As a Personal Trainer in a large commercial gym, I have the privilege
of seeing A LOT of squat depth variations. Half squats, quarter squats, 1/8th
squats, even the occasional 1/16th squat. And every now and then I get
to see someone doing a full squat. Either way, if you’re looking to get stronger,
leaner, bigger or faster (to name a few), almost everyone should eventually be looking to
squat!
So where all on the
same page, here’s a quick description of the two variations I want to discuss
in this blog:
The ½ Squat – Typically
described as lowering down to 90 degrees, hamstrings parallel and usually done
with the knees behind the toes.
The Full Squat – Completed
to the point in which the hamstrings come into contact with the calves. In this
variation, you will typically see the knees travel in front of the toes!
Here's a great picture of Ukranian Olympic lifter, Anatoly Pisarenko, at the bottom of a full squat.
More often than not, the ½ squat will be the popular option.
From my experience, it’s either done this way because they've been told to by a
PT or coach (as its ‘better for your knees’), or because the person squatting
wants to train their ego over their lower body, as the ½ squat will typically
result in you being able to load more onto the bar.
It’s not uncommon for me to hear trainees/trainers/coaches say things like:
"Only squat to ½ way.
If you go any further, it places too much stress on the knee”
Funnily enough, this has never really been proven. What we
do know is that the knee is actually most stable (and protected by its supportive
ligaments) at both the top position (standing up at the top of the movement),
and the bottom position (squatting all the way down, hamstrings touching the calves) of a squat.
Also, when completed properly, the major stress at the bottom of the squat is
actually placed on the powerful muscles of the glutes and hamstrings, and NOT
the knee joint!
Might be exaggerated, but close to the belief of some trainers and coaches!
When we look at the stress placed on the knee joint during a
½ squat, we’ll find that for most it is actually the WORST position you could
stop and reverse the movement in. In the 90 degree position the protective ligaments
of the knee become lax and do not provide the appropriate support. Other than
that, only training in this limited range does not train the muscles of your
quads evenly, eventually resulting in imbalances that could lead to injury.
Now before you head down the gym to start busting out some
full depth back squats, there are a few things you’ll need to check off the list
first:
- You must have reasonably healthy knees: Simply
put if you’re injured or recovering from an injury make sure you take care of
that first. Talk to your treating professional and have them help you get back
on track.
-
Flexibility: Most commonly I find people with tight
hip flexors, quads, hamstrings or calves (to name a few) will not be able to complete a full squat properly. Simply put, if it’s tight, stretch it! Until you've achieved
the required flexibility, you’ll need to step back from the rack and leave
squatting out for a while. By repeating the movement improperly over and over
again, you’re just making it harder for yourself to improve your technique, not
to mention putting yourself at a much greater risk of injury!
-
VMO strength: Your VMO (vastus medialis oblique)
is one of the quad muscles responsible for maintaining support of the knee, by
limiting unwanted ‘inward’ movement. If you find your knee rolls in while
performing any lower body exercise, you need to strengthen this muscle! There
are many split squat and step up variations that are very effective at doing
this.
-
Experience: Basically, if you walking in off the
street for your first ever gym session, and you think you‘ll be going straight
to back squatting, your dreaming! Find a reputable trainer or strength coach
who can show you the steps to doing this right the first time.
After all of that, I think it's obvious that I'm an advocate of full squatting. As said before, make sure you tick of the above points before jumping in. Here's a quick explanation of how I teach the full squat, using the back squat in this example.
1) Approach by placing your hands evenly on the bar, ducking under, and placing the bar evenly on the upper traps. Keep your elbows underneath the bar throughout the lift.
2) Stand with feet hip to shoulder width apart, turning the toes out approximately 15 degrees.
3) Start the lowering portion of the movement by bending first at the knees, then following on with the hips.
4) While staying as upright as possible, lower yourself down to the point in which your hamstrings come into contact with the calves.
5) Your knees CAN travel forwards from the toes, but ensure that the heels remain in contact with the ground.
6) Drive back up to the start position by pushing through the hips and knees simultaneously. Aim to keep the torso as upright as possible through out the ascent.
Happy squatting!
P.S. Here's a great clip for those of you wanting to know how not to squat!
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