What is the most optimal position for you to squat?

Squat Variations

What is the most optimal position for you to squat? This question is asked very often and no 2 lifters will squat the same. So many things factor into the most optimal position for each person:
– mobility of the hip and ankles
– prior injuries 
– goals

Regardless, what I look for when clients send me squat videos is what happens to their bar path when they squat. Do they lean too far forward? Do they come up on their toes/lift their heels? Do their knees cave in? Does their chest collapse?

I strongly encourage people to video their squat sessions. Take them from both the side and from a 45 degree angle and replay it multiple times and look at bar path, watch your feet, knees, and chest. There are so many things that can be tweaked to fix your form, from changing your bar position to changing the width of your stance to elevating your heels.

The moral of the story is that there is no 1 way that is right for all lifters. Whatever you need to do to make sure your bar path stays over the midfoot is what you need to focus on during each squat session.