Squats Parallel or below

[BendtheBar]

This has probably been said, so excuse any redundant feedback...

From my research above parallel squats do indeed place greater stress on the knees.

Narrow stance...perfectly fine. I squat very narrow. The main issue with squats in general is folks not getting their knees out and in alignment with their toes. Whatever the stance, open your knees appropriately.



Too often narrow stance squats are knees in. This limits depth, amplifying stress upon the knees and back...

[BigJosh]

My priority is making myself stronger over moving more weight. Therefore I go as low as possible without rounding my back, which these days is pretty damn low, definetly below parallel.
Also, based on my own experience, I believe a deep squat is easier on and healthier for the knees.

[jslep]

i see the mention of box squats a couple times in here so i'm gonna give you my opinion on them...........

box squats only work if you use them the way they are intended. sit on the box and stop all momentum then explode off the box with all you got. many times what i see from guy's doin box squats is they let the knee push forward out on the toe and never break parallel by the time they hit the box. so they do a tap and go but never really to depth. any one can prevent themselves from breaking parallel by simply letting the knees go forward rather than forcing them out like stated by BTB.

The thing with breaking parallel is it will incorporate more muscle the deeper you go. If anyone is a nonbeliever of this i challenge you to seriously do some ATG sessions and tell me you aren't more sore doin that then a typical BBer 1/2 squat which will really only benefit you if you move mountains and you use AAS. If you have trouble getting deep into the squat than simply lower the weight. Slightly point the toes out, force the knees out not forward, keep the back arched and focus your head up and not forward. Start with the bar only if you have to but if big Steve can put his ass on the ground when he squats anyone can. He is a big man move'n piles of weight and i have never seen him squat once above parallel.

[Soldier]

Originally Posted by BigJosh

My priority is making myself stronger over moving more weight. Therefore I go as low as possible without rounding my back, which these days is pretty damn low, definetly below parallel.
Also, based on my own experience, I believe a deep squat is easier on and healthier for the knees.

The science backs up what your saying as well. When you go deep your knee is naturally supported by all the tendons around the knee joint. When you stop short of parallel that force is placed on just a couple tendons, which means they take far more of a beating.

Another problem is that most of the people I see doing half squats are doing a LOT more weight than they would be doing if they were going all the way down. I've seen guys rep out half reps with 3pps who could NEVER do 2pps to parallel and get back up. The problem here is that your putting even more tension on the back and knees, while placing less tension on the muscle. Squatting like that is the reason that people say squatting is bad for the knees. Less weight, go down deep, place tons of tension on the MUSCLE and less on the connective tissue and spine and watch your legs explode.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by mystro

I know this topic must have hit the forum hundreds of times but couldn't find a thread. Should squats be done parallel or below, is there any studies to support either movement.Secondly Herniated a disc lower back now it seems below parallel is easier than the latter.Dont know if its my mind but i do box squats fairly well and thats parallel, but move the box and its on!narrow stance at parallel is a killer.Well, either or?

Can you make use of a slightly lower box so that when the box is removed you then hit parallel/just below parallel? It may help, it may not; but as others have pointed out, sometimes we have to go with what our bodies will permit and not with the ideal.

If lower boxes are a bad idea, feel free to correct this guys

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BigJosh

My priority is making myself stronger over moving more weight. Therefore I go as low as possible without rounding my back, which these days is pretty damn low, definetly below parallel.
Also, based on my own experience, I believe a deep squat is easier on and healthier for the knees.

I agree! I have an unstable kneecap due to a pushbiking accident decades ago and it means I cannot run or jump rope without undue pain...however, it never causes issues when squatting. (yet )