#55 - Using the Low Bar Back Squat to Address Ankle Mobility Deficits

If you're a weightlifter or powerlifter you may be wondering if your ankle mobility is affecting your squat depth and that it's something to address before getting under the barbell. For good reason, the internet has been raging about ankle mobility being a major cause of squat depth issues for the last few years. But we'll argue that your ankle mobility isn't affecting your squat.

 

Most people have depth issues related to:

 

1. Poor coaching

2. Poor body awareness

3. The load simply being too heavy 

4. The leg being in a poor position to allow proper depth

 

If you can do the following, you have the ankle range of motion to squat to depth:

• Walk normally, comfortably, without an atypical gait pattern
• Go up and down normal height stairs
• Put your feet flat when sitting on a normal-to-low toilet 

 

In the absence of a massive injury, prolonged immobilization of the ankle, or neurological condition affecting tone, the majority of people have enough range of motion to squat to depth without ankle mobility (or hamstring length, since I know you're thinking that too) causing the issue.

 

In this episode of the PRS Podcast, Clinical Coach Dr. Rori Alter, PT, PRSCC, SSC shares her own story of an ankle mobility deficit that didn't affect her squat. In fact, most people have asymmetries in size and range of motion from side to side and it's considered normal and generally does not affect barbell training and therefore doesn't need to be addressed.

 

However, Dr. Rori shares her ankle mobility deficit story to help you see when and why you might address it and what the best exercises are to address ankle mobility. The ironic thing is that she decided to address her ankle mobility issue because of pain from running and used the squat to address it. Funny how that is the opposite of what most people think.

 

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