Powerlifter Larry Wheels narrowly avoided a serious back injury during a recent gym session. While attempting a massive 935-pound deadlift, Wheels lost control and fell forward. He credits one piece of equipment for saving him: his lifting belt.

Lifting belts are a very essential piece of gym gear that should not be taken lightly. Otherwise, you can learn it the hard way as Larry Wheels did.

In a dramatic moment at the gym, ace powerlifter Larry Wheels inadvertently demonstrated how his lifting belt prevented a serious back injury. During a failed 935 lbs deadlift attempt, Wheels lost control and tumbled forward.

The moment was captured and shared by Wheels on his Instagram page with the caption "My belt saving my back during this 935lb-425kg deadlift." While these failures involving extreme weights can result in significant injuries, Wheels was lucky as his belt played a crucial role in protecting him.

The belt helped maintain core stability in that moment and reduced the risk of excessive spinal injury under the massive load. Wheels was lucky this time, but this hasn't always been the case.

In 2022, Larry Wheels missed out on the Middle East’s Strongest Man (MESM) competition after suffering a serious Grade 1 injury during a deadlift session. Wheels was attempting the multiple eight-repetition deadlift sets at 300 kilograms. He described the injury as “mild with a tear to a small number of fibers.” 

“After the second set, I started feeling compression in my lower back. This happened because my core was weakened from inactivity because of no training. When you have been neglecting your core, and you go to do deadlifts, your lower back is going to be doing a lot of the work.”

Larry Wheels' eventual goal is to deadlift at least 456.3 kilograms (1,000 pounds). But judging by the video, he needs to be more careful to achieve that.

How Does a Lifting Belt Protect the Spine?

If you still think that you are too cool to wear a lifting belt, then here are some benefits that might change your mind.

Increases Intra-abdominal Pressure

When you brace your core and push your abdomen against the belt, it puts pressure inside your torso, creating an all-around support around your spine.

Core muscles work harder

The belt gives your abs something to push against, leading to stronger contraction of the core muscles. It results in the torso becoming more stable under heavy load.

Restricts spinal movement under load

The belt enables less rounding of the lower back and prevents side-to-side instability. If the back is not braced properly, it can put enormous pressure on the spine, resulting in a disc strain.

Improves force transfer

If your back is stable, then the transfer of power from legs to the bar can be more efficient. This also prevents your core from collapsing from zero energy.

Just remember, all the cool athletes wear lifting belts. And for more gym tips and tricks like these, follow Bodybuilding Bros!

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil