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Quick backstory.  6 feet tall, 190 pounds.  Been training off and on for a couple months. 

So I really suck at squats (max 235) but I feel like my unilateral strength is ok.  For instance, I can perform consecutive pistol squats holding 35 pound dumbbells in each hand.  It seems like I can much more easily "express" strength with unilateral stuff than I can do with squats.  So should I just work on BSS and lunges and "max out" with those and then go for squats?  My squats have completely stagnated and I'm not sure why, whereas I feel like I can make quick decisive gains with unilateral work. 

A matter of technique I think. I'm very similar, I can tap into the glute strength reserves in unilateral strength exercises, whereas in the squat it becomes a quad dominant thing that takes the glutes off and my position/posture sucks hence my squat sucks.

Maybe a video of your squats would help.

Dirksilver, yes, I mean pistols, not bss. 

raptor, here is a vid of me doing some squats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYc88I-ZyvE


See any issues?  I think my knees are going too far forward, maybe that is making my squats too quad dominant?

here is my journal link.

http://www.adarq.org/forum/progress-journals-experimental-routines/my-progress-journal-keeping-it-simple/

your squat looks pretty decent to me...maybe it's as simple as you lack the confidence to try putting more weight on the bar...just warm up and keep ramping up singles...if you fail you fail but you'll push yourself a little

and if that doesn't sound good to you then just push up your pistol squat...try doing it in a rack with a barbell

Maybe it has to do with your spinal erectors. I have a similar problem with heavy squats parallel and atg because I feel my back gives out more than my legs. You can try adding some hyperextensions or good mornings into your routine and see if that helps.

Thanks for all the great feedback guys. 

I've been doing lower back hypers for the last couple weeks to help my lower back stability while squatting.  It seems to be helping some.

My biggest issue with squats might have to do with muscle recruitment and application.  After a squat session (usually around 4 sets of 5 reps at 85-95 percent max) my legs don't feel that gassed even if my last set is taken to muscle collapse.  I can still almost jump my max and am skipping around in no time.  I feel very little soreness the next day.  However, after doing my bss/lunges sets I really really feel the pain.  The next day my legs/glutes are pretty wrecked.  My only explanation for this is that I'm just not able to "use" my muscles properly and to their fullest when squatting for whatever reason.  I suspect there is a "weak link" somewhere that is holding me back that I'm not able to put my finger on. 

For the time being I'm gonna add bss to my leg days and do something like this...

4x5 squats

2x8 (on each leg) weighted bss

3x5 hamstring curls

some calf raises

lower back hypers

I'll use the bss to compliment my squats and help gain strength until I can squat more effectively. 



regarding squat form, is my back rounding too much at the low point?

there's far more stretch position in single leg exercises then squats and single leg stuff should always make you way sorer then bilateral stuff