How Do You Squat? Assess Yourself Using The Deep Squat Test

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During any surf or snow sport we spend a lot of time in some sort of squat position. In fact, I would say that squatting is one of the most fundamental movement patterns we should be able to perform correctly in order to prevent injury and increase performance. Doing squats and squat variations are also one of the best ways to train lower body strength and power.

The problem is a lot of people don’t squat very well due to a number of factors such as poor hip mobility, lack of ankle dorsi-flexion, poor movement mechanics, etc. And if you can’t squat well when you train, the chances are you won’t squat well when you hit the surf or snow and this can mean anything from inefficient movement/technique through to increased risk of injury.

The test below will help you identify how well you squat and if you need to do some corrective work to fix any issues.

The Deep Squat Test

The Deep Squat Test looks at not only your lower body, but also your upper body mobility. To pass the test you will need to have adequate ankle,  hip and shoulder mobility as well as the ability to extend through your thoracic spine.

If you fail the test, then you may have a mobility issue with one or even several parts of your body. Have a go at the test as see if you pass. You don’t need to put tape on the floor like in the video, just grab a broom stick and stand a foot length away from the wall…

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Here are some of the most common problems I see when observing other people squat…

• Squatting onto your toes – Your heels should remain on the ground when you squat. If you have problems with this try and push your hips back as you squat and let the weight go through your heels, not toes.
• Knees collapse inward – Your knees should align over your toes when you squat, not collapse in. Try pushing your knees outward as you descend into the squat.
• Trunk collapses forward – If your chest and head collapse forward you are not going to be in a very athletic position when you surf, ski or snowboard. Try keeping your chest up and shoulders back.

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Squat To Stand Corrective Exercise

The Squat to Stand exercise shown in the video below is a good exercise to help improve your squatting mechanics. Have a go at adding this exercise into your warmup to improve your ability to squat.

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Improving your ability to move correctly should be one of the foundations upon which you build your fitness.  If you need a professionally designed training plan to help you move better and perform better in the surf or snow, download one of our step-by-step functional training plans below…

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Surfing Workouts – Total Surfing Fitness

Snowboarding Workouts – Total Snowboarding Fitness

Ski Workouts – Total Skiing Fitness

Windsurfing Workouts – Total Windsurfing Fitness

Advanced Workouts – Surf ‘n’ Snow Fitness High Performance Club

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