Mastering Full Depth Asian Squats
Here is a test you can do right now, before you read anything else.
Drop into a full squat. Feet flat, heels down, backside as close to your heels as it will go. Hold it for twenty seconds.
Most people over 60 cannot. I am 71 and I can, but I could not a year ago — and getting there changed more about my daily movement than any supplement on my list.
Why This Position Matters After 70
At 71 I am committed to movements that build real-world strength, preserve mobility and fight age-related decline. The full depth squat — hips below knees, heels flat, the deep position humans evolved to rest in — has become a staple of my routine.
Not quarter squats. Not parallel. All the way down.
What changed for me: better balance, looser hips, stronger legs, and far less daily stiffness. Below is the evidence behind it, the myths worth debunking, and how to work up to it safely if twenty seconds is currently out of reach.
What Is a Full Depth Asian Squat?
A full depth Asian squat is a squat where your hips sink below your knees with your heels flat on the floor and your hamstrings close to your calves — not the quarter or parallel squat most people do.
Full depth asian squats (also called deep or ass-to-grass/ATG squats) involve lowering until your hips sink below your knees, often with hamstrings touching calves. This contrasts with partial (quarter) or parallel squats (hips level with knees).
In many cultures – think Asia or hunter-gatherer societies – deep squatting is a natural rest position for eating, working, or even toileting. Modern chair-sitting lifestyles have eroded this ability, leading to tight ankles, hips, and weakened legs. Reclaiming full depth reverses that, engaging a fuller range of motion (ROM) that recruits more muscle fibers, especially in glutes, adductors, and quads.
Studies show deeper squats produce greater muscle activation and hypertrophy in key areas compared to shallower versions, particularly glutes and adductors – crucial for power and stability.
Are Deep Squats Bad for Your Knees After 70?
No. For healthy knees, full depth squats done with good form are safe and often protective. ACL stress actually peaks around 90 degrees, which is the partial squat, not the deep one.
This is the #1 concern I hear. Old-school advice from the 1960s claimed deep squats wreck knees by increasing shear forces and risking ligaments. But modern research flips that script: When done with proper form, full depth squats are safe – and often protective – for healthy knees.
Deep positions increase compressive forces (good for joint nourishment via synovial fluid) while reducing harmful shear on the ACL. Partial squats actually peak ACL stress around 90 degrees. Multiple reviews confirm no link to higher injury risk in healthy individuals; elite lifters squatting ultra-deep have healthier knees than average folks.
That said, if you have existing knee issues (e.g., meniscus tears or patellofemoral pain), start shallower and consult a pro. But for longevity? Deep is the way.
What Are the Benefits of Deep Squats for Seniors?
Deep squats fight sarcopenia, lubricate the knees, hips and ankles, and build the balance and leg strength that prevent falls.
1. Fights Sarcopenia and Builds Serious Muscle: Squats target the body's biggest muscles (quads, glutes, hamstrings, adductors). Deeper ROM leads to superior hypertrophy and strength gains, especially in glutes (up to 3x more than parallel in some studies). Strong legs mean better metabolism and hormone response (e.g., temporary testosterone/GH boosts).
2. Enhances Joint Health and Mobility: Full depth lubricates knees/hips/ankles, improves flexibility, and maintains cartilage integrity. It counters stiffness from aging, preserving ankle dorsiflexion and hip rotation.
3. Boosts Balance and Prevents Falls: Deep squats demand proprioception and core stability. Better balance slashes fall risk – a top killer in older adults.
4. Increases Bone Density: Weight-bearing load stimulates osteoblasts, fighting osteoporosis in hips, spine, and legs.
5. Improves Posture and Core Strength: Engages erector spinae and deep stabilizers for better alignment.
6. Metabolic and Hormonal Perks: Compound nature torches calories and supports insulin sensitivity.
Do Deep Squats Help You Live Longer?
The evidence points that way. Adults who could sit down on the floor and rise again without support had five to six times lower mortality over six years.
This seals it for the 200-Year Life. Leg strength/flexibility predicts survival better than many factors.
The famous Sitting-Rising Test (SRT): A 2012 Brazilian study of 2,000+ adults (51-80) found those who could sit and rise from the floor without support (deep squat-like) had 5-6x lower mortality over 6 years. Each point lost on the 10-point scale raised death risk 21%.
Strength training, including squats, reduces all-cause mortality in older adults per British Journal of Sports Medicine reviews.
Cultures with habitual deep squatting stay mobile into old age, with lower decline risks.
Home-based deep squat programs in seniors improve function, torque, and daily activities.
Deep squats mimic functional demands: getting up/down, avoiding frailty. They're a biomarker of healthy aging.
The Research Behind This
- Brito et al., European Journal of Preventive Cardiology — the sitting-rising test. In more than 2,000 adults aged 51 to 80, the ability to get down to the floor and back up without support predicted all-cause mortality over a six-year follow-up.
- Hartmann, Wirth & Klusemann, Sports Medicine — a review of deep squats and knee joint load. It concludes that deep squats, performed with good technique, do not increase injury risk in healthy knees, and that restricting depth can shift load in less favourable ways.
Two honest caveats. The sitting-rising test measures whole-body function, not the Asian squat specifically — it is evidence that floor mobility tracks with survival, not that this one position causes it. And the knee research is on healthy joints. If you have had a knee replacement or have diagnosed joint damage, this is a conversation for your doctor, not a blog post.
How Do You Start Asian Squats Safely at 70 or Older?
Start with bodyweight only — feet shoulder-width, toes turned out 20 to 30 degrees — and hold a chair or counter for support until your ankles and hips open up.
Start slow – mobility varies!
Bodyweight First: Feet shoulder-width, toes out 20-30°, chest up, arms forward. Lower deep, drive through heels. Hold bottom for time if needed.
Progressions: Use a chair/box for assisted, or counter for support. Add goblet (hold weight) or barbell later.
Frequency: I squat daily for 5 minutes in the morning.
Mobility Drills: Ankle rocks, hip openers, calf stretches to unlock depth.
Common Fixes: Elevate heels temporarily if ankles tight; focus on neutral spine.
Listen to your body – pain (not discomfort) means regress. Pair with my other protocols (NMN, Vitamin D3, etc.) for max synergy.
How Long Should You Hold an Asian Squat Each Day?
I filmed a short version of this test if you want to see the position: can you hold a squat for 20 seconds?
I spend five minutes in the bottom position every morning, working in holds rather than counting reps.
Full depth squats aren't flashy, but they're foundational – building unbreakable legs, mobile joints, and functional independence. Science backs them for muscle, bones, balance, and longevity. I try to find time for 5 minutes of squatting every morning. At my age, they're keeping me agile and strong. Ditch the myths, go deep (safely), and let's squat toward centuries of vitality!
Have you mastered full depth? What's your experience? Share below – let's build this community.Stay deep and strong,
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