Whether new to the gym or an experienced trainee, deep squats should be an essential part of your exercise routine. From dumbbell squats to single-leg variations, you can incorporate a wide range of squat exercises to enhance your strength and flexibility.
This Muscle and Motion blog will provide all the information you need to start squatting properly and effectively. Our comprehensive guides will help you overcome common challenges and master the art of deep squatting, ensuring you achieve your fitness goals with confidence and precision.
Join us on this journey to unlock your full squat potential!
Why do deep squats?
A squat is one of the most functional movements in our daily lives, performed countless times a day whenever we sit down and stand up. The ability to perform a deep squat becomes crucial when sitting on something low, such as a toilet, or when playing with a child on the floor. Beyond the aesthetic appeal of a well-executed deep squat, this ability ensures optimal functionality in our everyday activities. Additionally, deep squats offer unique benefits for muscle hypertrophy. Recent research sheds light on how different squat depths impact muscle growth.
Full squat vs. half squat: Which is better for lower limb muscle hypertrophy?
A study by Kubo et al. (2019) compared the effects of squat training at different depths on lower limb muscle hypertrophy.[1] The study involved 17 males randomly assigned to either a full-squat group (aka deep squat) (approx. 140° knee flexion) or a half-squat group (approx. 90° knee flexion).
The training lasted 10 weeks, with two weekly sessions, and MRI measurements assessed muscle volumes.
The researchers found that the gluteus maximus muscle in the full-squat group experienced a 6.7% increase in volume, whereas those who performed half squats only saw a 2.2% increase. Similarly, the full-squat group experienced a 6.2% increase in volume for the adductor muscles, whereas those who performed half squats only saw a 2.7% increase.
These findings suggest that deep squats more effectively promote hypertrophy in the gluteus maximus and adductor muscles than half squats. Incorporating deep squats into your exercise routine enhances daily functionality and maximizes muscle growth in key areas.
How do you perform a deep squat properly?
- Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
- Engage your core and lower your body by bending at your hips and knees simultaneously. Keep your back straight and chest elevated.
- Lower yourself until your hips are below your knees, maintaining control.
- To rise, drive through your heels and push your hips upward.
- Engage your core and glutes until you return to the starting position with fully extended hips and knees.
What could prevent you from performing a deep squat?
A deep squat is fundamental in everyday activities and various athletic disciplines. However, many individuals find it challenging to execute this movement correctly. Based on insights from various studies, including research by Endo et al. (2020), we can identify several key factors contributing to the difficulty of performing a deep squat.[1] We will classify these reasons into three categories and provide appropriate solutions for each:
- Limited range of motion (ROM)
- Muscle weakness
- Asymmetrical movements
- Limb length ratios
1. Limited range of motion (ROM)
Ankle dorsiflexion
One of the primary reasons individuals struggle with deep squats is limited ankle dorsiflexion. The study found that the ankle’s ROM is a significant predictor of squat depth. Insufficient dorsiflexion can cause the heels to lift off the ground or force compensatory movements in other body parts.
Solution:
- Stretching: Incorporate stretches such as ankle dorsiflexion stretches and calf stretches.
- Mobility: Incorporate exercises that enhance the overall mobility of the ankle joint (ankle mobility exercises).
- Adaptation: Start by squatting with a weight plate under your heels, gradually decreasing the height of the plate over time to improve ankle ROM and squat depth.
Hip flexion
Limited hip flexion can hinder squat depth. If the hips cannot flex adequately, the torso may lean excessively forward, compromising balance and stability.
Solution:
Consider incorporating various stretches and mobility exercises into your routine to enhance hip flexion range of motion (ROM).
- Stretching: Start by stretching your gluteus maximus and hamstrings, which can improve hip mobility.
- Mobility: Perform mobility exercises like the lateral monkey walk, Cossack squat, and straight leg bear walk. These exercises require the hips to move through their full range of motion, helping to increase flexibility and strength.
Band mobilization: Use a resistance band to perform joint mobilizations with movement. This technique can help increase your hip flexion by applying gentle traction and movement to the hip joint.
Knee flexion
Knee flexion is crucial for achieving a deep squat. Restricted knee movement can prevent the thighs from reaching parallel to the ground or lower, essential for a proper deep squat.
Solution:
- Stretching: Include knee flexion exercises such as quad stretches and lying knee flexion stretches.
- Mobility: Perform mobility exercises like the archer squat, candlestick roll, reverse Nordic cur, and Cossack squat. These exercises require the knees to move through their full range of motion.
2. Muscle weakness
Hip flexors and knee extensors
While muscle strength was not directly correlated with maximum squat depth in the sagittal plane in the study, weak hip and knee extensors can still impact overall squat performance. Strong and flexible muscles are necessary to maintain proper alignment and prevent compensatory movements.
Solution:
Strengthen the hip and knee extensors through exercises like leg presses, lunges, and step-ups. Focus on progressive overload to build the necessary strength to support deep squatting.
3. Asymmetrical movements
Compensatory movements
The study highlights that many athletes perform asymmetrical squats due to compensatory movements such as internal and external hip joint rotation, pelvic tilt, trunk rotation, and lateral bending. These compensations can lead to uneven weight distribution.
Solution:
- To address asymmetries, incorporate single-leg exercises like single-leg squats, Bulgarian split squats, and single-leg deadlifts. Balance and stability exercises, such as standing on one leg or using a balance board, can also help improve symmetry.
4. Limb length ratios
Body structure and limb length ratios significantly impact deep squat performance and mechanics.
Femur length
Trainees with longer femurs relative to their torso often experience greater forward lean during squats. The longer femur requires a forward torso angle to keep the barbell aligned over the midfoot, which can be challenging for individuals with limited ankle dorsiflexion.
Solution:
- Widen the stance and slightly turn the feet outward. This adjustment reduces the femur length in the sagittal plane, making it easier to achieve a deep squat.
Want to know more about your body proportions and how they affect different exercises? Check out the article Body Proportion Effect on Deadlift.
Understanding the factors that affect deep squat performance is the first step toward improvement. Recognizing that limitations observed in a specific area during an exercise may not necessarily be the primary problem is important.
The range of motion (ROM) of one joint can significantly influence the movement of the contralateral side. For example, limited dorsiflexion in one ankle can affect the knee flexion angle on the opposite side.
Identifying these interdependencies is crucial for accurately diagnosing and correcting movement impairments in the squat. You can enhance your squat depth and overall movement quality by addressing limitations in ROM, strengthening key muscles, and focusing on symmetry and balance. Incorporate these strategies into your fitness routine, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering the deep squat.
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Reference:
- Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 119(9), 1933–1942.
- Endo, Y., Miura, M., & Sakamoto, M. (2020). The relationship between the deep squat movement and the hip, knee and ankle range of motion and muscle strength. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 32(6), 391–394.
