Squat Depth: Improving Mobility, Technique, and Core Stability

How to go lower on squats?

Achieving greater squat depth requires a multifaceted approach, addressing key elements of mobility in the ankles, hips, and thoracic spine, alongside refined technique and robust core stability.

The Significance of Squat Depth

The squat is a foundational human movement pattern and a cornerstone of strength training. While any squat provides benefits, achieving greater depth, often defined as hip crease below knee level (parallel or deeper), offers distinct advantages:

• Enhanced Muscle Activation: Deeper squats recruit a greater range of muscle fibers, particularly in the glutes, quadriceps, and adductors, leading to more comprehensive strength and hypertrophy.
• Improved Functional Strength: The ability to squat deep translates directly to daily activities like sitting, standing, and lifting objects from the floor, improving overall functional capacity.
• Increased Mobility and Flexibility: Consistently squatting to full depth can improve range of motion in the ankles, knees, and hips, counteracting stiffness and promoting joint health.
• Better Power Transfer: For athletes, a deeper squat allows for a longer force application phase, which can improve power output in jumping and other explosive movements.

Anatomy and Biomechanics of a Deep Squat

Understanding the mechanics is crucial for identifying limitations. A deep squat involves coordinated movement across several joints:

• Ankles (Dorsiflexion): The shin moves forward over the foot. Insufficient ankle dorsiflexion is a common limiter, forcing the torso to lean excessively forward or the heels to lift.
• Knees (Flexion): The knees bend, with the patella tracking over the midfoot.
• Hips (Flexion): The hips hinge, moving backward and downward. Adequate hip flexion is paramount.
• Spine (Neutral Alignment): Maintaining a neutral lumbar spine is critical to avoid "butt wink" (posterior pelvic tilt), which can place undue stress on the lower back. The thoracic spine should remain extended to keep the chest up.

Key muscles involved include the quadriceps (knee extension), glutes and hamstrings (hip extension), adductors (hip stabilization and contribution to hip extension), and the core musculature (stabilizing the spine and pelvis).

Common Limiting Factors and Solutions

Identifying your specific limitation is the first step toward improvement.

1. Ankle Dorsiflexion Restriction

• Assessment: Stand facing a wall, place your foot about 4-5 inches away. Keeping your heel on the ground, try to touch your knee to the wall. If you can't, or your heel lifts, your ankle mobility is limited.
• Solutions:
  • Calf Stretches: Target both the gastrocnemius (straight knee) and soleus (bent knee) muscles. Hold stretches for 30-60 seconds.
  • Ankle Mobility Drills: Perform ankle rocks (knee over toe) in a lunge position, focusing on driving the knee forward while keeping the heel down.
  • Elevated Heels: Temporarily use weightlifting shoes with a raised heel or place small weight plates under your heels. This reduces the demand on ankle dorsiflexion, allowing you to practice depth, but should be combined with mobility work.

2. Hip Mobility Restriction

• Assessment: Lie on your back, bring one knee to your chest. If you feel a "pinch" in the front of your hip, or your lower back rounds significantly, you may have hip impingement or tight hip flexors/capsule.
• Solutions:
  • 90/90 Stretch: Excellent for improving hip internal and external rotation.
  • Pigeon Pose: Targets hip external rotation and glute flexibility.
  • Frog Stretch: Focuses on hip adductor and internal rotation mobility.
  • Hip Flexor Stretches: Kneeling hip flexor stretch (with posterior pelvic tilt) to lengthen the iliopsoas.
  • Adductor Stretches: Cossack squats or wide-stance standing adductor stretches.

3. Thoracic Spine Mobility

• Assessment: Lie on your back with knees bent. Try to raise your arms directly overhead, keeping your lower back flat. If your arms don't reach the floor easily, or your lower back arches, your thoracic mobility may be limited.
• Solutions:
  • Foam Roller Extensions: Lie on a foam roller perpendicular to your spine (mid-back), interlace fingers behind your head, and gently extend over the roller.
  • Cat-Cow Stretch: Improves spinal segmentation and mobility.
  • Thoracic Rotations: Kneeling or seated thoracic twists.

4. Core Stability Deficiencies

• Assessment: If you experience "butt wink" (pelvis tucking under) at the bottom of the squat, it can indicate a lack of core control to maintain a neutral spine under load.
• Solutions:
  • Bracing Practice: Learn to brace your core by taking a deep breath into your belly and tensing your abdominal muscles as if preparing for a punch.
  • Anti-Extension/Anti-Rotation Exercises: Planks, dead bugs, bird-dogs, pallof presses. These strengthen the core's ability to resist unwanted movement.

Progressive Drills and Technique Cues

Once mobility is addressed, integrate these drills and cues into your training:

• Box Squats: Start with a box that allows you to hit parallel, then gradually lower the box height over time. This provides a target and builds confidence in depth.
• Goblet Squats: Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest acts as a counterbalance, making it easier to maintain an upright torso and achieve depth without falling backward.
• Pause Squats: Pause for 2-3 seconds at your desired depth. This strengthens the bottom position, improves stability, and forces you to control the movement.
• Tempo Squats: Use a slow eccentric (lowering) phase (e.g., 3-5 seconds down). This enhances control, builds strength in the descent, and allows you to feel your way into depth.
• Wall Squats: Stand a few inches from a wall, facing away. Slowly squat down, trying not to let your glutes touch the wall. This helps maintain an upright torso and proper depth.

Key Cues for Deeper Squats:

• "Knees Out": Actively push your knees outward, tracking over your toes. This engages the glutes and prevents knee valgus.
• "Screw Your Feet into the Floor": Imagine rotating your feet externally without actually moving them. This creates tension and stability.
• "Sit Between Your Heels": Rather than just straight down, think of pushing your hips back and down, as if sitting into a chair that's behind and slightly below you.
• "Chest Up": Maintain a proud chest throughout the movement to prevent excessive forward lean and maintain spinal neutrality.
• "Big Breath and Brace": Before each descent, take a deep diaphragmatic breath and brace your core firmly.

Programming Considerations

• Warm-up: Always include dynamic mobility drills targeting the ankles, hips, and thoracic spine before squatting.
• Consistency: Mobility work is not a one-time fix. Incorporate dedicated mobility sessions 2-3 times per week, or integrate drills into your warm-ups.
• Progressive Overload: Once depth is achieved, gradually increase load, reps, or sets to continue building strength.
• Listen to Your Body: Never push into pain. Discomfort during stretching is normal, but sharp or persistent pain indicates a need to stop and reassess.

When to Seek Professional Guidance

If you experience persistent pain, are unable to improve your squat depth despite consistent effort, or suspect an underlying structural issue (e.g., hip impingement, old injury), consult with a qualified professional. This could include a physical therapist, an experienced strength coach, or a sports medicine physician who can provide a personalized assessment and intervention plan.