confused on lifting belts

Personally i prefer to wear one, especially with heavier weights. I think a lot of it for me is a psychological. I feel more stable and secure and in turn i feel i can lift heavier with one. Plus its better to be save than sorry.
 
The general impression I get from both trainers and general opinion is that you need to be lifting a real s***load of weight before a belt is at all necessary. I have injured my back a few times, but never inside the gym. It's always when I lift a box or bag awkwardly that I pinch my lower back. I think the belt can compensate for mediocre form, but I would just improve the form.
 
A belt could help prevent a hernia. I don't wear one because i feel that it'll cause weaknesses in you abs an lower back. I've squatted and deadlifted over 500lbs without a belt. I think that if you wear a belt all the time you'll eventually injur your back outside of the gym in an uncontrolled environment. Your body is strong but with weak points. I'd rather train my weak points to eventually handle the heavy weights.
 
I only put one on for my heaviest lifts that I am unsure of, then when I get comfortable with the weight to concentrate on form I don't use it anymore. Like a lot of people, for me it's more of the feeling of the belt. I can feel the belt on my back and know I have good posture for the lift, the support it gives almost doesn't matter for me. What I was told was basically: only use it for super heavy lifts, don't wear it the entire time you are at the gym because you're supposed to have it on really tight and it can constrict blood flow, and also it will weaken your core muscles if used too much. Again, this is what I was told, not my advice to you, but you could follow it.
 
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