Everything you need to know about the Deep Squat. Why we should all be able to do it and how to get it back.

The human body is one of the most complex machines and offers those who learn to manipulate it a virtually unlimited range of technical and expressive possibilities.

Although it is clear that compared to the lives of our ancestors, we are far from using even a hundredth of this potential.

A simple look at how our more primitive (or not?) ancestors sat and it's easy to understand that your body was not designed to be sitting on a chair , 8 hours a day in front of screens, before you come home and slump on the sofa for another 4 to 5 hours before going to bed...

This is not how any of us should treat our bodies.

This is not a criticism of a modern world “responsible for all our ills,” but rather, a call for awareness of the effects of a very comfortable Western society on the natural functions of the human body.

Yes, if we continue to let ourselves go like this, to be disconnected from our body , our health, our movements, our diet, nature and our intuition as we are constantly pushed to do,

We will miss out on an optimal life experience.

In this article, you will see how to restore one of these fundamental natural positions of the human being: the Deep Squat .

What exactly is the Deep Squat?

The Deep Squat, also called a deep squat or full squat, is a natural position for human beings, unfortunately forgotten and decried in our sedentary Western civilizations.

It is a squat with maximum amplitude .

The Deep Squat expresses your body's ability to squat fully, with control and ease.

The deep squat is a position in which the knee flexion is complete (forms an angle greater than 120°),

Where the back of the thighs rest on the calves (yes the thighs stuck to the calves ),

Where the buttocks almost touch the ground (hence the expression Ass To Grass),

Where the back is straight (slight extension of the thorax).

And all of this must be performed with the heels flat on the ground throughout the movement.

The Deep Squat position is an innate position in humans.

Remember when you were a child, this was your position in which you played in the sand, you picked up a ball from the ground, you watched the ants marching…

With the years and hours spent sitting on a chair daily, we (Westerners) have lost this ability to squat,

in particular, losing mobility in our hips and ankles.

By implementing the Deep Squat position back into your daily routine,

It is possible to reverse the harmful effects of our modern comforts ,

and it is possible to regain this mobility in our body.

In the rest of this article, we will see what obstacles are preventing you from achieving your Deep Squat and how to fix them .

Being interested in Deep Squat is not only for an esoteric purpose of reconnecting with one's primal side,

The squat (in all its forms) is also one of the essential exercises for developing strength and explosiveness in the legs .

This movement obviously involves the leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, and a hundred others), the gluteal muscles, but also the spinal muscles:

It's also a movement that engages your core (all the muscles around your spine, your abdominal muscles, and even your back muscles).

And yes, if you're not strong, you don't know how to squat.

You will see almost all athletes using squat forms to develop muscle hypertrophy, improve their jump height, develop kicking power...

It is also one of the exercises that most divides fitness trainers and people, especially regarding knee and lower back safety.

As a believer in moving better, I'm going to show you how to bust these myths about the Deep Squat ,

And why we should all be able to hold a deep squat,

But also, how this position is beneficial for improving your health, your movements and your longevity.

PS : The Deep Squat also has another name that we sometimes find on the Internet: the Asian Squat .

There is obviously nothing Asian about this position.

No, Asians don't have magical genes that allow them to do a deep squat.

and which would prevent all other humans on Earth from doing so.

As we will see later, in Asia, culturally , this position is maintained until adulthood .

The Deep Squat does not discriminate, it loves all humans on Earth.

You and me included haha

A Natural Human Movement. Really?

Since the dawn of time, human beings have been designed to squat .

The deep squat is used as a natural position for resting, eating, relieving oneself, gathering food, cooking and handling objects on the ground...

This is how we sit “technically”.

Asian, Indian, African and Aboriginal populations have also retained it in the performance of their daily tasks.

I spent over 7 years in Asia and I guarantee you that everyone sits like this here, to smoke, answer messages on their cell phone, while waiting for the bus, or even to pick up something from a lower shelf in the supermarket.

It's simple: there are no benches on the streets in Japan, Thailand, or Indonesia. So, no choice!

Deep squatting is a comfortable and stable resting position for them.

It is not uncommon to see older people in this deep squat position who, unlike Westerners, do not suffer from any joint stiffness.

It is important to remember that being able to squat is not an ethnic predisposition , but solely a cultural practice.

As I said above, there is nothing Asian about the deep squat.

The real culprit that separates us is the chair.

Europe and America have generalized the use of the chair, making the squatting position shameful , even "savage."

Throughout the day, you adopt this sitting position, with your knees bent at 90°, at the office, when traveling, during your meals, and on your sofa.

Heavy use of chairs and armchairs (and worse, high heels!) stiffens the tendons and “shortens” the muscles , making deep squats difficult to perform.

It is common to observe people in a deep squat position falling back onto their buttocks after a minute of exercise.

Try doing it now and see how far you can go without getting hurt or falling backward.

It's an ancestral movement, certainly, but that doesn't mean we have to throw our chairs out the window and do everything on the floor.

Even if for fans of Ido Portal , this quote is poetic and gets Likes on social networks,

However, I am not one of those who recommend spending 30 minutes a day in Deep Squat .

Yes, it is a “natural” movement in the ancestral sense, something we did when we were babies.

However, there are plenty of things we did as babies or did before technology was invented that are no longer necessary.

We are evolving.

Most of the so-called Instagram movement coaches argue that

Since babies can do the Deep Squat easily, we should all be able to do it.

It's poetic, and it makes for beautiful quotes and posts on Instagram,

But they don't take into account that

Babies do not have the same proportions as adults , nor the same bone structures.

• A larger head in proportion to the body,
• A basin not yet fully developed,
• Shorter legs in proportion to the body,
• More flexible muscles…

Here are some of the things that make babies designed to get into this position.

Personally,

That's how I'll put it.

We (adults) are designed to have access to the Deep Squat.

This is why the Deep Squat is a movement that can be described as natural .

Before we look at why some people can't do the Deep Squat and how to do it,

If the natural movement argument is a little too metaphysical, too much spiritual whoo-whoo,

And if it's still not convincing, let's see together what the benefits of the Deep Squat are on your health, your longevity, and your movements.

For the more Cartesian among us 😉

The benefits of the Deep Squat and why you should practice it daily

Before we look at how to reestablish your deep squat, let's look at the benefits of this position from the point of view of athletic performance, health, and the ability to move your body more freely.

The Deep Squat improves muscle development (hypertrophy and strength)

The Deep Squat is a complete exercise that works the muscles of the lower posterior chain (calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes), while also engaging the back and shoulders.

It is very useful for developing muscle mass and core strength .

Especially when you already feel comfortable with body weight and start adding external loads.

The deep squat is a much more effective exercise than a simple parallel squat because it optimally activates the hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps, which are particularly sensitive to depth.

For my bodybuilder friends, I would even recommend doing deep squats with less weight rather than half squats with very heavy loads.

Doing less but better pays huge dividends for hypertrophy too :)

This is even what SuperPhysique recommends in this excellent article to have all the details of the complete squat in bodybuilding.

You will also see the other elements necessary to improve the technical quality of your squats with a barbell .

PS : I have to mention the fat loss aspect , often associated with practicing Squats.

I recommend another article from Espace Musculation on the benefits of Deep Squat for burning fat,

There's even a little interesting insert for women who are afraid of gaining too much mass and having a man's body by doing squats.

Since bodybuilding is not my expertise , I prefer to give the floor to more competent people.

The Effects of Squat Depth on Vertical Rebound

In a 2012 study by Hartmann , they found that not all squat variations are equal in improving jumping performance,

But that deep squats, in particular, were much more effective than other types of squats .

They concluded that deep squats provide the necessary stimulus for the hip and knee extensors to positively impact the acceleration phase of the jump .

They even went so far as to say:

From my experience as a professional fighter, deep squats have definitely improved my explosiveness in combat sports .

I know personally that being able to count on mobile, intact, stable joints and stronger muscles in the legs,

Was able to improve my ability to jump higher and therefore,

This improved the explosiveness of my legs : being able to generate more force in less time.

Greater strength development isn't the only benefit.

Deep squats, when performed with proper weights and good form ,

Also reduce shear forces on the knees and help develop better joint integrity.

It also reduces the likelihood of an athlete injuring their knees.

This is what we will see in detail in the section on the safety of deep squats, a little further on in the article.

The Deep Squat ensures mobility and integrity of your joints

This is obviously the big benefit of the deep squat.

This position expresses for me the optimal range of motion for hip flexion, knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion.

You can easily detect your body's compensatory mechanisms by observing how much your back is curved, whether you need to stand on your toes, or whether you lose your balance and fall backward.

So it's an excellent way to see if you can maintain balance barefoot, flat (proprioception), engage your core , perform thoracic extension , and even breathe correctly .

The Deep Squat requires joint mobility, muscle flexibility and coordination to be performed correctly.

I'll give you some tips for a perfect Deep Squat just below 🙂

Personally, I never give my athletes external weights until they have their bodyweight Deep Squat.

By including this exercise in your daily routine, you will increase your range of motion and the mobility of your joints (hips, ankles, knees, chest).

Joint mobility is one of the most important factors in reducing the risk of injury and decreasing pain in the body.

Being able to put your body in this position with ease ensures that you are strong and flexible enough ,

But also that you manage to generate force to push your legs correctly by following the natural biomechanics of the human body.

We will see how to move well and the biomechanical keys involved in the deep squat in detail a little later.

The Deep Squat to Avoid Back Stiffness and Pain

The deep squat will be your best ally in preventing lower back pain.

It may not sound obvious, but many people have excessive curvature of the spine .

When you perform your Deep Squat, you quickly become aware of these tendencies to put too much load on your lower back .

As we saw in the previous point, this is the compensation mechanism that you will use if your hips and ankles are not mobile enough (flexible).

By holding your squat deep, you will develop enough chest extension to be able to maintain your back straight and your chest out throughout the movement.

A better distribution of the workload across all the vertebrae will allow you to avoid overusing your lower back,

And so, this will relieve the entire lumbosacral area .

You can see an example on YouTube of my complete 5-minute morning routine starting from the Deep Squat position.

You will see that I manage to keep my back straight, bend my hips, knees and ankles completely,

And from this position, you can even have fun rotating your spine, placing your knees on the ground, balancing on your toes,

And even, be able to do internal rotations with your hips to go even further in the work of muscular and joint strengthening .

Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel: Nomadslim Movement 😉

Health point: Deep squats promote intestinal transit

Beyond any muscular or athletic considerations, the benefits of the deep squat appear on a whole other level.

This position straightens the colon and stimulates intestinal transit , allowing complete release of stool.

It's not the sexiest point, but it's probably the most important to improve the quality of your daily life haha

Yes, we spend more time in the bathroom than we do jumping jacks, heavy squats, or kicking.

Just as we saw above with the chair, as an invention which tends to stiffen the body,

Toilet seats prevent the colon from straightening and emptying completely.

The fecal matter and toxins accumulated in the intestines can then cause gastric problems and promote the appearance of hemorrhoids and constipation.

I told you, it's not sexy, but it's worth mentioning, right?

I'll stop there on the benefits of deep squats.

To sum up : strength, mobility, performance, longevity, these are the things you can improve by reestablishing the Deep Squat position.

Plus, the metaphysical part of reconnecting to your primal side.

Yes, I love those little spiritual touches.

The goal of movement training is to move well, of course, but it is also to feel good in your body .

So I invite you not to neglect the more Yin, more spiritual, more emotional aspect when you try to improve your body, your movements and your health.

This is what reconnecting body, heart and mind is all about.

(the movement guru in me is back haha)

NOW,

Let's try to address the topic of safety and why some people still think deep squats are bad for their knees .

Is the Deep Squat dangerous for your knees and back?

The simple answer is NO!

Squat depth is a debate that has been raging for years in the world of sport and health, between professionals, athletes and everyday people...

Popular belief states that the greater the amplitude of the squat, the more dangerous this position is.

No way!

As with all exercises, body safety is a central concern for athletes.

Critics of the Deep Squat have pointed to knee and lower back injuries when the movement is not performed correctly .

What scares most people are the words compressed vertebrae, misaligned pelvis, cruciate ligaments, cracking knees...

As we will see in this section, a large number of scientific studies have been devoted to this subject to verify the danger of this position for the knee, the spine and the cruciate ligaments.

The conclusion is clear.

There is no difference between a partial squat and a deep squat and, above all, no risk to the knee joint .

I put on my hat as a movement and mobility coach, scientist, professional athlete, physical trainer,

And even that of the spiritual hippie guru whoo-whoo who eats seeds and does somersaults in the grass in the middle of nature (a very specific visual haha)

To provide you with all the answers you need and to show you (and even demonstrate) that:

The Deep Squat is NOT dangerous.

And that in reality, (minor spoiler alert), the Deep Squat is beneficial for your joints.

From an anatomical, physical and scientific point of view.

When we squat, our knee experiences two types of forces: shear and compression.

Shear forces are represented by the extent to which the bones in our knee (femur and tibia) want to slide past each other in opposite directions.

These forces at high levels can be harmful to the ligaments inside the knee (ACL and PCL).

These small ligaments are part of the main structures that hold our knee together and limit excessive forward and backward movement.

This is what scares most people when they start their first Deep Squats.

Since they don't really understand what's going on in their bodies, they think they'll tear their ACLs the first time they squat over 90°...

Hold on tight, we're going into even more detail now.

Compressive force is the amount of pressure exerted by two body parts pushing on each other .

There are two different areas that support this type of force in the knee.

The meniscus absorbs the opposing stress between the tibia and the femur.

The second type of compressive force is between the back of the knee (patella) and the femur .

When the knee bends during the squat, the kneecap comes into contact with the femur.

The deeper the squat, the stronger the connection between the kneecap and femur .

Second zone of fear which generally translates to “I stop everything coach, I heard a crack”..

If you've followed everything so far, you'll notice that these forces (shear and compression) are generally inversely related .

This means that when the knee is flexed during the squat, compressive forces increase while shear forces decrease.

Science now tells us that the ligaments inside our knee are actually placed under very little stress at the bottom of a deep squat .

As depth increases, the forces on the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) decrease significantly .

In fact, the highest forces ever measured on the ACL during a squat are only about 25% of the force needed to tear the ligament .

The PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) is the second ligament located inside the knee.

During the squat, it supports maximum forces just above a parallel squat position (approximately 90° knee flexion).

Much like the ACL, this ligament is never put under excessive stress during the squat.

The highest recorded forces on this ligament were only 50% of the estimated force in the PCL of a young athlete .

In fact, science has shown that the deeper you squat, the safer your ACL is .

Harmful shear forces are significantly reduced due to increased compression.

Additionally, the muscles in our legs work together to stabilize the knee .

When we squat, the hamstrings work with the quadriceps to counteract and limit excessive movement deep inside the knee.

And yes, your body is much smarter than you .

Even when you try to do anything, it constantly reminds you that you are designed to move freely and safely .

This way, the ACL and PCL remain unharmed, regardless of the depth of the squat!

Isn't that beautiful!

For a complete, detailed and quantified analysis of the different stresses on the knee according to the different squats in bodybuilding and weightlifting,

I refer you to the very complete file, from SCI Sport, on all the constraints of the Deep Squat at the level of the knee, cartilage, cruciate ligaments, tendons and lumbar region,

In which you will have numerical measurements on these compression forces according to the exercise and the load .

If you ever have knee pain and are not confident in attempting squats,

Consider watching my BULLETPROOF KNEES training, in which I help you rehabilitate, strengthen, remobilize, and stabilize your knees.

The real problem is your ego.

If you understand that your body is designed to move without getting hurt ,

You understood that it is even beneficial to do deep squats,

You have seen that anatomically and biomechanically, there is (normally) no risk,

Why do we keep injuring our knees and backs?

As with all injuries, at first you may find yourself using the excuse of “No, but I didn’t know…”

Afterwards, you have to be honest and question yourself ,

When you try to do deep squats with a 70 kilo barbell overhead,

During your CrossFit or weight training session,

While you have never taken the time to assess your mobility , your level of strength, body control, core strength and coordination.

Simply put, all exercises are dangerous if you don't do them consciously.

This is the hippie whoo-whoo part.

Training is an art.

If you want to enjoy your body, your abilities, to be able to practice the sports you love for as long as possible,

Without the fear of getting hurt and without taking years off your life and without spending all your savings on surgeries and hospital bills,

We need to redefine our relationship with our body and our physical practice.

Don't become the person who always needs to do everything quickly and rushes.

Take the time , reconnect with your body, discover its capacities, be patient

And fully exploit your human potential.

This is the approach I share in my movement and mobility trainings.

I help you harness every fiber of your physical potential so you can enjoy an optimal life experience on Earth.

Yes, I know, I know, it's easy to say when you've spent over two decades exploring your body and its movements,

How do I know if I'm doing a good deep squat?
And even, what exactly is a perfect Deep Squat ?

How to do a deep squat without getting injured?

If you observe when and why you get injured during the squat movement,

At first glance, you might think that it's because the bar is too heavy, that you're tired, that you don't have enough flexibility, mobility or strength in your legs...

This can be the case, but in most cases, injuries occur mainly at the beginning or end of a movement.

You hurt yourself doing a push-up, not when you're at the bottom,

But when you start with your arms too far apart, your lower back arched, and your core isn't engaged...

Likewise, you get injured doing a squat, not when you're down,

But when you're about to go down and your knees are tucked in, your head is too far forward, your core isn't engaged...

The key to performing a Deep Squat without injury,

It is the same as that for performing all the movements that result from bending the legs: jumping, sitting, stepping over, landing, leaping, changing direction...

You have to bend the hip first.

Yes, it's that simple, but you'd be surprised to see that you probably don't do it.

Stand up and sit down . Really observe what you do when you sit on a chair.

You place your calves against the chair and you go down, you tell me.

In detail, what does it look like?

Calves against the chair usually force you to bend your knees first ,
Keeping your bust always straight and your hips always extended ,
And once the knees are placed as far as possible in front of the toes,
You start leaning forward and bending your hips.

Well, that's incorrect .

We're not supposed to move like that.

For what ?

Because mechanically, we are designed to bend the hinge of our hips.

It is this muscle that generates all the jumping, squatting and leg compression movements.

Watch Olympic athletes squat, jump, sprint… the hips always bend first, as soon as the movement is initiated.

Behind the hips are the most powerful muscles in the human body , the ones that allow us to propel ourselves: the glutes.

It's so inefficient to use your knees for this.

And that's why you keep hurting your knees and why most people have weak, fragile, unstable knees...

It's because basically, we don't know how to sit anymore.

Thanks chair, hahaha

Next time you sit down, try to position yourself far enough away from the chair so that you bend your hips first,

And so keep the shins perpendicular to the ground, until naturally the knees begin to move forward, as a consequence of your body getting closer to the ground.

So you're going to go a very small distance forward with your knees, because you're putting most of the workload on your flexed hips .

(That's their role so you can go, my friend)

So you will damage your knees less in the long run.

It seems trivial and you think I'm making a big deal out of it, but think about it for 2 minutes.

How many times do you sit and get up in this “wrong way” ?

You do it maybe 20 times a day. (And I think I'm being generous in saying that)

So you do “these half squats,” which don’t use your body’s natural functions,

Which therefore weaken your hips (underused) and weaken your knees (overused),

20 x 365 days x 30, 40, 50 years…

Compare this volume of “bad movements” to your 2 workouts per week where you squat,

And you understand why you get injured as soon as you try to do squats, and also, why your knees, hips, ankles hurt all the time...

Your body has gotten used to moving poorly.

To fix all of this, you need to feed your body “good movements” .

Moving better isn't just about your mobility and workouts.

It's adding awareness to all the movements you make every day.

Don't forget that these are the movements that will largely influence how you feel in your body, your health, and your longevity.

The key: bend at the hips first.

That's the best advice from your movement coach.

Now that we know the why and the how, let's move on to the how.

What is the perfect form for the Deep Squat?

Well, it depends on who you're talking to.

Yet another answer that won't please those who love bullet points and quick solutions.

There is no ideal shape because we all have different bodies, limbs and trunks of different lengths, differently constructed pelvises, flexibility, mobility, injury history, etc.

These factors come into play when performing YOUR Deep Squat.

However, we can still establish a set of small rules that will allow you to get closer to the optimal position of the Deep Squat.

As always, I try to put the lens of movement so that you can move in and out of this position with ease.

I don't just want to be in a Deep Squat,

I wish I could squat, stand up, even move freely from this position .

The Deep Squat is therefore, here, a transitional movement rather than an end in itself.

Let’s define together what it means to have an optimal or ideal Deep Squat:

1. Feet shoulder-width apart and parallel, pointing forward (or with a heel angle of less than 15°), flat throughout the movement.
2. Good ankle dorsiflexion (being able to bend your ankle) so that your knee extends a good 7 to 10 cm beyond your toes.
3. Enough hip mobility so your knees can touch your chest (and even for those that can, as I like to do, your armpits).
4. The “straight back” , which actually requires a certain level of extension of the spine, especially the thorax. Yes, you need to be able to arch your thorax (very slightly) just enough.
5. Strength, strength, and more strength. Yes! A certain level of strength and control to get in, get out, and also maintain the position. This means, technically, keeping your hips in neutral flexion : no internal rotation (Oh no, how awful!)
6. Knees that can absorb shock . Deep squatting involves the entire ankle-knee-hip-spine chain. It is therefore essential to distribute the workload (stress) correctly so as not to injure yourself.

You realize that to claim to do a correct deep squat, you must work on these three aspects:

Strength, mobility and flexibility.

These are the factors that will influence your workout programming and the protocol to use to reestablish your deep squat.

Knowing all this, there is nothing abnormal or strange if you do not have all the items on the list.

I always say it,

My job is not to make you move like ME,

But rather to help you move like YOU.

With the length of your limbs, your sports history, your age, your gender, your injuries, your restrictions...

You must therefore start by analyzing your morphology and your physical abilities to avoid making the mistake of overloading your body too quickly, too soon.

On this subject, I recommend the very comprehensive article by Justine from SmartTraining on the influence of morphology on the Squat in bodybuilding.

Another believer in reconnecting body, heart, mind and spirit and that there is no single formula that works for everyone .

The Major Obstacles That Keep You From Doing a Deep Squat

Here too, I will try to present some broad principles rather than trying to cover all possible scenarios.

This is clearly impossible.

So, if you recognize yourself in one or more of the scenarios presented, so much the better,

Otherwise, don't hesitate to contact me so I can help you see things more clearly.

You are stuck at the hips

If this is the case for you, you will tend to be unable to descend below a certain height before feeling your body weight shift backward and causing you to fall.

It could be a mobility issue with your hip flexion, or it could be a flexibility issue with your hamstrings (muscles at the back of your thigh).

A simple tip:

1. If it pinches you in front , it's a mobility problem.
2. If it pulls you behind , it's a flexibility problem.

If you are having trouble reading your body's signals and are unsure, I refer you to my detailed article on the difference between flexibility and mobility.

You are stuck at the ankles

If this is you, you will tend to lift your heels and want to stand on your toes.

The problem is probably the dorsiflexion of your ankle .

It is the ability to bend the ankle, or in other words, to move the knee far in front of the toes.

You are stuck in the back

If this is the case for you, you will tend to bend your back and not be able to extend your torso .

What is lacking most of the time is mobility in the thorax (the part of your back that is behind your chest.

In fact, to be able to keep this back straight and not put workload on the vertebrae, we need to be able to arch the thorax very slightly .

Otherwise, you will have your entire back, or at least your lower back, permanently flexed.

Hello back pain…:(

If you recognize yourself in this situation, consider watching my NEVER BACK PAIN training.

There you will find the exercises and my training program to remove back pain.

Here's a bit about the 3 most common areas that will cause problems.

There are many more and I plan to create another comprehensive article on all of these restrictions ,

And save you trips to the doctor.

Now that we have done the history and the precise diagnosis of the Deep Squat position,

It is time to tackle the problem and recover this fundamental position of homo sapiens .

Let’s take back control of your body, your movements and your health together.

Here's the secret to unlocking the Deep Squat.

(Yes, I'm teasing a little, it doesn't hurt ;p)

How to find your Deep Squat and feel freer in your body?

Again, there is no single magic formula that works for everyone.

I'm not going to give you a miracle program, but rather offer you a structure that will adapt to your needs.

The Deep Squat is a much more complex movement than it appears and requires a mechanical understanding of what is happening in order to perform it correctly.

We'll first understand how we're supposed to move before establishing a guideline together to find our Deep Squat.

The real problem is that no one is ever taught how to get into this position correctly.

Improve joint range of motion

I still insist on joint mobility .

It is the foundation of all body movements.

Before doing a Deep Squat, you must have your body capable of getting into the different positions of the movement.

It is the alphabet of human movement.

Don't hesitate to self-assess, joint by joint , your body to detect deficiencies, asymmetries, weaknesses, limitations and restrictions of movement,

To establish a precise, effective protocol capable of resolving them.

By doing this, you will develop a wider range of technical and expressive possibilities .

Gaining range of motion in the hips, knees, and ankles is essential to reestablishing the deep squat,

And it is also the foundation for being able to reach other positions with ease and without injury, such as: Pistol Squat, Shrimp Squat, Cossack Squat, Dragon Squat, Sissy Squat…

Develop leg strength

After mobility, we must have the muscles in our body capable of supporting the effort we want to ask of it.

The myth of ultra-flexible Yogis is that they are able to move freely.

This is false.

The fuel of movement is strength.

To be able to restore your Deep Squat, the flexibility of your muscles (alone) will not be enough.

If you want to achieve this position without pain or risk of injury, it is important to develop the muscles around your joints and strengthen the tendons and ligaments in your legs.

You can do this simply by working with your body weight , with squat movements and little by little developing the strength you lack to get closer to the ground and away from it in control.

Yes, that is the important element in injury prevention : body control .

There is no point in rushing and forcing your body into a position it cannot reach today,

for example by using your momentum, by using compensation mechanisms, by cheating...

Because by doing this, you are signaling to your nervous system that the position you want to reach is still in the red zone, the danger zone.

Your brain, whose mission is to protect you , will therefore always try to prevent you from returning to this zone for fear that you will hurt yourself.

It will stiffen you , block you, prevent you from moving, even more than at the beginning.

As you can see, it is counterproductive to skip steps and avoid hard work.

For ladies (and gentlemen too) who are afraid of developing huge quadriceps and becoming Quadzillas,

don't be afraid!

It's not by doing, even 100 deep squats a day, every day that we'll get there 😉

Work on coordination

The essential attribute of the athlete.

It is coordination that will allow you to move the right joints, contract and release the right muscles,

In the correct sequence and in the correct order .

To work it, you don't need to learn to juggle or learn how to handle cards.

Coordination is an intangible quality that you already use even when walking, running, jumping...

To improve your coordination and be able to regain your Deep Squat, you simply need to focus and try to perform the correct movements in the correct order.

To do this, you can use a mirror, film yourself or ask a friend to observe you and give you feedback , if you do not yet have the body awareness and representation of your body in space sufficient to achieve this.

No, you are not doomed to fail because “you have bad posture” or “you have zero coordination”...

(More common excuses)

Coordination is worked on through deliberate practice .

You won't be able to improve your squat movement if you don't focus and try to overcome all those judgments you put in your head.

Yes, another little dose of personal development .

As you see, body and mind must always be connected .

For more tips and best practices to reconnect with your mind, visit the MOUVERS Podcast

In which I give the floor to experts in movement , coaching, meditation, nutrition, mental and physical preparation...

To share with us the keys to becoming a better version of ourselves .

Prioritize training volume over intensity

It is impossible to learn when you are stressed (negatively).

So instead of putting in 2 or 3 intense 2-hour workouts where you struggle to force your body into the deep squat,

Why not just do a little bit every day.

To understand this, we need to change the paradigm regarding our physical practice and our relationship with our body.

Remember, you're probably not a weightlifter who has to prepare for a competition in a few months,

You just want to unlock your body and be able to move freely and without pain.

So, approach this work in that sense.

It's long, slow, and tedious , but it works for life.

• 10 to 20 minutes of mobility every day,
• 2 strength sessions per week,
• Try doing deep squats whenever you think about it during the day,

This is a recipe that works, that gives results and that lasts a lifetime.

You can also try Ido Portal's 30/30 Squat Challenge to practice holding the Deep Squat position for 30 minutes a day, every day, for a month.

Listen to your body and its needs

Your body is YOUR responsibility.

It's not up to your doctor, physiotherapist or osteopath to take care of your joints or repair the damage.

You want to find the natural functions of your body, learn to rediscover it and listen to the signals it gives you .

No one in this world, not even the greatest doctors and surgeons, can give you a better diagnosis than you.

You are inside your body , you know it best (logical).

So, if you want to reestablish your Deep Squat and by extension reclaim your body,

It's up to you to decide how long you want to talk to him.

It's like in a long relationship, the key is communication.

Again, deliberate practice of joint mobility will be your best ally in this goal.

These elements are what will allow you to unlock your body, prepare it to perform the movement and also protect it from potential injuries.

This is also the formula I use in all my online training courses.

Mobility, Physical Preparation and Movement.

A concrete action plan to restore your Deep Squat

If you don't know where to start or don't have the knowledge in terms of mobility exercises, physical preparation and movement,

I invite you to access my training RESTORE THE DEEP SQUAT which will give you:

• a complete mobility routine with exercises for the hips, ankles and knees,
• a 12-week program with mobility, physical preparation and movement, simple and effective to find your Deep Squat step by step,
• improve your range of motion in your joints,
• develop the strength and flexibility of your legs,
• strengthen the tendons, ligaments and muscles around the joints, but also,
• gain strength to be able to move, get in and out of this position freely,

As a bonus, you'll learn floor movement flows to put your new Deep Squat skills into practice.

>> See the details of the RE-ESTABLISH THE DEEP SQUAT training <<

What to remember about the Deep Squat

The Deep Squat is a fundamental position of the human being .

It's basically "squatting properly."

Restoring this position is essential to express the complete mobility of your joints (hips, knees, ankles),

Develop more strength and explosiveness in your legs , reconnect with your body to understand how it is mechanically supposed to move,

Develop greater body awareness and even protect your body from the risk of injury.

As we have seen, getting into and out of this position requires a certain level of mobility, flexibility and strength,

But it is, in no way , a movement that is harmful to the knees, or to the back.

Quite the opposite!

To achieve greater physical autonomy and hope to be able to live in a body without pain,

It is important to educate yourself on how it works, and not hesitate to use all of its natural functions.

The less you use the body, the more you lose it.

The Deep Squat is a movement that belongs to you , it is your right and your duty to try to exploit your full physical potential.

So, don't hesitate and get your Deep Squat back on track now!

A final message from your movement coach

Your body is the most complex and formidable machine, capable of doing absolutely anything you imagine.

You are not doomed to have pain or stiffness in your body,

You can take back control of your health, your movement and your longevity.

There's still plenty more to say about the Deep Squat, but I'll save that for other articles.

Feel free to join my daily emails to learn even more about mobility, movement, philosophy, exercises,

And all the other tools to build a body you can actually rely on.

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS