Squat form check, please!

Training Discussion
1

Hello everyone,

Can I get a Squat form check please? I am able to see/feel three problems (please tell me if you see something else).

(1) Sometimes my squats feel incredibly hard, and when this happens, I don’t reach full depth for some of my reps. Today (Dec 13, 2020) I lifted 220 lbs for 3s x 5r. It felt a bit hard, like the weight wasn’t moving properly. My last squat session was on Dec 8, 2020, and that day the weights moved pretty well (215 lbs for 3s x 5r); they looked much faster compared to today. I should mention that that week, I did three squat sessions (Mon, Wed, Fri) with 215 lbs, the same weight on all three sessions.

(2) My heels come off the floor in many of these reps. May be ankle mobility is an issue. Maybe that is one reason to do low bar squats (reduced knee angle). I have never trained the low bar squat, and it is a bit more technical I guess. I tried the low bar and it didn’t feel natural. Maybe I should practice that more. Or is the problem here my worn-out shoes? I know I should get lifting shoes, but I can’t afford them now.

(3) When I looked at the video from the front, my knees seem like they “cave-in”. How much of an issue is this?

I am fairly new to lifting. Started in August 2020.

Today’s Squats (Dec 13, 2020):

Set 1 (220 lbs for 3s x 5r) - side angle

Set 2 (220 lbs for 3s x 5r) - side angle

Set 3 (220 lbs for 3s x 5r) - front angle

Squats (Dec 8, 2020):

Set 3 (215 lbs for 3s x 5r) - side angle

Thank you!!

2

I would go for a pair of proper lifting shoes (or Chucks if you prefer flat sole), I think most of the wiggling/forward lean would improve and the reps may feel easier due to more efficient bar-path.
You can then post a new video with better shoes for further improvement:)

In my opinion, lowbar or highbar is a matter of personal preference.