How to Perform a Perfect Squat
Our fitness expert reveals the truth about squatting as deep as possible
“Only Siths deal in absolutes,” is my go-to quote from my favorite movie,Star Wars. That’s because—unlike another money line from that film, “these aren’t the droids you’re looking for”—I constantly consider the quote in my day job, where I help regular Joe and pro-athlete clients alike achieve their fitness goals.
It reminds me that absolutes are rarely beneficial in fitness. Take the words everybody, never, and always. Those are absolutes. I’m not a Sith, so I don’t use them. And when I hear someone else in the fitness industry (read: probably a person who is also not a Sith) use those words to defend their opinion, my BS detector flares up like a light saber. A few common lines I hear:
Everybody should perform high intensity interval training.
Never eat carbohydrates after 6 p.m.
Always perform total-body movements.
It's a slippery slope to have such a black and white view on exercise—people are different, and there’s a time and place for everything. What if a guy just had triple bypass heart surgery last year? Should he do heart-palpitating high intensity interval training?
What if a marathoner can only train at night? Is he not supposed to fuel his runs because the hour hand ticked past 6?
What if a lifter just experienced a serious back injury? Should he still perform complex moves like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses?
Recently, my BS detector nearly exploded when I heard a fitness pro drop this absolute-bomb: “Everybody should always squat ass-to-grass (deep), and never squat above parallel.” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard someone say something to that affect. (Partially thanks to the rise ofCrossFit and the resurgence of powerlifting).
Don’t get me wrong, squatting is great. As a strength coach and someone who prides himself on helping people get bigger, faster, and stronger, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge that the move is an excellent way to achieve all three of those goals. And I almost always err on the side of encouraging people to train with a full range-of-motion on any given exercise.
There are, however, exceptions—especially when it comes to squatting. Telling someone they have to squat ass-to-grass doesn’t take into consideration a person’s current ability and comfort level with the exercise, their skillset, or their injury history. But that can be said with a lot of exercises. The squat is particularly interesting because God-given anatomy is often a limiting factor when it comes to achieving maximal depth. For example, some people have deeper hip sockets, so when they put their hips in the position of a ass-to-grass squat they simply run out of room to lower themself more, effectively impinging their hip joint. (To learn more about if squats are right for you, read Are Back Squats Safe?)
Even if your anatomy lets you go deep, too much depth may still not be the best idea. Some guys are super mobile (borderline hypermobile). These guys often can’t control that range of motion and own any stability at the bottom of the move. That means the load can shift to their knees, lumbar spine, and hips, putting them at risk of injury in all of those places.
On the other end of the spectrum, some guys are super stiff and lack the requisite ankle, hip, and thoracic spine mobility to go deep. When those guys go too low the weight often shifts to their delicate low back. That can herniate a disk. (To see the disgusting after-effects of a herniated disk, read “You Won’t Believe What Surgeons Found In Bode Miller’s Back”)
Here’s what you need to do: Find the right squat depth for you and what your body currently allows.
Here’s how you can do it: Assess yourself with the quadruped sit back.
Get on your hands and knees (called the quadruped position) and sit back toward your heels. See if or when your spine flexes.
In this video, I can go deep into a squat pattern without my spine rounding. If you can do that, squatting past parallel likely won’t be an issue for you.
Note: If you failed, you can still squat—it’s just imperative that you squat to a depth that’s safe and won’t cause any harm. Try box squats. They help you stay out of the danger zone and still reap all the benefits of a regular squat. With time, as you become stronger and more comfortable with the movement, you should find yourself creeping lower. (To learn how to do a perfect box squat, check out Sit Down, Squat More.)
