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Whether you’re carrying a barbell on your back, place a kettlebell over the shoulder, or simply warming up with bodyweight squats, one question remains: What is the proper squat depth?
How low you go is just as important to your performance, safety, and results as how much weight you lift, so squat depth should be high on your form checklist, according to Carol Mack, DPT, CSCSdoctor of physical therapy and strength and conditioning coach. Read on to find out why.
How low should you squat?
Unless you’re a competitive weightlifter whose goal is to squat as heavy as possible, Mack recommends squatting as deep as you comfortably can without sacrificing form. A deeper squat helps activate muscles more efficiently and develops strength over a greater range of motion, which is important if you’re training for something beyond aesthetics, like athletics or daily function.
But your squat depth will vary depending on some personal factors, such as “if you have knee, hipeither ankle pain, and if you have enough mobility go deeper,” says Mack.
What happens if the knees go past the toes?
An unrelenting myth about squat depth is that you should never let your knees pass your toes. While this sign may indicate other errors you may be making, such as hinge at the hips — Mack says your knees are likely to go past your toes if you squat deeper, particularly with an activity like weightlifting.
“Don’t worry if your knees come forward when they go above 90 degrees,” he says. “Of course, don’t push yourself harder if you feel pain or a point of tension. But if you feel comfortable going deeper and listen to your body, then it’s okay to go lower.”
An alignment tip that helps, he adds, is to look down and make sure your knees are in line with your two middle toes, rather than splayed outward. (Just be sure to apply this tip during the warm-up and not, for example, 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 down.
1. Focus on your hips
Because squat depth isn’t just about your quadriceps and glutesFocusing on the hips can be a game-changer, Mack says.
Instead of letting your butt slump downward, try sending your hips back slightly, known as hinge – while squatting. 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 bending inward as you approach the end of the squat and rise to stand.
“That might require adding hip mobility or strengthening to your routine to improve your squats,” Mack notes. Hip mobility exercises. It can also do more than help squat depth. They can reduce the stress on the body caused by sitting too muchimprove overall flexibilityand give you more 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 ignored, but it plays a huge role in helping you go deeper. If you ever feel your ankles lift off the ground during a squat, it’s a sign that you need to improve your mobility.
Exercises to strengthen the ankle. 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 engage your spine, says Mack.
“Some people have trouble keeping their trunk upright as they progress through the squat,” he says. “This can throw off the alignment during the squat movement. It can happen for many reasons, including mobility, but core strength is a big culprit.”
If you tend to round your back when you squat, or feel like your upper body collapses when you stand back up, that usually means you need to integrate more core work into your routine, he suggests.
Fortunately, there are tons of options For that, and like the other mobility and strengthening options here, you will reduce your risk of injury and improve your form for a variety of movements, including squats.
