Great progress, until...

[HighFlyingBird]

Hi Rip, first time posting here...

Been doing SS for 2 and a half months now.
I'm 5'7, Male, 164 lbs.

Been doing the program strictly, no added bicep curls etc. Caloric surplus.
Read the book from start to finish and continually reference to ensure good form.

The thing is:

I have a history of back tweaks, muscle spasms which seem to occur for no apparent reason except for my back being extremely weak which is why I started the program in the first place.

Things were going great, I started at very light weights on all lifts to be sure I wouldn't cripple myself and have gone from this:

Squat: 70
Press: 40
Bench: 50
DL: 60
Bodyweight: 155

(I said it was light!)

To this:

Squat: 182
Press: 115
Bench: 165
DL: 176
Bodyweight: 164

Then as I was packing away the weights I leaned slightly to the side and felt another lower back muscle tweak and for the next few days I had to move like a robot to make sure I didn't end up on the floor in pain!
I took the next 3 days off then got back to lifting but I have dropped the weight right back to about half for each lift to make sure it doesn't flare up again.

As I was progressing I thought 'this is fantastic, I'm fixing my back, getting stronger and putting on weight etc'. But again the back decides to remind me how weak it is.
I think I may have been adding too much weight each workout, sometimes 20lbs on squat and DL.

My question is: Is my back just weak as hell and I have to persevere?

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You have not been doing the program. Buy the books, do the program as WE have written it.

[Brodie Butland]

Putting on body weight and adding weight to your lifts has a remarkable ability to decrease spasms, strains, and the like. When I was 23, I used to pull/strain back muscles carrying groceries home and spasms every couple months were common...I was about 130 lbs then. At 220 lbs at 35, the only times I really have issues are when I don’t lift consistently. Haven’t had a truly debilitating muscle spasm for nearly a decade.

A good sports masseuse (emphasis on good) can also work out things very nicely when soft tissues are involved. Not particularly relaxing, but feels great the next day.

[HighFlyingBird]

I should state that the bigger weight increases were at the beginning of the programme but have been increasing with around 5lb on each workout for the majority of the programme.
My progression was good but then from just a slight sideways bend (whilst NOT lifting) I managed to pull something in my back again.

Do you agree that my back is just weak as hell and I should continue the programme? (As YOU have written it?) )

[Scaldrew]

Putting on body weight and adding weight to your lifts has a remarkable ability to decrease spasms, strains, and the like. When I was 23, I used to pull/strain back muscles carrying groceries home and spasms every couple months were common...I was about 130 lbs then. At 220 lbs at 35, the only times I really have issues are when I don’t lift consistently. Haven’t had a truly debilitating muscle spasm for nearly a decade.

A good sports masseuse (emphasis on good) can also work out things very nicely when soft tissues are involved. Not particularly relaxing, but feels great the next day.

I've had a similar experience. When I was a teenager, I used to have really bad cramps in my calves at night. Woke me up and I'd have to stand up to make it go away. Since I started lifting, I haven't had any flareups whatsoever.

Still can't flex my calves without them cramping up, though. Must be a sign from the great blue yonder telling me not to become a bodybuilder. Or bam, cramps right on stage. That'll teach me to get a fake tan and wear a banana hammock.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Do you agree that my back is just weak as hell and I should continue the programme? (As YOU have written it?) )

Unless you have a better way to strengthen your back, I guess you'd better continue to train it.