How Deep Should You Squat

If you’ve ever Googled squats, you’ve probably seen strong opinions on both sides.“Deep squats are best.”“Quarter squats are more sport-specific.”

So… which one should you actually be doing?

The answer is simple: both can be useful — but for different reasons.

What Deep Squats Are Good For?

Deep squats are what most people think of as a squat: hips dropping below parallel with the knees.

These are great for:

• Building general leg strength

• Improving muscle tone and size

• Strengthening tendons and joints

• Improving movement quality

• Building resilience as we age

Because the muscles work through a longer range, deep squats challenge the body more. They’re especially useful if:

• You’re new to strength training

• You’re coming back from injury

• You want to improve overall robustness

• You want long-term durability for running

For Masters athletes, deep squats are often the foundation that protects knees, hips, and calves over time.

What Quarter Squats Are Good For

Quarter squats are shallower. You only bend the knees slightly, similar to the position your legs are in when sprinting or pushing off while running.

They’re useful for:

• Building power and explosiveness

• Training the body at running-specific joint angles

• Improving speed and responsiveness

• Using heavier loads with less soreness

• Supporting performance close to race day

This is why elite sprinters and jumpers often use partial squats. The movement is more specific to the sport performance, and the nervous system adapts accordingly.

Why This Matters for Runners Over 30

If you’re a Masters athlete, you don’t just need performance — you need longevity.

Doing only heavy, shallow squats without a base can increase injury risk. Doing only slow, deep squats forever can limit power and speed.

That’s why both can be useful and important.

At MHPC, most athletes:

• Start by building strength with deeper squats

• Progress toward more shallow, powerful squats as they get stronger

• Adjust squat depth depending on race goals and training phase

It’s not about ego lifting or copying what elites do on Instagram. It’s about choosing the right tool at the right time.

The Takeaway

Deep squats build the foundation.Quarter squats sharpen performance.

If you’re serious about running well beyond 30, your strength training should evolve with you — just like your running does.

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