The Must-Haves In Weight-Lifting Gear For Bodybuilding
Although everyone has their own routine when it comes to bodybuilding, safety is the most important thing for any type of workout. If you are new to bodybuilding, always work out with someone more experienced and never do more than your body can handle. With that being said, bodybuilding, like any other fitness regimen, requires equipment that is specific to that sport, so it is important to use appropriate, quality equipment when doing your workouts. Here are some of the must-have weight-lifting gear for bodybuilding.
Raising Bands
Raising bands are great to use when you're working on your lower back. Raising bands go around your wrist and cover the bar to help you hold the bar easier and raise more weight, so they are especially good when your muscles can continue, but your wrist is giving out and making it difficult to continue pulling up, such as when you're doing stiff-legged deadlifts.
Weight-Lifting Gloves
There are several times when weight-lifting gloves are beneficial for bodybuilding workouts, such as when you need extra traction to prevent your fingers from sliding off of the bar. Weight-lifting gloves also come in handy if you have calluses on your hands that are preventing you from lifting weights or holding a bar during pull-ups.
Adjustable Weighted Belts
First and most importantly, weight belts should not be worn when doing exercises that involve bending the stomach muscles, such as when doing sit-ups or leg lifts. The main goal of a weighted belt is to help you avoid flexing your spine, and doing sit-ups is meant to flex your spine by contracting your abs. A weighted belt is designed to provide support for your abs to push against it, so wearing during these types of exercises may cause injury to your spine.
The additional force of the belt combined with the limited space provides an increase in the outside pressure of your spine, in turn stabilizing it and preventing injury. This will help you have a more rigid torso and a smoother transmission of force from your hips to the bar and it provides a more stable foundation for overhead lifts. Adjustable weighted belts allow you to increase or decrease the amount of weight used in the belt, typically in ¼ pound increments.
Along with using appropriate gear for bodybuilding, it is equally important to always keep in mind that your body has its limits. So, always listen to what your body is saying, rest when necessary, and remember to stay hydrated.
For more information about weight-lifting equipment, contact a company such as W8 Fit.