Quarter to Half Depth Squats

Instructions

1. Stand tall with your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart.

2. Keep your chest lifted, your core lightly engaged, and your arms in front of you or at your sides for balance.

3. Lower into a quarter squat by bending your knees and hips slightly.

4. Keep your weight balanced through both feet.

5. From the quarter squat, lower a little deeper into a half squat.

6. Then rise back up to the quarter squat position without standing all the way up.

7. Lower again into the half squat.

8. Continue moving back and forth between the quarter squat and half squat positions.

9. Keep the movement controlled and continuous for the full set.

Common Compensations

• Do not let your knees cave inward.

• Do not let your chest collapse too far forward.

• Do not shift your weight too far onto your toes.

• Do not stand all the way up unless the exercise specifically calls for it.

• Do not bounce or drop quickly between positions.

• Do not let your heels lift off the floor.

Extra Info

• You should feel this mostly in the quads, glutes, and core.

• You may also feel the hips working to control the repeated changes in depth.

• The goal is to stay controlled as you move between the two squat levels.

• You should not feel sharp pain in the knees, hips, or low back.