Squatting AtG is not necessarily better than parallel

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roger5599

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I wanted to bring this up because I don't think it is spoken about enough. Many people struggle with squatting too high due to mobility issues. But what I don't see very much discussion on, is squatting ass to grass. While it isn't going to injure you necessarily, it can definitely hinder your progress. Here is an old Alan Thrall video explaining some reasons why he stopped AtG. And just to be clear, here is an article by SquatU about why AtG squats are unlikely to cause injury in healthy people. When you are squatting for strength, AtG isn't necessarily optimal. Your body is going to determine what is best for you, and if you have a question about that, you'll need to consult a professional for an in-person evaluation.

Before Covid, I was hitting parallel fairly consistently. I could do my reps in the squat racks (fixed safety bars) without much issue. But after Covid I was hitting those bars when I bottomed out, forcing me to walk outside the safety bars or use the power rack. I am pretty flexible and I wasn't too concerned about injuring myself. But as my programmed weight increased, things got messy. I am relying too heavily on the bounce at the bottom, and I am therefore not taking advantage of the benefits of squatting to proper depth. One of the most important points is that I lose tension on the bounce. This causes some instability and old imbalance issues kick in to stabilize the movement. Long story short: It isn't optimal for my body to do this.

I am not a fan of box squats for many reasons. Some people find them to be beneficial, but it isn't my thing. So I am filming my squats and using that feedback to improve my form. I think the majority of people would benefit from filming themselves for form, so I really encourage it. I felt a bit ashamed when I first started doing this in my gym. But it honestly doesn't bother me anymore. I would much rather improve my form in the sport I like, than worry about the opinions of people who I wouldn't take advice from anyway. I also use the BarSense app, which is really helpful in identifying where my sticking points are in all my lifts.

TLDR: Check your squat depth and make sure it is in line with your goals.

Edit: Here is a newer video by Alan Thrall for a good laugh. Do what makes ya happy folks.
 
@roger5599 I have very flexible/loose hips so dropping into a full/ATG squat is very natural for me. It was absolutely hindering my progress doing that because it was too easy and I wasn’t exercising any core control while executing squats this way - I was just ‘falling’ into the bottom of the squat. I worked with a coach who helped me learn to use my core to ‘decelerate’ as I got just below parallel and not to rely on my natural instinct to keep going. I feel so much stronger squatting like that. It’s definitely going to depend on your physiology as to which style of squatting works best for you.
 
@roger5599 As an Olympic lifter, I was taught from the beginning to always squat ATG and catch the bounce at the bottom. I agree though that whenever I would catch the bounce, I would instantly loose tightness. Squatting for me was always so inconsistent, and I have hit a huge strength plateau. I’m fairly certain that it’s all because of my squat technique! Now, I am solely working on pause squats.

I think for beginners they should focus on learning how to brace and stay tight rather than squatting ATG/catching the bounce to squat more weight. That said, catching the bounce is still extremely important for Olympic lifting and should be worked on. If people can do both right away, that’s awesome. However, I think for a lot of untrained people, that won’t be the case.
 
@roger5599 I've tried so hard to do the ass to the grass thing, but I just can't due to my mobility. One thing that helped me was elevating my heels, switching to a high bar squat, and assuming a wide stance. This helped immensely in getting lower, but I hit about parallel and that's about it. On a side note - LOVE ALAN! He was instrumental in helping me figure out the proper cues to execute my compound lifts when I first started working out. Hands down my fav!
 
I also tend to lose control of my back and the bar when I start squatting too low, and the weight starts shifting to my front toes. It's just a bad time all around lol.
 
@roger5599 I think the healthiest option is to take advantage of the full range of your mobility. Squatting a heavy weight is important (if that's your goal). Being mobile, healthy, and injury-free for as long as possible is also important.

As a powerlifter, my competition squat ends just below required depth because the goal is to maximize power, not flexibility. But I also spend long periods of time in a deep squat (as AtG as my body can go safely) as a way to mobilize, stretch, and work on movement patterns. Improving my deep squat has improved my competition squat and vice versa.

Also, just a note that squat depth also varies by sport. Olympic lifters need to get much deeper to perform their lifts.
 
@roger5599 I was taught that one should go as deep as they can go while still maintaining good form. But I also have powerlift-ish goals.

I remember judging someone for doing real bouncey bench press (heavy af but no pause at all) and then I learned that they were a track and field thrower and that quick explosive movement was the goal, not anything having to do with a paused movement. So I got used to thinking "maybe that person has different goals that I do".
 
@roger5599 Thanks for posting!! I definitely have ankle mobility issues that hold me back, but I have never had a problem squatting to just below parallel, which I thought was fine. I worked at a gym a few years ago where some of the trainers (who weren’t training me, just talking casually) got it in my head that I wasn’t even doing a real squat. Now I don’t squat at all while trying to improve my ankle mobility enough to get lower because I don’t know what’s right, and that feels dumb. The resources you posted were helpful and I’m going to rethink my approach.
 
@roger5599 I’ve been explicitly told by several professionals to forget about going deep, because I can’t keep my spine in the correct position when I do. So yeah, I think squat depth is very individual. Having said that, though, I could definitely work on my hip flexors, and maybe gain a bit more depth that way!
 
@roger5599 I don't have anywhere near enough ankle mobility to get to parallel without my heels lifting. I want to strengthen my glutes for running. What's a good alternative?
 
@josho I would recommend working on your ankle mobility as it will also help with your running. I saw that you mentioned you don't use weight, but I found that the counterbalance of a goblet squat helps me get proper depth and helps to stretch out my ankles as well.
 
@janmer252 I have been working in it for three years! Running is the only thing that's helped even slightly. On a good day, when I'm warmed up after a run, I can bring my knee above my toes, but no further. I didn't used to be able to get it even halfway there. It's a temporary effect though, after rest it's back to not bending at all.
 
@josho Play around with foot placement, can you get into a deep squat without any weight? Do goblet squats. Work on ankle mobility, get heel inserts or shoes for squatting.
 
@thetravman I can do a squat without weight but my feet are turned in opposite directions, almost parallel to the front of the mat, and spread about twice the width of my shoulders. I need to extend my arms forward for balance.

I don't do shoes in any aspect of life because none fit (forefoot roughly 8-10 sizes wider than heel).

I did daily mobility exercises for a few months but it didn't improve.
 
@josho Keep playing around with your foot position until you find something that allows you to break parallel. In my very unprofessional opinion, breaking parallel is more important than ATG, they just get equated some times. Scale your weight way back and work your way up from a solid air squat to a goblet squat and then front and back squats if you so desire.
 
@josho I like using a kettlebell and holding the horn to keep it in place, but you could try a heavy band if that’s annoying. Play around with pausing at the top, slowing down the concentric or eccentric portions, single leg, etc.
 
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