Allan Mateo
11/21/ 2011
Diakadi blog
One of my all time personal favorite discussion topics is whether or not it’s
safe to perform a “full squat” (a hip angle less than 90 degrees), and since this is my
blog, and I was explicitly told that I could speak my mind on the matter, here it is:
ABSOLUTELY! If done PROPERLY, it is not only safe, but more so beneficial for the
gluteal and biceps femoris complex, as it requires more recruitment from these
muscle groups (posterior chain); which would be better regarding an overall
balance of hip strength between posterior and anterior chains, thus decreasing the
likelihood of any hip dysfunction and low back pain….
However, (this is my DISCLAIMER) a proper assessment of your client’s
physical abilities will give the trainer a better grasp on their understanding of basic
movement patterns and what they can or cannot do. So what I’m saying is: if your
client can barely sit into a squat without falling back or simply keep their heels
down, then its safe to say they have other issues that you need to attend to before
you start loading them up with weight on their back, or even try to get them to
perform a full squat for that matter. Moreover, those clients with knee and hip
limitations…. Probably not a good idea for them to be squatting that low, all things
considering.
With that said, for those of you that can, the problem is FLEXIBILITY! I can
tell you a large number of the population has some sort of hip flexibility issues with
regard to tight hip flexors (dominant and or overactive) in comparison to weak and
or underused glutes. You ask, “Allan how do you know this?” Well I’m glad you guys
asked, my answer to that is: watch a 2 year old squat (I saw my son do this a couple
of times on his practice barbell, that’s right….) and see how far they go down. You
will notice that their butt will touch their heels, keeping a flat back, chest up, knees
and feet slightly externally rotated, and most importantly they’re stable at the
bottom. They can do this (my son included) because they have yet to be conditioned
to sit in a chair that forces them to sit at a hip angle of 90 degree’s five days a week,
which may cause some hip dysfunction issues when squatting. My point is, optimal
hip strength is developed through proper muscle recruitment and strengthening of
the posterior chain, and this my friend will get us back to squatting like a 2 year old.
Awesome!
A recent study by Caterisano et al. (2002) looked at three different types of
squat depths: full, parallel, and partial to determine which of the four chosen hip
and thigh muscles (i.e. Vastus lateralis, Vastus medialis, Biceps femoris, and the
Gluteus maximus) are being utilized during the back squat, with the use of an EMG
(p. 429). They suggested that, “In conclusion, the results of our study support the
theory that increasing the squatting depth (from a partial [ø2.36 rad at the knee
joint] to a parallel [ø1.57 rad at the knee joint] to a full squat [ø0.79 rad at the knee
joint]) has no significant effect on the relative contribution of the BF to the total
electrical activity of the major muscles involved in the lift. The activity of the VL and
the VMO also appears to be fairly consistent across the 3 depths tested, with the
exception of those variations reported in the VMO. The primary difference appears
to be in the EMG activity of the GM among these 3 squatting depth” (p. 431). The
data showed that although both the VL and the VMO contributed during the
concentric action of the full squat, it was the GM that showed a significantly larger
contribution; in relation to the partial and parallel squats that were performed,
where the VL and VMO proved to be the major contributors, in contrast to the GM.
Reference
Caterisano, A., Moss, R., Pellinger, T., Woodruff, K., Lewis, V., Booth, W., & Khadra, T.
(2002). The Effect of Back Squat Depth on the EMG Activity of 4 Superficial Hip and
Thigh Muscles. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(3), 428-432.
In regards to squat depth, all you have to do is watch a child squat down to pick
something up, and you will see that a full squat is how our bodies were meant to
move in terms of that specific skilled movement pattern. It would no more hurt a
child, than it would an adult with proper flexibility and hip mobility; which is the
real issue. Thus, full squats are a natural movement pattern for all of us. The only
reason that we are so adamant about squatting to parallel, or worse yet, a quarter
squat, is because as we have gone through life, our bodies have been conditioned to
sit and squat in such positions and apparatuses that inhibit the ROM capabilities of
the hip. We are so focused on strengthening the anterior chain that we tend to forget
the Posterior chain (i.e. gluteal group). Olympic weightlifters are some of the
strongest athletes in the world. I’m not kidding. Why, because they take advantage
of their bodies full capabilities. There is a balance of strength with respect to the
anterior and posterior chain. If you were to look at some of the professional athletes
today, especially in American Football, we will find that there are many hamstring
injuries, complaints of LBP, the list goes on. I guarantee you that none of their
strength coaches are telling them to do full squats; what you’re really telling them is
that I want you to have extremely strong hip flexors and weak hip extensors, which
as we all know, is a recipe for disaster.
According to Caterisano et al. (2002) “The results of this study suggest that the GM
is the muscle group that displays the most varied contribution during the concentric
phase of the weighted back squat among the 3 squatting depths tested. The other 3
muscles monitored (BF, VMO, and VL) appear to show more consistency during the
concentric phase of weighted squats at these squatting depths, relative to their
respective contribution to the lift” (p. 431). Looking back at table 1 for the
concentric phase of the squat, the percentage of GM utilization was greater during
the full squat than in both the partial and parallel squat.
Moreover, in regards to large forces acting on the knee during squatting; most of
that, if not all can be attributed to the eccentric component of the squat. Proper
deceleration of hip flexion during the eccentric phase of the deep squat is made
possible by strong hip extensors; a lack of hip flexibility and hip flexor tightness, can
and will lead to improper movement patterns, which would likely lead to a knee
ailment of some sort. With that said, safety is paramount; understanding that the
circumstances will always dictate an athlete and or clients training progression.
References
Caterisano, A., Moss, R., Pellinger, T., Woodruff, K., Lewis, V., Booth, W., & Khadra, T.
(2002). The Effect of Back Squat Depth on the EMG Activity of 4 Superficial Hip and
Thigh Muscles. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(3), 428-432.
Michael, great point on squat depth and how lower extremity injuries dictate how
far our athletes and clients should be squatting. We should progress them
accordingly, so as to address any physical ailments before hand, in order to regain
optimal lower extremity ROM, in preparation for more advanced squatting depths
for greater overall hip strength. In an article by Weiss et al. (2000), they wrote,
“Based upon the widely held premise of specificity of training, exercises having
movement patterns most similar to vertical jumping should elicit the best
improvements in jumping performance. The squat and possibly leg press exercises
incorporate movement patterns at the ankle, knee, and hip that are similar to those
used in vertical jumping. Furthermore, since the countermovement used in vertical
jumping typically occurs through a limited range of motion, it follows that a shallow
squat-training depth would likely elicit the best improvements in jumping
performance. In practice, both deep and shallow squats are used for this purpose,
and have been categorized as ‘‘general’’ strength training” (p. 242). Weiss et al.
looked at two types of squat depths and how they affect ones vertical jump, “The
overall purpose of the current investigation was to determine if squatting depth
during short-term, periodized squat training would differentially impact jumping
performance and 1 or more predictors of VJ ability. More specifically, the purpose of
this investigation was to determine the comparative effects of shallow versus deep
squat training on vertical jumping performance (RVJ and DVJ), on variables reported
to be significantly related to jumping, and on other factors associated with squatting
strength” (p. 242).
The researchers concluded that, “If confounding factors can be ruled out, it appears
deep, machine-based squat training is preferable to shallow, machine-based squat
training for increasing squatting strength at any depth. It also appears that machinebased squats, by themselves, are of little value in improving vertical jumping
performance” (p. 246). They later wrote that, “If these particular findings can be
verified, then athletes and others performing partial range-of-motion squats in their
training programs may need to reassess the effectiveness of this training. Those
performing full squats may wish to reconsider the proportion of time spent on this
particular activity once an adequate base of leg and hip strength has been
established” (p. 246). However, the researchers also wrote that more research on
this subject is necessary because the sample size of the experiment was too small
and that better results may take place with a larger sample size (p. 246).
References
Weiss, L., Fry, A., Wood, L., Relyea, G., & Melton, C. (2000). Comparative Effects of
Deep Versus Shallow Squat and Leg-Press Training on Vertical Jumping Ability and
Related Factors. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 14(3), 241–247.
I'm sure everyone in this class can agree that If our bodies are good at one thing, its
adapting to the environmental conditions, no matter what the circumstance, this is
just how we work; its amazing!