I don't know, but I always bottom out when I squat. I feel like it's the only way I can truly tell that I've gotten below parallel. None of my coaches have ever reprimanded me for going too low.

Elegra2006 wrote: »

It depends what I'm doing...

Going for 1RM then I only break parallel ie. meet power-lifting standard

Doing tempo or pause work, probably go a bit deeper to really work those legs

Air squats... all the way

Thrusters... all the way to get maximum drive up

Different variations require different depths, I feel.

Agree with Elegra2006 on this one.

The sticking point is not at the bottom of the ATG squat. It's a little higher. But by going to the bottom, you may get more of a stretch reflex. In CF, we are training olympic squats for the purpose of carry over to the clean, not low bar/wide stance/just below parallel squats, for the most part. As long as you don't have butt wink and you're staying tight and not divebombing your descent, you're fine. Did your coach tell you have butt wink?

I am CF'er but also a competitive powerlifter. I would say that if you can go lower, do, if you ever think you might do a powerlifting comp. What you "think" is depth might not be to the judges, as breaking parallel has to err on the side of being CONVINCING.

I probably go lower on air squats but I'm throwing myself down to get the bounce out of the bottom to make it a bit easier. For weighted back squats I'd guess I'm right at parallel or maybe a wee bit short. Much better than I was when I started Crossfit, but still a bit of mobility work to be done.

moe0303 wrote: »

Just wondering. I usually get pretty close to bottoming out. It's just something I've always done since starting CrossFit. I remember listening to two coaches argue about whether or not I was going too low. They never reached an agreement either way, and I was in the midst of WOD death, so I didn't care. So I figured I would pose the question to the group.

Is bottoming out or getting close to it too low to go for a squat?

For me, I feel that the bottom of the squat is a natural and functional position. So if I was going to lift something from the ground, it seems that I would want to start from the most natural position and lift from there. IDK.

moe0303 wrote: »

Just wondering. I usually get pretty close to bottoming out. It's just something I've always done since starting CrossFit. I remember listening to two coaches argue about whether or not I was going too low. They never reached an agreement either way, and I was in the midst of WOD death, so I didn't care. So I figured I would pose the question to the group.

Is bottoming out or getting close to it too low to go for a squat?

For me, I feel that the bottom of the squat is a natural and functional position. So if I was going to lift something from the ground, it seems that I would want to start from the most natural position and lift from there. IDK.

moe0303 wrote: »

Just wondering. I usually get pretty close to bottoming out. It's just something I've always done since starting CrossFit. I remember listening to two coaches argue about whether or not I was going too low. They never reached an agreement either way, and I was in the midst of WOD death, so I didn't care. So I figured I would pose the question to the group.

Is bottoming out or getting close to it too low to go for a squat?

For me, I feel that the bottom of the squat is a natural and functional position. So if I was going to lift something from the ground, it seems that I would want to start from the most natural position and lift from there. IDK.

I'm a coach and I disagree, but different strokes for different folks. You don't go just below parallel when you catch a heavy clean. The reason we do olympic squats in CF is in preparation for olympic lifting, for the most part. Otherwise if we wanted to move the most weight like in powerlifting, we'd be using low bar back squats.