The Back Angle in the Squat

by Steve Ross, SSC | October 01, 2024

The squat is the most technically demanding lift to coach and execute, and I suspect that’s why most personal trainers skip out on learning how to do it. As a large, compound, multi-joint exercise, it recruits a whole bunch of muscle mass, over a long range of motion, creating numerous opportunities for things to go wrong. As the weight increases, the margin for error shrinks, meaning even the slightest deviation from correct technique will result in a missed rep.

A common error that we see involves a misunderstanding of how to establish our desired, more horizontal back angle. When training for strength, this back angle utilizes more effectively the muscles of the posterior chain, namely, the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and adductors, which adds to the muscle mass involved in the movement and makes it our preferred way to teach the squat. This allows us to lift heavier weights and become stronger, which is the reason we're training for strength in the first place.

This back angle is achieved by reaching the hips back and pushing the knees out and forward at the same time. When executed correctly, this angle is set almost immediately and prepares the lifter for the rebound at the bottom of the squat. When people have difficulty understanding how to do this – often due to an incorrect mental image of the squat – we’ll often use cues like “bend over” or “point your nipples to the floor.” However, this can lead to them to mistakenly rounding or flexing their thoracic spine in attempt to point their chest down.

It's important to remember that the back serves to transmit the force generated by the hips and legs up to the barbell sitting on the back, and any flexion in either the lumbar or thoracic spine during the squat will cause problems. More specifically for this article, when the chest collapses forward while trying to lean over, the muscles of the upper back and shoulders (where the barbell rests) flatten and the elbows flare back causing the bar to roll upward toward the neck. Not only is this position potentially dangerous, it also kills the mechanics of the lift by having the bar drift forward of mid-foot and will, eventually, piss off the elbows something fierce. It also deforms and softens a segment which is meant to remain rigid at all times during the movement pattern.

Mental images of the squat (think the Master Cue) are extremely useful and in this case, a great way to fix this issue is to think about freezing the torso throughout the movement. The thoracic spine should stay tight, and the lumbar spine should remain in rigid extension at all times and both should not move. While the torso will lean forward naturally as the hips move back and the knees drive outward, the key is that the torso itself is not actively bending. It it frozen in position while the hips reach back and the knees are shoved out and forward.

Thinking about everything from the waist up, including the arms and hands being frozen in place during the squat will solve a lot of problems and make for a more efficient movement pattern. You squat by moving your hips and knees together, not by relaxing your back.

Take note of the images above. In the first squat (center photo), the lifter attempts to establish the back angle by rounding his thoracic spine, which naturally flares the elbows back and deforms the back segment. In contrast, in the bottom photo, the lifter maintains the same torso and elbow position at the bottom as he had at the top, with the only change being the position established by moving hips and knees simultaneously. While in both bottom-position photos, the chest has effectively been “pointed down,” this has been accomplished in two very different ways.

Remember, the forearms help anchor the barbell in place just below the spine of the scapula, and the back must remain rigid to successfully do its job as a force transmitter. As long as these elements stay stable throughout the squat, the lifter will be well-positioned for success.