Should I wear a belt for heavy deadlifts? I'm starting to push the weight up when I lift, and am concerned about injury. However, I've always had the feeling that a belt is something of a crutch, equated it to wrist straps or whatever. An aid to the lift. So any number that I put up won't actually be the weight I can deadlift.
Is this an accurate take on the belt? Or is it just a practical safety precaution?