Just a quick question. i’ve been lifting heavy all my life and it has certainly messed up my lower back quite a bit. I can’t really do any heavy deads or squats without feeling them. Do you guys think that replacing deads and squats with speed deads and squat (like WSB) will be a viable alternative. In short will speed-squats provide hypertrophy and strenght in the abscence of a maximal effort squat/deadlift movement?
You could try hip belt squats.
[quote]PeteK wrote:
Just a quick question. i’ve been lifting heavy all my life and it has certainly messed up my lower back quite a bit. I can’t really do any heavy deads or squats without feeling them. Do you guys think that replacing deads and squats with speed deads and squat (like WSB) will be a viable alternative. In short will speed-squats provide hypertrophy and strenght in the abscence of a maximal effort squat/deadlift movement?[/quote]
Just random thoughts,/suggestions:
If lifting heavy, especially for squats and deadlifts, is affecting your back, there may be some flaw in your form. Now, don’t take offense- it may be something minute that you don’t even notice. Maybe your lower back muscles are (proportionately speaking) less able to support a huge squat.
Have somebody watch you (or even tape yourself, if you’re feeling especially voyeuristic)and absolutely dissect your form.
If you can’t see or find anything to work on, it may just be that you’re broken. 
Question real quick: do you use a belt for squats and deads?