First time squat check

[tappen]

First time poster and new to the forum. 32 yo female, 5’7”, about 145 (I haven’t weighed myself in a few months - but that’s my normal, maybe down to 140 sometimes.)

I’d like some feedback on my overall form and what my strength goals should be for my body type, age, etc. A lot of material feels like it’s geared towards young men, so it’s difficult for me to know how heavy I can/should be lifting.
Squat video: YouTube

This is at 105 lb. I’ve gone up to 115 for 5x3 with a coach in Feb but I get really horizontal and it’s a struggle, so I’ve been backing off and doing volume at 95, then working my way back up. I know you can’t see my whole leg here, but hopefully you can see my hip crease and that I’m getting to depth.

I’m making separate posts for squat, deadlift, and press. When I do my next bench workout I’ll get a video. Background below will be the same on all posts.

Background (if this helps and you care to keep reading):
I started learning the Starting Strength method in Oct 2018 with reading the book and doing training sessions with Carrie Klumpar (Eastside S&C in Bellevue, WA). Learned a lot and did about 10 sessions with her spaced out until Feb 2019. Mostly in LP but just on my own for programming. Since then I’ve gone back to work full time (after being a stay at home mom) so I can’t train with her and I’ve been maintaining and trying to figure out a new rhythm.

I’m trying to balance training with rock climbing -- so I’m either lifting 2X a week on weeks when I climb, or doing 3X a week on weeks I don’t climb. I don’t want to lose my rock climbing calluses/muscles so this is an important balance for me. I can’t really get away to the gym more than 3X a week (rock climbing or lifting). With that said, my upper body lifts haven’t really progressed a ton - so I’m thinking this inconsistency could be to blame.

I sleep 7-8 hours a night. I have not tracked protein, so I’m probably lacking there honestly - maybe I’m at 100g a day? I’m not trying to get huge, just to progress a little more. But I want to check my form before I get too invested in changing diet.

[Karl Schudt]

I'd sure like to see your feet. Other than that, your knees are not out, you're going too low, you aren't tight, and you actually need to bend over more on the way down.

So, take your time, shove your knees out, cut the depth, and don't be afraid of having a more horizontal back angle. Let's see your whole body in the video, though.

[tappen]

Thanks for the advice. Here's another video from last Wednesday. This is 10 lb heavier than the last one, but felt pretty smooth. Heaviest set I've done so far. Haven't been in this last week because of travelling and illness, but hopefully I can pick back up here next workout.

YouTube

[Karl Schudt]

Ok. See how your knees shoot back right when you start your ascent? Keep the knees fixed and drive your hips up hard. Knees shouldn't move. If a kid put a teacup on your knee at the bottom of the squat, it shouldn't spill until you're halfway up.

Upper body: your thoracic spine is rounded. Rip says in the book to get your chest up and elbows up when you unrack the barbell. You're unracking it with your chest down. "Chest up" is a thoracic spinal extension cue. Get your, um, chest pointing up higher, and that will get the thoracic spine to be more extended, and you'll have a better bar position.

Take your time on the way down.

For your other questions: I think your goals should be to get as strong as possible. It will make everything else better. You won't get "huge". I've been trying to get huge for years, and it's not so easy. Just get stronger.

[tappen]

I'm still stuck on how to stop my knees from going back. I'm so focused on keeping them out, which is really difficult for me, that I'm not sure how to focus on the movement in the other direction if that makes sense. I really focused on this last workout to keep my chest up. Let me know please if this looks correct.

I still feel like I am so disjointed and awkward in the movement. I'm ok in my warm ups, but I haven't been able to get it smooth when I get to my working sets. I am focusing so hard on all the cues and pushing etc, but I feel like I still come out unbalanced.

Here's my latest workout. Went up 2.5lb from last time. This is set 3 and it was my best I think.

YouTube