How Low Should You Go In The Squat

Also known as the king of all exercises, the squat provides tremendous benefits to muscular development and contributes to overall strength. Yet, as renowned as this exercise is for its benefits, it is also infamous for all the varied views on what a proper squat constitutes.

Eavesdrop on a conversation near the squat rack and you might hear a self-professed and experienced squatter telling his friend to go parallel to avoid hurting his knees. Go to another gym on the island of sunny Singapore on a Saturday morning and you might just hear another person advocating squatting below parallel. Then there are also the partial squats advocates.

What happens During A Squat

The squat trains the quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back and abs with the upper body recruited during the exercise to execute the movement proper. The usual stance sees a person starting with legs shoulder width apart and as he bends his knees, he descends till his thighs are parallel to the ground before driving his legs up again.

Yet, this relatively simple movement seem to have become a subject of debate, especially on how low you need to squat.

Squatting to parallel

The most common advice seems to be that you need to squat to at least parallel to experience the benefits of this exercise. By parallel we mean that you go down to a position where your hip joint is at the same height as your knee joint. In studies done, parallel squatting has been shown to strengthen the tendons, ligaments and thicken the cartilage of the knees. When a person doesn’t squat low enough, the glutes and hamstring muscles are not activated so much as that of the quads. So people who tend to squat above parallel or near parallel are activating more of their quad muscles.

The main controversy of squat depth arises primarily from the research done by a college professor Karl K. Kleinn with studies published to disapprove of squats that go too deep due to the concern of knees injury. What was interesting was that the study did not disapprove of parallel squats per se but rather Olympic Style Squats that go all the way below parallel.

Squatting below parallel

Squatting below parallel has almost also become a mantra among ‘hardcore’ gym goers. Yet there are also suggestions floating around gyms and magazines that squatting below parallel place too much stress on the knees. And by below parallel, we mean that your hips should drop to below your knees. Is that a myth or a fact? The knees have essentially 4 protective ligaments which are most effective during full extension (while you are standing) and full flexion (when you are in a deep squat position).

The debate between squatting above parallel, parallel and below parallel would come to this. When you stop your squatting movement halfway through to parallel, your knees are actually absorbing most of the impact. By going all the way down below parallel, the hamstrings and glutes actually assist the knees to drive the load up safely, minimizing stress on your knees as compared to if you were to stop halfway.

Between the 90 degree parallel squat and going below parallel, there might be more stress exerted on your lower back and knees as compared to if you were to go down below parallel. To sum it up, the lower you go, the more muscles are activated which helps to protect your ligaments and knees.

How about the flexibility issue?

Some people might have problems going deep as they feel that their ankles or lower body does not allow the flexibility to go deep. It is also common to hear that the taller you are, the harder it is to go deeper into the squat due to the longer distance that your legs have to travel. Yet, I have seen tall individuals over a period of time, develop the flexibility to go deep into their squats while others opt for leg presses as an alternative instead.

Warming up before a squat will help and cycling on a stationary bike or walking on the stair mill can help to warm up your muscles before doing any static stretches. And before going cold-turkey into a heavy squat, it is always wise to do some light warm up sets to get the blood flowing and which will also assist you to go deeper with heavier weights.

Also the right kind of shoes will provide stability and prevent you from toppling forward when you go deep. Running shoes are not really the best footwear when it comes to squatting as the heel is often higher which has a tendency to encourage you to topple over. Go with flat soles or even barefoot and this will help you to maintain strict form.

So how low should you squat?

According to the mechanics of the squat, squatting at least parallel is beneficial yet if you have the flexibility to go below parallel, it is actually healthier on your knees. And instead of concerning yourself with the amount of weight, focus on proper form and squatting depth. 

Over time, you will find your flexibility improve and as you can squat heavier and deeper, you will also start seeing the sculpted thighs that you have been admiring in that fitness model, unveiling its showcase on your lower body. Yet above all that, the benefits of proper squatting will be reaped as you age .