The biggest mistake people make with the big potentially dangerous movements is going too heavy before they get the form down and even then sometimes letting ego get the best of em.
Most people can do these safely and effectively if some common sense caution is used.
Just a thought from someone with a REALLY bad back (three discs surgically removed from lower back after they ruptured and caused temporary paralysis from the waist down—had to learn how to walk again)…
I used to always pull a muscle or something every time I tried to increase my weight on deadlifts or squats.
I changed two things:
Everyone else has already said this, but if you use proper form, NOTHING is better than the squat and the dead for building all-over strength. Also, the chiropractic adjustments have made such a huge difference in the way my whole body moves, that I wish I had started seeing him years ago.
It has been three months since I made these changes and I am lifting heavier and getting noticeably stronger all the time.
Even if you don’t have specific back issues, a chiro can get you all aligned, which will really make a difference in your workouts.