Whether you’re loading a barbell on your back, slinging a kettlebell over your shoulder, or simply warming up with bodyweight squats, one question remains constant: what is the appropriate squat depth?
How high you descend is as important to your performance, safety and results as how much weight you press. Squat depth should therefore be high on your fitness checklist, according to Carol Mack, DPT, CSCSdoctor of physiotherapy and strength and conditioning coach. Read on to find out why.
How high should you squat?
Unless you’re a competitive weightlifter whose goal is to squat as much weight as possible, Mack recommends squatting as deep as comfortably possible without sacrificing form. A deeper squat helps engage muscles more effectively and build strength through a greater range of motion, which is important if you’re training for anything other than aesthetics, like athletics or daily functions.
But the depth of your squat will vary based on a few personal factors, like “whether you have knee, hip, or ankle pain, and whether you have enough mobility to go deeper,” says Mack.
What if your knees go past your toes?
A persistent myth about squat depth is that you should never let your knees go past your toes. While this clue can indicate other form errors you might be making, like not hinged at the hips, Mack says your knees will likely drift past your toes if you squat deeper, especially with an activity like powerlifting.
“Don’t worry if your knees buckle when the temperature rises above 90 degrees,” she says. “Of course, don’t force yourself deeper if you feel pain or a tight spot. But if you’re comfortable going deeper and you listen to your body, then you can go lower.
An alignment tip that helps, she adds, is to look down and make sure your knees are in line with your two middle toes, rather than outward. (Just be sure to apply this tip during your warm-up and not, say, during a PR attempt.)
How can you improve squat depth?
If squat depth is something you struggle with, here are some strategies to help you get lower.
1. Focus on your hips
Because squat depth isn’t just about your quads and glutes, focusing on the hips can be a game-changer, says Mack.
Instead of letting your butt drop downward, try slightly sending your hips back — called the hinge — as you lower into your squat. This will help you bend with more hip flexion (i.e. bringing your knees closer to your chest), which can improve depth.
It’s also important to keep your knees from collapsing inward as you approach the bottom of your squat and stand up.
“This may require adding hip mobility or strengthening to your routine to improve your squats,” notes Mack. Hip mobility exercises can also do more than contribute to squat depth. They can reduce strain on the body from excessive sitting, improve overall flexibility, and give you a greater range of motion.
2. Increase ankle mobility
Mack adds that it’s also important to have greater ankle mobility. This aspect of the squat can sometimes be overlooked, but it plays an important role in helping you go deeper. If you ever feel your ankles coming off the ground during a squat, it’s a sign that you need to improve your mobility.
Ankle strengthening exercises can give you greater mobility and stability to support your squats, no matter how deep you go.
3. Strengthen your core
Finally, remember that squats also involve your spine, says Mack.
“Some people have trouble keeping their core straight as they sink deeper into their squat,” she says. “This can disrupt alignment throughout the squat movement. This can happen for many reasons, including mobility, but core strength is a major culprit.
If you tend to round your back when you squat or feel your upper body slump when you stand back up, it usually means you need to incorporate more core work into your routine, suggests She.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options for this, and just like the other mobility and strengthening choices offered here, you’ll reduce your risk of injury and improve your form for a wide range of movements, including squats.
