05-07-2025
Did you know that the length of your torso and the thigh bones dictate how good your squats are?
There are a number of things that go through the mind while exercising—is the weight selection right, is the form correct, is the correct muscle group getting worked? What doesn't cross the mind, is how the body proportions affect the way you perform an exercise. And if there is a way to tweak something as simple as a squat to allow your body to do it most effectively and safely, then it makes sense to know which variation is the best one for your body proportions.
There are a number of things that can affect a squat. 'Greater heel elevation, greater ankle dorsiflexion mobility, shorter relative femur length and longer relative torso length, wider stance width, more abduction (knees out), a higher bar position on the back, greater relative quadriceps strength, and increased intent to target the knee extensors," is the list written by Bret Contreras, who runs the fitness site The Glute Guy. Contreras has a PhD in Sports Science.
Torso and femur lengths
There seem to be a few parameters to consider when it comes to defining body proportions in relation to squats. The first of these is the easiest to understand. A body might fall into the category of long torso and short femurs, or short torso and long femurs. The femur is the thigh bone. The mechanics of this are pretty simple. A longer femur will push the hips back farther away compared to someone with a long torso and short femurs.
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As shown in the Instagram video above, a long torso and short femurs make it easier to perform a deep and upright squat. But in case you belong to the short torso long femur group, then you are farther away from the body's centre of gravity when squatting. The fix is simple—use a heel elevation to change the mechanics, and perform a deeper squat without having to tip forward to find your centre of gravity.
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'From a joint motion standpoint, the primary limitation to deep squatting is the amount of available hip flexion. When the end range of hip flexion is reached during squatting, a posterior pelvic tilt will occur. The posterior rotation of the pelvis is the result of the femur compressing into the acetabulum," states a study titled A Biomechanical Review of the Squat Exercise: Implications for Clinical Practice.
Tibia length
Another thing to consider is the length of one's tibia.'Shortened tibia length with long femur length would create greater hip displacement and cause forward lean deeper into the squat. Conversely, a lifter with longer tibia lengths relative to femur lengths would exhibit a more upright posture. This lifter would feel more of quadriceps working during the squat, while a lifter with shorter tibias, relative to femur length, would feel greater effort in lower back musculature," states an article titled, How Femur Length Affects Squat Mechanics.
The holy grail of squatting techniques can be found in a video by The Squat University, which shows how the length of the femur and tibia affect squatting. It is worth watching so you know whether you are squatting the right way or not.
Hip structure
You can't change your hip structure, writes assistant professor at Trinity Western University's School of Human Kinetics Andrew Huming in his blog titled Squat Right For Your Body Type. He adds that you can try different techniques so that your body feels more squat-friendly.
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'By spreading your knees, you move your thighs out of the way so your hips can move between them. From a mechanical perspective the knee spread makes the femur look and work as if it is shorter. While I'm not trying to shoot my knees forward, I'm focusing more on squatting 'down' instead of 'back'," he says. And he has faced these problems himself. Huming describes himself as someone who is 6'3" of which '90 percent is leg."
And if you really want to get into the nitty gritty of it all, then the final piece of this squat jigsaw is hip socket depth. This one's a little advanced, and there's no hack to get around it. JC Fitness's blog has an excellent article which collates findings from various research papers. 'The angle at which the hip sockets are positioned will influence squat range of movement. It is likely that a lifter with more outward facing hip sockets will benefit from a wider stance or a more externally rotated hip position for squatting, whereas a lifter with more downward facing hip sockets will benefit from a comparatively narrower stance," states their article titled, How Your Anatomy Influences Squat Mechanics.
But in case you continue wondering why even squat hacks can't seem to work for your form, then maybe just don't use back squats as an exercise. There are dozens of options to do which are easier and not as body structure oriented as the back squat.
Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator, writer and podcaster.
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