Mastering the Squat Vol. 1
The squat is a functional full-body movement that incorporates the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core. Combining strength, stability, mobility, balance and explosive power, it is arguably the single best exercise to incorporate in every workout program. Whether you are squatting for better health or competitive powerlifting, your focus should be on efficiency. This article will take you through proper squat mechanics, provide tips to avoid injury, as well as teach how to safely progressions your squat for maximum benefit.
Squat Form
Understanding proper mechanics is the essential first step in achieving an effective squat. Before beginning, it is important to understand that there cannot be a “gold standard” way to squat. Due to the broad variations in hip anatomy, it is impossible for everyone to squat the same way. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint composed of the femoral head (ball) that fits inside the acetabulum (socket) of the pelvis. Research measurements show huge variation in hip socket angles, placement, and depth, as well as femurs that can be twisted (anteverted or retroverted) from what is considered neutral [1,2]. This is why the preferred stance and foot position can vary so greatly between individuals. Some people will be able to achieve a full range of motion with their feet shoulder width and their toes pointed forwards, but others may need to assume a wider standing position with feet rotated outward to attain the same depth. When choosing the proper starting position for a squat, comfort is key to prevent injury.
Often in the fitness world, the phrase “no pain, no gain” is used as a great mantra to motivate a client or an athlete. On the contrary, there is a difference between pushing yourself and hurting yourself when it comes to pain. It is vital not to force any type of movement or depth that does not feel comfortable. If the body is forced into positions that are not compatible with your anatomy (especially with added weight from dumbbells or barbells), you can experience injuries such as impingement. The bones of the hip joint can pinch and damage the cartilage which acts as a cushion between the hip joint and accelerates the risk of osteoarthritis [3]. Pain is a message from the body telling us we are doing something wrong; don’t ignore it. Below is a squat form template to be followed as a guideline, rather than a definitive step-by-step approach.
Squat Form Guideline [4]
- Low back should remain in a neutral position, meaning your head, mid-back, and pelvis would be in contact with a straight pole if placed on your back.
- Feet should point straight or slightly outward to your own natural comfort (0-45 degrees) with legs slightly wider than shoulder width. Feet stay flat throughout the movement with more weight in the heels than in the ball of your foot.
- Knees should stay stacked over your mid-foot and not cave inward or track over your toes.
- Squat depth should be maximally achieved with each rep, as long as your neutral spine is maintained and your knees remain in a safe position, with a stable core engaged.
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Avoiding Injury
A vast majority of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their life. These injuries can have serious consequences and can affect a person’s daily activities like exercise, work, and sleep. One of the greatest benefits of squatting is the ability to reduce pain, as well as strengthening the body to prevent future back pain [6]. In order to prevent injuries, it is important to understand how they occur.
The low back is composed of 5 lumbar vertebrae with discs between each one. The vertebrae are meant to accommodate compressive forces and provide stability, leaving. This is why you always hear, “lift with your legs, not with your back.” When you flex forward with your back rather than your hips, the muscles in the back and core are forced to relax to allow movement rather than stay braced for stability. This causes all the weight to hang from your ligaments and discs which are not meant to function in this manner. Repetitive lifting in the position, especially when loaded, will injure these structures, causing disc herniation, ligament sprain, and general low back pain [7].
To avoid low back injury, it is necessary to keep the spine neutral when exercising or performing everyday lifting from the ground. If you have ever seen a baby squat down to reach a toy on the ground, you will notice all the motion occurs at the hips, without compromising their low back. Unfortunately, adults lack the same proportions and flexibility which allow babies to squat so naturally. The easiest way to ensure a safe neutral spine is to avoid squatting so low as to arch the low back. Sometimes when trying to squat deeper without the proper hip mobility, our bodies will compromise by arching the low back, and this is a recipe for injury. Simply stop short of that depth, and work on developing the mobility until your body is ready to move deeper.
Supplemental core exercises will help improve squatting mechanics while protecting the low back from injury [8]. The muscles of the low back are the posterior aspects of the core, which must be stable for safe movement. Think of the core as the foundation for any bodily movement. If the foundation flexes or bends when beginning motion, it is inherently unstable and unsafe. Losing a neutral spine during the squat or any lifting movement compromises the stability of the core and results in the loss of power and the increased likelihood of injury.
Squatting Deeper
Can squatting deep be harmful to your knees? There has been much controversy surrounding this issue, so let’s clear it up with science. The claim is that squatting at a depth to which the thighs go beyond parallel to the floor will put excessive force on the meniscus and ligaments of the knee, thus, creating unstable and arthritic knees. However, these injuries are typically seen in fast-paced sports that require sudden direction change such as football, soccer, or basketball. In terms of squatting for exercise or rehabilitation, the science says the greatest amount of stress to the ligaments occurs within the first few inches of the squat [9]. And this maximal stress is nowhere near great enough to cause damage to any knee ligament [10]. Therefore, your knee may actually be safer at max depth.
Regardless of the controversy, what is the benefit of squatting deeper? Simply put, the deeper the squat, the more muscle fibers, and muscle groups will be affected; this makes the movement more beneficial to developing strength. It has been demonstrated that those who squat regularly have better knee stability than those who do not [11]. This is because stronger muscles equal more protection and stability for surrounding structures. Even with increased protection, injuries are always possible. Never compromise good technique for a deeper squat, as this will eventually cause injury somewhere within the body. If max depth can’t be performed without pain, then avoid that degree of motion.
Squatting appears to be a fairly simple exercise, but special care is needed to ensure that this movement is performed efficiently and safely. Regular implementation of this exercise into a physical activity routine can have numerous benefits that carry over to everyday life. Strengthening and coordination that can be gained by squatting help to prevent injury, make daily activities easier to perform and can keep joints healthy.
What you need to know:
- The squat is a functional full body exercise used in everyday life, efficiency of the movement leads to strength, stability, mobility, balance and explosive power
- Variations in hip joint anatomy make it impossible for everyone to squat the same way, therefore squat form is governed by comfort to avoid injury
- Low back pain is extremely common but can be avoided with core strengthening exercises and proper lifting mechanics
- Deeper squats affect more muscle fibers leading to a more beneficial exercise and is not related to increased injury
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