stabilization this means I

have a stabilization deficit. Strengthening the weak link will create

a stronger chain. This is no different that having weak rotator cuff

muscles that reduce the amount you can bench. I hope this clears up

some of the confusion and animosity between the " Siff's " and

the " Chek's. " Good Day, Good Luck, Train Smart.

Casler writes:

It does not clear up any confusion. The continued inference that the

TvA is somehow " different " than other muscles and is inhibited to a

greater degree is not substantiated. While it is true that better

conditioning will likely lead to increased performance capabilities, the

" emphasis " is misplaced.

The observation that the TvA activates " slightly " before the other ab

muscles and the inferences drawn are askew. The TvA activates first

because it is the muscle that provides the " minimum " IAP. It also is

activated first since it's contribution is greatest when it is being

" forcibly lengthened " and to be lengthened it must first be " shortened " .

I certainly believe that strengthening weak links do make a stronger

kinetic chain (see recent postings) but sometimes the " seemingly

obvious " is not the right answer.

Your comment about the " weak rotator cuff muscles " is another example.

While again it is advisable to maintain strength in the " rotator cuff

muscles " , I think most shoulder pain that is rotator cuff related is

brought on by ineffective compression/stabilization of the shoulder and

acromion process, which " overstresses " and injures the rotator cuff.

These small muscles were not meant to endure the forces of hundreds of

pounds on a barbell except in a highly stabilized shoulder. So if one is

interested in strengthening, or rehabbing the shoulder, it is far more

result producing to focus on the " total stabilizing mechanism " . If one

concentrates on the " Shoulder Stabilization Mechanism " (SSM) the stress

is borne on a stabilized shoulder and the rotator cuff does not suffer

" overstress " damage.

I hope " that " clears up any confusion.

So if you truly want to " Train Smart " learn to analyze " all " the forces

involved in both stabilizing and creating forces and the picture becomes

more clear.

Regards,

A. Casler

TRI-VECTOR 3-D Force Systems

Century City, CA