How To Improve Your Squat Depth
Squatting is a quintessential strength training movement that everyone should have in their tool box, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to master. If you struggle with squat depth or squat mechanics in general… keep reading!
The squat is a pretty critical component of any solid strength training program. This doesn’t mean that everyone needs to be back squatting twice their body weight, but some variation of the squat (back squat, front squat, goblet squat, hack squat, bodyweight squat, etc.) should always been incorporated into your training program. Squats are one of the primary ways to train lower body, especially your quads, which are responsible for knee flexion (i.e. bending and straightening your legs).
Not everyone needs to have an ass to grass squat. Everyone has different biomechanics so it’s okay if your squat doesn’t look “perfect” compared to many demos that you’ve probably seen. That being said, there are definitely hypertrophy benefits and general quality of life improvements to increasing the range of motion of your squat. If you’re struggling with squatting low enough to be able to effectively train your quads, here are some tips that can help you improve your squat mechanics!
Squat Depth Tips
Warm-Up Properly
Warming up is a critical part of any training session because it helps prepare your body and nervous system for the movement that it’s about to perform. If you’re already struggling with your squat, warming up effectively can unlock a lot of extra potential for you just by increasing your body temperature and lubricating your joints. Squats require a lot of joint mobility because they require triple flexion (hip, knee, and ankle) so making sure that you’re mobile starting out your squat session can really do wonders for helping you improve! Here are some solid pre-squat warm-ups:
5-10 minutes of light cardio: This can be an modality of choice; the goal is to increase blood flow and raise your body temperature
Hip Circles: I do these in a quadruped position (hands and knees) and move my hip in the biggest circle I can both back to front and front to back
Bodyweight Squats: Prepare your nervous system and joints for the movement it’s about to perform. Start with what feels comfortable and try to gradually increase your ROM with each rep
2. Work on Hip & Ankle Mobility
While warming up will help improve joint mobility acutely, improving your range of motion significantly takes time! For most people, the primary hinderances with squat depth arise from the hips and ankles. Select 2-3 hip and ankle mobility drills and complete them at least 2-3 days/week to improve mobility over time.
Hip Mobility Drills: Low Squat + Side to Side Shift / World’s Greatest Stretch / Frog Stretch / Butterfly Stretch / Pigeon Stretch
Ankle Mobility Drills: Calf stretch in the lengthened position, knees over toes forward lunge, ankle circles
3. Build Your Core Strength
Having solid core strength is really important for maintaining good form when you squat. This will help you maintain an upright torso and improve intra-abdominal pressure.
Practice breathing and bracing properly when you squat (inhale on eccentric, exhale on concentric)
Practice compound movements over time; simply performing squat and deadlift variations over time will help to improve your mechanics and strengthen your core
Core strengthening movements: Loaded carries, overhead or front rack marches, deadbugs, etc.
4. Spend Time In The Bottom Of A Squat
If you want to get better at squatting, spend more time in the bottom of the squat! I often brush my teeth in the morning while sitting in a low squat position as some morning mobility and to help improve my positioning. Start with 10-15 seconds and build from there; just sit in the lowest position that you can and hold it. You can also use a low box and practice sitting or squatting down to that and progressively lower the height.
5. Use Heel Elevation
It takes time to improve your squat depth, especially when mobility is the main culprit. When we squat, your ankles need to dorsiflex (think flexing your foot towards you) and this is challenging for many. You can place a wedge under your heels (a heel wedge or just 2 weight plates) and this will allow you to more easily drive your knees forward over your toes and sit deeper in the squat. You’ll still want to improve ankle mobility over time, but this is a great way to help instantly improve depth!
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