Squat: technique and mistakes to avoid
Informational content: this is not a substitute for medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting a training program, especially if you have a health issue or any pain.
They call it the king of exercises, and for good reason: the squat builds legs, overall strength, and a sturdiness few movements can match. It also raises the most questions. How deep should you go? Can your knees pass your toes? Why does my lower back hurt? Here is the technique made clear and the mistakes that stall your progress.
Which muscles does the squat work?
The back squat is a complete compound exercise:
- The quads, main drivers of knee extension.
- The glutes, heavily involved especially at depth.
- The hamstrings and adductors, in support.
- The core and back, constantly stabilizing the load.
Setup, before you even descend
As with every big lift, squat quality is won at setup:
- Bar properly placed. On the traps, never on the neck. Pinch your shoulder blades to build a muscular shelf.
- Feet shoulder width. Toes turned slightly out, between 15 and 30 degrees depending on your build.
- Weight spread across the foot. Not on the toes, not only on the heels: think tripod, heel plus the base of the first two toes.
- Brace before descending. Breathe in, hold it, tighten your core as if bracing for impact.
The descent and the drive
Start the movement by pushing your hips back and bending your knees at the same time. Your knees track in line with your toes, without caving inward. Your torso leans forward naturally, but your back stays flat, never rounded.
Descend until your hip crease drops below the top of your knee, if your mobility allows. Then drive up by pushing the floor away, hips and shoulders rising together, without letting your hips shoot up first. Finish standing tall, without hyperextending the lower back.
Can your knees pass your toes?
This is the most stubborn gym myth. Yes, your knees can travel past your toes: it is even unavoidable in a deep squat, especially with long femurs. What matters is not that imaginary line, but that your knees stay in line with your toes and your back stays flat. The real problem is the knee caving inward, not the one moving forward.
The most common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Knees caving inward | Actively push the knees out, in line with your toes |
| Lower back rounding at the bottom | Reduce depth, lower the load, work on ankle and hip mobility |
| Heels lifting off the floor | Keep the foot flat and anchored, or slightly elevate the heel |
| Hips shooting up before the shoulders | Raise hips and torso together by pushing the floor |
| Always doing half squats | Go at least hips below knees, even if it means lighter loads |
| Bar resting on the neck | Reposition the bar on the traps, shoulder blades pinched |
As with every big lift, most of these mistakes disappear once you take a few kilos off the bar.
How deep should you go?
The benchmark is the parallel squat or slightly below: your hip crease drops under the top of the knee. That depth recruits the glutes and quads better than half squats, and keeps your progress comparable from one session to the next.
One caveat: going deeper than your mobility allows tips the pelvis and rounds the lower back. If you notice that, reduce the depth, lower the load, and work on ankle and hip mobility alongside. Your ideal depth depends on your build, not on your neighbor's.
Progressing on the squat
The squat is demanding, but it responds very well to progressive overload. Add a rep or a bit of load as soon as your sets feel easy, without ever degrading your descent. Train in a rack with safety pins set at the right height so you can push with confidence. Log every session: with no reference, you cannot know what to beat.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should you squat?
Aim for the hip crease just below the top of the knee, meaning parallel or slightly below. Do not go deeper than your mobility allows without rounding your lower back.
Can your knees pass your toes?
Yes, it is normal and harmless for most people, especially in a deep squat. What matters is that your knees stay in line with your toes and do not cave inward.
Why does my lower back hurt when I squat?
Usually because your pelvis tips at the bottom of the movement, which rounds the lower back. Reduce the depth, lower the load, brace better, and work on ankle and hip mobility.
Do you need special shoes to squat?
Not essential. A flat, stable sole is plenty. Raised heel shoes help if you lack ankle mobility, but they do not replace actual mobility work.
The squat rewards technical consistency more than one off heroics: same setup, same depth, and loads that climb steadily. By logging your sets and estimated 1RM in Musku, you can see whether your squat is really moving or stalling, and you can record your execution cues, stance width or depth, to reproduce the same movement every session. A stable technique and a reliable history, that is what turns added kilos into real progress.