Squat depth

[Obs]

Why is it we stop at 90° leg bend when doing squats? Seems like I get ten times more out of it when I go as far as I can. Everyone I know stops at 90 and I just am certain I get more out of it than they do and I know I get sore as hell.

[Chicagotarsier]

If you can do the same weight at full squat as 90 degree....try upping the weight for the 90 degree squats. When I hit 90 degrees I am focusing so hard to keep it together I doubt I could get another inch lower.

There is nothing wrong with full depth squats if weight is acceptable. You do change the muscle groups handling the weight and angle of force on joints...at heavy weight that is a no-no.

I mostly see guys switch up to lunge squats per leg instead of full squat.

[Back In Black]

Most guys don't even go beyond 60%, nowhere near 90%.

If you can do full depth squats with great form then fine but if your form is off then don't, it's not worth the injury risk imho.

[Obs]

If you can do the same weight at full squat as 90 degree....try upping the weight for the 90 degree squats. When I hit 90 degrees I am focusing so hard to keep it together I doubt I could get another inch lower.

There is nothing wrong with full depth squats if weight is acceptable. You do change the muscle groups handling the weight and angle of force on joints...at heavy weight that is a no-no.

I mostly see guys switch up to lunge squats per leg instead of full squat.

I can't do as much weight at full squat but I still feel ten times more tore up afterward.

Most guys don't even go beyond 60%, nowhere near 90%.

If you can do full depth squats with great form then fine but if your form is off then don't, it's not worth the injury risk imho.

I keep good form but my knees sound like hell. I mean 90 degrees of leg bend not percent. People were giggling yesterday. I'm about to need bigger pants though

[GirlyGymRat]

I go as deep as I can maintaining proper form and no pain. I like my knees. A lot. lol

[The Deadlifting Dog]

Go deep or go home.

If you can't squat below parallel then the issue is probably flexibility or improper form.
I'm 45 and I squat three days a week.

It amazes me how many twenty year olds can't squat deep due to "bad knees". (Or how many half rep bench because of "bad shoulders".) Please.

Take the time to learn the technique.
Drop the ego weights.
Do full range of motion.

P.S. I do understand that some people have had serious injuries and can't. However, even many people that have had surgeries can go back to full squats. Hell, how many people blow out their knees but are back in the NFL in 8 months?

[GSXRvi6]

Why is it we stop at 90° leg bend when doing squats? Seems like I get ten times more out of it when I go as far as I can. Everyone I know stops at 90 and I just am certain I get more out of it than they do and I know I get sore as hell.

"we" don't, I go ass to grass with no butt wink. One of the keys to avoiding injury is don't ego lift - yea I'm not one of the guys in the gym screaming with 4 plates on there but I'm one of the guys that goes all the way down and I have some wheels under me.

I see more ego lifting on squats than any other lift, that's how you blow shit out.

IMO a lot of young people with "bad knees" etc. are just people that needs to spend time building them up, tendons and bone get stronger too. Playing xbox and watching netflix won't do much for your knee health.

[bobbypump]

you gotta squat deep... one good thing i got from crossfit- you can't clean heavy weight if you can't deep front squat heavy weight. i just roll my eyes as i walk by people pretending to squat.

anything past that 90 deg, i think of a "bounce zone", in and out.

[Marsoc]

Why is it we stop at 90° leg bend when doing squats? Seems like I get ten times more out of it when I go as far as I can. Everyone I know stops at 90 and I just am certain I get more out of it than they do and I know I get sore as hell.

I def go as deep as I can go. Full range of motion and activate more muscle fibers.ususlly when I'm lifting something in real life. It comes from a deep squat. Like I'm. Sitting on my lower legs actually. Now I don't go that deep on the squat rack but I do try for 90 degrees or more. Try to keep the form though above all

[BuildingBlock]

Science guys says go below 90 and you might hurt your knees and with no extra benefit, old time bodybuilders say, squat til your ass is on the ground and up, choice is yours

[Obs]

Good to know. I just get aggrivated when people giggle and I know I get more tore up with my ass to my ankles. These people learned to lift in high school from a coach and never tried anything but what they were told. Yes my knees hurt but my leg muscles hurt much more when it's over. I appreciate the confirmation, they can all kiss my big tight ass.

[kelkel]

Squat to a depth that's comfortable for your own individual body mechanics. Depth is important to a degree but it's not the "end all and be all" of the exercise. Form is important. Just learn what works for you. It doesn't matter what other people do just that you are making progress developmentally.

[73rr]

I kinda skipped everyone else's post. So if someone already said this sorry but if I got to deep in my squats my lower back starts to hurt. If u keep it (or if I keep it) at 90 or above I'm ok.

[GSXRvi6]

My wife used to struggle with squats, harder to hit her quads, knees bothered her etc.

I eventually got her going ass to grass, now her quads flair up and he knees no longer hurt.

form form form

You can agree or disagree but this is one of the best video's I've seen regarding squats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQWzAs2m0ck

[Marsoc]

Yeah like my hips shifted sometimes with high weight. So i want good form above all. But the more rang of motion I,e the more depth will engage and activate more muscle fibers therefore more development. I'd go at least 90though. But yeah if ones condition isn't built for it then don't hurt yourself

[Marsoc]

I kinda skipped everyone else's post. So if someone already said this sorry but if I got to deep in my squats my lower back starts to hurt. If u keep it (or if I keep it) at 90 or above I'm ok.

Right I hate doing a sudo good morning or whatever it is where you just use your spinal erectors. Want arch and straight back. BOOM all legs and ass

[jstone]

My wife used to struggle with squats, harder to hit her quads, knees bothered her etc.

I eventually got her going ass to grass, now her quads flair up and he knees no longer hurt.

form form form

You can agree or disagree but this is one of the best video's I've seen regarding squats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQWzAs2m0ck

I have watched that video many times along with others from chris duffin. I have an ankle flexibility problems so I have to use lifting shoes, or place a 2×4 under my heels for full range of motion. I would rather squat 45 pounds to full depth rather than hundreds for a half ass rep. Everyone likes to say squating full depth is bad for your knees and back. If done properly it will help both areas become stronger.

I have had back surgery and I still squat to full depth. The weight may be nowhere near what some of the guys I dont even see going parallel, but my ego has no place in the gym. I dont care if your old lady is right next to me lifting more. I will do whatever to maintain longevity rather than lifting heavy weights.

For squats I think as long as your getting parallel its good enough. What I see most often is guys loading 4 or 5 plates and lowering it 2-3 inches, then returning to the start position. 1 rep sets over and over. Taking the only squat rack for over 20 minutes.

[Obs]

To be right honest the thing that kills my knees most is leg curls. My back goes out once in a while and I crawl to the chiropractor but it's never from lifting. One day I threw it out moving a 30lb traffic cone. Squats I believe only help my back if anything. My form is spot on. Gosh it's nice to have big fuckers confirming what I have always thought!

[jolter604]

Most guys don't even go beyond 60%, nowhere near 90%.

If you can do full depth squats with great form then fine but if your form is off then don't, it's not worth the injury risk imho.

They only go like a couple inches down.hahahaha

[DocToxin8]

I look at squats at 90 and squats below 90 as two variations of the excersize.
When not using lifting shoes and no support, below 90 is something I do with a weight I can push one more rep out of when I stop. (Kinda, at least)

I think this applies to many excersizes, full ROM and not so full, I do both.

[Obs]

I look at squats at 90 and squats below 90 as two variations of the excersize.
When not using lifting shoes and no support, below 90 is something I do with a weight I can push one more rep out of when I stop. (Kinda, at least)

I think this applies to many excersizes, full ROM and not so full, I do both.

I do four tens. Last set I finished at 15 rep. I may bust squats into two days a week and try more weight and less depth one day and ass to grass when healed.

[Ashop]

Why is it we stop at 90° leg bend when doing squats? Seems like I get ten times more out of it when I go as far as I can. Everyone I know stops at 90 and I just am certain I get more out of it than they do and I know I get sore as hell.

Ass to the floor squats are ideal but not everyone is capable of doing them for one reason or another.

[600@50]

People tend to confuse terms when talking about percents and degrees when squatting. Most use these terms for the amount of knee flexion. 90 degrees of knee flexion is only a little more than a half squat. If you go down to where your quads are parallel to the floor, like a powerlifter would squat, your knees are past 90 degrees. This can all be changed by your form. You can increase knee flexion when squatting by leading with the knees bending first or minimizing knee flexion by leading with the hips bending first.
Learning to squat takes some time to learn and some experimenting. It's not just moving a weight on your shoulders up and down. There is NO one way that is perfect. If you normally do full ATG squats with 500 lbs for reps, throw 700 on the bar and do half squats for the same number of reps. The next day you'll have a new appreciation for half squats. Full development will come only from different variations of a movement. There are numerous ways to squat. Experiment and don't be afraid to try something different.

[kelkel]

People tend to confuse terms when talking about percents and degrees when squatting. Most use these terms for the amount of knee flexion. 90 degrees of knee flexion is only a little more than a half squat. If you go down to where your quads are parallel to the floor, like a powerlifter would squat, your knees are past 90 degrees. This can all be changed by your form. You can increase knee flexion when squatting by leading with the knees bending first or minimizing knee flexion by leading with the hips bending first.
Learning to squat takes some time to learn and some experimenting. It's not just moving a weight on your shoulders up and down. There is NO one way that is perfect. If you normally do full ATG squats with 500 lbs for reps, throw 700 on the bar and do half squats for the same number of reps. The next day you'll have a new appriciation for half squats. Full development will come only from different variations of a movement. There are numerous ways to squat. Experiment and don't be afraid to try something different.

Very well said, as usual.

[EndlessApex]

I'm pretty sure I have deep hip sockets so I start to get some butt-wink past parallel but still prefer deep squats. It feels better on my knees, and feels like my reps are more controlled when I just squat till bottoming out then press up. Opposed to focusing on some magic point during the eccentric movement to stop at, feels better to just go with the flow for me.

[Grappler13]

Why is it we stop at 90° leg bend when doing squats? Seems like I get ten times more out of it when I go as far as I can. Everyone I know stops at 90 and I just am certain I get more out of it than they do and I know I get sore as hell.

From a physiological standpoint, stopping arbitrarily at 90 degrees is rough on the knees (and everything around them). Heck, it's bad on your erectors and stresses your abs. Since I was early into lifting, I went deep. It's called a squat for a reason and not to get too deep into the etymology of the word, it's actually called a "squat" and no one outside of lifting would thing that a person sitting at 90 degrees was "squatting". It would just look awkward.

It seems that the olympic/competition requirement of breaking 90 was instituted to equalize the playing field. There really isn't another way to recognize that an athlete has moved to a certain point in the squat like there is with the dead-lift and the bench-press, etc..

The only time my knees have ached from squats is when I've overdone it or messed up a lift. I'm 44 and squat all the way, have for years, and encourage you to drop weight, perfect your form, strengthen your tendons and ligaments and go from there. How many 20 somethings can't even sit in an Indian Squat? We Westerners too often limit the body with our minds and our education.

[Obs]

From a physiological standpoint, stopping arbitrarily at 90 degrees is rough on the knees (and everything around them). Heck, it's bad on your erectors and stresses your abs. Since I was early into lifting, I went deep. It's called a squat for a reason and not to get too deep into the etymology of the word, it's actually called a "squat" and no one outside of lifting would thing that a person sitting at 90 degrees was "squatting". It would just look awkward.

It seems that the olympic/competition requirement of breaking 90 was instituted to equalize the playing field. There really isn't another way to recognize that an athlete has moved to a certain point in the squat like there is with the dead-lift and the bench-press, etc..

The only time my knees have ached from squats is when I've overdone it or messed up a lift. I'm 44 and squat all the way, have for years, and encourage you to drop weight, perfect your form, strengthen your tendons and ligaments and go from there. How many 20 somethings can't even sit in an Indian Squat? We Westerners too often limit the body with our minds and our education.

I agree with everything but the westerner part. I have worked with dumb people from all over the world. I don't like the dumb westerner degenerate thing. I am from the United States though I am mostly German. The percentage of dumb people are no greater here than anywhere else. I have met some lazy lazy people of a lot of languages too. Westerners... nah. I have even met a lot of smart strong tough and able russians. I'm not saying we are better but we are no worse.

[jackfrost88]

I always trained to go as deep as I can before form breaks down. This is important because many people when they go ass to grass get low back rounding and it defeats the purpose of a squat. I think most people only go 90 degrees because that is all you "have to" go down and squats suck lol.

[Grappler13]

As I wrote that I was wondering whether it would be perceived as the "western degenerate thing". That was not my intention at all. I'm extremely proud of Western Civilization. What I was really getting at is that we've reached so far yet we get can get bogged down in over thinking things or over-reading on subjects and maybe our minds override our instincts. I have small children and they sit "Indian style" and sit in crouches all the time; they do it because they're limber and they haven't gotten stiff from the modern way of life. The reason we don't do it is we get older and we sit at desks and get stiff so crouching/squatting deep feels wrong and dangerous.

[Obs]

As I wrote that I was wondering whether it would be perceived as the "western degenerate thing". That was not my intention at all. I'm extremely proud of Western Civilization. What I was really getting at is that we've reached so far yet we get can get bogged down in over thinking things or over-reading on subjects and maybe our minds override our instincts. I have small children and they sit "Indian style" and sit in crouches all the time; they do it because they're limber and they haven't gotten stiff from the modern way of life. The reason we don't do it is we get older and we sit at desks and get stiff so crouching/squatting deep feels wrong and dangerous.

I cannot now nor could I ever sit Indian style. It used to get me in trouble at school. I wonder why. It has always given me hip pain. It is genetic bad hips run in my family but at 8 I couldn't sit Indian style.

[Grappler13]

I cannot now nor could I ever sit Indian style. It used to get me in trouble at school. I wonder why. It has always given me hip pain. It is genetic bad hips run in my family but at 8 I couldn't sit Indian style.

I hear you. Everyone is built differently. I have BJJ training partners that are like gumbys and see others stretch like their lives depend on it and just can't seem to get past certain points. Indian style is uncomfortable for all but a few. My guard would be better if I could push my hips and knees "out" more. Time will tell.

[Obs]

Or that shit some people do where they are sitting and place an ankle on the opposite knee... to hell with that. Makes my hip want to come out of place.

[Marsoc]

Or that shit some people do where they are sitting and place an ankle on the opposite knee... to hell with that. Makes my hip want to come out of place.

Nevermind. I re read. Reply removed

[Kaido]

I cannot now nor could I ever sit Indian style. It used to get me in trouble at school. I wonder why. It has always given me hip pain. It is genetic bad hips run in my family but at 8 I couldn't sit Indian style.

Maybe you have scottish hip. I have it too and I get in trouble squating atg with weights. You can work a lot on mobility though and be able to sit really deep.

[Obs]

Huh...lol for squats..

I'm talking about sitting not squatting, some people sit in a chair and put their ankle on the opposite knee, just chillin' like that... I am incapable of that my knee would be in my face because I can't rotate my hips that direction. Kaido I don't know how to work that. Never tried though. It does get to be a pain in the ass though. Every now and then I will be way up in a tree and have to rotate my hip sideways and it tries to come out. Sucks. Nothing like having a joint jump out 60' up. Sitting or squatting though it doesn't bother me as long as I don't move my legs outward.

[Kaido]

I'm talking about sitting not squatting, some people sit in a chair and put their ankle on the opposite knee, just chillin' like that... I am incapable of that my knee would be in my face because I can't rotate my hips that direction. Kaido I don't know how to work that. Never tried though. It does get to be a pain in the ass though. Every now and then I will be way up in a tree and have to rotate my hip sideways and it tries to come out. Sucks. Nothing like having a joint jump out 60' up. Sitting or squatting though it doesn't bother me as long as I don't move my legs outward.

What helped me was ido portal's squat routine 2.0 but from what you are describing your case seems really bad man. Have you tried to work it with a physical therapist or chiropractor?

[Obs]

What helped me was ido portal's squat routine 2.0 but from what you are describing your case seems really bad man. Have you tried to work it with a physical therapist or chiropractor?

Nah its not debilitating yet. I have figured my ball is to small for socket. Never got jack done about it. I hate going to doctors so I do my own wrenching. I do believe leg curls and squats have helped. On day when I get older I'm sure the doc is gonna give me new hips. I will only use him because I can't install the parts myself, I need better tools and a helper. On the upside being on cycle has shut up all my joints bitching. Lots of people say deca doesn't help joint pain and I say they have never had joint pain. Deca is one kick ass anti inflammatory and I think it should be used to treat extreme arthritis in males.

[cousinmuscles]

Very few read a book on exercise science like Zatsiorsky when learning how to train. From that point of view full squats (after achieving flexibility) would be best and variations after one has learned. Though I have yet to hear someone in the gym tell me they train for power and strength from all positions. So the goal to be able to produce power/strength throughout the squat movement is rare. They want muscle growth and learning to squat deep is an investment they probably think is not worth for it's returns.

[blackhat7]

Don't listen to critiques of ass-to-grass squats because of knee injury risk. Train your body to be strong in different positions and the injury risk drastically diminishes.

[Marsoc]

All about being flexible. And getting used to different degrees etc. I mean one should know what their bodies limit is for a mechanical injury stand point.

I through a plate on other day when I came across a squat rack at someone's house and let my ass down to the ground almost. For reps and it felt good