What Is the Deep Squat

A deep squat is a variation of the standard squat exercise where the individual lowers their body further than in a regular squat.

This exercise is up there alongside the bench press and the deadlift as one of the core exercises in the weightlifting world.

It targets multiple lower-body muscle groups, enhancing strength, flexibility, and balance.

By lowering your body to a squat position, you engage your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core, making it an essential move for anyone looking to improve their fitness and functional movement.

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How-to Deep Squat

Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out, and arms at your sides.
Keeping your heels on the ground, squat down as far as your body will allow.
Keep your arms inside your knees and press them outward.
Hold and breathe.
Rise back to the starting position, fully extending your hips and knees.

Muscle Worked

Primary Muscle Groups

Glutes

The glutes help you extend your thighs from the hips and drive you forward.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings flex your knees and extend and rotate your hips

Hip Flexors

The hip flexors flex your leg at the hip joint, helping you to extend your legs forward.

Lower Back

The low back helps stabilize your spinal column and connects your upper body to your pelvis.

Quads

"Quads" refers to your quadriceps femoris muscles which flex your leg from the hip joint and extend your leg from the knee joint.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Adductors

The adductors are the muscles on the insides of your thighs that move your legs toward the midline of your body

Calves

The calves are the muscles at the back of the lower part of your legs

Pro Tips

Keep Your Heels Down: Make sure your heels stay flat on the ground to maintain balance and proper form.
Maintain a Neutral Spine: Avoid rounding your back by keeping your chest up and shoulders back.
Focus on Depth: Aim to lower your hips below parallel for a full range of motion, as your flexibility improves try to surpass your limits. However, be careful not to injure yourself.
Engage Your Glutes: Actively squeeze your glutes as you rise to enhance muscle activation and stability.

Deep Squat Benefits

Builds Lower Body Strength: Targets the whole posterior chain, enhancing overall strength and aesthetics.
Improves Flexibility: Encourages a full range of motion in the hips and ankles, promoting flexibility.
Enhances Core Stability: Engages the core muscles, supporting better posture and balance.
Functional Movement: Mimics natural movements, improving performance in daily activities and sports.

Warm Up & Cool Down

Warm Up

Get all the benefits of warming up with dynamic movements like leg swings, hip circles, and bodyweight squats to increase blood flow and flexibility.

Cool Down

Finish with static stretches such as the hamstring stretch, quad stretch, and seated forward bend to aid recovery and reduce muscle tension.

What Is the Deep Squat

How-to Deep Squat