As an early intermediate lifter, I am working on my squat form without a coach due to cost. If I front load (hold a 25lb plate in front of me) I can easily squat below parallel without issues in hips, knees or lower back. When I try to duplicate this with a barbell in the low position, I don’t seem to be able to get into the same squat position that was so easy when front loaded. As I attempt to hit depth, my knees move too far forward and I never get my hip crease below the top of my knee even with my hams touching my calves. I am assuming this is related to balance and somewhat common and wondering what a good strategy would be to correct my form. I am still advancing the lift and can just barely hit parallel, but I want to get my form fixed before it becomes too ingrained.
Any good cues for properly setting the knees?