How low to go in a squat?

[johnnybigguns]

I see all kinds of videos and everything is different. How low should you go in a squat? I am 6 1 and I was thinking of using a bench to train myself off of?

[Dukkit]

im 6'3 and i switch it up

some weeks ill go low... so waist below knees

some weeks ill go even... waist parallel with knees

depends on weight. if i go heavy heavy. i wont go super low

but if im squtting for reps that day... ill go low

i dont think there is one answer for this question... everyone will be different

[johnnybigguns]

Do you think using a bench to train as a stop would be good.

[Dukkit]

Do you think using a bench to train as a stop would be good.

it wont be bad.
but eventually youll have to learn to not use it. and if you really want to fully develope those quads, youll have to start going low

[johnnybigguns]

Don't think the bench is low enough?
What about from a competitive powerlifting stand point also?

[Madmax209]

Parallel, or slightly below parallel.

[Doc.Sust]

bench isnt low enough

[reardbandit]

From a competitive powerlifting standpoint I think I'd listen to Doc.sust here.

However, if you wanna get a box and do some box squats, that is good for your explosive power out of the bottom of a squat. Take a little weight off at first, and then as soon as you feel your rear touch that box, power out of the bottom of the squat. The trick is to come up fast though, to build that power in the legs.

This is more used in training American football players, basketball, etc. I don't know if powerlifters really use the box too much. A bench can substitute for a box

[johnnybigguns]

He's the man forsure. I just feel more comfortable with something under me when im trying to go heavy. Squats worry be abit to go heavy. I was touching my ass on a bench in the gym and looking in the mirror and it looks like im just breaking parallel or dam close. I think there is a lower bench then that there too I might check out. I also like the idea if its too heavy I can sit on it and slide forward and put the weight back on the rack

[reardbandit]

I have a rack in there that has the safety bars on the sides, I put them right at parallel. However, I keep them high enough to where if I have to, I can sit down on the ground underneath the bar and slide out from underneath it. I tried it with really light weights, just a test run, and it worked. To remember what setting I need to put the safety sides at, I actually scratched a tiny notch into the rack with a knife and wrote it down in my log. At level 10 (because the rack has numbers on it, I guess for that reason) I can get down to parallel but still get out from under it if I have to.

[johnnybigguns]

We don't have a rack like that at the gym. My old gym did but they closed wish they were still open alot better equiped

[Andro9]

Parallel, or slightly below parallel.

i sort of agree,it depends how flexible you are.. i always have my clients do bodyweight squats to warm up and i watch at the low point where they roll their hips in is where you want to stop, once you go past that point it puts alot of pressure on your knees and hip joints. I follow this same rule, i go slightly past parallel. again i think it depends on the person and the shape their in, and how felxible you are. its the best thing to do to avoid discomfort and injury

[reardbandit]

Couldn't agree more. Well put andro9

[bernimx]

im 6'2 and I always go ass to grass...(hams on calves) or the lowest I can go pretty much. It feels the best to me that way. I've also squatted 405 pausing at the buttom...

[strength_addict14]

I go around a 60-70 degree angle at my knee joint... which I suppose if fairly low... just make sure you train a little lower than you will have to go in comp.

[Nooomoto]

Going lower than parallel can lead to numerous problems...parallel is best.

[MuscleScience]

Going lower than parallel can lead to numerous problems...parallel is best.

10000% agree!!!

[bernimx]

Going lower than parallel can lead to numerous problems...parallel is best.

really... =[

[BgMc31]

Going lower than parallel can lead to numerous problems...parallel is best.

Please explain, because from what I've heard and done, that's not true.

From a powerlifting standpoint below parallel is the only way to go.

Box squats are used by powerlifters quite often to develop explosive power at the bottow of their lifts, especially when using chains or bands.

[strength_addict14]

^^^ Agreed... gotta go low if you want to be strong/explosive

[shawno]

If you plan to compete Johnny, then no question you have to go below parallel. Don't buy into this nonsense that below parallel is bad for your knees. I know several Oly Lifters and these guys squat deep, ballistically and have for years with minimal knee issues. Box squats are good, but 1 trick that I used to use to guide my depth was to use a beat-up boxing heavy bag & stick it between my feet. Drop down into the low squat position & as soon as my ass hit the bag, up I go. It's soft enough that I didn't have to worry about slamming into it & for me it was the perfect depth. You may have to play around with an instrument that works for you.
You may want to go to a comp. and see for yourself what the judges are looking for.

[JohnThePhoenix]

below parrallel for sure.

[Trevor827]

Awsome Information!.. I think mixing it up is good, the lighter weight the deeper I go. If I try and go heavy I put a bench behinde me just in case.. and I've definatly used it!

[Adreja]

Have a look at Olympic lifters. Legs slightly wider and bum as low as it will go. That way its easier on the knees.

[MuscleScience]

If you plan to compete Johnny, then no question you have to go below parallel. Don't buy into this nonsense that below parallel is bad for your knees. I know several Oly Lifters and these guys squat deep, ballistically and have for years with minimal knee issues. Box squats are good, but 1 trick that I used to use to guide my depth was to use a beat-up boxing heavy bag & stick it between my feet. Drop down into the low squat position & as soon as my ass hit the bag, up I go. It's soft enough that I didn't have to worry about slamming into it & for me it was the perfect depth. You may have to play around with an instrument that works for you.
You may want to go to a comp. and see for yourself what the judges are looking for.

Take it from someone who knows biomechanics, below parallel is not good for the knees at all. The risk vs benefit in my educated opinion is not worth the extra few inches lower. All the motor units are fully engaged anyway so whats the point of going further down, the stretch?

[xnotoriousx]

I've always tried to go as low as possible, but now i'm changing over to parallel.

My knees always hurt badly after leg day, i'm going to give the "ass2ground" a rest for a month or two and see how it goes.

[eatrainrest]

Take it from someone who knows biomechanics, below parallel is not good for the knees at all. The risk vs benefit in my educated opinion is not worth the extra few inches lower. All the motor units are fully engaged anyway so whats the point of going further down, the stretch?

yep parallel is where you wnna be

[shawno]

Muscle Science, We will agree to disagree on parallel or below, but my understanding of motor unit recruitment is that it is dependent on the force requirements of the exercise. It does not necessarily depend on ROM. If the force requirements are high enough all motor units will be recruited regardless of where in the ROM the exercise is performed. When you say all motor units, keep in mind this is not a simple barbell curl, but a multi-joint movement in which literally dozens of muscles are contracting strongly.
I would also say that most knee injuries that seem to relate to squatting depth, are probably related to a preconditioned injury or poor form. I know myself when I have felt knee pain squatting or after, I feel confident in NOT blaming squat depth. I am more inclined to consider my numerous injuries playing other sports, overuse or even sloppy squat form. Obviously anecdotal, but certainly most forum readers can relate to.

2 reasons to increase ROM past parallel:
1. Stretch? Yes, the myotatic stretch reflex that is. The more sudden the change in muscle length, the stronger the muscle contractions will be.
2. If someone is planning to compete in a powerlifting contest, they need to meet the requirements of the federation/event.

[MuscleScience]

Muscle Science, We will agree to disagree on parallel or below, but my understanding of motor unit recruitment is that it is dependent on the force requirements of the exercise. It does not necessarily depend on ROM. If the force requirements are high enough all motor units will be recruited regardless of where in the ROM the exercise is performed. When you say all motor units, keep in mind this is not a simple barbell curl, but a multi-joint movement in which literally dozens of muscles are contracting strongly.
I would also say that most knee injuries that seem to relate to squatting depth, are probably related to a preconditioned injury or poor form. I know myself when I have felt knee pain squatting or after, I feel confident in NOT blaming squat depth. I am more inclined to consider my numerous injuries playing other sports, overuse or even sloppy squat form. Obviously anecdotal, but certainly most forum readers can relate to.

2 reasons to increase ROM past parallel:
1. Stretch? Yes, the myotatic stretch reflex that is. The more sudden the change in muscle length, the stronger the muscle contractions will be.
2. If someone is planning to compete in a powerlifting contest, they need to meet the requirements of the federation/event.

Cool I respect your argument, and from the Power lifting prospective everything you said is certainly true. My prospective is from the athletic/sports performance view. Which as you can imagine, the number one goal is to keep and help an athlete stay healthy for competition. High risk exercises are often avoided based on a risk vs benefit determination. I think we can disagree and both be right to an extent...

The myostatic stretch reflex or basically the elastic recoil of the muscle does improve force production to a point. The Length Tension Relationships states that a muscle has an optimal length that the maximum amount of cross bridges can be formed. To short and the cross bridges bunch up and are not able to from. To long and there isnt enough overlap to form enough cross bridges between the two contractile protein units.

You are correct that motor unit recruitment is not whole based on ROM of the muscle. I was pointing out (very poorly mind you) that going deeper in the squat ROM doesnt necessarily cause extra muscle fiber recruitment or stimulation, although it can...LOL

[ygg2254]

three words my man BUCKET,BUCKET,BUCKET, you are going to have to go below parallel,from a powerlifting point of view.

[dec11]

have competed for 13yrs and way to go if ur competing is slightest dip below parallel possible, that will get u a clean lift. forget the bench as a guide, u wont be firing up glutes and the distance becomes instinctive after practice. key to protecting knees is stretching and warming up, focus on 30 sec quad stretches after training, hip flexors etc. when i started, i was finishing off with 160kgs singles, now at 280. keep pegging away at it and good luck

[F4iGuy]

Downward motion quads are knee flexors and hamstrings are acting conscentrically quads eccentrically. Lower depth equals more eccentric activation in quads thus greater quad hypertrophy? I dunno thats what my girl thinks. Its late so she might be off with that.

My opinion is this. Increase flexibility through stretching, increasing comfortable ROM. If you can't flat foot you're not ready to move serious weights in a safe manner. Use a heavy weight you can keep tight form (flat back, head up, etc) with and get low. The biggest thing, in my opinion, is staying tight. I sometimes pull the bar down a bit as I flex my traps and pop out my chest. DO NOT EVER bounce out of the bottom position. Its tempting but to me its the most important point to remember when handling heavy weights. I only started going lower than parallel 4 months ago. In that time I had to drop my weights. BUT my leg press along with ALL other leg exercises involving the quads have gone up significantly. Again, I only recommend low if you've got the ability to stay TIGHT. I'm not sure if this applies to differnent body types but I studied Tom Platz form. Worked for me.

[broomy]

I personally squat as low as I can. Stay tight in my technique, stop at the bottom for a second and then come up as explosive as I can while still being aware of form. My gym buddy goes parallel. Whatever works for you I guess. Just be parallel or below I think it the main point.

[xephonics]

I had been going parallel box squats, but i've switched to ATG squats, and holy shit do I notice the difference. Way more muscle groups are being hit, it really seems like it will help my overall strength MUCH more. Plus box squats were starting to hurt my lower back.

[gatorfan]

Just squat heavy!!!

[operationgetbig]

i know parallel is what im suppose to stop at. but i got so used to the idea that it was just sissy if u did that. i go slight below parallel.

most people i know dont even go parallel. people do 1/4 squats and think they're doing real squats.

[Monster87]

i know parallel is what im suppose to stop at. but i got so used to the idea that it was just sissy if u did that. i go slight below parallel.

most people i know dont even go parallel. people do 1/4 squats and think they're doing real squats.

^^^That's exactly the way I think. If it doesn't count in competition it doesn't count in the gym I guess! I hate the pussies who go down halfway and then brag about being able to squat 500 lbs. Go down the whole way and I'd be surprised to see em get 300.

[*El Diablo*]

I go all the way until my knees go into my chest. As low as one can go, but my back is always straight.

[terraj]

About 15 years ago I was squatting arse to the ground all the time(400 +),my hamy and calf pushed together and seperated my knee. 6 months of physiotherapy.

Only to level now.