In your case think of it as training not working out. The only way to increase performance is to to train consistantly without overtraining. Training squats and deads three times a week in my opinion will be too much especially if done with intensity. I think twicw a week is ideal. One day go heavy with low reps. The other moderate with higher reps. This will allow ample time for cns recovery.

As for using a belt. Dont do it. Belts increase intra-abdominal pressure which is good in keeping the lower back stable but will only prolong the development of your core. The core is responsible for stabilizing the body when squatting and pulling. For your core to do its job and develope you cannot train using a belt. Also when I say core I mean the entire core not just abs but flexors erectors abs intercostals. So leave the belt and grow your core along with the legs and back. I also have a bulging disc and when i dropped the belt it paid dividends in normal function.

If you're not doing your full leg workout and taking it easy then twice a week should be fine. Having suffered a pretty bad back injury as well I know that it's not worth risking it in the gym. If you slip a disc things can quickly turn become worse and you'll regret it. However, if you've invested in a good, sturdy belt and take things slowly, then gradually you'll be able to build yourself up until you can achieve maximum output. But I really wouldn't push it if it's uncomfortable, take your time and up the weight when you feel ready.

Good luck though, injuries are a nightmare and yours sound very irritating. Keep at it bro!

I would always do legs once a week and back once a week.. as soon as i started doing them twice a week each I noticed some great gains and so did others (natty). Squating 2x per wk and deadlifting 2x per wk.

If you are on cycle you can get away with training legs twice a week. If you are off cycle once a week is plenty. Here is my suggestion for someone in your situation. High repetitions really work well for leg development. Increase your rep range to 25. Also we know that muscle responds to stress not to how much weight we can lift ( although heavier weight will increase stress). My suggestion would be to pre-exhaust your quads and hamstrings with isolation exercises and then jump into squatting. This way you will be able to generate tremendous stress on your legs without having to use a lot of weight. Hope this helps.

i love squats and deads , at the same time i worry. i worry about my form , am i doing this movement correctly? becouse these two lifts can tear up my back real bad . i like your approach being cool taken it slow , but just a fyi , i stick to a once a week approach , like dead lifts for instance i will go 80% , lots of working reps 10 to 12 like 6 sets then hit all the other stuff rows, pull downs yada yada then on my next back day i will do alot of dumbells bent over rows pull downs and stuff for my back you no everthing else except dead lifts, i guess what im trying to say is that when i do squats and dead lifts 2 times a week i start to feel beat up and prone to injury , thats why i hit them once a week, but when i do i try to hold back and be safe so i get a awesome workout and strengthen everything get big and not pull something or get hurt because these two exercises can take me out of the gym