What is the optimal squat depth for athletes?
Is it always exactly 90 degrees? No…. that’s just marketing🤡
🏋🏽♂️ Half Squats (85-95 degree knee flexion) have a solid carryover of ~7% increase in vertical jump and ~1% improvement in 40m sprint times.
Quarter Squats (55-65 degree knee flexion) have even better carryover ~15% increase in vertical jump and ~2% improvement in 40m sprint times.
📊 This is similar to the results we see from other similar study designs.
The key though is how you apply this to coaching decisions in different phases of training.
📈 You could use this as “your evidence” and become the “60 degrees of flexion is exactly optimal always” guy and get lots of attention for your unique method.
But it would be better for your athletes if you consider using some deeper squats off season to lay a foundation of strength and then prioritize techniques that carryover to performance when that’s your goal in the preseason and in season training periods.
🤔 What do you think?
