I briefly tried the Starting Strength barbell program last year. About a month or so into it (and barely lifting over 100 lbs) I pinched a disk in my back and had to go through months of painful recovery.
Obviously I was doing something wrong, but I don't know what and I'm afraid to try it again, so I'm sticking with body-weight exercises for now.
Bro, I was in a training accident in the military in 2010. I was carrying a rocket launcher, grenade launcher and three days worth of ammunition and food - totalling about 150 pounds when you account for body armour - on a night patrol. I fell in a hole and caused a lateral shift injury in my thoracic spine, which irreparably damaged two disks in my back so that now I have chronic pain and mobility issues. I spent four months in traction and couldn't open doors or run without very serious pain and spasms, and my military career is over because of it.
However, over the past three years, and several reinjuries, I now bench 225x5, deadlift 385x5, and squat 275x5. I'm a 6' 180lb male. With even more awful work and recovery I can now run a sub-19 minute 5k, swim 750m in 20 minutes (I just learned in October), and bike 200 miles a week while still lifting.
Injury is a huge bummer, but I'm a wuss compared to people who do 100 mile trail runs
with no legs, lift 400+ pounds with one maimed and useless arm, and the like. Don't be scared, if you're worried about form, film yourself and post a video here. There are tons of swole brothers on this forum who will give you hot tips on your form.