Assessing Proper Squat Depth

Squatting is without question one of the best ways to develop lower body strength in athletes and the general fitness population.  Its benefits are almost unlimited.  Need to burn fat  - squat.   Need to jump higher  - squat.  Need to run fast  - squat.   Need bigger legs   - squat.     All of my athletes and adult clients squat.   They front squat, back squat, KB golbet squat, high rep squat, max effort squat and dynamic squat.   It all depends on who they are, what part of their off- season they are in and what their goals are.  

One often overlooked or taken for granted part of squatting is the depth.  Different strength coaches and trainers have different opinions on what the depth of a squat should be.  There are those people who believe that Ass to Grass Squatting (femurs below parallel)  is the only way to go.

This kind of squat is accepted in some circles.    Not in my circle.   Ever.  Yes she is low  - but in my opinion the knees are too far forward and her back in flexion.   Keep in mind that is the bar only.

There are others who only believe in  box squats and there are those who think that squatting to a box is for pussies.   To me, it is finding the best depth of squat to for each individual client.  To ensure proper depth of squats at Soar, we use various heights of boxes .  Plus I have found it is way easier to get someone to sit back in their squat confidently when there is a box behind them.

My goal is to always to get my clients to get as strong as they can to the lowest depth that is appropriate for them.  Keep in mind that I am not training power lifters.   Whether or not their squat will qualify in a meet is irrelevant to me.  Making sure they are at their strongest and healthiest to play their sport is my only concern.

The video below shows what I look for when determining the box height for a new client.


Remember - the purpose of the video was finding the proper depth. Breathing, sitting back, keeping the chest up and pushing the knees out are techniques that we are constantly working on as well.