waist cinchers at the gym

You're kidding, that's a thing now? Are you sure it wasn't just a weight belt, like to provide support to your back for deadlifts and such?

Google waist trimmer belt. I bet that's what it was.

Sort of sounds like a compression belt, sometimes they have you wear one after surgery (hernia, abdominal, back).

I wear a neoprene wrap around my waist for support when I lift (its about 6 inches wide and holds via velcro. It goes around about 2.5 times). The traditional leather weight-lifting belts just don't fit me well. I think they're based on guy's bodies and I felt like it was giving me the Heimlich the entire time. The neoprene one provides support and a little give.

I like my organs where they are, thank you.

Psychgrrl wrote: »

I wear a neoprene wrap around my waist for support when I lift (its about 6 inches wide and holds via velcro. It goes around about 2.5 times). The traditional leather weight-lifting belts just don't fit me well. I think they're based on guy's bodies and I felt like it was giving me the Heimlich the entire time. The neoprene one provides support and a little give.

Weight lifting belts aren't there for support. They are used to help you engage your core better during the main lifts (usually only used when you are lifting 80%+ of your 1RM). They purposefully do not have give because you are bracing against them. It might be a good idea to just drop the wrap since it's most likely giving you a false sense of security.

I love it when people run their mouths and act like experts about things they haven't even researched (let alone tried) and instead just spread myths.

Kalikel wrote: »

I think these young women will grow tired of being uncomfortable and switch their corsets out for Spanx or just go without. It's a phase, they'll get over it.

Btw, spanx doesn't do the same thing a corset does. Spanx takes in fat and maybe some flesh. Corsets take in the lower "floating" ribs. Corsets cannot be replaced with spanx for those of us who have a wide rib cage and a "H" shaped body.

And no I wasn't uncomfortable or going through a phase. It actually got rid of my back pain and improved my posture (something I unsuccessfully tried to do for years on my own). I only stopped because I gained weight. Those who corset train often do it for a long time, as your body goes back to it's original shape if you go too long without wearing one. And we all know how important sticking to the mainstream image of beauty is. The consequences of not doing so are far more severe than simply wearing a corset, so there's nothing to "grow tired of." That's like saying women are going to grow tired of putting on make up, wearing push up bras (or bras in general), and getting plastic surgery because it's just a phase.

Also, corsets only move your organs when taken in an extreme amount (think Cathy Jung). Even then, it moves them in the same position as your body naturally does when pregnant and there's no health problems associated with it.

Edit: Sorry, got kinda mad there. As for the OP, it could be anything. It's most likely some type of medical device or brace. But it could also be a corset. I know of a few women who wear them while exercising, just as long as they don't do anything that involves bending the waist. Waist cinchers (shorter corsets) seem to be popular for those who like to exercise in them, but some exercise in the typical longer underbust too. I personally found it too difficult to move like I usually do for exercise. You need a lot of control and muscle strength. However it doesn't make you short of breath, no more than regular exercise does.