John in a rock bottom squat.

QUESTION: Hey John, great video about pistols! just wondering, I’m 6 foot 3 inches tall, and can’t for the life of me do a bodyweight deep squat, and keep my HEELS on the ground – they always rise. You show good form here and just wondering how tall are you? And any tips to get that deep squat? keep it up! ta, Jon

ANSWER: I’m 5’9″ tall.

Before you watch the video, let’s go over some definitions, so we are clear on what a deep squat really is.  There are three levels of squat depth in my mind.

First, the squat for sissies, which is the most common (AKA the “1/4 squat”).  This is the squat that you usually see at health clubs by the same guy who’s doing biceps curls in the squat rack.  The lifter usually loads up the bar way too much for their current strength level, steps into the squat rack and shoulders the weight.  Stepping back with the weight, they proceed to grunt and scream as they move the bar about 2-6 inches in space – down and up, down and up.

The sissy squat is virtually useless.  It won’t count in a powerlifting meet. It won’t count in an olympic weightlifting meet.  In fact, the only thing that the sissy squat is useful for, is blowing out a disk in your lumbar spine.  Don’t do the sissy squat.

The next level of squat depth is the powerlifting squat.  This squat ranges from legs fully locked to knees bent slightly past the 90 degree mark.  This is a great squat depth for building strength in the legs, and it is used in powerlifting meets to test one rep maxes.

The third level of squat depth is the rock bottom squat (AKA the “deck squat,” or “@$$ to grass squat”).  This is the deepest squat that comprises a full range of motion.

In the bottom position of this squat: the tailbone is tucked underneath the pelvis (lower back rounded forward) and the hamstrings are resting on the calf muscles.  This is a very difficult position to achieve, especially for taller people.

You mentioned about having trouble squatting and keeping your heels on the ground. Here’s a quick tutorial to help you achieve a deeper squat:

How to Achieve a Deeper Squat by John Sifferman

Continue reading Tuesday Q+A: How to Achieve Greater Squat Depth – video tutorial on proper squat form for a deep squat by John Sifferman