Depth Defying

We talk a lot about the squat here and for obvious reasons. The squat is arguably one of the best exercises you’ll ever master. Hitting the quads, hamstrings and glutes, the squat also demands a massive contribution from all other bodyparts including the back, chest and core musculature. We like it so much we’re in favor of all kinds of variations and often encourage experimentation.
From Smith-machine squats to sissy squats, partials to reverse style, you name a squat and we’ll find something good to say about it. And yet, surprisingly, if there’s one kind of squat that gets the least attention, it’s the version that just might be the best of them. We’re talking about the deep squat.

DEPTH DEFYING

To be sure, the squat is anything but easy to perform. And going deep, well, that’s unchartered water for many bodybuilders. For one, performing your squats below the parallel point (thighs parallel with the floor) requires a greater contribution from your hamstrings and glutes. With practice, they’ll gain strength and become more equipped to explode out of the hole. Stronger hams and glutes give you greater force potential in all sorts of other lifts, including all of your power-specific Olympic lifts and especially your big three: bench, deadlift and squat. And despite what your local neighborhood trainer might tell you, stopping at parallel can actually increase the sheer force placed upon the knee joint (not good).

However, if you’ve never tried to go below parallel, we don’t suggest you simply throw your typical weight on the bar and drop your ass to the grass. It’s probably wise to consider this version of the squat as a brand new exercise initially because the deep squat requires a unique set of demands. Therefore, it’s critical to begin with very a light weight. In fact, during your warm-up, it’s not a bad idea to practice the deep squat with an unloaded bar, especially if you’re used to stopping your squats at the parallel point (or — gasp! — even higher). The reason being, if you’ve never taken your glutes to the floor during a set of squats, chances are good that you lack the ankle and hip flexibility, not to mention the core strength to support the lift through such a great range of motion. The key then is to work your way into the deep squat, beginning with flexibility.

After you’re thoroughly warmed up, get into a deep squat with an empty bar across your back. Your heels might rise up at first and your back might feel tight, but stay in the deep squat position for 30 seconds. Stand up and then drop down again. After a few sets, you’ll feel your feet flatten and increased comfort in your knees and hips. Do a few sets of those before beginning your squat routine. Your ankles, knees, lower back and calves will become more acquainted with this body position and it’ll soon feel like second nature.