You think a squat’s a squat, right? Hardly. Most people think a standard squat is the only kind of squat there is, but if you only do these squats, you are selling yourself short. A standard squat is a great exercise that works the lower body muscles- quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, plus core and lower back- but this is the easiest form of a squat, and it all comes down to how low you go.

When performing a standard squat, you stop lowering your body once your knees are at a 90 degree angle, thighs parallel to the ground. A full squat, which is much more challenging, works the same muscles, but to a greater degree. A full squat is lowering below 90 degree, knees and hips fully bent, and you only stop your downward motion right before your butt hits your heels.

This called “breaking parallel” in gym-speak, and adds explosive strength and power to your legs.

Full squats are more difficult because they not only work your muscles through a bigger range of motion, they also take more flexibility and balance, which adds additional muscle groups that standard squats don’t.

If you have knee or lower back issues, you may want to stick with standard squats, but breaking parallel isn’t harmful or dangerous like most people think- it’s just more advanced. If you are looking to shake up your lower body routine, give ‘em a try.