So I started running the Starting Strength 3 months ago at the age of 22 (had way too many setbacks, squatting 85 at the body weight of 80 right now, so I'm still a novice) and ever since I started lifting more than 60 kilos I have developed low-back pain. It feels stiff. Also some hip pain too. Worsens when I sit down for hours, relief when I lie down. No pain at all during the workouts though. Plus a throbbing pain around my left ankle that worsens when I take a deep breath and runs up my calf.

I'm keeping my back extended at all times and recording every single set. My form is not perfect but I improved it a lot.

I also had an MRI and turns out that I have a very minimally bulging disc at L5-S1. The doctor however told me that it's not something to worry about since the bulge is very mild. So it shouldn't be sciatica I guess.

So the question is, how much soreness/pain is normal, how do you know if you're just sore or you blew something up and do you train through it?