Optimize Your Squat
It’s easy to feel a little lost or misguided considering all of the information that is on the internet from health and fitness gurus of all backgrounds claiming they know the best way to improve your squat; but here I’m going to focus on several research-backed techniques that I frequently put into daily practice as both a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Despite what many might say, there is no one correct way to squat, and factors such as body morphology and joint mobility are just some of the many factors that contribute to making an individual’s squat pattern as unique as their own fingerprint. When analyzing one’s squat, I tend to utilize a “bottom-up” approach by first observing the foot/ankle complex, then working all the way up to the spine.
The Foot/Ankle Complex
Starting with the foot, literature states that it is not ideal to have either a fully supinated or pronated foot during the full squatting movement. Supinated feet are typically known as being very rigid and “high-arched,” while pronated feet are known for the opposite, hence being very low-arched, flexible, and “flat.” With a supinated foot, pressure is typically distributed along the lateral (outside) aspect of the foot from the heel along the 5th metatarsal and pinky toe. With a pronated foot, pressure is typically distributed along the medial (inside) aspect of the foot from the heel to the 1st metatarsal and big toe. While both foot/ankle designs present their own advantages and disadvantages, as it pertains to squatting, the literature is consistent in supporting the tri-pod foot position, where pressure is evenly distributed throughout the heel, 1st metatarsal head, and 2nd metatarsal head. This gives the foot a good mix of stability and mobility during the movement and allows for an even pressure distribution that will subsequently reduce stress on the knees, hips, and back.
Inadequate closed-chain dorsiflexion range of motion is a very common deficit that can easily affect one’s squat. In layman’s terms, closed-chain dorsiflexion is the available ankle range of motion that one will experience during the descent of the squat, as the knee is moving over the toe. A good way to roughly screen your closed-chain dorsiflexion is by performing what is known as a “knee-to-wall” test. This is where one will set up in a lunge position, placing the toe ~5 inches away from a wall. Next, the person will attempt to lunge the knee forward over the toe as far as they can until they feel their heel raise off the floor. If your knee is able to touch the wall before your heel rises off of the floor, then you are not likely limited by closed-chain dorsiflexion. However, if your heel rises off of the floor before your knee hits the wall, it is likely a limiting factor for your squat mobility (da Costa et al. 2021; Zawadka et al. 2025).
The Knee
Interestingly enough, the role of the knee during a squat is mostly dictated by the joints located above and below. Aside from ensuring that the knee has adequate flexion (bending) and extension (straightening) range of motion, it is actually more important to assess ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and hip abductor/external rotator strength, as these are the two biggest factors that will influence the knee during a squat. If one’s dorsiflexion range of motion is not adequate, then undue stress will be put onto the knee as it tries to compensate for the ankle range of motion deficit, often resulting in a pathologic movement pattern known as “dynamic knee valgus” (when the knee caves inward during movement). As previously stated, another common source that may cause knee valgus is a lack of hip strength. Rather than the knee attempting to compensate for a lack of mobility, dynamic valgus may occur in the presence of weak hips as the lateral (outer) hip muscles are not strong enough to control the knee during movement, potentially during both the eccentric and concentric phases of the squat (Padua et al. 2012; Wilczyński et al. 2020). This is why it is important to maintain lateral hip muscle strength with exercises such as banded hip abduction, clamshells, side planks, and single-leg exercises (as demonstrated in the exercise library).
It is also important to have both mental and visual cues while squatting. As it pertains to the knee, I have seen success in telling clients to “keep their knee over their 3rd/4th toe” during both the eccentric and concentric phases. While dorsiflexion mobility and hip strength are factors that should be addressed for optimal form, informing yourself of ideal body positioning during a movement can be just as important so that you have a real target to focus on. Research suggests that recording squat trials from different angles (front/side/back) and continuously making adjustments will help with progress overall, especially if you know where your body should be positioned in space (Shin et al. 2024; Hale et al. 2021).
The Hip
The biggest factor that influences squat stance is the hip. Positioning greatly depends on natural hip morphology, femur length, and available ranges of motion at the hip. While everybody is different, here we will discuss what the research says regarding different squat set-ups and the hip’s role in all of it. Literature states that in wider stances, you are going to recruit more hip extensor/gluteal activation, whereas in more narrow stances, you are going to bias more of the quadriceps. In terms of determining which one is best for you, the answer is almost always going to be whichever position feels most comfortable and whichever position allows you to target your goals. Research has demonstrated that different stance widths alter the mechanical demands placed on the hip and knee, with wider stances producing greater hip extensor demands (Hopkins et al. 2024; Lahti et al. 2019). Research examining stance width and toe direction has also demonstrated that these variables can alter medial knee contact force (Asayama et al. 2021).
Despite what the literature states, it is always best to find the position that feels most comfortable and allows you to perform your best. A large factor in determining this is hip morphology. Squat positioning can change greatly depending on whether you are naturally more anteverted or retroverted. In an anteverted hip, the femoral head is naturally translated anteriorly (forwards), leading to a natural compensation of the person’s toes to point inward as this will feel like the most natural position for them to function in. This compensation is commonly known as “pigeon-toeing.” The opposite is true for a retroverted hip as the femoral head is translated posteriorly (backwards), resulting in the natural compensation of the person’s toes to point outward to feel most comfortable. This compensation is commonly known as “duck-walking.” As these categories represent polar ends along a spectrum, most of us will find ourselves somewhere in between the two, naturally functioning somewhere between a fully toed-out and toed-in position. As it pertains to squatting, a person with retroverted hips will find most comfort in placing their toes outward (like a duck), as this will allow them to maximize joint congruency while attaining maximal squat depth. The opposite is true regarding a person with anteverted hips, as they will tend to feel more natural with a slightly toe-in position. It should be noted that, in general, it is best to avoid maintaining excessive toe-in during a squat to prevent impingement of any hip structures and allow for proper safety during the squatting movement. If a slightly toe-in position feels best for you during a squat, try to maintain as close to a middle stance position (toes facing forward) as possible with a stance width of your choice. To test which position is best for you, try several trials of squats with the toes of both feet in all positions: slightly rotated in, a middle stance, and rotated outward. The best position is going to be the one that feels most comfortable and allows you to attain maximal squat depth (Chadayammuri et al. 2016; Lee et al. 2024; Asayama et al. 2021).
Another known limiting factor in squatting is femur length. The femur is your thigh bone that forms both the hip and the knee joint. Those with longer femurs typically have a more difficult time maintaining spinal extension (upright posture) during the squatting movement and often feel unable to attain maximum squat depth. While there is no direct test to measure femur length, research notes that the average femur length of adults across all areas of the world is ~27%. To measure yourself, as long as the units are consistent in inches or centimeters, divide the length of your femur by your total height, and if it is greater than 27–28%, you likely have longer femurs. Biomechanically, this means that your center of mass will posteriorly translate (move backwards) during the squatting motion, causing a consistent anterior translation of the torso in order to offset the backwards movement; hence, making it more difficult to maintain an upright posture during the squatting movement (Fuglsang et al. 2017).
To address these deficits, the goal is to perform drills that will facilitate what a long-femured person naturally experiences trouble with. Research has shown that the counterbalanced squat (holding a light weight in both hands with arms reached outward) helps to maintain the body’s COM (center of mass) during the squatting movement and prevent excessive forward leaning of the torso when squatting (Lynn and Noffal 2012). This position can be held in full squat depth for bouts of ~30–60 seconds at a time and will help the body to learn how to maintain proper mechanics throughout the entire movement. This drill can be used both as a corrective exercise and a warm-up before working sets in order to prime the nervous system and the hip joints to perform in the desired way. Alternative corrective methods include choosing to front squat, which involves placing the barbell on the front portion of the shoulders. Biomechanically, front squatting has a similar role to the counterbalance squat as it forces the person to maintain upright posture during the movement, not allowing for traditional excessive anterior translation of the torso. A wider stance set-up with a 15°–30° toe-out angle might also be effective in activating the hip extensors while allowing for greater hip external rotation. Lastly, squatting with the barbell in a low-bar position (when the barbell is lower on the back between the shoulder blades) will help to facilitate hip extensor activation by causing the person to naturally lean forward during the motion. Rather than the other techniques that deal with trying to facilitate what a long-femured person is unable to do, the low-bar position enhances their already natural ability to anteriorly translate their torso during the squat, allowing the person to squat in the position that feels most natural to them (Glassbrook et al. 2017; Hopkins et al. 2024).
Spine/Core
It is essential to know how to properly activate one’s core during a squat. It has been shown that proper abdominal bracing helps maintain safety not only during each movement but also over long periods of time. In non-rehabilitation settings, core bracing is utilized during squatting and other compound lifting movements in order to provide a stable base, spinal stability, and minimize unwarranted movement at the hips, knees, and ankles. Core bracing should be performed during the entire movement, with peak force likely occurring during the “sticking point” (the point during the ascent where your muscles are working the greatest). The best way to perform an abdominal brace is to “pretend that somebody is about to punch you” in the stomach. While you are performing the brace, press your belly circumferentially outward into your shirt so that all areas are being activated. This has been shown to actively increase 3 crucial core muscles such as the Rectus Abdominis and the Internal/External Obliques (Lynch et al. 2025; Cholewicki et al. 1999).
Spinal mobility, most notably thoracic spinal mobility, has been shown to be another potential limiting factor in one’s squat. Anatomically, spinal extension is colloquially known as bending backwards. During squat descent, it becomes progressively harder to maintain spinal extension as the spine naturally tends to move into spinal flexion (Hebling Campos et al. 2017). To help combat this, foam rolling your thoracic spine for bouts of ~90 seconds for 3–5 repetitions can help to effectively mobilize the thoracic spine vertebrae, hence making it easier to maintain thoracic extension during the squat. Research has also shown that performing repeated spinal extension in the prone (face-down) position helped to maintain spinal extension over a 6-week trial. This exercise can otherwise be known as a “Superman,” where the person lying face down will extend upwards so their chest is elevated from the floor. This position can be maintained for 3–5 seconds and performed for 3x10. It should be noted that, in the clinical trial, spinal extension benefits were lost 9 weeks post-conclusion of the study, demonstrating that spinal extension benefits are dependent on exercise consistency over time (Balogun et al. 1992).
Works Cited
Asayama, A., H. Tateuchi, M. Yamagata, and N. Ichihashi. “Influence of Stance Width and Toe Direction on Medial Knee Contact Force During Bodyweight Squats.” Journal of Biomechanics, vol. 2021, 2021.
Balogun, J. A., A. A. Olokungbemi, and A. R. Kuforiji. “Spinal Mobility and Muscular Strength: Effects of Supine- and Prone-Lying Back Extension Exercise Training.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 1992.
Chadayammuri, Vivek, et al. “Passive Hip Range of Motion Predicts Femoral Torsion and Acetabular Version.” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume, vol. 98, no. 2, 2016, pp. 127–134.
Cholewicki, Jacek, Krishna Juluru, and Stuart M. McGill. “Intra-Abdominal Pressure Mechanism for Stabilizing the Lumbar Spine.” Journal of Biomechanics, vol. 32, no. 1, 1999, pp. 13–17.
da Costa, Gabriela V., et al. “Relationship Between Passive Ankle Dorsiflexion Range, Dynamic Ankle Dorsiflexion Range and Lower Limb and Trunk Kinematics During the Single-Leg Squat.” Gait & Posture, 2021.
Fuglsang, Emil I., Anders S. Telling, and Henrik Sørensen. “Effect of Ankle Mobility and Segment Ratios on Trunk Lean in the Barbell Back Squat.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 31, no. 10, 2017.
Glassbrook, Daniel J., Eric R. Helms, Scott R. Brown, and Adam G. Storey. “A Review of the Biomechanical Differences Between the High-Bar and Low-Bar Back-Squat.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 31, no. 9, 2017, pp. 2618–2634.
Hale, Rena F., Sandor Dorgo, Roger V. Gonzalez, and Jerome Hausselle. “The Efficacy of Simultaneously Training 2 Motion Targets During a Squat Using Auditory Feedback.” Journal of Applied Biomechanics, vol. 37, no. 1, 2021, pp. 6–12.
Hebling Campos, M., L. I. Furtado Alaman, A. A. Seffrin-Neto, et al. “The Geometric Curvature of the Lumbar Spine During Restricted and Unrestricted Squats.” The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 2017.
Hopkins, Jane E., Claire E. Hopkins, and Loren Z. F. Chiu. “Greater Squat Stance Width Alters Three-Dimensional Hip Moment Demands.” Journal of Biomechanics, vol. 177, 2024, article 112391.
Lahti, Johan, András Hegyi, Andrew D. Vigotsky, and Juha P. Ahtiainen. “Effects of Barbell Back Squat Stance Width on Sagittal and Frontal Hip and Knee Kinetics.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 29, no. 1, 2019, pp. 44–54.
Lee, Dong Hoon, et al. “Femoral Anteversion Linked to the Inability to Squat: Analysis of CT Images in the Patient and Control Groups.” Medicine, 2024.
Lynn, Stephanie K., and Gregory J. Noffal. “Lower Extremity Biomechanics During a Regular and Counterbalanced Squat.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2012.
Lynch, Darragh J., Alexander S. Drusch, Troy L. Hooper, et al. “Changes in Muscle Activation in Response to Abdominal Bracing and Stabilization Belt Use During a Loaded Squat.” Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 43, no. 20, 2025, pp. 2434–2446.
Padua, Darin A., David R. Bell, and Micheal A. Clark. “Neuromuscular Characteristics of Individuals Displaying Excessive Medial Knee Displacement.” Journal of Athletic Training, vol. 47, no. 5, 2012, pp. 525–536.
Shin, Ho-Jin, Sung-Hyeon Kim, and Hwi-Young Cho. “The Effect of Types of Sensory Feedback on the Acquisition and Retention of Squat Performance: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 34, no. 1, 2024, article e14531.
Wilczyński, Bartosz, Katarzyna Zorena, and Daniel Ślęzak. “Dynamic Knee Valgus in Single-Leg Movement Tasks: Potentially Modifiable Factors and Exercise Training Options. A Literature Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 21, 2020, article 8208.
Zawadka, Magdalena, Jakub Smolka, Maria Skublewska-Paszkowska, Edyta Lukasik, and Piotr Gawda. “Effect of Limited Ankle Dorsiflexion on Lower Limbs and Trunk Kinematics During Squatting.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, vol. 48, nos. 1–5, 2025, pp. 395–403.