Whether you’re an athlete or just someone who loves being strong and exercising to keep yourself healthy, being able to squat more weight has numerous benefits. Some of the most important are mentioned in this short article by Dr. Aaron Horschig, a distinguished strength & conditioning coach and physical therapist.

That being said, the depth of the squat has been a topic of debate in the fitness industry for some time. Some will say that you should never squat below parallel, while others will say you should always go “ass-to-grass.” However, the context of the situation you’re in is extremely important. For instance, athletes who are training for specific sports may not always need to achieve a super deep squat to improve their performance. The general principles of squatting (i.e. knees in line with toes, even weight distribution across the foot, and upright torso) for injury prevention should be emphasized more than depth in most cases for this population. However, if you are an athlete and you’re training to build strength, and you can achieve a depth where the hips are below the knees while being able to control every bit of that position, then you should train at that depth if you want to develop maximum strength and there is no other reason to shorten the range of motion.

Moreover, if you’re not training for a particular sport, but you’re someone who wants to move with less pain and stiffness while improving your full body strength (assuming you don’t have any serious movement limitations or conditions), working to achieve a full-depth squat with minimal or no movement compensation is something you want to consider implementing into your training routine.

Now, I have a long way to go, and I may never be able to achieve truly full-depth with my butt touching my heels while free of any compensations with my current mobility restrictions, but I can definitely make progress and continue squatting to a depth that supports my fitness goals and current activities of daily living.

As you can see in the video below, I am demonstrating a Kettlebell Goblet Squat (a tool which you should use frequently if you want to improve your squat mobility and strength).

Some people may be able to squat well with their toes straight, but most people need to turn their toes out slightly to be able to achieve optimal extremity alignment and squat depth. In my case, I squat with my feet slightly turned out, even after I do my prep work, which will be discussed shortly in this article.

Notice how I can get to a depth where my hips are just below my knees, yet I still maintain the natural curvature in my lower back (straight to slightly arched), my torso is tall and only leaning forward slightly, and my knees remain in line with my toes. Based on my current mobility, I wouldn’t want to squat too much lower than that while supporting a lot of load because I start to lose that curvature due some movement restrictions that I’m working to improve. Doing so would likely increase the likelihood of injury.

The following 5-step sequence will help you improve your mobility, achieve an optimal and safe squatting position, and ultimately enable you to lift more weight in whichever squatting variation you are working on. At the end of the article, I provide an easy 10-minute sequence you can do prior to your squatting sessions so you can see immediate improvements!

Step 1: Half Kneeling Calf Stretch

Step 2: Half Frog Adductor Stretch

Step 3: 90/90 Glute Stretch

Step 4: Elevated 90/90 Heel Raise

Step 5: Tempo Banded Goblet Squats

Now that you know how to do these exercises, try the following sequence before your next squatting session and take note of how your hips and ankles feel compared to your usual squatting day. Are you able to sit lower in your squat with better position? Are you able to control the weight better? Do you feel like you’re stronger under the bar? Stay consistent with this sequence before every squatting session and you will begin to see positive changes in your mobility, control, and strength.

10-minute Squat Prep Sequence

Cycle through 1 Round of the following exercises…

Half Kneeling Calf Stretch: 3-5 reps per side of 5-10 second hold in stretch

Half Frog Adductor Stretch: 3-5 reps per side of 5-10 second hold in stretch

90/90 Glute Stretch: 3-5 reps per side of 5-10 second hold in stretch

Elevated 90/90 Heel Raise: 3-5 reps per side of 5-10 second raise

Tempo Banded Goblet Squat: 2 sets x 6 reps at 4141 tempo @ light weight



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about the author: adrian wolff

Coach Adrian grew up playing ice hockey in Chicago, IL and his passion for fitness ignited while he was in high school, when he began experimenting with calisthenics and weightlifting to train for the military.

He was awarded a Navy ROTC scholarship to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and commissioned as a Naval Officer in 2011. After serving five years on active duty, he began his fitness career in 2017 when he decided to pursue his graduate degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

During his three years of study he continued training athletes and people from all walks of life, and graduated in 2019 with a Master’s of Science in Kinesiology. Shortly after, he decided to move to Las Vegas, NV to start his personal training business.

He is passionate about helping athletes achieve their untapped potential and making a difference in peoples’ lives by helping them improve their health and wellness.