It looks like your flat footed when you set-up (after unracking) and it gets worse as you descend. Think “tripod” for each foot.
You’ll never get your knees out if you don’t fix this first.
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
hmm, so the aggregate advice seems to be bring in the stance some, point toes forward more, and try using box (and goblet) squats for a few weeks to focus on getting depth and driving out of the hole on my heels instead of my toes. Also bring grip out a bit too.
As for what some people were asking: I am eating more, I’m bulking currently, and I do kb swinging. I take a breath before I drop and when I hit parallel and begin ascending I exhale. [/quote]
How tall are you AQ? I’m 6.2" and I much prefer the front squat to the barbell back squat, which I don’t do any more (I like front squats, safety bar squats and belt squats). If you decide to bring the stance closer I would consider wearing olympic shoes so you can stay more upright.
You may need to increase flexibility in the hips and hamstrings to do this. As your deadlift is respectable I am presuming you have a strong posterior chain but the ‘weak link’ could quite possibly be the remainder of the thigh muscles relative to this; also, if your deadlifting leverages are favorable as opposed to your squatting leverages your thigh muscles will not have to work through half the range of motion that they will in a squat, especially if you are a ‘back dominant’ deadlifter.
One way of increasing flexibility and strengthening your thigh muscles through and greater range of motion is to squat wide with the toes pointed out for higher reps. Strong abductors will help stop your knees moving together when you squat, which I’m sure I noticed in that video. If you can squat to parallel in a wide stance then you’ll easily be able to squat to parallel in a closer stance. Also I would start doing standing crunches with a pulley or band to strengthen the abs to stop you leaning forwards.
Another good exercise (for strength and flexibility) I read on WSB is to do free standing squats with one leg raised, (six inches is a good start), and squat standing upright (putting your hands behind your head helps make the exercise more difficult) do not add weight but go for high reps. I often use this as a warmup. Also, look up the agile 8 on youtube and start doing it as a warmup.
Once you can front squat in flat shoes to parallel or beneath and can do wide PLing squats in converse/flat shoes to parallel you will have the overall leg strength and flexibility to back squat olympic style if you choose to, though I find the front squat a more ‘pure’ form of squatting, but I’ve had lower back issues so I’m all about staring the thighs and minimizing stress on the back.
Also remember weight on heels at all times whilst squatting, some good advice I got whilst learning was: breath right in, stay tight and descend slowly, then ascend fast. I’m not saying this is the only or best way to squat, but it certainly teaches control with weights whilst you are learning and helps build muscle as you spend more time under tension. Obviously concentrate more on technique and forget weight whilst you are honing form.
Good luck AQ, these little nuggets of information are not written in stone but all helped me learn to squat better and got me on the road to developing my legs.
Your knees/shins swing inwards half way down. This could be down to tight adductors, or else maybe your stance is just too wide. The first half of your squat looks great shins/knees are following the path of your feet and then they swing inwards.
i dont think anyone has asked how often and how many sets and reps are you squatting? What is the rest of you leg and core work? You could need to seriously amp up your squating volume or frequency, this will get you proficient at the lift.
I box squatted today; I noticed something odd. When at lower weights for warmups I noticed mostly my quads working. When I got to the higher weights on working sets though it felt like more of a hamstring & glute activation, or I’d be stuck on the box. Here’s a couple videos
275:
315:
[quote]bignate wrote:
i dont think anyone has asked how often and how many sets and reps are you squatting? What is the rest of you leg and core work? You could need to seriously amp up your squating volume or frequency, this will get you proficient at the lift.[/quote]
x2 need to know what you are currently doing program wise. Also what are your squat goals, are you looking to compete in powerlifting? If not the suggestions for dropping weight and bringing in stance are good.
I used to do 5 or so working sets around 3 reps each, I’ve switched up to 3 sets of 5 reps each working now. Not really competing, but I’d like to get my squat to within 100 lbs. of my deadlift
I started this because of a back injury but surprisingly squats didn’t bother me so I stuck with those and traded deadlifts for front squats. I’ve heard squats can help deadlift but not vise versa (hence your 200lb difference). So I’m putting a priority on squats twice a week and not using deadlift as a main lift, something to consider if your trying to bring up a weak area and not competing in powerlifting so putting deadlifts aside for a while won’t matter as much.
5x3 how many ties a weeks? thats really nothing at all
[quote]caveman101 wrote:
5x3 how many ties a weeks? thats really nothing at all[/quote]
3x5, once per week
As to your muscles feeling as if they’re off, once you get comfortable with technique try some heavy singles from pins.
Take this with a grain of salt cause you squat more than I do. 
Definitely need to work on sitting on to the box.
You get close and then kind of plop down on the box, for lack of a better term.
Try and smoothen’ up the whole thing, push those hips back as far as you can, then slowly bend at the knees until you feel yourself touch the box, then pause briefly, and explode out of the bottom, making sure to stay on your heels.
Dave Tate’s, “So You Think You Can Squat?” videos on EliteFTS.com are the best resources to learn how to properly box squat. Watch it twice, there’s a lot of little things that most people probably wouldn’t even think of.
you get better by doing - Dr Cave perscribes 100 weighted reps per week
FIFTEEN REPS A WEEK AND YOU WONDER WHY YOUR NOT GAINING WEIGHT
[quote]iVoodoo wrote:
Definitely need to work on sitting on to the box.
You get close and then kind of plop down on the box, for lack of a better term.
Try and smoothen’ up the whole thing, push those hips back as far as you can, then slowly bend at the knees until you feel yourself touch the box, then pause briefly, and explode out of the bottom, making sure to stay on your heels.
Dave Tate’s, “So You Think You Can Squat?” videos on EliteFTS.com are the best resources to learn how to properly box squat. Watch it twice, there’s a lot of little things that most people probably wouldn’t even think of.[/quote]
I had a friend watch those videos and he was thinking that the way I sort of freefall at the end there is indicative of a lack of hamstring strength
Im no expert, but you seem to have a really tight back the whole way through, good hip angle and seems fine to me in that regard.
I do however echo bignate’s opinion, in capitals, of you’re only doing 15 reps a week and that could explain quite a lot.
I need to get to one of these gyms in the States. Pretty much every video I’ve seen of deads or squats there isn’t anyone else in the gym! How good is that!
…personally i think you look really good…everyone’s form breaks a little at heavier weights…your butt coming up first isn’t that noticeable…my only critique is your knee tracking…your stance looks just a hair wide and that could be why your knees buckle in at the bottom. if you narrow it up just a few inches you could take care of that. somebody mentioned “so you think you can squat” on elitefts…don’t look there that’s for suited squatting…raw squatting is a lot different. scott yard and jim wendler have articles on raw squatting if you want to check those out…scott yard’s is called “going raw” …but seriously you look really good.
[quote]JLederach wrote:
somebody mentioned “so you think you can squat” on elitefts…don’t look there that’s for suited squatting…raw squatting is a lot different. [/quote]
Um, have you watched those videos?
[quote]sexyxe wrote:
Im no expert, but you seem to have a really tight back the whole way through, good hip angle and seems fine to me in that regard.
I do however echo bignate’s opinion, in capitals, of you’re only doing 15 reps a week and that could explain quite a lot.
I need to get to one of these gyms in the States. Pretty much every video I’ve seen of deads or squats there isn’t anyone else in the gym! How good is that! [/quote]
I’m actually there early in those vids, I haven’t started my new job yet, it fills up more later…It’s also in an immense warehouse so there’s a ton of space. Love working out there.
With regards to reps: I only deadlift about 9-12 reps per week, and incline bench 15 reps total per week, and I progress on those. Is there something different with squatting?
narrower stance. you’re not hitting parallel in any of the videos, btw.