WHEN IT COMES TO barbell back squat, the exercise sometimes called the “king” of all heavy-duty gym movements, the most important thing for guys isn’t necessarily how many plates they can stack on the rack. The more pressing question is depth—how low should you go when descending at the bottom of the movement? Should your butt touch your heels for a rep to count (known in fitness circles as “ass-to-grass”), or is it okay to simply go down until your hips and knees are at a 90-degree angle (or close enough, depending on the day)? If your goal is to get bigger or stronger, experts say, there’s an answer to the leveling dilemma.
“The history of the squat below parallel was really based on the need to have something to judge in competition… If you think of the three big exercises in a "Hyperlink" powerlifting competition — bench press, deadlift, squat — the squat is the only one with an unclear stopping point," he explains. data-vars-ga-outbound-link= »https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/public_health/faculty-staff/arent_shawn.php » data-vars-ga-ux-element= »_blank » data-vars-ga-call-to-action= »https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/public_health/faculty-staff/arent_shawn.php »>Shawn Arent, Ph.D., CSCS »Hyperlink » , chair of the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina. For the bench press, touch the bar to your chest at the bottom and lock your elbows at the top. For the deadlift, lift the bar off the floor until you are standing. »Shawn Arent, Ph.D., CSCS » Squats needed a standard, so the depth just below parallel was chosen. But to get stronger, that depth "is not something intrinsically necessary to the exercise."
data-node-id= »true »>The ideal depth depends on your body and mobility, explain Arent and data-vars-ga-outbound-link= »true » data-vars-ga-ux-element= »6″ data-vars-ga-call-to-action= »https://www.instagram.com/jlguadarrama/ »>Juan Guadarrama, CSCS »_blank » , Los Angeles strength coach. Here’s how low you should go, the dangers of pushing your butt down too far, and what to do if you want to get your butt closer to the grass. »https://www.instagram.com/jlguadarrama/ » "Hyperlink" How Deep Should Most Men Squat"Juan Guadarrama, CSCS"
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> “The parallel is sufficient for the regular gym-goer, because there’s really no benefit to going deeper,” Guadarrama says. “If we’re looking for strength, the parallel is deep enough for the strength adaptation we’re looking for, and for the data-vars-ga-ux-element=data-vars-ga-call-to-action= »true »>central nervous system adaptation »8″that we will get from being under heavy load. » »https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a35447555/cns-fatigue-workouts/ » Parallel, for the gym-bound, means that your upper thighs are roughly parallel to the floor below you. To illustrate what this would look like from just below, >USA Powerlifting Rules state: »true» "9"data-nimg= »the lifter must bend the knees and lower the body until the top surface of the legs at the hip joint is lower than the top of the knees. » src= »4″ > »true »
For athletes in certain sports, a deeper squat may be necessary. In addition to weightlifters, Guadarrama says, data-vars-ga-call-to-action= »preview for Barbell Back Squat Form Check for More Leg Gains | Men's Health Muscle »>Olympic lifters »Video player poster image » — who need to be strong in a deep squat position for snatches — will want to squat deep, as will »lazy» combat sports athletes. But for other athletes and ordinary men, the risks of deep squatting may not be worth the effort. Squatting involves three joints at once: the hip, knee, and ankle. And if one of those joints isn't mobile enough to squat deeply, another joint will compensate to bring your butt up to your calves.
“To get to that low point, for a lot of people, one of two things happens: You can get a pretty significant extension or flexion in your lower back,” Arent says. “So you have to tuck your hips in to get to that low point, or you end up pushing your butt even further back, so your lower back is extended.”1
> To be able to kneel, he says, "it all depends on your ability to maintain spinal alignment. If you can do that, there's nothing wrong with that. If you can't, you're putting yourself in a much riskier position for very little additional gain." true
What Can Stop You From Doing Deep Squats »https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a25350394/olympic-lifts-for-beginners/ »
Of the three joints involved in squatting, the most common problems come from the ankle, Guadarrama says. Specifically, it's the ankle's ability to data-vars-ga-ux-element=
data-vars-ga-call-to-action= »true »>perform a dorsiflexion »12″that is, move the toes towards the shin. »true » decoding= »15″data-nimg=src= »true »> »16″
Dorsiflexion can be improved acutely, he says, by warming up thoroughly or activating the ankle tissue with a foam roller or lacrosse ball. (Try some of data-vars-ga-call-to-action=
>These Ankle Strengthening Exercises »4″ if you feel like your lats just won't flex.) If your ankles just won't flex, you can also go deeper by lifting your heels onto an incline board or weight plate. »true» For other guys, what's stopping them from doing deep squats may not even be in their lower body, Arent says. »false»
“If you have shoulder issues or just shoulder inflexibility, the ability to align your chest, shoulders, and back and get them into a position where they can properly manipulate the bar can be a limiting factor,” he says. Guys who have this problem may be able to get lower by swapping back squats for front squats. “This can make it easier to sink down without feeling like you’re swinging forward.” »17″
Squatting above parallel can still make you stronger
If you can’t reach parallel, that’s okay. If your mobility in any of the three joints involved in the squat (or in your upper body) prevents you from reaching that 90-degree mark, you can still get stronger, Arent says. Squatting to “lazy” almost “2,000″ parallel will still challenge your ability to control the weight and put a strain on your quads and hamstrings.
“What you don’t want are those 3- to 5-inch movements where people have way too much weight on the bar and are basically doing minor knee bends,” he says. If you find that’s all you can handle, lighten the load on your back until you can go deeper.”1″
> »true » How to Improve Your Squat Depth »18″
While an ultra-deep squat isn't essential for building strength, developing that range of motion is good for athleticism and real-world movement, Guadarrama says, even if you're not doing it under load. »https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a26412541/ankle-strengthening-exercises/ »
“The reason for this is to be able to express full function of the hip, knees and ankles,” he says, so when you need that range of motion, you have it.
data-node-id= »true »>You can also use accessory exercises other than heavy barbell squats to refine your depth. data-vars-ga-outbound-link= »true » data-vars-ga-ux-element= »20″data-vars-ga-call-to-action=
>The “21″ barbell squat, for example, is a valuable tool for beginners to improve their form. Whether you want to go low into an overhead squat or bring your barbell squat back to parallel, these three movements will help you go deeper “true.”
Squat Depth Exercise
>Squat with raised heel »true»
data-disable-ads= »how-you-can-improve-your-squat-depth » data-sticky= »24″data-muted=data-node-id= data-embed=”true”>”25″![</p]()
title= » »true » » loading= »26″width=height= »true » decoding= »27″data-nimg= »https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19536462/right-way-to-do -goblet-squat/ » src= »_blank »> »https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19536462/right-way-to-do-goblet-squat/ »
By lifting your heels, the squat requires less ankle dorsiflexion, so it's easier to practice lowering yourself.
data-node-id= »true »>If you think this is “cheating,” Arent says, “think about how weightlifting shoes, or ‘squat shoes,’ are designed: They have a raised, non-compressible heel, with the idea that this puts you in a more mechanically advantageous position.” »28″
If your gym has an incline board, you can start with that, Guadarrama says, and then gradually progress: As your skills improve, squat with your heels on 25-pound plates, then 10-pound plates, then five-pound plates, and so on, continuing to use thinner and thinner plates as your ankles become more mobile.
>
Tibialis muscle elevation »4″
These exercises have become very popular in recent years for increasing dorsiflexion, Guadarrama says, and for good reason: They're simply a move where you dorsiflex and strengthen the muscle (the tibialis anterior, at the front of your shin) that lifts your toes toward your knees. »false »
Add them to your warm-up several times a week. »video»
> »preview for Heel-Elevated Goblet Squats Isolate and Strengthen the Quads | Men's Health Muscle » Stand with your back against a wall and your feet hip-width apart. Move your feet slightly away from the wall to create an angle between your body and the wall. »Video player poster image » Keeping your heels on the floor, lift your toes toward your knees. Feel the flexion in your tibialis anterior, the muscles at the front of your lower legs.
- Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower it back to the floor. Repeat.
Box Squat
Squatting on a box just below the level you can reach with a barbell squat can help you practice reaching progressively lower positions, Guadarrama says.
“What you’re looking for is to control the weight down to the lowest position possible,” he says. When you get there, sit down for a moment, but don’t let your spine relax. “Pause for a split second without losing tension in the body, and then come back up.”
Start with a weight that's about a seven out of ten, in terms of effort, and aim for four sets of five reps. As you get more comfortable, lower the box or bench you're using a little and continue to progress over time.
By lifting your heels, the squat requires less ankle dorsiflexion, so it's easier to practice lowering yourself.
data-node-id= »true »>If you think this is “cheating,” Arent says, “think about how weightlifting shoes, or ‘squat shoes,’ are designed: They have a raised, non-compressible heel, with the idea that this puts you in a more mechanically advantageous position.” »28″
If your gym has an incline board, you can start with that, Guadarrama says, and then gradually progress: As your skills improve, squat with your heels on 25-pound plates, then 10-pound plates, then five-pound plates, and so on, continuing to use thinner and thinner plates as your ankles become more mobile.
>
Tibialis muscle elevation »4″
These exercises have become very popular in recent years for increasing dorsiflexion, Guadarrama says, and for good reason: They're simply a move where you dorsiflex and strengthen the muscle (the tibialis anterior, at the front of your shin) that lifts your toes toward your knees. »false »
Add them to your warm-up several times a week. »video»
- > »preview for Heel-Elevated Goblet Squats Isolate and Strengthen the Quads | Men's Health Muscle » Stand with your back against a wall and your feet hip-width apart. Move your feet slightly away from the wall to create an angle between your body and the wall. »Video player poster image » Keeping your heels on the floor, lift your toes toward your knees. Feel the flexion in your tibialis anterior, the muscles at the front of your lower legs.
- Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower it back to the floor. Repeat.
Box Squat
Squatting on a box just below the level you can reach with a barbell squat can help you practice reaching progressively lower positions, Guadarrama says.
“What you’re looking for is to control the weight down to the lowest position possible,” he says. When you get there, sit down for a moment, but don’t let your spine relax. “Pause for a split second without losing tension in the body, and then come back up.”
Start with a weight that's about a seven out of ten, in terms of effort, and aim for four sets of five reps. As you get more comfortable, lower the box or bench you're using a little and continue to progress over time.
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