Hello Amit,
I’m 6’0 lifter squatting high bar, and I’m doing B.LEST Late Novice program by Garett Blevins. I squat 4 times per week. Could you check my form and give me some advices?. Also my deadlift is much higher than squat. I can hit 385x3 deadlift (sumo) easily, and only 275x3 squat. What can cause such an imbalance?
Thank you. 
My reqular squats
Pause squats
There is a big correlation between high bar and low bar squats - they help each other so you can definitely keep training high bar as well. If you plan to squat low bar in a powerlifting meet, you should have specific training with low bar position, as it does change your position and biomechanics (for some more than others) and needs practice. I would train both, focusing low bar a competition nears.
I believe anything over 80% you should use a belt - for safety reasons and it will also add a few lbs. Just remember to use it once it’s on - push into it with your breath rather than it just sitting there.
Not bad technique - a few things to try (basics but sometimes those are the most important things to nail down)
as for your deadlift question - hard to say without a video but for most people deadlifts are stronger than squats so 100lbs isn’t horrible. It could be a weak muscle link or technique issues.
Hey Amit.Recently I maxed out in squats at 375 lbs.Although progress has been great,my hips shoot back a bit,Is it a core or leg weakness?What would you recommend I focus on?
Hey there
It looks like your lower back and glutes are stronger than your quads, core and even hamstrings - you’re sticking your butt up high to get into a position to use them to bring the weight up.
Start including: Yoke bar, front squat, high bar squat (in that order of importance)
Get rid of the low bar for at least 6-8 weeks and focus on the above suggestions.
PAUSE everything in the hole right now - you need to learn how to engage and use everything from that bottom dead position (4-5 second pauses - everything super tight) - you need to learn how to use your quads, hams and core and the pause will help you focus on those as you learn to get up without using momentum and on a more vertical line. You will likely have to lower the weight quite a bit for now - don’t worry, you’ll be able to increase quickly once a new movement pattern is established - you’ll be way more efficient. These exercises alone will help you learn that and the pauses will help focus on the muscles that need it. On top of that, I would add specific hypertrophy work for those groups - hack squats, weighted planks, hanging leg raises, leg extensions and curls, deficit deadlifts.
This should get you started - try it and feel free to write back here if questions come up etc.
First off,thanks for the detailed response,this helped a ton
I train in a very similar was to westside barbell.So my plan is for the next 2-4 months I max out once per week on mostly high bar squat and occasionally front squat variations(pause,regular,with bands and off of pins),using the other one as a secondary movement for 3 sets of 3 or 3 sets of 5
On rep/dynamic day I’d do high volume high bar and front squats and pin good mornings with a wide stance to address the hams
The only thing I lost you on is why do you reccomended deficit deads?I’d do band cycle on my heavy day,where each week I pull heavy with different band tension.Would you reccomend not to or do that with deficit?
Also here’s my 265 lbs front squat from today
Again.thanks for all the helpful advice
You’re welcome.
First of all the front squat looks much better - more vertical and tighter in your upper body. You need to work on depth - you need an inch or two! As for the deficit deadlift - I just find it a great hamstring builder. You can even add it as a hypertrophy exercise in the 6-8 rep range - lighter weights after doing your actual competition lift for the day - use it as a hypertrophic accessory.
Again,thanks for all the help
Hey Amit,
I’m just wondering, what do you think about frequency for a peaking phase? If someone is squatting 4-5 days a week would it be better to reduce frequency and just focus on heavy weight and comp. movements or still keep some lighter variations in there?
I’m just asking this for future reference, I was planning to do a meet out of town in January but it’s not happening for a number of reasons. By the way, I haven’t maxed out yet but based on estimated maxes I have added 20-30 lbs. to both my squat and deadlift in the last two months. Thanks for your advice.
Hello Amit, long time lurker first time poster.
I have been stuck on my squat at 180kg for a long time, cant seem to increase this currently. Would it be worth changing my squat program for 8-10 weeks to a front squat based program to try something new/ strengthen the quads more. then going back to back squats with this.
Regards
Yes as a general recommendation, as you get closer to the meet you lower the volume and up the intensity. For someone who squats 4-5 times per week, I would probably lower it to 3 at the start of the prep, then down to 2 and then in the last 5-6 weeks down to 1. So a 12 week prep will look like weeks 9-12 three times per week, weeks 6-9 twice per week, weeks 1-5 once per week. The less frequently you squat, the more heavy sets you will need to do in the session. In the last 3-5 weeks it will be mostly heavy singles. This is a huge generality and can vary drastically between individuals, but it gives you somewhere to start. Really glad to hear you’re progressing 
this is hard to give feedback on without seeing a video - would you be able to post? I can give much better info if I see what we’re working with. Also a general idea of how you train would be helpful - how many days per week and what that looks like.
What are your thoughts on squatting everyday? (Cory Gregory, John Broz)
That’s more or less what I was thinking. Thanks.
Answered this earlier of you look back toward the middle.
Amit,
at front squats do you push with the heel of your foot like in a deadlift or more with the middle of your foot ?
Thanks in advance!
Hi there! Depending on your level and the weight you’re squatting, I think squatting every day has it’s place for sure. I had quite a long discussion about this topic with forum member Chris Ottawa - a page or a few back in this thread - take a look for it!
Definitely with the heels - the bar pulls your forward automatically and the best way to counter balance it and stay upright is with the heel. Also remember to keep your upper body supper tight and your elbows up
If you are talking about the Bulgarian method, AKA daily maxes, that only seems to work as a peaking program for most people. Actually, some Polish weightlifters do exactly that, a volume-based approach until close to competition then switch to the Bulgarian method. There are some guys who make a lot of progress very fast but it doesn’t last, even with high doses of PEDs. Most people who train that way for a long time end up with a lot of injuries, they didn’t call Ivan Abadjiev “The Butcher” for nothing. For the vast majority of people who want to try high frequency training, something like what me and Amit were discussing in this thread would work better, and then again most likely just for a few months at a time. Once you start adding enough work at 90%+ you start to wonder what the point is of the lighter sessions, seems like they do nothing more than slow down your recovery.
Watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL5XEqyEGpU
Max Aita says he put 52kg on his front squat in 6 weeks, more than 6 months for another 13kg, and then years at a time for 5-10kg increases. 52kg in 6 weeks sounds like far beyond what most people can expect.