 loads safely without a weightlifting belt, as long as the lifter sticks to proper form and gives the muscles adequate recovery time to avoid back injury Pro-inflammatory cytokines expression increases following low- and high-magnitude cyclic loading of lumbar ligaments. D’Ambrosia, P., King, K., Davidson, B., et al. Musculoskeletal Disorders Research Laboratory, Bioengineering Division, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Health Sciences Center, University of Colorado, Denver, CO. European Spine Journal 2010;19(8):1330-9. . To buy a weightlifting belt, check out the local sporting goods store or shop online if you know the right size. Make sure the belt width fits your torso size — when cinched around the belly button the belt shouldn't knock against the ribs or pinch the hip in a deep squat. To put on the weightlifting belt, place the belt loosely around the stomach, suck in the stomach slightly, and pull that thing tight. (There should be no space between the stomach and belt.) Then close the clasps, put those spotters in position and get ready to go — crank up the music! As with all intense athletic activity, find quality coaching if unsure about how to do an exercise, especially during very heavy lifting. Weightlifting belts are made to help, not hinder, so use them wisely. This article has been approved by Greatist Experts Jason Edmonds and Matt Delaney. Do you wear a weightlifting belt? If so, do you think it's made your workouts safer? Tell us in the comments below!