Squat Depth / Repeat or Deload?

[Christopher Hacker]

Hello!

This is my first time posting to the forum, so please excuse what may be a stupid question.

My squats are starting to feel like a grind at 215lbs. This video represents my 2nd attempt at it (previous session did 2/3/3). I know I am not hitting depth and general form is basically breaking down here, so my question is:

Next time, do I repeat the same weight trying for depth, or go up to 220 and hope adaptation will kick in, or deload a bit and work my way back up, concentrating on form? Do I prioritize form, or hitting my load targets, even if form is this compromised?

(Background: I've been on the NLP now for a little while (began doing 5x5 in June then found my way to Rip and SS beginning of August). I am a 46 year old male, 5'10" and started out at 149 lbs, but currently am at 159 lbs, eating 3500 - 3700 kcal, roughly 200 grams of protein per day and getting 7+ hours of sleep per night.)

Here are the links to each of my working sets. I know the instructions are to post only the last set, but thought a fuller picture might be helpful.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

YouTube

YouTube

YouTube

[Mark Rippetoe]

Your knees are too far forward/back angle is too vertical, standard form errors, the reason we made all these videos. And read these:

A Clarification | Mark Rippetoe

The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe

[Christopher Hacker]

Thank you for the reply! Would it be a correct assumption that I should deload a bit to work on the back angle/knees/depth? Or is the form something I should work on during my off-days (with just the bar and/or warmup weights) and then next session add 5lbs (220 would be the next jump) as per usual?

[Mark Rippetoe]

An empty bar does NOT constitute practice for 220. COM, physics, etc.

Sorry for the typo.

[Christopher Hacker]

Right! The meat of my question (am I perhaps asking it in the wrong forum, or is the answer so obvious that it doesn't bear answering?) is about deloading vs continuing the progression uninterrupted. Do my form issues require deloading? Or is it more important to apply that regular extra dose of stress to facilitate growth?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You do not need a deload. You need to stop cutting off your depth with the weight you're doing now, and you need to gain 20 pounds of bodyweight.

[Christopher Hacker]

Okay, got it. Thank you, Coach. I will work on it. My squat form and my bodyweight.