Squat depth. How low to go?

[rod-dog]

Right so ive been reading through a lot of journals and seen a few vids of people squatting some fantastic weights yet still getting burned for it so i need to know what is the correct depth to go to for a squat?

Say im standing in a power cage is there a level to place the safetys on your legs to gauge where i stop. Also if im aiming to build mass should my squat depth differ from that of gaining strength. Bodybuilder vs powerlifter.

Thanks guys and gals and look forward to the replies .

[red machine]

for me i do powerlifting so not really caring about size, but my leg have growing a stack since i started squatting deeper insteed of playing round with quarter squat knid of depth, i alway try and get the crease of the hip below knee line - here are a few examples of my depth from journal vids, easier to show vid thank explain

this is my norm depth in general training -

comp style in wraps, bit higher -

resulted in some solid growth over the last year -

[BarBrother]

When someone tells me they squat I expect to see a full squat. A full squat being hip crease parrallel with knee.

i think when your starting off training and learning to train legs and squats in particular you need to start with a full squat then work from there.

A full squat will teach you the proper mechanics at the hips, knees ankle and spine. It will also allow you to be strong and recruit muscles through a full range of motion. This will keep you balanced, strong and already past 80% of the other people in your gym training legs.

Once you decide to start targeting muscle groups and playing around with squat stance, bar position and ROM at least you will have a base of technique to work from and you can make informed decisions about why you are changing what your changing.

Just make sure you learn the full squat properly and then everything else is easy.

[rod-dog]

Cheers guys . Thougfht i was going deep but may have to take a video to see tonight. Hip crease parrallel with knee ill have to remember when doing it.

Those quads jump out alright RM , some good strength there and love the way you come at the camera after the floor press, Amped up man

[HarryB]

Cheers guys . Thougfht i was going deep but may have to take a video to see tonight. Hip crease parrallel with knee ill have to remember when doing it.

Those quads jump out alright RM , some good strength there and love the way you come at the camera after the floor press, Amped up man

IMO it's relative to your goal and your levers.

If you want to just grow your quads you might find you don't need the same kind of stance and depth required if you are just trying to increase your numbers.

With a closer foot stance getting that sit down depth is very difficult and the bigger your quads get the harder it is, however IMO you get a lot more complete quad stimulation.

My general rule of thumb when training people is to squat down as far as you can while keeping your heels planted and not allowing your hips to rotate forward. For some people that's not much ROM at all initially but it's better to do that than try and force a ROM your body isn't ready for.

Then you can gradually work to a greater depth whilst maintaining good form and posture.

BUT one of the biggest sets of legs I have ever seen belonged to a guy who never went over 180 on squats and didn't come anywhere close to parallel when he squatted. But it worked for him just fine.

[Darkmanx]

BarBrother, i think you a bit naive to to say that when you ask someone to squat to do a full squat. That means you put everyone regardless of size and capabilities under the same scope wich in my opnion and this comes from my years working with the top trainers in SA. Harry is correct by saying that it depends on levers and also natural rom.

Take me for example me. Im a guy little over 2m tall. For me to go down ATG will outline my back so far that there is a point i will pass that will actually be negative to my gains not to mention the fact your putting yourself in place for possible back problems in future. So what i have done is customised my squat and i know how far i can go till my back is still strainght without the rounding of the lower back(this is the best i can explain) and work for me strength and build wise. Front squats however i find that i can go all the way down without losing posture whatso ever. Hope this makes sense to ya.

[BarBrother]

BarBrother, i think you a bit naive to to say that when you ask someone to squat to do a full squat.

Umm i dont know exactly what post you were reading but i didnt say that.

When someone tells me they squat I expect to see a full squat.

Thats what i said. Meaning if someone tells me they squat 100 x 10. I expect to see 100kg with each rep that deep or at least thighs parralel with floor.

I didnt say they had to squat that low just that if someone tells me they can squat those are the expectations or the gold standard. Of course if someone . If i decide to show someone how to squat then of course I will not show someone ATG for the sake of it. If there lower back is rounding etc then it can be detremental as we all know.

Just make sure you learn the full squat properly and then everything else is easy.

That is why i made the last point of learning it properly. Which meant ironing out muscle weakness/tightness and contraction problems that prevent a full squat from being performed.

If you cannot perform a full squat then you have something that needs correcting.

This guy is a beginner from what i can see. Why limit him to a half squat and then when he has learnt that progress him on to full squat. it would be much easier to do it the other way round.

[HarryB]

This guy is a beginner from what i can see. Why limit him to a half squat and then when he has learnt that progress him on to full squat. it would be much easier to do it the other way round.

I guess similarly what we are saying is work within his capabilities and don't expect a full squat from the outset. Or at least that's what I meant.

Work towards it and if he can from the outset then awesome, but IME you rarely find someone who can deep squat from the outset with decent form and body alignment. But they try hence we see a lot of squat related back injuries.. just ego really.

[Riccardo]

Having relatively long femurs I first found it near impossible to do a full squat when I first started. Having said that, I wish I had learnt to earlier. For me it was also a case of poor flexibility all round. I've heard stories about weightlifters practicing months with a broom stick before they were even allowed to use the bar let alone use any weight. Obviously this isn't practical for everyone but I think it highlights the need to learn to squat properly and taking time to iron out all the issues with flexibility and technique before squatting with any great weight on the bar.

As a long legged individual I've found front squats to be highly beneficial to quad development and recommend them to anyone with similar leverages who is struggling to get the most out of their quads in the back squat.

[hjp]

Work towards it and if he can from the outset then awesome, but IME you rarely find someone who can deep squat from the outset with decent form and body alignment. But they try hence we see a lot of squat related back injuries.. just ego really.

I would imagine most of these ego injuries are from shallow squats with weights too heavy for the persons spine to handle (as they can load up these "squats" without nailing form), rather than someone loading up a deep squat, or at least at my gym thats would be the reason...

I would much rather see a light full depth squat (parrallel or below) than someone chucking weight on an squatting high. Newbies should start light and progress in depth, not weight, until full depth can be reached. Just my opinion.

[HarryB]

Work towards it and if he can from the outset then awesome, but IME you rarely find someone who can deep squat from the outset with decent form and body alignment. But they try hence we see a lot of squat related back injuries.. just ego really.

I would imagine most of these ego injuries are from shallow squats with weights too heavy for the persons spine to handle (as they can load up these "squats" without nailing form), rather than someone loading up a deep squat, or at least at my gym thats would be the reason...

I would much rather see a light full depth squat (parrallel or below) than someone chucking weight on an squatting high. Newbies should start light and progress in depth, not weight, until full depth can be reached. Just my opinion.

Yeah I agree with that and guys loading up the bar too much, but just as much involved when all the powerlifting or oly lifters start getting on someones case cos they aren't going deep enough. So poor newby tries to get that depth.. wham.. he's injured.

Also agree that you work on depth first and let weight come later...

[rod-dog]

So confused right now haha. Jokes . Thanks for all the replies ill post a vid of my average depth and squat form over the next few days so i can get some helpful tips on what to change

[frogie2001]

femur parallel to the ground (hip to the knee). I wouldn't go any lower as I have been warned about knees being stuffed.. the deep you go the better for gluts. I find shallower squats help with quads.

[Riccardo]

femur parallel to the ground (hip to the knee). I wouldn't go any lower as I have been warned about knees being stuffed.. the deep you go the better for gluts. I find shallower squats help with quads.

Your knees wont be stuffed from going lower than parallel, in fact stopping your squat high will create more damage to the synovial (joint) tissues including joint cartilage due to the fact that you are stopping the load and reversing its movement at a point where you have minimal joint support from extra-capsular tissue (muscle, fat, tendons, ligaments etc.). When you go to the bottom of a squat, the force exerted on the joint tissues due to the direction of the load being reversed is reduced as the elastic properties of the stretched muscle, surrounding fat tissue, tendons and ligaments all take some of the strain off the joint.

Also, greater range of motion = greater stretch of quadriceps = stretch reflex and greater force production = more weight lifted = greater gains.

[Big john]

femur parallel to the ground (hip to the knee). I wouldn't go any lower as I have been warned about knees being stuffed.. the deep you go the better for gluts. I find shallower squats help with quads.

[tinytraps]

femur parallel to the ground (hip to the knee). I wouldn't go any lower as I have been warned about knees being stuffed.. the deep you go the better for gluts. I find shallower squats help with quads.

Actually thats false glutes have more activation in their end range so a 1/4 squat is better for the glutes than a deep squat

[bang_bang]

Alot of quality posts ITT

[Big john]

femur parallel to the ground (hip to the knee). I wouldn't go any lower as I have been warned about knees being stuffed.. the deep you go the better for gluts. I find shallower squats help with quads.

Actually thats false glutes have more activation in their end range so a 1/4 squat is better for the glutes than a deep squat

tell that to the likes of Simon.W, Nick hansen, wookie..who have the Power house Cabooses from deep squating and afew other of the boys who have the Postier chain of a steam locomotive..unless youd put them under the exception catagory?

[MARS]

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[tinytraps]

femur parallel to the ground (hip to the knee). I wouldn't go any lower as I have been warned about knees being stuffed.. the deep you go the better for gluts. I find shallower squats help with quads.

Actually thats false glutes have more activation in their end range so a 1/4 squat is better for the glutes than a deep squat

tell that to the likes of Simon.W, Nick hansen, wookie..who have the Power house Cabooses from deep squating and afew other of the boys who have the Postier chain of a steam locomotive..unless youd put them under the exception catagory?

All three have very agressive lockouts as well. In the bottom position of a squat the glutes are in a very weak position so do not fire a lot down there. As you get closer to lockout the glutes start to turn on more with best activation in hip hyper extension (or the very start/end of the squat)

[rod-dog]

Posted a clip in my journal , Status grow , would be good to get some opinions on my form and depth . Remember im not looking to enter a comp.

[frogie2001]

Still stand by the old depth not going too far.

[frogie2001]

When someone tells me they squat I expect to see a full squat. A full squat being hip crease parrallel with knee.

i think when your starting off training and learning to train legs and squats in particular you need to start with a full squat then work from there.

A full squat will teach you the proper mechanics at the hips, knees ankle and spine. It will also allow you to be strong and recruit muscles through a full range of motion. This will keep you balanced, strong and already past 80% of the other people in your gym training legs.

Once you decide to start targeting muscle groups and playing around with squat stance, bar position and ROM at least you will have a base of technique to work from and you can make informed decisions about why you are changing what your changing.

Just make sure you learn the full squat properly and then everything else is easy.

I'm with you. found this which gives training assistance for power lifters

[Riccardo]

Still stand by the old depth not going too far.

Lol saw the tampon on the bar and immediately thought what a phaggot, some good advices in the video but is assertion that 'going to low' puts you at risk of injuring your lower back is completely fallacious. In fact over extension is probably more dangerous Try reading this article http://www.70sbig.com/blog/2010/10/the-butt-wink/

If you wanna look like the guys in that video then by all means continue to squat like them.

[Shutupandsquat]

Just gonna throw it in here. Once in a blue moon, I'll squat just above parallel, with my legs closer together just to really involve my quads and target those alone. I generally like to have feet just outside shoulder width and get down as low as possible though, just to involve the hammies and glutes more. Since doing that, my hammies just came from nowhere, and I actually have separation there now.

Either way, you can do a half squat (to an extent) depending on what muscle group you wanna hit. Oh, and going all the way down still involves quads.

And whoever said 1/4 squat would be better for glutes, I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying for me personally, it involves the glutes more because when I'm doing high rep squats, I'm able to go extremely deep due to lighter weight and my glutes will giveway before anything. But that's just me.