The gold standard for a complete squat is often considered to be a 90-degree bend in your knees—with your thighs perfectly parallel to the floor—at the bottom of the movement. But if you have mobility limitations, achieving that benchmark may not be so easy. One potential solution: Power through your reps with your heels resting on a weight plate or two.
Ahead, learn why this simple squat modification might help you achieve a deeper squat—and the importance of squatting with full range of motion in the first place.
Experts In This Article:
- Alyssa Parten, CSCS, certified strength and conditioning specialist and powerlifting coach
- Laura Su, CSCS, certified strength and conditioning specialist based in Seattle
How to do a squat with your heels elevated
Curious to see if elevating your heels enhances your squat range of motion? Follow the steps for this squat modification below, and check out the demonstration by Laura Su, CSCS, a certified strength and conditioning specialist based in Seattle.
Photo: Laura Su, CSCS
- Stand holding a kettlebell in front of your chest with your feet hip-width apart, your heels resting on the edge of one large or two small weight plates, and your toes on the ground. Roll your shoulders down and back, engage your core, and gaze forward.
- On an inhale, sit back into your hips, then bend your knees to slowly lower into a squat. Keep your back flat and chest lifted. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as deep as comfortable.
- On an exhale, press through all four corners of your feet to straighten your legs and return to standing.
Why this squat modification works
The science behind this trick is pretty straightforward: Elevating your heels with a weight plate reduces the amount of ankle dorsiflexion (imagine pulling your toes toward your shin) required to complete a squat with full range of motion, Su explains. Related Stories To perform a deep squat with your feet flat on the floor, ankle dorsiflexion is about 23 to 26 degrees on average, according to a 2020 biomechanic analyses published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. When your heels are raised, however, there is greater ankle plantarflexion (imagine pointing your toes), decreasing the ankle dorsiflexion angle, per a small 2022 study published in Bioengineering.
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