Those with short femurs and long torsos will have a more upright
There are a few reasons why people struggle to squat properly - Poor ankle mobility, poor hip mobility, poor spinal mobility and poor motor skills. In this article we'll cover how to fix these issues and learn to squat properly.
You may have noticed that some people can squat deep with ease, while others struggle to maintain balance or experience discomfort. One major factor influencing this difference is genetics, specifically femur length and hip structure.
Simply stated, if you do not have adequate mobility in the ankle, knee, and hips, you will compensate elsewhere and cause more harm than good. The optimal squat depth is highly dependent on individual mobility and injury history.
Hip Socket Depth
Your ability to flex at the hip (how deep you can squat) is heavily influenced by how deep your hip sockets are. Remember that the hip is a ball and socket joint, the head of your femur (thigh bone) has a “ball” on the end of it, which sits in a curved socket (acetabulum) on your pelvis.
Some people have trouble getting into a squat. This can be for several reasons, including arthritis of the knees or hips, or weak leg muscles. A person in a deep squat is somewhat vulnerable, so if they don't feel safe where they are, they might prefer the slight squat.
You can enhance your squat depth and overall movement quality by addressing limitations in ROM, strengthening key muscles, and focusing on symmetry and balance. Incorporate these strategies into your fitness routine, and you'll be well on your way to mastering the deep squat.
A deep squat requires hip flexion. Tight and weak hips inhibit clients from squatting low and cause compensation which leads to improper technique. The same principle applies to ankle mobility. If a client is unable to sit low into a squat and has poor ankle mobility, their knees will not track forward.
People of a certain structure (usually tall and long-legged) may have a more difficult time squatting than those who are shorter and stockier. This is because the squat is all about leverage.
Start out in a “normal squat” stance, but make your feet a bit wider and your toes a bit more turned out. Lower your body while sending your hips backward, as if aiming for a very low seat or stool, until your hips are as low as they can go. You may feel like you are sitting between your feet.
Interestingly, those with Chinese heritage were found to have a shallow and narrow hip socket, whereas those with Celtic origins had a deeper hip socket. To put this knowledge into practice, Celtic hips will struggle to squat deeply whereas those of Chinese origins will often easily achieve depth.
Deep squats are definitely harder, and they require a significant amount of work and dedication to perform well. Training with deep squats is certainly necessary for sports that require deep squatting (powerlifting and Olympic lifting).
The video below by Dr. Stuart Mcgill suggests that the hip anatomy of some humans is not designed to allow for a full depth functional squat. Hip angle, shape and alignment vary greatly between humans, dependant on genetic heredity, to the extent that it can alter so called 'normal human movement patterns.
Ultimately, it's a balance problem. “Something is loading too much backwards,” he said. This usually means the athlete is trying to raise the chest at the bottom of the squat without pushing the hips forward to right himself.
Lie flat on your back with both legs extended out in front of you. Interlace your hands behind your right thigh and pull it toward your chest. Extend that leg straight up, hold and then bend it back down. Repeat this movement a few times, and then switch legs.
A: No, deep squatting is not inherently bad for the knees.
A study by the University of Texas found that performing squats synthesises more testosterone and growth hormone than a similar session on the leg press.
There are people out there who cannot squat deep, despite being able to do the splits and touch their toes and generally do all kinds of bendy things.
I generally recommend athletes squat to legal powerlifting depth where the hip joint breaks parallel. The exception is in athletes with really long legs, for many of them a partial range squat is deep enough that they can't go much lower without rounding their lower back.
In order to get into a good squat position you need hip mobility. For a box squat squat or squat to parallel (Thigh parallel to the ground) you need at least 90* of hip flex. If you want to do a full squat with your ass to the grass, you will need even more (110-130*).